Do I really need to learn mixing and/or equalization?

Cyath

New member
I have an idea for a YT channel where I put up some covers I am planning on doing. I was thinking of learning some mixing and equalization, but then I run into the only 24 hours a day problem (I am a full-time student) I love learning new things, but I am not sure if I really need to mix my audio.

Basically, will learning it make my recordings sound better? (I know that better is relative...)

I'm pretty confident of my singing voice, and from what little I know of audio technology, it's better to start good and then tweak it from there.
 
That depends. How are you recording the covers?

- A stereo backing track to which you add vocals?

- Instruments recorded on separate tracks?
 
Hey,
That really just depends on what you want to hear, and how you plan to record.

If you're capturing a live performance, particularly with a single microphone, then your options are limited anyway.
'Mixing' isn't really an option there but a basic understanding of broad-strokes eq might be useful.

If, on the other hand, you're capturing multiple instruments separately, or putting separate mics on various things, then it would make sense to mix what you've got.
What happens there can be as simple, or as complicated, as you want.

Plenty of people just pop up a mic and a camera and document a live performance. There's nothing wrong with that, if it's what you're aiming for.

Tell us about your intended approach and expected outcome. :)
 
I have an idea for a YT channel where I put up some covers I am planning on doing. I was thinking of learning some mixing and equalization, but then I run into the only 24 hours a day problem (I am a full-time student) I love learning new things, but I am not sure if I really need to mix my audio.

Basically, will learning it make my recordings sound better? (I know that better is relative...)

I'm pretty confident of my singing voice, and from what little I know of audio technology, it's better to start good and then tweak it from there.

The whole question has me confused. Are you saying, "I want to make my recordings sound better but I don't want to learn anything about mixing EQ etc". If so its like saying I want to make my Guitar playing sound better but I don't want to learn how to play the guitar.

Am I reading this correctly?

Alan.
 
I but then I run into the only 24 hours a day problem (I am a full-time student)

HAHAHAHA - you will never have as much time to do things as when you are young. Learn to manage your time better now and you will not be looking back 40 years from now regretting the wasted time.
 
Assuming this is not troll bait....

You could spend your time learning to just record and listen more critically, which would pay off when/if you find yourself with time to learn mixing later.

Take your phone (and maybe an interface with mic+stand), and just start recording yourself. Listen to how it sounds in different rooms with different microphone placement, e.g., distance from source, angles, relationship to external noise, etc. Figure out what sounds better/worse and keep finding little ways to make the recordings better, e.g., by identifying characteristics of good sounding spaces, perhaps identifying areas of your own technique that contribute or detract in a recording (vs. live) situation, etc.

I know I dove into recording without understanding how important the listening part was!
 
The whole question has me confused. Are you saying, "I want to make my recordings sound better but I don't want to learn anything about mixing EQ etc".

It's a common enough attitude these days but, to be fair to the OP, he's asking if learning some skills will make his recordings better.
Unfortunately he didn't tell us enough to answer the question but hopefully he'll be back.

He says he's not sure there's a need; If, for example, he's just recording a live performance with a video camera mic from across the room, I don't think there is a need/point.
 
My go to order of where to focus time:

1. Song writing/selection/arrangement - not much point in recording songs that aren't good anyway.
2. Song performance - If you can't play the parts well, making it sound good later will be way harder than just practicing more.
3. Instrument tone - Make your instruments sound good!
4. Accurate capture - Get your room and mics sorted out so that the noises you're recording sound as good as your instruments
5. Mix - Including EQ.
6. Mastering

So yes, you should learn to mix and EQ, but there are other things you should be perfecting if not before your mixing skills, at least in conjunction with them.
 
No, of course you don't need to learn mixing, just record your stuff and post it up on YouTube. If you're really good at performing and the song is really good, your audience will listen to that and not really hear if the mix is good or bad.

But..... chances are you are not that captivating a performer and your version of the songs you cover aren't hitting the charts any time soon. So, maybe people will get a few seconds into your songs, hear a bad mix and click to something else. Happens to us all the time.

Here's what you do. Record a tune. Listen to it objectively. What part don't you like? Figure that out then fix it. Identify the next biggest problem then fix it. Go on down the list until you get a result you like. Hey, you might find your first recording was okay for you and your audience. If so, then great. If not, then you need to learn mixing.
 
Thanks all for your comments! I appreciate them.

To give all a better idea of what I want to accomplish :

1. Record a vocal cover with Audacity. Place it onto scrubbed vocals later. (as in I remove the vocals from the original song)

2. I use a Steinberg 22 pre-amp and a Kaotix Eyeball.

3. No other instruments, just my voice.

I may be going for a simple setup given time and money constraints, and as such I may not "need" mixing. Thanks for the variety of replies though and I apologize I wasn't more clear.
 
If you're combining your voice on one track with the backing instrumental on another track, you're already mixing. You can learn to do it well, or not.
 
What would I need to learn? There tutorials on the Internet of course but the sheer number of them is mind-boggling. A friend tells me to equalize and start from zero, is that true?
 
What would I need to learn? There tutorials on the Internet of course but the sheer number of them is mind-boggling. A friend tells me to equalize and start from zero, is that true?

Your learn by doing. There is no one way to do anything. It just takes time to learn.

A client sent me this recently:

"Experience is the greatest teacher. Like if im gonna jump a ramp on skateboards doing the crab, no matter how steep the hill, a hose running water across the sidewalk right before the ramp wont end well"

So true. :)
 
I measured a Kaotix Eyeball a few years ago. I wouldn't use it. It's resonant, which amazed me, as it is basically just foam. But it seems the density is high enough to cause internal reflections. These aren't always in the way, but they'll slow down your learning process.
 
That's like asking if you need to mix the ingredients and bake them to make a cake? Who would want to eat a bowl of eggs, milk, butter and flour?? That's what your song will sound like if you record raw tracks and just play them back without mixing.

Technically it's even worse. You're not measuring any of the ingredients either.
 
I measured a Kaotix Eyeball a few years ago. I wouldn't use it. It's resonant, which amazed me, as it is basically just foam. But it seems the density is high enough to cause internal reflections. These aren't always in the way, but they'll slow down your learning process.

Very nice! I'd think perhaps worthy of a thread. ..if not already :>)
 
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