Mixing

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lukicore

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Hellow I will try to mix my tracks
Im a newbe so i dont realy know how to do it where to start I want to mix drums first and then other instruments Can anyone tell me What i should do basic stuff like applaying Noise gate and etc. Should i mix bass drym with bass guitar ???? Thanx
 
I try to record my drums first. I then play a basic acoustic guitar track over that to get the basics of the song. Next its up to you. If I have keyboards I record them then all my guitar tracks. (I don't add any effects until I have all my tracks). I would then add bass guitar. Finally I add vocals.

At this point I keep listening to the mix over and over through a good set of studio speakers or in my case good studio headphones (can't afford good speakers. I try to get all the volumes at the right mix. Then I add just a few effects to each track like compression to drums, some reverb, etc...

Once I have a good mix I then export it out to a single track (wave file) I open this up and start to master it with EQ, Compression, Limiter Stereo widening, etc...

My site below has some of my own songs on it that I recorded in my bedroom.

Hope this helps but all I can really say is to experiment that is what I did.
 
First things first: If you do not know compressors, gates, and limiters inside and out do not even think of using them. Experiment with a junker mix that nobody will ever hear to learn what those things do.


How I mix:
Zero the board. Meaning put all faders at the same level somewhere in the middle, take out all eq and all effects. Pan everything center. Just listen for a bit. Everything is playing. Nothing is altered.

I like a "starting point" so I don't end up running out of head room. I'm usually safe if I solo the unaltered bass drum, move it to where the master buss hits -14, and then pretty much leave the bass drum fader there and move the other faders around it. But we're not moving of those other faders yet until we turn the rest of the tracks back on. So turn everything back on. Nothing has moved yet aside from the bass drum fader.

Turn the volume low (this is personal preference). Start moving faders up and down. Get your track balance correct. For anything tracked with multiple mics (drums for instance), start flipping phase back and forth on tracks to make sure everything is "in".

Listen for anything that could use some EQ. Until you get some real experiance under your belt, don't try to "improve" a track that already sounds good. Just hunt out the stuff that clearly needs help.

Shoot, even after you have a ton of experience under your belt you probably don't want to mess with any track that already sounds good. But by then, your experience will tell you if that "messing" is a good idea or not. :D

Anyway, move some faders. Change some eq. Move some faders. Change some EQ. Every now and then bring the volume up loud. See if that exposes a problem that you didn't notice down low. This is also a good time (after hearing the whole mix for a significant time period) to solo the kick drum and snare to see what you've got there. Don't make any tone changes solo. Just...learn what's there. Then go back to full mix. Pull the volume low again. Move levels, EQ. Etc. When you're happy and it's time to bring it all back up loud again, maybe this time you really crank it up and leave the room. Or walk clear across the house/building 3 rooms away. This always uncovers fun surprises in the mix. You will find mix problems you didn't hear before.

Go back. Lower the volume. Adjust. Raise volume. Repeat.



Once you are happy with all THAT, then maybe you start moving your pan knobs around. Be aware that after something pans, you might have to adjust the level to compensate. How do you know when you have to make a volume compensation after a pan?

This is just my brain, but I literally see the mix as a solid three dimensional object sitting on the desk right in front of me. I don't try to imagine it as some visual metaphor or anything. That is just how it appears to me, and I couldn't perceive a mix any other way if I tried. Anyway, that is how I know where to pan a sound and how loud it should be. If the "mix object" sitting in front of me has an obvious gap 1 foot back, 14 inches to the left, and 8 inches off the ground, well then I'm going to put an instrument there!

Your brain's millage may vary, but the point is to learn how you personally perceive a mix and use that to your advantage so you can build a mix that you know to be correct. I learned by years of listening to my favorite professional mixes. The listening doesn't count if you are driving or cooking or doing homework. Nothing but you and the music. Then you will know how you perceive a mix, and thus how to build a mix.

Anyway, when you are doing this panning and your sound field is coming together you can start thinking about digital effects. Think "short delay" for things that are wrapped in a bubble and don't seem to want to join the rest of the instruments. Think reverb for things that are too "close". Just as we did with the eq, don't look to improve any track that already sounds good. We are just adding effects to things that need help.

