Is mixing and mastering a farse?

[MCI2424]

I'm starting to think mixing and mastering is a farse. I don't think you can just mix anything you want together and no amount of mixing is going to fix a problem with sounds that don't work together.

I work on a lot of stuff since I've got into doing computer all the way back to 1992. Since then I've tried experimenting with a million different things and all them were pretty much a failure.

I've pick up serveral books on mixing, mastering, arrangement and production, acoustic space design and serveral web tutorials all related to audio within the last few years and have applied some of it to some success.

I've notice a common theme to successful mixing and mastering is knowing exactly what you want your sound to sound like. No second guessing!!

Processors and Effects are there to enchance sound to make it better. The keyword here is enchance if you have a mess of stuff that doesn't work pre-mix then there is nothing you can to with effects and processors to make it better. The Lesson Learn here is that if you have a poor arrangement with sounds that don't gel together and no amount of futile placement of effects and processors is going to fix problems in the mix.

I'm starting to become a firm believe that a good mix starts with goods sounds that work together. The next thing is a solid arrangement that combine the right sound for amazing impact. From here it pretty much the mixer job to bring sound to it's fulless potential. At this point if everything was done correctly. The mixer shouldn't have to do much work to get the song to work really well.

What that point of all this. I don't really know I guess I'm just ranting about nothing.

Thanks for listening and have a nice day.

A good mix is one in which you throw up the faders to unity gain and it sounds great. I start there. If it doesn't sound great in the first 30 seconds, another month will not make it any better. Turn off tracks and see what happens. A good mix AE knows what tracks simply don't belong. If you have 24 tracks, you don't need to fill them all up. You can't "fix it in the mix" or (my favorite) "fix it at mastering"

Good, solid tracks are essential.

 

[MCI2424]

Most bands I've worked with in the last 20-some years have no idea of how bad their core sounds suck. Having a group of people just means that you have that many times the problem.

But no doubt - If a mix isn't 90% "there" just from putting all the faders up at unity, it's usually going to be a struggle to get it anywhere.

Sorry, I did not see your post. I would hate to steal your thunder.............

 

[gtrman_66]

Mixing and mastering should not be viewed as "rescue operations" , but rather the next steps in preparing a production master. They need not be tedious or painful provided the music is good, the core sounds are righteous and the tracking was done well.

"Mastering" an album begins with setting up the first mic.

 

[Massive Master]

Sorry, I did not see your post. I would hate to steal your thunder.............

I suppose I shouldn't say "most" either... But plenty, for sure.

 

[Cazzbar]

Sounds like the original poster started off with a huge misconception that mixing is the 'cool and wicked' part of the operation, and feels let down when they finally realise what it's all about! I remember years ago a mate of mine used to get really excited about doing some 'cool mixes' around his house (even though he obviously hadn't recorded anything)... guess that all stems from rap and hiphop where you just get a load of samples and beats from anywhere and bung them all in the mixing pot, as opposed to a regular band where everyone has their part to play and the mix is basically getting the levels right

 

[ecktronic]

The mixing IMO is one of the least important parts of the whole process.
I suppose becuase I find it harder to do the rest like tune drum kits etc.

Eck

 

[Projbalance]

I think Cazz hit it pretty well. There is so much talk about mixing and mastering and re mixing and all that stuff and no one talks about the recording process anymore. I'll admit that I use BFD for drums and POD for guitar simply because I don't have the space or equipment for much of anything else, but I think these devices have increased my awareness of what well recorded parts sound like as well as increasing my appreciation for the work that goes into it. I'm not surprised that people don't get it though. The sound of all the processing that goes into making most records these days is so apparent that nothing sounds like a real recording anymore, so there is little doubt that most people would be plenty damn confused if they heard what really comes out of those mics before the producers and mixing engineers and mastering engineers (no offense to you guys) go and have their way with it. I do feel that the bands and artists bear a great measure of responsibility for this though. Many of them are so into the idea of having something that is cutting edge and next generation sounding that they have pushed everything right out of the realm of reality. Some people are trying to hold down the simple art of recording, but they don't often get heard.

 

[AndyK12]

Golden Rule

Performance+Instrument+Mike+Mike Placement+Room=Level of your recording.

 

[bigtoe]

What that point of all this. I don't really know I guess I'm just ranting about nothing.

Thanks for listening and have a nice day.

i think your post is wise as hell. arranging is tracking is mixing is mastering. not to say they aren't all distinct processes...but you know.

 

[SouthSIDE Glen]

The mixing IMO is one of the least important parts of the whole process.
I suppose becuase I find it harder to do the rest like tune drum kits etc.

Eck

I look at it this way. The maximum potential of each step in the process is determined by the quality of the material being fed into it. It's kind of a more generic and encompassing version of "garbage in-garbage out".

When looked at that way, the earlier the weak link or links occur, the more damage they do to the quality of the production because the more links that follow it they will affect. This tends to frontload most of the import and responsibility to the earlier stages of the production.

Taken to the extreme, a lousy song or arrangement or performance (basically anything on the artist's side of the wires) will result in a lousy song, arrangement or performance, even if the tracking, mixing and mastering are all top shelf. All you'll wind up with is a pristine-sounding, professionally-produced version of something no one wants to listen to.

Looked at a bit more practically, if the tracking only reaches 89% of it's potential "ideal" quality, the mixing will never be able to bring the production back up above that 89% level. An absolutely perfect mixing job (if there were such a thing) at best will only be able to keep the production at 89% of it's original potential. A mixing job that's only, say, 70% "theoretically perfect", will then knock the quality of the production down to 80% of 89%, or about 71% of the production's original potential. And it continues so with mastering.

And BTW, a "perfect" mastering job, even one that seemingly improves the sound of the mix, can never make what was an imperfect job before it to be perfect. Concepts like "fixing in the mix" or "fixing in the master" are really red herrings to a degree. Yes they can make improvements to what's there, but they'll never be able to boost the quality to what it would be if the previous links in the production chain were better first. One can never completly "fix" what was born broken. Bad tracking can be processed and improved upon in mixing, but it can never be made to sound as good as it could if the tracking were done right to begin with.

G.

 

[Cyrokk]

To reiterate what's already been said, the whole process has to rest on a strong foundation-songwriting and performance-in order for it to be successful. If you've ever seen someone recording a performance of an orchestra, you'll notice that they will typically just set up some mics and hit record. The performers have been practicing their instruments for years, they have performed the music for several hours on their own and with the rest of the orchestra. No real need for detailed mixing because the dynamics and expression have already been recorded.

I consider my own tracks well recorded when I sit at the board to mix and spend most of the time just staring at the board, moving one or two faders and perhaps making slight EQ cuts here and there.