Monitor send vs. Tape return

[Grinning]

Oye!

Have y'all in your infinite experience discovered if it is better to adjust your mix based on the sound you're getting from your monitor sends, or from the tape dack returns?

I'm assuming tape deck returns are the way to go. Is there something I'm overlooking?

-Grinning

 

[The Green Hornet]

Oye Vey Grinning One:

Doing the final mix is probably the most time-consuming task of all.

First of all, if you are using a good set of headphones to monitor your mix, your sound environment is very good; however, what you hear in the headset doesn't always go to the final mix.

So, you might want to use just your ears and listen to the mix through your monitor speakers.

After you cut one mix to tape or whatever, don't quit. Get another reverb room on the vocal, for example, and set-up another mix after you listen to the first one you put to tape.

Sometimes I take a vocalist's cut and make three/four/six or more mixes experimenting with different set-ups.

I guess the bottom line is good monitors, a good cut, balanced volumes, spiffy reverb work, and much time doing several mixes to tape. Sometimes I like them all; sometimes I like only a couple, so experiment and use your equipment to its fullest potential.

Green Hornet