Help , Where To Start??

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Hatem

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I'm a newbie in mixing , and i don't know where to start, i've came here expecting to find some pinned thread called "Freshers read this first" but i didn't find any.
I did some mixing but i'm stuck with "how much reverb should this instrument take" and "why?? it sounded nice alone but not when blended with other tracks".
I don't need the very primitive information like what is a DAW and what is a VST, However , i don't know many of the terminologies that i read on other threads like "Dynamic Range" and these kind of things.

Any one can guide me and show me where to start reading or what to do to learn those basics stuff properly??

Regards,
Oraby
 
I gotta run so I don't have time to answer this completely, but for starters I would say not to solo any tracks when mixing unless your looking to pinpoint and correct some very precise problems.

With that being said, here's a brief explanation of how I mix:

1. Start with all of the tracks centered and peaking at roughly the same level
2. Adjust levels to get the right balance for the song.
3. Apply EQ and Compression where needed/desired.
4. Apply other effects like reverb/delay/chorus/flange/whatever
5. Pan instruments to give a sense of dimension
6. Final tweaks

THIS IS BY NO MEANS a guide on how to mix! It's just how I do things. The most important thing I would say is that once you have your levels set, keep your eyes off the meters and USE YOUR EARS. Afterall, this is audio :)

Hopefully others can bring some comments to help out. Happy Mixing!
 
One of the biggest things that have helped my mixing is using subtractive EQ...

Check out Glens goodz here and that'll give you good reference on where to start with each instrument.

http://www.independentrecording.net/irn/resources/freqchart/main_display.htm

I cut the lows on ALMOST everything....really helps with rumble, clarity and mud.
And if you can cut the lows on your reverbs...bonus. My board doesn't have that option. :mad:

Also with effects....I tend to run them to where you can start to hear em, then back off a smidge.

just a few thoughts...

Kel
 
I dont think any of us can answer this question without hearign what you are working on. How about a sample. Second,what sound,feel are you going for?I other words.Is this tune a ballad where the lyrics are the most important.Is it a dance tune where the beat/rythum or hook is more of a priority.
 
Thanks guyz for advice, and if any of the thread viewers have something to add please share it with us.
 
jmorris said:
I dont think any of us can answer this question without hearign what you are working on. How about a sample. Second,what sound,feel are you going for?I other words.Is this tune a ballad where the lyrics are the most important.Is it a dance tune where the beat/rythum or hook is more of a priority.
Click to expand...

it's a rock related band stuff, i dont have anything ready yet but hopefully soon i will . I know that mixing is an art but as any art it have a scietefic basis (or it doesn't??) , like music , you can play without knowing nothing about music theory still knowing music theory broaden ur mind and give you more control over music.
 
Hatem said:
I did some mixing but i'm stuck with "how much reverb should this instrument take" and "why?? it sounded nice alone but not when blended with other tracks"
Click to expand...
There's your second two lessons right there. As far as an answer to the second, only you can answer what should get this reverb or that EQ. By that I mean that before you touch a fader or a mouse, it's a good idea to do a simple "faders-up" listen to the tracks you got, and let the tracks tell you what they need (if anything). Come up with a plan as to how you think that rough mix should finally sound - BASED UPON WHAT YOU GOT SO FAR.

By that I mean two things; if what you got sounds like chicken, don't expect to turn it into fish or sirloin. Stick with chicken, but just think about how to make it the tastiest chicken you have. More to the point, if your tracks don't sound like Van Halen (or whoever), don't try and force them to sound like Van Halen. Instead work with what you have and make it sound like the best version of what it is and not a crappy version of something else.

That also means, build the plan early. Imagine the final sound of the song in your head. How does that sound. Does the guitar have verb on it or not? Which way will it sound better to you? That's your plan, and that's what you do.

As to the third lesson, that is a basic axiom of mixing, what sounds good soloed is not necessarily what will sound good in the mix. You gotta leave room both in frequency and in arrangement for all the instruments to fit. Sometimes this is going to mean that an individual track played alone may sound "lacking" compared to your ideal, but will sound ideal in the mix nonetheless.

What, those are lessons two and three. What is lesson one? Lesson one is to get the recording/tracking right and don't count on fixing it in the mix. (lesson 1a says the same about not fixing the mix in mastering, but that's for another time.) Of course you'll have to make adjustments and stuff in mixing, but the less you have to make because the better your tracking, the easier the whole process will be and the better your mix will sound.

Read up. There are lots of books out there and even more websites. The books are usually better, but there is some good info available on the 'net. (there a lot of horseshit info out there too, so you gotta be careful where you step.)

G.
 
SouthSIDE Glen said:
By that I mean two things; if what you got sounds like chicken, don't expect to turn it into fish or sirloin. Stick with chicken, but just think about how to make it the tastiest chicken you have. More to the point, if your tracks don't sound like Van Halen (or whoever), don't try and force them to sound like Van Halen. Instead work with what you have and make it sound like the best version of what it is and not a crappy version of something else.
Click to expand...

SouthSIDE Glen said:
Lesson one is to get the recording/tracking right and don't count on fixing it in the mix.
Click to expand...

I was kinda going in the wrong direction, i know that these stuff are obvious but sometime u need someone to shout the truth right into ur face.


TimOBrien said:
Books you NEED to check out:

Art of Mixing
http://www.amazon.com/Art-Mixing-Re...=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1236267835&sr=1-4

Mixing Engineers Handbook
http://www.amazon.com/Mixing-Engine...=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1236267835&sr=1-1
Click to expand...

I think i'll get those two , they seem a good guiding start.
 
Hatem,
maybe one idea that may benifit you is to take a few commercial cd's that you like. In the style that you are working,i.e. fast rock, slow ballad. See how they are handled with regards to processing with reverb, stereo pan etc.Maybe you can have a benchmark from those.
Jim
 
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