Monitor Volume vs Mix Accuracy

[DDev]

I've been working on attempting to mix a live recording I made a couple of weeks ago, and have finally determined that part of the problems I'm having getting my mix right seem to be related to mixing at too low a volume. I've been struggling with getting the bass right in the mix. The first mix I burned, at a relatively low volume, had way too much bass. The next, at a slightly higher volume, had no bass (and on and on and on...). Today, I cranked it while nobody was home, and wound up boosting the bass about 4 dB to get it to sound right from the previous mix.

I'm using a set of JBL 4311's for monitors, with an old Dynaco studio amp (I'm "storing" these for someone). I think these were designed for larger studios than my small home setup, but free is free, and I just want to learn how to work with them.

Anyway, my question: Is there anyone else using these speakers that can provide some feedback on how hard you need to push them to be comfortable with their accuracy?

I will admit that I don't have anything close to an acoustically accurate room, but this one thing is driving me nuts since the rest of the mix is pretty decent and I'm wasting a lot of blank CDs trying to get it right.

Darryl.....

 

[TexRoadkill]

The proper way to mix is to get a decibel meter and set your system with a test tone for the same volume every time. I believe somewhere around 75-80db is the recomended mixing volume.

 

[Sennheiser]

I had heard 85dB was the accepted level, but save your ears and go with the lower if it's comfortable.

The most important thing to learn are those monitors at whatever level you choose to mix at. You will need to try your mixes on every system you can find for awhile to get used to what you should be boosting or cutting while you mix.

It matters not what it sounds like while you are mixing as long as you know what it will sound like when you have finished.

Everyone on this board would like to have the best, most accurate, flattest pair of monitors anyone ever designed and built, but we're all not rich. We use what we can afford or what we have.

The most important thing, once again, is to know those monitors you are mixing on and how they translate to other systems.

When the mix sounds good on your buddies system, the car CD or cassette deck, you mother-in-law's 30 year old stereo system with he built in 8-track, and your computer speakers, you'll know you did a good job...and you'll know your monitors too.

 

[regebro]

Mix at many levels. Things do sound differently and you need to test it all.

The main level should be a level which you feel at being "not too quiet" but where you still feel that you can listen to it for hours without being tired. (You have to try to stop listening to the music sometimes, and instead try to "feel your ears" to see if they like the volume or not).
If you have a dB meter you will see that this volume is 70-85 dB. But that's a rather wide range, so let your body decide where you want to go.

During the mixing, listen though the song on lower levels, volumes that you would have while listening to music at home, or having it in the background while you read, at levels which you comfortably can drown out while talking in a normal voice (this is how it will wound to most people listening to it on the radio) and make sure that this still works, and that the main guitar doesn't disappear, or that suddenly all you can hear is the bass.