What makes a mix sound "glossy" or "slick" or "pop"?

PFDarkside

New member
What gives a mix that glossified sound? Is it heavy compression across the tracks? I'm recording my rock/punk band on Cakewalk over the next few days, and when I mix down, I'd like to give it a sheen instead of the typical raw demo sound.

Any suggestions?

For example, what's the difference between Nevermind and In Utero?
 
Wait!

Oooh! Wait! I know!

Excellent mics
talented muscians
expert engineers
perfect mixing
pricy hardware
pristine signal chain

Hmm....I knew i was missing something
Its alot of things.

SirRiff
 
Micheal Jackson has $30 million in his latest CD so you may want to add "ALOT OF MONEY" to the list.
 
LOL... I'm not looking to really make the recordings sound "boy band-ish" I'm just wondering what will bring them to the next level, i.e. sounding semi-pro instead of amateur. ;)
 
Hahaha... actually I really agree with SirRiff, dead on! But to be a bit serious regarding your upcoming recording...

  • be picky with the band. Make sure they & their gear sound good in themselves BEFORE taping anything, so you don't get blamed if they sound like shit. If they sound terrible, so will the recording, no matter what.
  • also make them get rid of songs that suck, and instead concentrate on doing a quality job with the top of their crop, especially if it's a demo rather than a full record.
  • try for as much separation as you can get. It'll give you all the more leeway with each instrument later.
  • try to get a "clean" soundcheck. In other words, try to make it sound as good as you can in the cans without messing with a lot of eq and stuff as far as possible.
  • make them play and sing well.
  • use as good equipment as you can get, and avoid putting more stuff between the player/singer and the tape than necessary. If you don't have the gear yourself, consider renting a few good mikes and a good compressor or two for the tracking. I wouldn't worry too much about reverb/effects at the tracking stage, save that for mix time.
  • Schedule at least a week's holiday in Hawaii or somewhere, right between tracking and mixing, so you & the guys get the chance to wash your ears out.
  • Consider mixing somewhere else - always useful to get the perspective, and book a place that has a lot of good gear that you don't have.
  • When I mix something I've produced, I ALWAYS work with a capable someone else who's been brought in specifically for the mix... maybe everyone won't agree on that one, but to me that outside perspective is invaluable. Or bring a buddy whose taste and opinions you really trust.

I'm sure there are lots of good pointers that will be added on by other really experienced & knowledgable people who live here. Maybe I'm not telling you anything you don't already know - but following these tips, you'll at least have max flexibility.

good luck - hope that helps! /Tommy
 
What's the difference between Nevermind and In Utero? Butch Vig and Steve Albini that's what! Vig is what you would call, a "slick" sounding producer. Albini on the other hand, is renowned for his legendary aversion to anything processed. Hates compression with a vengeance. Only works in analog. And quite possibly, has the largest vintage mic cabinet in the known universe. IMHO, In Utero is the better album simply because of its sonic integrity. This is the essence of punk rock. Nevermind, great pop album though it is, has gone on to become the template for the slew of made-to-order, ring-nosed angst, "alternative" records of the 21st century. Very sad.
 
Nevermind vs In Utero

I'd say Andy Wallace certainly played a big role in achieving Nevermind's slick radio friendly sound
 
decent mics cables,preamps,instruments,musicians...a well thought out arrangement with a good producer / engineer...
 
PFDarkside said:
LOL... I'm not looking to really make the recordings sound "boy band-ish" I'm just wondering what will bring them to the next level, i.e. sounding semi-pro instead of amateur. ;)

Two things:

1) Better preamps. If you're still using your Audio Buddy and/or ART Tube MP, it might be time to step up. A lot of what you're talking about has to do with the accurate high frequency response, and a good preamp, starting, say, with something like a Grace 101 on up, will help tremendously.

2) Better recording medium. If you're still recording at 16-bit digital, it may be time to step up to 24-bit or even analog.

The list goes on, but these may be the two quickest and, believe it or not, least expensive ways to help in these areas.
 
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