mixdown from a 4 track

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muzicman8739

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Hey,

I've been recording on a tape based 4-track, and I have everything recorded for a pretty simple hip hop track. all the tracks are full(1&2 MIDI Sequenced tracks, 3 Electric Bass, and 4 vocals) but I've yet to add any reverb on the vocals nor the bass. What I want to know is, will I get good results by adding reverb during mixdown? Also, should I EQ while I'm mixing down (eq coming after the reverb machine) or should I just eq from the 4-track itself? (I'll most likely be mixing down to a mini-disc recorder)

I also have another question. Will a sonic enhancer or aural exciter help me to get that crisp sound? Crisp meaning good bass w/out being muddy, nice mids, and good highs w/out adding noise or sounding tinny.

thanks
da muzicman
 
Don't know what kind of 4-tracker you have but yeah you can add reverb at mixdown via the effects send/return. I have a Tascam 424 and use those inputs/outputs. At mixdown I use an outboard EQ if necessary and have the stereo EQ connected as an insert, meaning it (and compression if you use it) go into the signal chain going from the 4-tracker's main outs to whatever mixdown device you use. 4-track > EQ > Minidisc
However, I do sometimes use the EQ on the 4-tracker instead, depends on which sounds best. I personally love my BBE sonic maximizer but I've seen lots of posts recommending against using one. I get my mix just like I want it and then before the actual mixdown I turn on the maximizer and tweak just a bit till the whole thing sounds great (crisp). It is also in the insert signal chain: 4-track > EQ/Comp > BBE > Minidisc
 
Howdy Muzicman,
Every thing that you have asked is valid, But there are no answers ingraved in stone to answer them. Just make shure that the lock tabs are broken out of your cassettes. Then try each of the ideas that you posed as questions. In that way you will get the answer that you seek. I have just completed eight months of work on an alblum. Two week ago I decided that it need more polishing and found out that it didn't. So I had to trash all of that work for the previuos stuff that I had done. After passing around a few copies to some of my friends and getting their feed back decided that I had done the right thing by throwing the extra work away.

I know that's not much help BUT..

GRIZ
 
Hey Thanks a lot England and Griz. I have another question though. What EQ would either of you reccommend. I've had my eye on a few in Musicians Friend, but I can't find a catalog at this moment. But could you let me know at least what I should look for in an eq.

thanks again
muzicman
 
Just caught this thread and noticed you mentioned wanting "crisp" sound and in the same breath, talked about EQ.

Using EQ does not really add "crispness" or brightness. EQ can only boost or cut frequencies already present in the signal. Exciters and the like essentially do the same thing in a different way. SO...... if the track or mix doesn't sound bright enough, using EQ to boost high-freqs will more than likely cause brittle, shrill high response, instead of that smooth high-end heard in commercial recordings. In addition, EQ boosting invariably results in introducing some phase shift, potentially causing problems on playback.

This is why myself and other engineers on this forum put so much emphasis on getting the right recorded sound first (using proper recording techniques, mics, etc.), rather than EQ'ing to fix it in the mix.

That being said, I'm not trying to scare you away from using EQ - if it helps and it sounds good, it IS good - but you should know the not-so-obvious limitations and impact its use may have on your sound.

Bruce Valeriani
Blue Bear Sound
 
Yo Man of Muzic: Muzak? [big company]

In addition to the fine information passed on by the other posts, I've found that if I want to hear the cymbals on a drum patch a bit more, I up the Hi EQ on my MD-8 just a tad; also, it matters how much reverb you use on the drum track; I use very little if any on drums most of the time; however, there is always that creative twist that makes one do different things for different effects.

But, Bruce is right; the less you have to mess with EQ the better your original input was/good mics/correct balance/enough input/etc.

But that's why recording is so much fun because it's a new discovery every time.

Happy New Year to All

Green Hornet
 
Ditto about getting EQ right at recording but if you still want ideas for outboard EQ units this is what I have used, and mind you I run a low budget, 'getting my feet wet' studio: I started with an ART 341 graphic EQ. It has two channels so it can be used to record instruments and as an insert at mixdown (dual/mono). It works fine for both purposes but I next got two Behringer Ultra-Q Pro's, primarily because Sam Ash was practically giving them away last September. But I digress...Anyway, the Ultra-Q is a 5-band parametric EQ with high and low pass filters as well. Both types of units have served me well. My MF catalogue shows that the ART 341 is $149 (hmmm...the single and dual channel models are the same price), and the Behringer is not listed,. Oh well...
 
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