Mixing down with CEP2 Compression help

[MinorThreat1]

How does everyone mix down their music? Do you do all the drums first then the bass and guitar then vocals? or do you all mix them down at one time and do you compress it? And what settings for compression do you use? i do it but it all sounds clippy and dont know what to do?

[chrisharris]

I do submixes sometimes (like all of the background vocals) just to clear up the session, but for the most part, it all gets mixed down together.

Sometimes I compress the final mix...sometimes I don't. Depends on whether it needs it or not. I use a different app (Waves, Linear Multiband) to compress the stereo mix when I do compress. And I use the Waves L2 on just about every mix for limiting.

[minofifa]

bounce to track all at once usually.

[RDMS]

As drums are usually a mix in themselves they come first.
Bass is next followed by guitars then keys etc.
Vocals last BUT while the rest is being put together you should occasionally add the vocals to test your mix. This helps avoid a dull vocal.

Having said all of that it is not uncommon to get the vocal sounding great first then mixing everything to it.

I suggest trying both ways to see what works for you.

[Rusty K]

Yeah....drum, bass, rhythm guitar, (rhythm section),solo insturments, vox but really when I get into a mix I sometimes turn it upside down and disect it from all different directions. I will get to something I like about the mix of the guitars, let's say, and this will change the way it fits with other instruments that I have already mixed. Obviously I have to do some remixing. It's like a deck of cards you keep reshuffleing till you find what you like.

Learn to listen and then trust your ears. Compare your mixes to commercial mixes or pro CD's. Eq and compression are essential so you better look up some tutorials on each subject. I got to my tutorials from links given to me here at Home Recording.

Rusty K