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Many new to recording seem to believe that quality mixes come from DAW fx, plugins, settings, EQ, or computer tricks. Mixing should be where you make artistic choices... not where you improve sound quality! (IMO )
Seriously... who here believes that if you had X plug-in, or Y eq you could make a thin guitar sound fat? Or poor drum samples sound real? Or badly recorded vocals sound tight?
You're NOT going to do much for the QUALITY of your final mix with your DAW, or recording software.... at least RELATIVE to the huge improvement you'd get by:
1) mic'ing properly
2) gain staging properly
3) putting together an arrangement with sounds that fit
4) recording great sounds in the first place!
Recording software can damage your sounds more than fix them. knightfly's posts about EQ and phase shifts was eye opening. If one side of stereo cymbals, for example, is delayed even slightly, phasing/comb filtering takes place. Software isn't accurate enough to ensure this won't happen. Is it coincidence that many complain "where are my highs"?
"Fader math" errors are also destructive to sound quality... Recording as close to mix level as possible is your best bet if using the computer. Then leave the faders at unity gain.
From now on, I'm using no EQ, very little compression, and few FX and save all the mixing headaches... until I can afford a good analog board, a RADAR and great converters. It's all about capturing better sounds, not conjuring 'em with Cubase.
Don't try and fix your mix w/plugins. If it doesn't 'work', and you have the time, retrack first. Move the mic. Fix your room.
littledog, sonusman, knightfly, shailat, blue bear, mixmkr, or anyone else care to add to this? please? thanks
Chad
Seriously... who here believes that if you had X plug-in, or Y eq you could make a thin guitar sound fat? Or poor drum samples sound real? Or badly recorded vocals sound tight?
You're NOT going to do much for the QUALITY of your final mix with your DAW, or recording software.... at least RELATIVE to the huge improvement you'd get by:
1) mic'ing properly
2) gain staging properly
3) putting together an arrangement with sounds that fit
4) recording great sounds in the first place!
Recording software can damage your sounds more than fix them. knightfly's posts about EQ and phase shifts was eye opening. If one side of stereo cymbals, for example, is delayed even slightly, phasing/comb filtering takes place. Software isn't accurate enough to ensure this won't happen. Is it coincidence that many complain "where are my highs"?
"Fader math" errors are also destructive to sound quality... Recording as close to mix level as possible is your best bet if using the computer. Then leave the faders at unity gain.
From now on, I'm using no EQ, very little compression, and few FX and save all the mixing headaches... until I can afford a good analog board, a RADAR and great converters. It's all about capturing better sounds, not conjuring 'em with Cubase.
Don't try and fix your mix w/plugins. If it doesn't 'work', and you have the time, retrack first. Move the mic. Fix your room.
littledog, sonusman, knightfly, shailat, blue bear, mixmkr, or anyone else care to add to this? please? thanks
Chad