Best Mixing Advice

  • Thread starter Thread starter DM60
  • Start date Start date
DM60

DM60

Well-known member
OK, I knew there would be many clicks on that post. I have been watching youtube ;).

A lot of new people here ask questions like what is best (fill in blanks). I think what is missed is the fun of recording. The fun of effects, the fun of looping shit back. The best mix you can make is the mix you like! No, I already have to recant. Best mix you love! Now, that also means you need to learn some stuff. So don't stop asking, but there are NO EXPERTS!

OK, I think that should do it.
 
I agree. There's not enough fun in recording.
Just make sure whatever you do doesn't sound so shitty that even the rats leave your abode.
Actually, there again........
 
I made a video to explain how does it work, but i can't post on this subreddit due to "self-promoting" restriction, anyway till
 
Last edited:
No experts here. Well, at least no Grammy winning producers...

SO What I have found over the years has more to do with the type of music and the instruments recorded.

I mean, I have the ability to 'fix' lots of recordings done elsewhere, but it is most simple when the tone/environment is right.

So lets say someone is just recording a rehearsal of a live thing in a small room. There is only so much you can do.

I have sometimes full rock bands recording with shitty mics in their shitty rooms, but I can fix that. If all of the drum mics are separate, a mic on each guitar, bass, and do vocals later.

I can't fix an acoustic guitar in a room with two vocals and an acoustic drum kit with 5 mics. Then it is just capturing the moment 'rehearsal' type of vibe.

I'm not sure I understood the context of the post...
 
I wrote about a million words on my mixing woes on this forum. Meticulous, detailed crap that's pretty much all wrong. That was, I dunno, a year ago. In that time I found out that mixing's not that hard and it's my amateur songs and singing and all that which sucks. It also does not help one bit if you can't accurately hear a true representation of what you're mixing. And if your ears just don't hear that something sounds muddy or whatever but think it sounds fine, well that's a massive problem too. I'm literally the musical equivalent of the guy who hits the links every weekend, has all the gear, the clubs, the bag, the quality balls, a big hat that says PING...but never breaks a hundred and loses 4-6 golf balls every round. The world needs people like me so the real pros looks that much better.
 
DM60 said:
. So don't stop asking, but there are NO EXPERTS!
Click to expand...
There are experts in recording audio - and all of them do an outstanding job no matter the project.

I agree with you though - music should be more about Discovery and Fun than it usually is for people.
 
I started having more fun with recording by getting over the fear of "what to do?" and "how do I do it?" and just start turning knobs, throwing stuff down, experimenting like a mad scientist. That was a bit of a breakthrough for me. Especially with things like EQ and compression. Max out settings and just see what's possible. Learn your gear through crash course. The rules are - there ain't no rules. Find (on your own) what works and what doesn't. Integrate that with the stuff you read and learn from others.

Music is fun!
 
PorterhouseMusic said:
I started having more fun with recording by getting over the fear of "what to do?" and "how do I do it?" and just start turning knobs, throwing stuff down, experimenting like a mad scientist. That was a bit of a breakthrough for me. Especially with things like EQ and compression. Max out settings and just see what's possible. Learn your gear through crash course. The rules are - there ain't no rules. Find (on your own) what works and what doesn't. Integrate that with the stuff you read and learn from others.

Music is fun!
Click to expand...
I was thinking the same thing. I have enough knowledge, but if I am not "stretching" what is the point. And totally agree, if I do something and it brings a smile because I it was cool or whatever.

Music is fun! If I can quote you ;)
 
BTStudio said:
I think in a way we are lucky that music is not our primary source of income and we are able to keep it fun because of that. After all why do it if it’s not fun
Click to expand...
The bands I've played in - fun and rewarding - but when it became not fun - I stepped away. And they went on without me.

Similarly- when recording at the house - when I get burnt and I'm not having fun things get put on hold. Arranging and tracking is pretty much always fun for me. But as probably most of us know... mixing and polishing can get tedious at times.
 
PorterhouseMusic said:
The bands I've played in - fun and rewarding - but when it became not fun - I stepped away. And they went on without me.

Similarly- when recording at the house - when I get burnt and I'm not having fun things get put on hold. Arranging and tracking is pretty much always fun for me. But as probably most of us know... mixing and polishing can get tedious at times.
Click to expand...
I’m lucky that I’m fairly new to all of this ( started in 2019 ) and still fascinated with the whole process. Good advice though to step back if and when it gets a little stale instead of just giving up.
 
I think musicians fall into a few different categories:
- Those that love to play and write and want to record but don't have the time or patience to record.
- Those that want to record but have no material to record.
- Those that love to write and love to record.
I'm sure there are more but I personally know people that fall into these three and the last one is least popular. It's hard to have fun of you fall into one of the first two.
 
Markman, you forgot one group... those who want to record, but found out that having an expensive setup, with the best mics, plug ins, instruments, etc still won't make you sound like someone with real talent!
 
I have no doubt ignored some of the best advice but I confess I am lazy and rarely concerned with “best” at this point of my life. But, when I do feel good about something it usually is a consequence of a couple things I read about having a good recording-mixing monitoring space/setup and using reference tracks. Of course, people do well without those, and I often ignore those bits of advice, but *I* get better results on projects where I’m a little more careful. YMMV, as they say.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top