Equipment question. Do I have enough to get started on mixing songs??

[Barry B]

Hey Guys,

I've been lurking in the shadows reading bits here and there and have picked up loads but just wanted a bit of advice or pointing in the right direction on some equipment.

What I'm trying to achieve is fully mixed hip hop songs in the vein of a DJ Premier sound. What I guess my untrained ear would class as a drum heavy type sound. Something grainy enough to sound independent and for want of a better phrase ''real hip hop'' but polished enough so that if I do luck out and a song becomes popular would be well mixed enough to compete with some of the better quality rnb, rap songs out today.

That's the aim and I know alot of it is based on equipment and years of experience which I plan to build on as I grow.

I have so far and this is stuff I've mainly been given or brought over the years:-

An Akai MPC 2000XL with the 8 outs - Used for making the music
A Korg HD D1600 - Used for recording vocals
A groove tube mic - Vocals
A shure mic pre amp - Vocals
A Yamaha EMX 2300 Mixer - For mixing vocals.

Now I've been able to knock out a few mixes and have a vague idea of what I'm trying to acheive. I feel my sound lacks because the drums are kind of weak/flimsy compared to traditional rap drums which I've put down to a lack of compressor. I also feel the bass doesn't have the deep bass that I'm after. This I'm unsure how to rectify. I'm quite happy with the top end part of my mixes and feel that I get some good space on the mixes and have everything their places from a mix point oif view.

In addition to the list above I also have a Behringer compressor which I'm a bit loathed to use but may try just to get some principals down on how to use one in a mix.

Lastly I have a Sony Reel to Reel. From memory it's one of the TS range but I'd have to double check when I get in. I plan to use this when songs are fully mixed to record to.

I like working this way as opposed to running everything in the box. I do music as a glorified hobby. I've tried doing things this way in the past and didn't get much enjoyment out of the process. I've been lucky in the past to have a handful of commercially released songs. But these have always been mixed by other people.

Does anyone have any suggestions on what to add to the equipment list to help me achieve my goal? I understand skys the limit on a suggestion list but would like some ideas on where to go from here.

Thanks in advance.

 

[NinthHour]

well compression is the key to punchy drums and it seems like you got that pegged, as far as a unit to get you there you could surley pick up a bbe maxcom, i got one and it absolutly rocks, it can compress as well as extend your bass frequency response and all for 199$!! (im not a salesman just a hip hop gear head) also, i would look into something a little more new school to commit tracks to, a master cd recorder may do you just fine being as that you could play tracks from the MPC to your mixer out through that shiny new maxcom and into the cd deck and burn in realtime that would be one route that would play off the gear you have and the intention you have of not going full blown digital

 

[Barry B]

Thanks Ninth Hour. I'm reading up on one of those now. I've actually seen a few of them before in some studios over here.

 

[gcapel]

How are you routing the AKAI outputs? Are you running those through your yamaha board?

If you are not I would advise it. In fact I would run everything through your board before the final mix. Maybe sub grouping your music channels at the console and then running those through some sort of outboard gear to get some mojo your after.

Also if your doing the entire process yourself (not sending your mixes to someone else for mastering or what not) I would also look into getting a good compressor / limiter for the main mix to glue things together and also bring your volume up. Something like an ART PRO VLA or a Aphex dominator II.

 

[Barry B]

Hi Gcapel,

Yeah. I run the akai via a loom to the desk and cut, boost as needed. I was thinking of running the drums via the compressor when I sort that out and maybe the bass line out of the akai via another compressor and then back into the desk. The vocals will come out of the Korg into the desk as well. So yeah everything goes via the desk before getting bounced down to a two track.

The idea is to send mixes to someone to get mastered as I want to stear away from the fully independent route and releasing my own music. I intend to work on songs and then give them to the artist so they can master along with the rest of their project. I can't see myself working on whole albums as a producer in the near future. Most of my work is a song here or there on an album or mixtape.