De-muddying an entire song

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Roch

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After all the tracks have been recorded the whole thing tends to get muddy. I realize that you have to create space with eq and panning each track as needed, but is there anything else that may help clarify the overall mix? An overall eq?

Better yet, what goes into creating a muddy mix? Can things be prevented by recording techniques? Things seem to sound fine during recording, but once they are played back all together, it seems someting changes.

In this case, we are talking R&B tunes with guitars, drums, keyboards, vocals.

Roch
 
One of the few things I know is that too much reverb=mud. And as newbie reverb is just so cool it's easy to use too much like when you hand the four year old the bottle of Hershey's syrup.
 
To an extent you've answered your own question:

"I realize that you have to create space with eq and panning each track as needed"

If you practice these skills then your mixes will improve, in relation to muddiness then the use of EQ in particular. Muddy mixes usually have a lot of low frequency energy in a lot of the sound sources which are clashing with each other.

I usually put a high pass filter on instruments like guitar and keys and often on vocals as well (100-200hz depending on the source). This frees up some low end space for the more bassy instruments and the kick drum etc.

Of course make sure each source doesn't sound overly boomy when you track it. If it does then play around with the mic position 'til you get a nicer sound. Using a mic that's good for each source helps as well but this is mainly a trial and error thing.

I'm still pretty much a noob myself so hopefully one of the pro guys might be able to add some stuff.
 
Roch said:
After all the tracks have been recorded the whole thing tends to get muddy. I realize that you have to create space with eq and panning each track as needed, but is there anything else that may help clarify the overall mix? An overall eq?

Better yet, what goes into creating a muddy mix? Can things be prevented by recording techniques?

In this case, we are talking R&B tunes with guitars, drums, keyboards, vocals.

Roch
Click to expand...

Well, first you have to define what "muddy is. Then you can make some effort to fix it. To my ears, "muddy" can mean too much energy in the low-mid frequencies and/or lack of higher-frequency "sparkle."

Like Kevin does, I high-pass pretty much everything except bass and kick drum (below 100-250Hz). I'll often make wide EQ cuts of 2-3db in the 500-1000Hz range (where a lot of the mud is on my recordings). I may also make some high-shelf boosts above 12000Hz, to "open up" the top end a little more.

The following article explains it a lot better than I can:

http://www.digitalprosound.com/2002/03_mar/tutorials/mixing_excerpt1.htm
 
All good advice. A RTA can help you visulize where the problem areas might be. Try bringing up the kick and bass and make sure they are working well together, eq as needed. Then bring in the other instruments one at a time, eqing as needed. As you add each track you will probably need to re tweak the other instruments. Make sure to low and high shelf cut, as needed. Get the mix sounding desent, before adding verb or efx. With lots of practice, you will learn how the instruments interact and be able to get the sounds you want during tracking, and not have to rely on eq as much. Reliable monitors and tuned room are play a hugh part in being able to hear what's going on, especially in the low end.
 
Don't forget to give yourself some headroom in the db department. Bring stuff down a bit if it's near 0, you can boost it a bit later if necessary.
 
The bass usually causes problems and makes things muddy in a mix. Try subtractive eq'ng. If you do a search on this forum you will find info on it.
evt
 
something that I haven't heard anywhere but seems intuitive to myself is to use as many different mics as possible. recording every instrument with an sm57 will emphasize the same frequences on every track. using a selection of mics, to empasize and downplay different frequences on each instrument will do wonders, before even attempting eq (which I barely use, if at all).

also,

if recording digitally; avoid changing volume levels whenever possible. i.e., if you put a compressor on a track, and then have to lower the volume of the track, you are better off just lowering the makeup gain on the compressor. I actually stopped using makeup gain on digital plugins altogether. the fewer plugins the better.
 
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