Then it's back to low volume/level tweaks/eq tweaks. Back to high volume. Repeat etc etc. Your wife is wondering if you're still alive by now and you are wondering what the heck there could possibly be left to learn about these tracks, but you're not done until you feel it. You will know when you're done.

If the CD sounds good in your car, think of that as confirmation that you are done.

And remember, you have to do this independently for parts of the song that sound different. But don't mix one section entirely before even starting on the other. Bring it all up together. And mix automation/saved mix scenes are your best freind when moving from section to section.

Have fun. I do.
 
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Thanx Ok right now my problem is that in the bass drum i can hear other drums and cymbals so when i want to move up bass drum all other drums move up also What should i do first ????
 
lukicore said:
Thanx Ok right now my problem is that in the bass drum i can hear other drums and cymbals so when i want to move up bass drum all other drums move up also What should i do first ????
Click to expand...

It is totally normal to hear the other drums in any drum mic. Just follow the outline I gave above. If you are listening to every track at once then it doesn't matter if there is something extra in the bass drum mic. The bass drum itself is still strongest in that mic. It will move up faster than anything else in there when you nudge the fader. Listen to everything together and just work out how it all fits.
 
Chibi Nappa, that is a fantastic post. I didn't even ask the question but I've benefitted from reading that.

Thank you!

Dr. V
 
Thanx again for replying. My next question is about mixing guitars :-) I have 3 different tracks from 3 different mics of the same guitar on right side and another 3 tracks on left and the same with bass guit. Should i blend those 3 mics together ??? Can i play with paning or it is better to leave it together at the same pan ?

Im a newbe so please explain that to me like to a little child :-)

Sorry about my English
 
lukicore said:
Thanx again for replying. My next question is about mixing guitars :-) I have 3 different tracks from 3 different mics of the same guitar on right side and another 3 tracks on left and the same with bass guit. Should i blend those 3 mics together ??? Can i play with paning or it is better to leave it together at the same pan ?
Click to expand...

LukiDude! :D

As to the guitars...
you've got a total of 6 guitars, right? Are these distorted guitars or clean? It makes a difference on how best to mix and track.

When I do my rhythm guitar (distorted), I'll set my tone on the guitar/amp to where I like it only with LESS distortion than I'll usually use in a live situation (due to a low mid buildup of MUD aack).
I'll track em one at a time, usually with a different guitar or different pickup or a different amp. That way they're not fighting each other for the same audio space in the mix. I usually end up with 2 to 4 tracks of rhythm guitars. And anymore, I play the same part 2 to 4 times instead of just copy/paste the track. Sounds better, fuller to my ears.

When I get to mixing em, I'll generally start cutting some bottom end out of it. Say from 100 hz to 150 hz down will get cut out. Maybe up to 250 hz. Play with this but you'll usually want to cut out the lows that aren't part of the fundemental frequencies of that instrument.
The panning gets put where they sound best IN THE MIX. Sometimes I'll hard pan a couple of guitar trax and blend the other two somewhere in between but not always. Just whatever fits that song.

And the IN THE MIX was capitalized cuz that's what you want. Don't worry about if a track sounds good on its own. In fact, some of my tracks don't sound good at all when they're solo'd.
It's what they sound like IN THE MIX. ;)

One more thing...when tracking, keep your levels well below clipping. Say -18 to -15 . That should keep you safe with the headroom you're gonna want later.
The old "track it as hot as possible without clipping" pretty much went out with tape and 16 bit recording.

