EQ Coaching

B

BeagleFaceHenry

Member
I've been mixing my band's recordings for a several years. Being self taught, I haven't had the opportunity to learn from someone more experienced and I was hoping someone might be interested in passing on a little guidance. I'm interested to know how someone else would EQ tracks that I've EQ'd (or vice versa).
My hope is someone might EQ a track (or whole tune) and show me your settings so I can compare, learn, and grow.
I have many tracks/tunes. We're a grown-up, blues based rock band.
If you'd like to lend an ear, please let me know. Thanks in advance!
-j
 
I guess the coolest - ok best way to do it would be with both looking at the same session (but that would get complicated. Listening to a mix is one thing, and useful, but limited. Most of the meat of it would be in the individual tracks, and in their context, and in their combinations. To me this is where you get most of the 'whys for what you do, and what you end up doing.
Maybe like the with the 'mix this track' threads, but standardized on something, like Reaper?
 
mixsit said:
I guess the coolest - ok best way to do it would be with both looking at the same session (but that would get complicated. Listening to a mix is one thing, and useful, but limited. Most of the meat of it would be in the individual tracks, and in their context, and in their combinations. To me this is where you get most of the 'whys for what you do, and what you end up doing.
Maybe like the with the 'mix this track' threads, but standardized on something, like Reaper?
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You would be best not only to standardize on the DAW, but plugins as well.
 
I'd put more time into learning the "concepts" of EQ rather than someone's settings. Lots of good videos on youtube, articles online, and posts in here. there's a also a "mix this" sub-forum on here. you could ask if someone wants to mix your stuff and then compare the two. really though, copying exact settings won't help someone understand why anything is being done...i'd focus on that, but that's just me.
 
Hi all,
Thanks for the tips! I'll be honest, I've spent the last 5 years watching youtubes, reading articles, vetting plugins, etc. My band has 30-40 originals, all recorded and mixed by me. I've played with many tunes in the "Mix This" sub, the one thing I'm REALLY missing is human interaction. I totally understand that settings will never be same same. I'm just really missing out from some dialogue and experience. I think my mixes are great, but I'd like to get better.
 
i really hear ya. The Guitar Center by me (metro-Detroit) has classes and sessions for mixing. many are free, i believe. they probably figure those people are going to buy all their equipment from them anyway. I'm sure other GC's have similar sessions.

Do you have a link to your stuff? I'd like to hear it. There's always the possibility that what's going "in" isn't as good as what you would like. The source is really the meat of the final product, from what i've learned so far. are you doing things analog or digital, or some combination. you mentioned plugs. you know, your mixes might be surpassing my own and whatever knowledge I have, so I'd like to hear a track or two before I end up useless to ya. ;)
 
I'd LOVE to take a mixing class! At the moment, or until my tiny children are slightly more self-sufficient, my wife will not authorize a class, but it's definitely on the radar.
I'll get you a link, hopefully tonight. I have work followed by band practice and everything is on my computer at home, but I'll get on it when I get home.
For the record, what's going "in" is definitely not as good as we'd like it to be. I said we have 30-40 originals, I never said we were awesome, but we try, and we love it. We're a grow-up garage band. We're rough around the edges. We record "live" in a small room using an assortment of high quality pro gear and cheesy, price-sensitive entry level toys. Point me in any direction and I'll show you 7 things that need to be improved for a great quality recording.
That being said, we still want to get the best we can. I still want to learn to mix as wonderfully as possible. I'd love to find out ways to improve our process and recordings.
 
Cool, you could post it in the mixing clinic and several people should respond. I'll check it out as well. Oh, and the classes might be free...find a GC and give them a call.
 
For people not too far (like Detroit), Sweetwater has mixing classes, on weekends with hotel for about $1000 bucks. Always led by industry professionals. Just depends how serious you are about learning some of this.

I would imagine in the DFW area, there would be something local. They have a lot of things in that area.
 
Beagle' to answer your questoin, I have Reaper- but not even up to speed with it.
Sending basic tracks (that are continuous and all start at the same zero) would be fairly straight forward.
Use only their plugs.. At least sounds simple enough.
Everything else goes down to time and energy! I'd could be up for some of that (this) - Hell it'd get me to crack open Reaper.. which I keep putting off grins..
 
I figured this kind of need would arise more, which is why I listed training at $50/hour. You figure people might want to learn more than just pay someone else. Teach someone to farm and they can feed themselves (however that saying goes). This is more a head's up - yes the service is out there, myself and others offer it. It takes time out of someone's often busy life and you're paying for their experience.

Thus far no one has taken me up on this offering. I think the amount of content online has people feeling as though everything should be free.
 
I hear what you're saying, Pinky, and it's not my intention to take food from mouths or waste anyone's time. I'd love to take a class, it's on my wishlist.
In the meantime, I'm looking for more of a classmate than a Professor. I understand the basics (even the intermediates) but I've never had someone to bounce ideas off of. I'm not necessarily looking for the "best" way to do mix, just someone else's opinion. I've been mixing for years but I haven't had a chance to share ideas.
 
Thanks Pinky, that's why I'm here. I may use Mix This, but I'm not looking for someone to mix my stuff, I'm looking for someone to talk to be about how they'd mix my stuff. I'll try out Mix This next, but I thought this forum was a wise 1st choice. I assumed 2 types of people read the Newbies forum, newbies and those looking to help. I'm looking for help.
 
BeagleFaceHenry said:
Thanks Pinky, that's why I'm here. I may use Mix This, but I'm not looking for someone to mix my stuff, I'm looking for someone to talk to be about how they'd mix my stuff. I'll try out Mix This next, but I thought this forum was a wise 1st choice. I assumed 2 types of people read the Newbies forum, newbies and those looking to help. I'm looking for help.
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They need to mix your song before they can tell you how they mixed it. So start with that, and maybe in your post ask if people could take a few screen shots of their settings (compression and EQ mostly).
 
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Someone else mentioned it, but I'd personally love it if you posted the tracks in the Mix This sub so that we could all take a whack at it.

The Pro Audio Files does things called "Mix Thrus" where they have a professional take a video that's usually about two hours long, and he just mixes a track from start to finish explaining his decisions. It'd be pretty cool to do something like that here with your mixes so you can hear the difference between your mixes and others, but then also understand WHY they made those decisions.
 
This seems like a really neat idea, in theory. I could also see this growing into something along the lines of "this is how I got my guitars to sit in the mix, but did you do it?"

I can't contribute in any way yet, but I could see it being a great teaching/learning device
 
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