Mixing 101 for dummies!!!

[JmorE]

I know all of you have covered same basic principles of mixing. However I'm at the stage where i need understanding of these principles.

I've compiled some questions that I need answers for.

RnB

1) I record all my vocals with cubase 5, as an RnB artist we tend to run into using a lot of tracks for backup vocals and adlibs. My question are:

- when recording backups should you pan them when recording your dry recordings or leave them as is for the mixing stage?

- What are my next steps when all dry recordings are completed? would you mix your lead vocal first, or would you create a mixdown of all vocals first to prepare your song for mixing?

- If am giving a wav file as my instrumental or beat as we say, should you start your mix off with your lead vocal and then your additional track vocals?

- When mixing backup vocals should all your tracks be mixed down into 1 since all of them are saying the exact thing? Or should they all be treated individually for a mix?

- When recording my vocals, my main volume tends to peak in the RED zone. This usually occurs when I've started my backup vocals and adlibs. Should this be avoided by turning down the master volume, or should I continue with recording and lower the volume?

I appreciate your responses.

Thanks

 

[bouldersoundguy]

when recording backups should you pan them when recording your dry recordings or leave them as is for the mixing stage?

Unless you are recording a stereo track (which is probably pointless with a vocal take) save panning for the mixdown.

When recording my vocals, my main volume tends to peak in the RED zone. This usually occurs when I've started my backup vocals and adlibs. Should this be avoided by turning down the master volume, or should I continue with recording and lower the volume?

This suggests you're recording too hot. Tracking levels should be well below 0dBFS, perhaps around -12dBFS peak. If your backing track is mastered to a high level you may have to lower it in the monitor mix.

 

[mattr]

- when recording backups should you pan them when recording your dry recordings or leave them as is for the mixing stage?

Makes no difference, so whichever you feel more comfortable recording to as a headphone mix. Some people might find a stereo monitor mix disconcerting. Also, don't isolate mixing from recording - you should be shaping your mix with your recording decisions.

- What are my next steps when all dry recordings are completed? would you mix your lead vocal first, or would you create a mixdown of all vocals first to prepare your song for mixing?

None of the above. You mix them all together in a way that you feel sounds best.

- If am giving a wav file as my instrumental or beat as we say, should you start your mix off with your lead vocal and then your additional track vocals?

Sitting a lead vocal with the rest of the mix then working in backing vocals in the "spaces" left in the mix can work, but there are no rules. Do whatever works best for you and find the workflow helps you reach your goals most efficiently.

- When mixing backup vocals should all your tracks be mixed down into 1 since all of them are saying the exact thing? Or should they all be treated individually for a mix?

Keep them separate. Don't limit yourself unnecessarily.

- When recording my vocals, my main volume tends to peak in the RED zone. This usually occurs when I've started my backup vocals and adlibs. Should this be avoided by turning down the master volume, or should I continue with recording and lower the volume?

Assuming the individual tracks do not clip, simply lower the volumes of all the other tracks so the master doesn't clip. Thanks to floating point math you can lower the master fader with no consequences for the quality, but this will get you into bad mixing habits. In future, aim for average recording levels of around -18dBFS... at these levels, you should be able to sum lots of tracks left at unity without clipping the master bus, and this sets you up with a nice starting point to mix from.

 

[JmorE]

mattr,

Thanks for the response. I guess my next question is how much do you charge? lol

 

[SouthSIDE Glen]

1 - when recording backups should you pan them when recording your dry recordings or leave them as is for the mixing stage?

7 - What are my next steps when all dry recordings are completed? would you mix your lead vocal first, or would you create a mixdown of all vocals first to prepare your song for mixing?

4 - If am giving a wav file as my instrumental or beat as we say, should you start your mix off with your lead vocal and then your additional track vocals?

3 - When mixing backup vocals should all your tracks be mixed down into 1 since all of them are saying the exact thing? Or should they all be treated individually for a mix?

12 - When recording my vocals, my main volume tends to peak in the RED zone. This usually occurs when I've started my backup vocals and adlibs. Should this be avoided by turning down the master volume, or should I continue with recording and lower the volume?

1. Your preference. A lot of engineers prefer to wait until the last step to pan thing out; allowing them to make sure everything works OK in mono first. Others like to set up the panned soundstage early, using that panning map as a guide to help reinforce the shaping decisions of some of he sounds. Whichever seems to work best for you.

7. Again, every engineer has their own "ways", but a common theme is to start with a "faders up" listen; i.e. just throw all the faders up in a roughly even way and hear what you've got in your ears and see how that differs from what you want in your head, using that difference as a guide to what needs to be done.

