Ear Training on Mixing & Mastering ?

[DJ Ack]

Hi ev'rybody, I'm wondering that is there any software or program or anything could help me on Mixing & Mastering? I've heard that Waves had something like that, hadn't it?
I'm looking for lessons on how to know what freq to be boosted and what freq need to be cut, e.g.
Thanks u for reading !!!

 

[Verraes]

Hi,

I can't help you but I'm also interested in something like that.

Something what really should be great is that someone posts his music ( for instance a voice recorded without any processing of it). Then he applies an effect (for example a compressor) and posts it again with an explanation what he just did (for exaple: here I applied a compressor with treshhold set on..., release set on..., attack set on, gain set on...). The he applies another effect (EQ) and posts it again with some explanation (for example: I cut that freq because, I boosted that freq because....), and so going on until you have the final result. I think that should really be helpfull for many persons.

Is there somebody who's willing to do that?

That should really be great,

Steven Verraes.

 

[Blue Bear Sound]

I'm looking for lessons on how to know what freq to be boosted and what freq need to be cut,

Your question is exactly like asking, "how long is a piece of string?" Answer is - it depends........

This article on Mixing may help you, though --> Mixing 101

 

[Halion]

You shouldn't try to learn a fix to every problem. You should try to learn how "sound" works, where it comes from, what it looks like, how the sound of different instruments looks en feels, so that you can think of what to do on the spot, instead of having to match a fix you know with a problem.

For instance: big "wooffff" sound in the bottom of the mix. You could think "ok, I learned that wooffff means 50-80 hz, so lets cut that with an EQ". While you might have placed your mic to close to an instrument. Or have forgotten that there might actually be more sources with the same frequency range that boost eachothers sound.

Try to learn how it all works, instead of learning to "do This, if That happens".

 

[RD423]

I agree with Blue Bear, because it will differ because different recording booths will project sound differently so you have to know what to listen for in a sense. And also the different mics, preamps, compressors, all project different sounds. There are a lot of variables you just have to know how to listen and your room has a lot to do with it.

 

[DJ Ack]

Oh thanks so much, but let's say something simpler than that: for example, how to recognize what freq is that hum, or noise in a piece of music?
Sorry if my question is stupid...

 

[glimmer_doll]

Your question is exactly like asking, "how long is a piece of string?" Answer is - it depends........

This article on Mixing may help you, though --> Mixing 101

i thought it was more like asking "how do i beat a video game?" and then you tell them it depends, and they ask "well can you just give me a general idea where to start?"

but the whole string thing works too i guess...

 

[RD423]

Oh thanks so much, but let's say something simpler than that: for example, how to recognize what freq is that hum, or noise in a piece of music?
Sorry if my question is stupid...

Well if there is a hum or noise in it then there is something wrong with your signal chain the way I tell pretty much is by listening to see if the vocal sounds muddy or to bright and things like that.

 

[DJ Ack]

Oh no... I meant for example "a 80Hz hum under the third balcony in a concert.." that's something I've got out of Bob Katz book. I've heard a story of Holywood men that when a friend of mine (also a engineer) gave him the medium, he could immediately say :"Boost ... at this freq.., cut.. at this freq..., e.g" at the first time listening to it, and the whole thing became wonderful...
That's great, right?
So how can newbie like me study to become like that?

 

[Cloneboy Studio]

Oh no... I meant for example "a 80Hz hum under the third balcony in a concert.." that's something I've got out of Bob Katz book. I've heard a story of Holywood men that when a friend of mine (also a engineer) gave him the medium, he could immediately say :"Boost ... at this freq.., cut.. at this freq..., e.g" at the first time listening to it, and the whole thing became wonderful...
That's great, right?

Sounds more like one of those nasty rumors that makes newbies get frustrated and big Hollywood guys look like geniuses.

Yeah maybe it can happen, but guessing or using a color-by-numbers template will not give GREAT results usually. Maybe by blind luck.

Each track, each song, and each album are their own unique things and should be treated accordingly. Example:

A lot of people will tell you to boost 100hz and narrow cut 200hz on a kick drum, but what if the kick has too much 100hz already? By *cutting* 100hz you will end up with the 'right' kick sound--just blindly boosting it will create mud and then you'll be scrambling around trying to EQ and compress everything else looking for what's making all the mud.

It takes years to develop a feeling for 'just right'... that and a lot of A/B comparisons between commerical CD's.

