Low Cuts

[Greg_L]

Also...this new approach of mixing specifically for crappy/narrow bandwidth playback systems/formats...well, is that really helping our audio cause????
I would think those of use who record would be more focused on forcing/driving end users toward higher quality audio instead of giving in and dumbing it down for them.
.

Not only that, it's a stupid concept anyway. It's really simple: make a good mix and it will sound good everywhere.

 

[SouthSIDE Glen]

Dude, get fucking real. You can't be "stalked" on a fucking free public internet message board.

I'm not going to argue it here, it's just so way off topic and only feeds the clown. But all you gotta do is look it up, sunshine.

G.

 

[Greg_L]

I'm not going to argue it here, it's just so way off topic and only feeds the clown. But all you gotta do is look it up, sunshine.

G.

Stop stalking me!

 

[kcearl]

I'm not going to argue it here, it's just so way off topic and only feeds the clown. But all you gotta do is look it up, sunshine.

G.

rant


You dont read or listen to what others are trying to explain but instead make your own mind up what people are saying and if the world doesnt measure up to your yardstick then they should be damned...using a precursor like "Im not trying to be mean..." or "You may not like hearing this..." doesnt give you carte blanche to prejudge people in here like we're all lazy fucks looking for the easy way out with $100 to spend..

Which is a shame because you are probably one of the more in intelligent/experienced folks in here yet Id rather listen to a million Lady Gagas than dissect one more of your fucking condescending posts...

Most of us are quite happy to admit where we are in scheme of things but you cant be anything but king shit...guess what Glen, you're not.. you answer one of my posts like you are still smarting from the last little jibe i gave you..get over it

so either grow a pair or start whining to the mods/feds/CIA whomever you see fit ..

/rant

 

[kcearl]

That's right...applying LPF and HPF on everything, multiple times as some automatic SOP...is really NOT the way to go.

I low cut...but I do it during the mixdown, and I do it selectively based on a track's audio content. So, for one track I might roll off -2dB at 125Hz, but for something else it might -5dB at 200Hz...etc.
I usually boost the low end first for each track and listen for the center frequency that is the most annoying/resonant, and that is usually the point where the cut needs to be made.

Again...I think the biggest issue is the monitoring system that is being used and the room.
Also...this new approach of mixing specifically for crappy/narrow bandwidth playback systems/formats...well, is that really helping our audio cause????
I would think those of use who record would be more focused on forcing/driving end users toward higher quality audio instead of giving in and dumbing it down for them.

That's like a painter saying "Fuck it, no one wants to take the time to go to an art museum to look at oil paintings hanging on a wall...so I'm going to just use a digital camera and post electronic images on the Internet instead of painting with oils."

Audio art is being driven by consumer's need for inexpensive convenience...so we're shooting ourselves in the foot by giving in to that instead of being smart and holding everything up to a higher standard.

I agree with what you are saying, its pretty much the same conversation we were having in the clinic but seriously do you think 50 to 20 000 Hz is crappy/narrow bandwidth?

because thats what we are talking about?

I bought a mastering tutorial DVD from SWA and they are suggesting that?? (albeit an introduction/beginners tutorial)

 

[kcearl]

Ok, so here is something interesting. Before I decided to attack this mixing thing because it was a huge bottle neck in our productivity we had a a buddy of ours from NY give us a good mix to present a couple of our songs to a label. This kid is nice and he actually mixed one of last years biggest Top 40 hits. Today I had him send me the sessions so I could study what he had done. It turns out he barely did anything! Here I am low cutting everything trying to get clarity and all he did was level, EQ a few select things, add some reverb and delay and his mix is butter. So I guess it proves after all that you don't need to low cut everything. I'm still in awe over how he accomplished such a clear mix with such minimal processing but I just gotta go in there and work more.

Haha and btw, after reading where this thread went I have a feeling I'm gonna enjoy talking on here.

Im fairly new at getting half decent mixes but other than a little EQ, delay, and reverb, there's not much else added at the mixing stage...granted I generally start basic mixing at the tracking stage, GHR style, then export the stems...but really that's it

I bought a nomad liquid bundle last year when I first started and Im lucky if I touch half the plug ins now through the whole process

and as for "mastering" the finished stereo wave I try to stick to just mild compression and a limiter, though Ive been reading and experimenting with stereo imaging a bit (though Ill be told Im a fool for doing that as well lol)

less is more, from what I can gather

 

[moresound]

rant


You dont read or listen to what others are trying to explain but instead make your own mind up what people are saying and if the world doesnt measure up to your yardstick then they should be damned...using a precursor like "Im not trying to be mean..." or "You may not like hearing this..." doesnt give you carte blanche to prejudge people in here like we're all lazy fucks looking for the easy way out with $100 to spend..

Which is a shame because you are probably one of the more in intelligent/experienced folks in here yet Id rather listen to a million Lady Gagas than dissect one more of your fucking condescending posts...