As far as an order in which tracks to do first, again there's no hard and fast rules. do what make sense to you. But commonly what often makes sense is to start with the rhythm section (percussion and bass), then the rhythm/accompaniment instruments (rhythm guitars, keys, etc.), then the backup vocals, then lead instruments and lead vocals.

4. I don't understand the question.

3. It's not uncommon to create a submix, or "stem" of the backup vocals, especially in instances where they are forming a coherent chorus. Is it necessary? No, but it can sometimes be helpful.

12. Record at a lower volume. It's almost always better to record quieter than to record too loud.

G.

 

[Terra]

1. Your preference. A lot of engineers prefer to wait until the last step to pan thing out; allowing them to make sure everything works OK in mono first. Others like to set up the panned soundstage early, using that panning map as a guide to help reinforce the shaping decisions of some of he sounds. Whichever seems to work best for you.

7. Again, every engineer has their own "ways", but a common theme is to start with a "faders up" listen; i.e. just throw all the faders up in a roughly even way and hear what you've got in your ears and see how that differs from what you want in your head, using that difference as a guide to what needs to be done.

As far as an order in which tracks to do first, again there's no hard and fast rules. do what make sense to you. But commonly what often makes sense is to start with the rhythm section (percussion and bass), then the rhythm/accompaniment instruments (rhythm guitars, keys, etc.), then the backup vocals, then lead instruments and lead vocals.

4. I don't understand the question.

3. It's not uncommon to create a submix, or "stem" of the backup vocals, especially in instances where they are forming a coherent chorus. Is it necessary? No, but it can sometimes be helpful.

12. Record at a lower volume. It's almost always better to record quieter than to record too loud.

G.

+1 for this. I don't understand 4 either, elaborate? 12: set the levels to be low, add a limiter to the track and put the peak at like -3db and move the threshold to the point where the limiter starts to work, season to taste. This will prevent you from clipping whilst making the music on the track louder. Keep in mind, that doing this for really pumpy instruments, i.e. drums can create some unwanted effect.

 

[Terra]

mattr,

Thanks for the response. I guess my next question is how much do you charge? lol

like a prostitute...how much do you think you are worth?

 

[RAMI]

12: set the levels to be low, add a limiter to the track and put the peak at like -3db and move the threshold to the point where the limiter starts to work, season to taste. This will prevent you from clipping whilst making the music on the track louder. Keep in mind, that doing this for really pumpy instruments, i.e. drums can create some unwanted effect.

No offense, Terra, but this sounds like horrible advice. Add a limiter to individual tracks???? Seriously??? Why not just turn them down?

 

[Terra]

No offense, Terra, but this sounds like horrible advice. Add a limiter to individual tracks???? Seriously??? Why not just turn them down?

I read the question wrong. I add a limiter if the signal is too low, and you are trying to make it louder. opposite advice. Sorry!

 

[JmorE]

Hey guys,

Thanks for the feed back. I guess its my turn to elaborate on question 4.

4 - If am giving a wav file as my instrumental or beat as we say, should you start your mix off with your lead vocal and then your additional track vocals?

What i meant was my instrumental or beat file was already mixed down. Do I apply the same rules when i start my mix with vocals?

Seing that I don't have each individual track of the instrumental do are there any complications that I may run into with the overall mix?

J.

 

[JmorE]

I think my material is stellar. I should be asking you if it is worthy in your hands? But for real though. I'm looking for someone to do my mixes.

like a prostitute...how much do you think you are worth?

 

[SouthSIDE Glen]

Hey guys,

Thanks for the feed back. I guess its my turn to elaborate on question 4.

4 - If am giving a wav file as my instrumental or beat as we say, should you start your mix off with your lead vocal and then your additional track vocals?

What i meant was my instrumental or beat file was already mixed down. Do I apply the same rules when i start my mix with vocals?

Seing that I don't have each individual track of the instrumental do are there any complications that I may run into with the overall mix?

J.

If you're creating the beat tracks yourself from scratch, make two mixes; one of just the beat tracks that you can distribute to others and one of the beat tracks and the vocals together just like a real song (so to speak). It's a lot easier to get everything to fit together if you don't fully polish the beat separately before incorporating the vocals. You can still work on the tracks in the order decided upon before; just don't master the beat tracks separately in your own vocals-added version, mix in the vocals before mastering.

If you are using someone else's beats, you'll have the problem that the beats have probably already been mastered on their own, making layering the vocals into them more difficult that it should be. Be ready to compress your vocals fairly heavily and to have to make some "room" in the beats to fit the vocals in with perhaps a little expansion and EQ.

I think my material is stellar. I should be asking you if it is worthy in your hands? But for real though. I'm looking for someone to do my mixes.

PM me with a link to a sample of what you need mixed and an explanation of what you want, an I'll let you know if I can do it and for how much.

G.