 

[masteringhouse]

Hi ev'rybody, I'm wondering that is there any software or program or anything could help me on Mixing & Mastering? I've heard that Waves had something like that, hadn't it?
I'm looking for lessons on how to know what freq to be boosted and what freq need to be cut, e.g.
Thanks u for reading !!!

Closest thing to this that I've seen is Dave Moulton's Golden Ears CD. You can also create a CD with pink noise and boost cut various frequencies, then place them in random order on a CD or tape and play guess the frequency. Then do the same with music in place of pink noise. Also just creating a CD with sine waves at various frequencies to get familiar with their range and quality.

 

[crankz1]

You could play around with SFT (Simple Feedback Trainer)
It helps train your ears to recognize feedback in certain frequencies.

 

[DJ Ack]

Thanks so much !!!

 

[Verraes]

Most of you guys say always say " it depends from situation to sitiuation". Yes, offcourse it does. But be honest. I'm a teacher in physical education on a highschool. When I teach students how to play basket, and a one of them asks me how to pass the defender in the attack I can respond him with two ansers: or I do like most of you guys do and tell him it depens from situation to situation. Or I tell him a manner how to pass the defender ( I'll tell him a possible movement how to pass the defender). Offcourse his is not able to apply that movement in all the situations, but now he knows at least one way to pass the defender and he'll be creative enouch nog to create some more of these movements. But the most important is that someone has given him a possible manner. I hope you guys can transfer is to a recording and mixing situation.

Greetz,

Steven Verraes

 

[Blue Bear Sound]

Most of you guys say always say " it depends from situation to sitiuation". Yes, offcourse it does. But be honest. I'm a teacher in physical education on a highschool. When I teach students how to play basket, and a one of them asks me how to pass the defender in the attack I can respond him with two ansers: or I do like most of you guys do and tell him it depens from situation to situation. Or I tell him a manner how to pass the defender ( I'll tell him a possible movement how to pass the defender). Offcourse his is not able to apply that movement in all the situations, but now he knows at least one way to pass the defender and he'll be creative enouch nog to create some more of these movements. But the most important is that someone has given him a possible manner. I hope you guys can transfer is to a recording and mixing situation.

Greetz,

Steven Verraes

You don't seem to understand........ in audio, especially with parameters on outboard gear, the person needs to understand the parameters themselves, NOT the mechanics of the many applications.

There is NO possible way to answer the question he asked. He needs to understand the underlying theory so that he can apply the theory to his specific situations, which is why I gave him the link to my article and others gave other points of reference.

Everyone answered his question the only way it could be answered. It appears you could also benefit from some recording techinque theory yourself - you wouldn't have raised an issue otherwise!

 

[Massive Master]

I can see the whole basketball analogy, but there's a problem -

In basketball, you're almost always using a basketball and you're almost always on a court that's essentially similar to most other courts. Hopefully flat, rectangular, usually wood or in some cases, concrete.

In audio, the instruments (basketball) and recording (court) can be amazingly different from track to track, project to project, etc.

If there was a specific question like: "When I bring up the distorted guitar, it feels like there's a dog pissing in my ear."

You'd likley get an answer like: "Dip the 2.5k by a few dB and see if that helps."

But yeah, with a general "which frequencies do you cut or boost" type question, that's just not approachable.

 

[Cloneboy Studio]

Yeah I've mixed stuff that was recorded by other people at other studios where doing the *opposite* of what is 'correct' achieved good sounds. That was because the low end was TOO big and muddy so by cutting bass and low mid frequencies selectively we ended up with a sound that was far more deeper and richer in the low end, as well as a more balanced mix.

Blue Bear and Massive are 100% correct in saying that knowing the THEORY will get you far, memorizing a bunch of 'presets' will end up with sometimes getting good results, and sometimes getting bad results.

Audio varies SO much from recording to recording it's not even funny. Heck, I've recorded bands a few days apart using the same recording equipment and rooms and the end product ends up vastly different. I've recorded the same BANDS in similar conditions and things end up being different. But that's what is cool about recording--you should always be thinking on your feet and making those choices.

Not saying that I am one, but a great AE will make it look easy but there is a lot of decisions and observations going on all the time.

 

[Verraes]

Yes, I can also benefit from some recording techinque theory myself. I think I understand most parameters now, but I've never seen working another person in a home recording situation.

I forgot to say, Blue bear, that the article you posted is very good and helpful.

Thanks