how do I get that "sheen, glossy, polished, commercial release" cd sound?

[MCI2424]

I've tried boosting the high end, I've tried compressing the mix, I've tried reverb quality euqipment and I'm still not getting it. I heard one of my instructers get it in class once during the mixing process so I don't think it has to do with mastering to get the sound. In fact the tracks where not recorded very well and he still got it. When I asked how he said most of the stuff I've tried before. So I'm asking you guys/gals just how do you get that sound?

The one secret to good clean recordings is to make the instruments fit into the sonic landscape so that everything has a place. The biggest no-no I have heard is the classic kick drum/bass guitar/elec guitars all sharing the same lower mid space. Same with the synths/cymbals/ snare/vocals fighting for the mid-up. The recordings that are "sheened out" were very carefully miced and EQed to have the bulk of their energies in unique places in the mix. When all is said and done, adding the reverb to the whole mix does not bulk where the instruments overlap into a puddle of mud. Too many home recordings violate this and end up very hard to listen to. The dynamics are usually way out of whack also. You turn up the volume to hear it better and get blasted at the next chorus. The tools are EQ, mic placemany, comression and bussing of track groups to achieve a good solid mix. After that, the adding of the reverb and any effects will be the polish. If you can get to this point you will find that you probably have been adding way too much of each effect to cut through the "puddle of mud" you created.

 

[MCI2424]

Bigwillz, what genre are you mixing? Is it mostly synth based or acoustic instruments?

I keep telling people that skilled use - I repeat, SKILLED use of lo cut/hi cut EQ can go a LONG way in polishing up a mix but a lot of folks around here seem to oppose EQing anything alltogether.

Anyone who opposes to using EQ in a mix does not have a decent EQ. Pro mix AEs always use plenty of EQ BUT they usually have decent SSL consoles with tons on compressors, EQ and lo/high shelving filters.

They also do plenty of the above post.

 

[Trell Blaze]

I agree.

The philosophy that serves me best is: Decided - hopefully before or during tracking - what's going to belong to the lo, mid range, and hi before you even touch a fader.

Extreamly simple concept but I guarantee if you think about this before you mix you'll notice a huge difference in your approach.

Of course during later tweaking you can move things around but finding a frequency foundation before you start is big, IMO...

 

[bkkornaker]

for that glossy/sheen sound..........it depends. it depends on how you tracked it. I personally like to add some 8k (EQ.....how much to use will vary on your ears) on almost every instrument i track. It brightens up the whole song itself.

but then, in the mastering stage....try to add some 15k on the whole song, and cut out some mud (250-375hz). this will give it some "air" and also some "sheen" to the over all song.

the 'glossing/sheen" part really happens in the mastering stage......but it helps ALOT if the songs mix, and the way it was tracked, will determine how glossy it will sound too.

.....there is no secret magic "glossy" button.................but i really wish there was sometimes....