Contemporary Mixing Techniques?

[Bassmusic808]

Hello. I'm not sure if this was brought up in another thread, (if so please direct me), but I was wondering if there are any contemporary or "trendy" mixing techniques that are currently being used today? Something that people didn't do say maybe 5 years ago.. I hear that using lots of compression is something heard in popular music.. Anything else??

[JazzMang]

Just listen to the music on the radio.... It seems we all need to use more 'suck' in our songs to make them trendy.

[Paranfer]

In fact, there's some * RULES * to follow, but without a 10 000 $ - 100 000 $ studio
monitors, we can't really say anything to help that much, I mean to be able to produced materials like * PROFESSIONNAL *.But here's some guidelines that I'm pretty
sure you would like to know.

First of all, record your sessions the best way you can, like a 24 bits and 48 khz or 32 bits and 196 khz ( professional studio ) recording session ( if you can't, then do it at 16 bits 44.1 khz ).

Second, when recording, track each instruments also around -6 db, don't push it to distortion ( if your soundcard got a * mixer software or something like that, check if the level exceed 0 db, so use your ears and your eyes,be sure not to * Clip *, because after, it's too late ).

Third, when it's time to mixdown, apply all the effects and things like that on every
track you want some, all the effects you want in the song gotta be there,but remember
not to exceed - 6db ( on your master fader and try to keep this master fader at 0 db ) for this mixdown, people call it headroom, really helpful for the * mastering * time.
So do the best mixdown you can by keeping the level of your master fader around
- 6 db and export this session as a stereo intervealed tracks
( most people do it that way ) or as a multiple mono tracks ( 2 mono tracks ),
and export this mixdown the best way you can ( 24 bits 48 khz .... )

Fourth,open a new session with the mixdown you made ( the stereo or the mono mixdown, try it both way and see and hear the difference )
You now have 2 tracks at - 6 db with faders at 0 db
On this mix use a little of this in that order ( usually on a bus ):
First, use a little bit of EQ,
Second, use a compressor but don't compress to much ( ratio 2:5 )
Third, you can EQ again to had a smooth sound but be carefull.
Fourth, use a limiter to be sure nothing exceed 0 db on the master fader.
Fifth, try differents ways of using these * master tools * and hear what it sounds like.
Finally,export this mixdown again the best way you can.When it's time to burn it to a cd,then convert the songs at 16 bits and 44.1 khz.

With these guidelines,I think this is a good start to understand what kind of
* mixing techniques * engineer used, but like I said, I don't own a 100 000 $
recording studio.Also, read some articles about acoustic treatments because
maybe the room you're mixing in is a BIG problem,maybe your monitor speaker don't
handle from 50-20000 khz, where you should placed your speaker in the room....

So that's it, and I think a lot of people have their on way of doing things,
I guess people will post a lot in here, but I was giving it a start, so here is it...

[ez_willis]

Originally Posted by Bassmusic808

Hello. I'm not sure if this was brought up in another thread, (if so please direct me), but I was wondering if there are any contemporary or "trendy" mixing techniques that are currently being used today? Something that people didn't do say maybe 5 years ago.. I hear that using lots of compression is something heard in popular music.. Anything else??

Autotune and Bobbleheads!

[Paranfer]

I forgot to say something really important in my last post,so here it is:

Fourth,open a new session with the mixdown you made ( the stereo or the mono mixdown, try it both way and see and hear the difference )
You now have 2 tracks at - 6 db with faders at 0 db

DON'T FORGET TO PAN ONE RIGHT AND PAN THE OTHER LEFT ( STEREO )

On this mix use a little of this in that order ( usually on a bus ):
First, use a little bit of EQ,
Second, use a compressor but don't compress to much ( ratio 2:5 )
Third, you can EQ again to had a smooth sound but be carefull.
Fourth, use a limiter to be sure nothing exceed 0 db on the master fader.
Fifth, try differents ways of using these * master tools * and hear what it sounds like.
Finally,export this mixdown again the best way you can.When it's time to burn it to a cd,then convert the songs at 16 bits and 44.1 khz.

