I'm bummed...

[ryanlikestorock]

There are two main ideas to keep in your head at all times. 1. Online message boards of audio engineers is not your audience. Take the good and learn from the bad. 2. The ultimate rule is that whatever you're doing to make it sound the way you want it to sound - is right.

It's really easy to get caught up in other people's ideas about equipment and process. It's always great to know what other people are doing, then make a decision whether you're going to follow their ideas. Maybe what one engineer does every session isn't going to work for you most of the time, except for that one time it does. So, keep those ideas in the back of your mind.

I've found it very helpful to attempt a mix without any EQ, compression or effects. Just levels and panning. Then, make notes based on what you hear. It's really really easy to throw a compressor (or hundreds of them) on everything and ruin your mix.

 

[7string]

There are two main ideas to keep in your head at all times. 1. Online message boards of audio engineers is not your audience. Take the good and learn from the bad. 2. The ultimate rule is that whatever you're doing to make it sound the way you want it to sound - is right.

It's really easy to get caught up in other people's ideas about equipment and process. It's always great to know what other people are doing, then make a decision whether you're going to follow their ideas. Maybe what one engineer does every session isn't going to work for you most of the time, except for that one time it does. So, keep those ideas in the back of your mind.

I've found it very helpful to attempt a mix without any EQ, compression or effects. Just levels and panning. Then, make notes based on what you hear. It's really really easy to throw a compressor (or hundreds of them) on everything and ruin your mix.

So true. I always try to apply a bit of what I read here and there just to see what works and what doesn't. The problem with "2. The ultimate rule is that whatever you're doing to make it sound the way you want it to sound - is right." is that it obviously ISN'T right if people are telling me the highs are too harsh, the verb is muddying everything, etc., because I thought it sounded right. Then again there are many different variables at work here. I wish there was a standard for ME's that says, "Bass Guitar - Vol = -8, EQ - Rolled off below 9picogigohertz, Reverb - None" and so on so that we know what exactly to give them. And if that wish came true it would be awesome... because that would mean that the Pam Anderson wish already came true...