Mixing instruments

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theForgotten

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Hi there!!!
I'm new in homerecording stuff and I have found on google some tutorilas about how to mix instruments in Sonar for example.Tutorial says Kick 0.0 db , Snare -2.0 db , Strings -20.0 db.Can someone help me with this?Please post about rock music mixing.Thanks!
 
Templates like that are the surest way to get a terrible sound. No two songs or mixes are ever the same. Use your ears to decide how to shape the mixes... it's that simple.
 
You're looking for a 300 page book, not a 50 word post. What I will say is this: You can't mix by simply putting instruments at the same number values every time. Besides, the level of the instrument is only one part of mixing that instrument.

Oh, and if your kick drum alone is making the meters hit 0 db, you're going to run out of head room real fast.
 
The best thing to do is listen to your favorite songs...take note of how the instruments sound (relative volumes, placement/panning, effects). Note what you like and don't like.

Experiment with your own stuff keeping these favorite mixes in mind. Try to imitate them (the basics are often similar).

When I get frustrated, It's usually from staring at wavs on a computer screen. I find it helps to close your eyes and concentrate on making your mixing sound as if the band is right in front of you on stage.

Also, try mixing at low volume levels to fine tune your balances.
 
Thank you very much for all posts.As you say most of the time I use my ears when I'm mixing and I think that is the best way to make things sound realy good.Thanks again!
 
NYMorningstar in the Blue Bear Sound tutorial for example: Conga Resonant ring at 200 to 240Hz; Presence and slap at 5KHz.I'm using Sonar 3 Producer Edition and Waves audio plugins.How can do this?Please I'm new in this.Thanks!
 
articles, articles, articles. Good for quite a few things (I'm a total geek and do read a lot of geeky articles that are rather useful), but I can't see that mixing would be one.

If you're mixing a style of music you've never mixed before - or mixing for the first time at all - just grab some records you really love the sound of and rock them in a good pair of headphones until you feel like you get it:

Listen for where things are placed in the stereo field, what frequencies certain instuments seem to be occupying, where the levels are and whether it sounds good or not so good that way, how effects are used and where they sit in the mix (and also to what instruments they are applied), etc. If you hear a texture or sound that is interesting, bend your brain towards figuring out how that sound or texture was achieved or, maybe more importantly, how you would have gone about conveying the same thing. Listen to records with 15-peice bands (The Boss) and listen to records with just a guitar/piano and a vocal (Cash, Leonard Cohen, etc) and pay attention to how the big stuff is kept sounding sonically clear and how the simple stuff is made interesting and intimate. Also, once you've gotten to really know those records inside and out in headphones, listen to them on every stereo within a ten mile radius and see what different characteristics those sounds take on when played through speakers of varying size, quality, and configuration.

Then spend 20 hours or more on a mix until you feel like you're starting to learn how to apply what you've learned by listening. At that point, articles might come in handy, but until then, I say just roll up yer sleeves, my man. The best mixes, in my opinion, don't (necessarly) come from people who've just been around a while and have really nice gear. The best mixes come from people who just have very well-tuned, unique, and intuitive ears (though and SSL doesn't hurt!). Best of luck, you'll have tons of fun!
 
Does that mean I'm an author? That would be cool.

Wait, you were being facetious.
 
riantide said:
Does that mean I'm an author? That would be cool.

Wait, you were being facetious.
Well I guess it does make you an author ... but anyone who knows how to make a HTML file seems to be an author nowadays ... why don't you give poetry a go instead? Doesn't need much more effort but you still get kudos. :)
 
theForgotten said:
NYMorningstar in the Blue Bear Sound tutorial for example: Conga Resonant ring at 200 to 240Hz; Presence and slap at 5KHz.I'm using Sonar 3 Producer Edition and Waves audio plugins.How can do this?Please I'm new in this.Thanks!
Not sure what you mean. How can you do what?
 
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