jmproductions said:
Please don't get me wrong, I think that every tool, including analyzers, have some great uses including the things you have mentioned here and especially in the mastering process. The problem is I see people becoming dependent on these things to the point that they have decided to rely on equipment instead of developing their ears. It's taken me years of painstaking trial and error to develop my ears to the point that they are at, and there is always room for improvement, but I'm glad I did. I guess everyone has a different approach on getting the job done, but I promise you that the most talented engineers are doing more listening than anything else.
What I'm saying is that this is an art. Do you really want your mix to fit perfectly into some cookie-cutter major label spectral profile? Maybe sometimes. But if something doesn't sound right to you, try to eq it or an effect first instead of analyzing this or that, close your eyes and concentrate and really listen to the changes you are making. Make it sound good to you. Then you'll go back and listen to it in a couple of years and say man I didn't have a clue!! HA HA. But that's the process.
I see a lot of people on this forum talking about trying to get the "pro studio" sound. I think we can do better than that guys. Am I the only one that has noticed that most major-label pop/rock CD's are so overcompressed (to make them louder) it's ridiculous? We might not be able to afford the equipment, but many of us have the freedom to do something different. Sometimes I'll listen to the Beatles with stuff like all the drums hard-panned to one side and think man that is pretty cool. What major label would release a mix like that now? I've gotten quite a bit off topic here so I apologize. The point is be an artist, not some guy reading a chart to tell them what to do.
I agree JM, I guess back to my original question,,, I wasn't trying get anyone to compare SA's to Ears. I think they both have their need. In my case,, It's more my ears. I rarely pull out the SA and to honest,,,, It was a learning experience for me not to use one. I started messing with SA's around 96 or so. I was basically using the SA to learn the Freqs. My intentions were to use the SA as a visual aid while comparing it to what my ears heard. But NO,,, not me I found myself using it more as a visual mixer. So I got away from it. Now if I pull out a SA, its mainly for when I need detail info on a mix.
Anyway I was asking about the chart because I wanted to have some type aid or reference that was not my ears. Im I making sense again ? In other words,,,, when Im mixing I can hear when more than one thing is fighting for the same space. As mentioned above,, its obvious with things like Kick drum and bass guitar, A lot of times a pan here or a pan there will help,,,but why the chart??? I know now and it just hit me while I was typing...
I dont know Frequencies by Ear !!!!
In other words, if I hear a 600hz tone I wouldn't know it was 600.
Hey,, any of you guys remember the name of that program that was used to tune ears? Miracle EAR or something. I once read about it a few years ago on rap. I have been doing this too long to not know Freqs by ear. I need to tune em !!
Malcolm
Ill post my gear later