Just my thoughts man
Good luck. :)
 
Hi I have total 4 distorted guitars.2 on the left and 2 on the right side (ear). Left side one (take) track recorded directly to the interface (with metal zone effect) plus second (take) throught an amplifire recorded with 3 different mics.That makes 4 tracks on left. And the same thing on the right side. I have also clean guits but it is a different story
 
lukicore said:
Hi I have total 4 distorted guitars.2 on the left and 2 on the right side (ear). Left side one (take) track recorded directly to the interface (with metal zone effect) plus second (take) throught an amplifire recorded with 3 different mics.That makes 4 tracks on left. And the same thing on the right side. I have also clean guits but it is a different story
Click to expand...

you generally dont wanna plug the output of your metal zone directly into your interface because theres not much of a guitar tone with just that pedal. but if you like the sound then go for it.
but just in case heres a page with some free amp simulators: http://freemusicsoftware.org/category/free-vst-effects-2/amp-simulators
 
It is already recorded Doesnt sound to good but i have other tracks too so im safe :-) So how should i mix it How you usually mix guitars ???
 
theres really no "how-to" of mixing. just do whatever sounds best to you. if you think the guitars need to be louder then raise 'em up a few dB, if their too loud then take 'em down a few dB.

while theres no way to tell you how to mix your song, there is some-what of a starting point you can use. this is straight from Tweakheadz (http://www.tweakheadz.com/)

Kick drum 0db Eq to taste. No FX except maybe subtle ambience You will tweak the kick again, this is just to get you going. In an instrumental piece, the kick is the first and last tweaked. It's got to be just right.

Snare -2 db eq to taste in the frequencies above 4khz. Add reverb if the song calls for it. Do the best you can to keep it out of the way of the vocal, even if you have to pan it a few degrees. Near the end of the mix you need to come back here to perfect it.

Lead Vocal 0db use a low cut filter to eliminate rumble and plosive pops around 100-200 hz. Carefully enhance the delicate high end around 15khz to add air and sheen and don't overdo it! This is the trickiest adjustment and may often spell hit or dud. Perfectly center the vocal and, if this is a stereo track, pan it not with pan controls, but with very subtle left/right hi freq eq's. Put on the cans (headphones) and make sure its in the absolute center of your forehead.. Every word must be intelligible. Add reverb and delays but don't let it get smeared. Before you print to tape or DAT or whatever, check the vocal any make those tiny adjustments that are needed.

Cymbals -25 db Avoid letting these get in the way of the vocals. Pan them to 2 o'clock and remember their main function is to add the glue to a track to hold the music together--they do not have to be loud or present. Think about how horrible they will sound on your girlfriend's or boyfriend's car stereo if you let then get too loud. Remember, loud cymbals can wreck a whole mix.

Synth pads -20 db Do these in stereo and hard pan left and right with generous effects if needed. However, keep them in the back. Pads indeed are beautiful additions to a song but don't let them overshadow any of the main elements of the song. Yet for a sense of dimensionality, let these create a "landscape" the listener can walk on.

Bass -10 db maybe hotter Always front and center. If you use FX restrict yourself to chorusing or a light flange--no reverb. Note that the quality we associate with "good" music is a tight syncopation of kick drum and bass. If you hear any duff notes make sure you fix them.

Rhythm guitar -15 db pan off center eq: use a low cut filter to get rid of any bass and add a mid range eq for a slight narrow boost, but make sure it is not competing with the vocalist's sweet spot.

Percussion -20db- put these elements off center unless they are essential to to basic beat. EQ in a tasteful way if necessary. I shoot to get a little skin sound on the hand drums if possible.


this is in NO way a certain guide for your mix, just a starting point and this is apparently a generic mix point for pop/ballad songs so start with this and tweak the mix little by little until you like it.

GOOD LUCK!
 
Thanx dude and to all of you for sharing your knowledge with me and others Thanx again
 
Another mixing question :-) While mixing drums bass drum or snare i can hear that some of the "hits" are harder and stronger then others and not hard enough Is there any thing i can do to put every "hit" at the same level ??? The same thing with acustic or clean guitar some of the notes are louder then others ???? THX
 
lukicore said:
Another mixing question :-) While mixing drums bass drum or snare i can hear that some of the "hits" are harder and stronger then others and not hard enough Is there any thing i can do to put every "hit" at the same level ??? The same thing with acustic or clean guitar some of the notes are louder then others ???? THX
Click to expand...

Can you re-track??? 90% of getting a mix right is getting the tracking right.
 
no i can not it has been recorded 2 years ago and im just about to mix it by my self :-)
 
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