Most of us are quite happy to admit where we are in scheme of things but you cant be anything but king shit...guess what Glen, you're not.. you answer one of my posts like you are still smarting from the last little jibe i gave you..get over it

so either grow a pair or start whining to the mods/feds/CIA whomever you see fit ..

/rant

Dam KC.......... I was really enjoying the cowbell in there ...but I think it was wise to delete that!

 

[kcearl]

Dam KC.......... I was really enjoying the cowbell in there ...but I think it was wise to delete that!

i was only halfway through my first coffee...besides "you so ugly yo mama had to feed you with a slingshot!" doesnt quite cut it in the adult realm

 

[mixsit]

Wow. What a lota hooey over one damn filter shape.

Ok, so here is something interesting. Before I decided to attack this mixing thing because it was a huge bottle neck in our productivity we had a a buddy of ours from NY give us a good mix to present a couple of our songs to a label. This kid is nice and he actually mixed one of last years biggest Top 40 hits. Today I had him send me the sessions so I could study what he had done. It turns out he barely did anything! Here I am low cutting everything trying to get clarity and all he did was level, EQ a few select things, add some reverb and delay and his mix is butter. So I guess it proves after all that you don't need to low cut everything. I'm still in awe over how he accomplished such a clear mix with such minimal processing but I just gotta go in there and work more.

Haha and btw, after reading where this thread went I have a feeling I'm gonna enjoy talking on here.

At which point this at least makes for quite the nice little relief/chuckle.
So for some more random thoughts..

For the 'default cut everything template style, what, 6db/oct? 18? always, never?

Back a bit even though you specifically asked about 'low cuts, I tried to inject the idea of other ways to look at it, being a lot more to it in balance and shape. Thus the other filter styles, questions, come to play..

Sometime you can get to a point where pursuing this high/low division of labor' ends up with a bit of disassociation of the elements to the sound.
See this often in live mix..

Maybe.. you may want to keep/have some of that overlap down there specifically so as inject a bit of chaos' and density down there. (..the horror

Maybe we're not working the style de jour' where the band/singer co-stars with the kick and we just don't quite need everything all that squeaky clean.

Carry on

 

[moresound]

i was only halfway through my first coffee...besides "you so ugly yo mama had to feed you with a slingshot!" doesnt quite cut it in the adult realm

That's why I have an espresso coffee maker BANG I'm up!


The funny thing about all of this is in 20 years we will all look back on this and say....ghruf juistsw duh fok ma fultuma... while chuckling to our self and drooling on our vest, in the old folks home.
LIVE LIFE TO YOUR FULLEST!

 

[kcearl]

That's why I have an espresso coffee maker BANG I'm up!


The funny thing about all of this is in 20 years we will all look back on this and say....ghruf juistsw duh fok ma fultuma... while chuckling to our self and drooling on our vest, in the old folks home.
LIVE LIFE TO YOUR FULLEST!

im already chuckling....and drooling

 

[Neve4Ever]

The best "bad" piece of advice I can give you is:

Mix in a well treated room with monitors you know well, and, most of all, once you have that: Use your ears.

EDITED...

 

[kcearl]

and cut everything.....

 

[miroslav]

...yet Id rather listen to a million Lady Gagas

That's pretty fucking low!
You must be a masochist.

I have trouble listening even to the one....Lady Ka Ka.

 

[kcearl]

That's pretty fucking low!
You must be a masochist.

I have trouble listening even to the one....Lady Ka Ka.

yeah I was super angry lol...OK Id rather listen to half of Telephone...


damn thats still pretty low

 

[miroslav]

The only thing worse than listening to Lady Ka Ka...

...is also watching her.

She's like a really bad version of a bad looking Madonna....

 

[moresound]

The only thing worse than listening to Lady Ka Ka...

...is also watching her.

She's like a really bad version of a bad looking Madonna....

That's when it becomes KA KA POO POO!

 

[guitar zero]

Maybe you guys cutting/high-passing everything need to re-examine your tracking techniques and rooms.

There is a shred of truth to this.

 

[Dogbreath]

Maybe you guys cutting/high-passing everything need to re-examine your tracking techniques and rooms.

Which brings up another question....how do ya know when your room is good?

I've read about some hootcher that does a "pink noise" somethin or other but not sure what it is or does and I assume ya use a computer to use it.

Anyone know?

Thanks-n-nipples

 

[Greg_L]

I don't know the real answer, but for me, I assume my room is halfway decent when I can do a mix and it translates well onto a variety of other systems. The way I'm set up now, I can mix one of my songs to sound good in here, and it will sound good everywhere else I play it. The car, the home hi-fi, the MP3 player, etc. I don't have to mix a certain way to make it sound like I want it to sound elsewhere. I can mix it how I wanna mix it and it will sound how I want it to sound everywhere else.