DON'T FORGET TO PAN RIGHT AND PAN LEFT

[Paranfer]

Also the ratio is like ( 2,5:1 ),not 2:5,sorry i hit the wrong....

[Bassmusic808]

Thanks for all the info Paranfer. I'll have to read through it a few times to get it.

I know technology has changed quite a bit in the past decade, so I was wondering if techniques have changed also. I guess you might need those expensive equipment to use some of those techniques, hm?

[Paranfer]

Not really, I own a 10 000 $ home recording studio since 2000,I'm an Audiovisual Technicien and i can say that by sharing each other knowledge,by reading a lot of
articles, it's going better and better and better.But everything i post before is what
MOST of the people do in the industry,But like I said,ACOUSTIC ROOM,( 20 000 $ ),
MONITOR SYSTEM ( 20 000 $ ),is what make a COMMERCIAL CD.BUT,with a 5000 $
or 10 000 $,you CAN REALLY do some great things, and also have a good sounds,
just keep working and working and working and reading and reading and experimenting...until you have a 100 000 $ recording studio.HA ! HA !HA !.
Just do the best you can and one day I'm pretty sure YOU gonna be satisfied.

[treymonfauntre]

i bet you got a pretty bad grade in your elementary school english class

[mixandmaster]

I can't think of a single mixing "innovation" in the last five years that I hadn't heard in some form before...I would say that people are finding ways of pushing the edge of the frequency spectrum with hip hop having led the way with subbass usage, but other than that, not much has changed. Certain genres have mixing "characteristics" that fall in and out of style, but no significant or groundbreaking "techniques" come to mind.

Nothing like automation, digital editing, and even multitracking, etc. that were here way more than 5 years ago.

I think the gear manufacturers are focusing on making things more affordable in terms of their innovation rather than developing NEW boxes/effects/whatever.

[FALKEN]

things in the last 5 years are a lot more dry.

[Paranfer]

Yes,you're right, BUT I'M a French Canadien,First,english is my second language,I think
anyway that people are able to undestand me anyway,I would like to see how you do
in french,

Peût-être que tu n'arrivera pas a saisir un seul mot de c'que j'viens d'dire,
c'que je peut t'dire c'est que j'suis un technicien en audiovisuel et je possède un certificat de niveau collégial,donc je connais très bien mon français comme tu connais
ton anglais,j'pourrais donc m'passer de tes commentaires alors que la plupart des gens
ici me comprennent quand je pose des idées.Si tu m'as compris,réplique avec une phrase complète que je peux comprendre, ne français,bien sûr. OK !

Anyway I'm here to share each other knowledge,that's it......
I don't need this kind of post when most of the people understand me when I'm posting.

[Paranfer]

My last post was for TREYMONFAUNTRE.I know I've a bad english,but I think
there's another way to say to people, * I bet you got a pretty bad grade in your elementary school english class *, just tell me you don't understand me
clearly,your the first to tell that and I don't like the way you've done it.Like I said,FRENCH is my FIRST language.

[7string]

Originally Posted by Paranfer

In fact, there's some * RULES * to follow...

<mucho deletedo>

Wow. Very informative! I tried the two separate tracks as well as the stereo interweaved and A/B'd them. What a difference! The separate tracks seems to widen the stereo field a bit more and was much cleaner, although much quieter. I even tried bringing up the stereo tracks under the separate tracks a bit just to see what it would do, but I didn't like it.

<edit> Forgot to add this:

What I did was run the two separate tracks into a bus as well as the stereo tracks. That bus was compressed. Then that bus was sent to another bus which was dithered and then in to another bus for limiting. I used separate busses so I could keep track of what was going on at each stage. It seemed to even everything out more. I'm going to spend some more time listening back and forth and see which I like more.

Again, very informative and I enjoyed the experiment!

[Paranfer]

No problem my friend,it's a pleasure.It's all good if that help and if you enjoyed the experiment ! Just keep doing it better and better....and enjoy my friend !