My monitoring posistion (kick issues)

  • Thread starter Thread starter Chris Jahn
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Chris Jahn

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So, here is my mixing situation. I am in a smallish room, 8' ceilings, plaster walls (no treatment) the right side is open, so really its three walls. I have KRK Rockit 5's, they are head level, about 4.5' apart turned slightly in about 18"s from the wall behind them. The left monitor is (addmitadly and unfortunately) in a corner. I sit about 2-3' in front of them. Behind me the wall is about 6' away.

So, my problem? It's mostly the kick. Sometimes all lows, but 95% of the time it's the kick. I inevitably crank it, and it sounds just right. But then when I throw a mix in the car or an iPod for reference it's just slammed and clicky. One way I can gauge better is to listen against the back wall. If its "crazy" there it's usually crazy other places. If its just right there it's usually ok. When I do sit against the back wall everything gets really muddy, this aspect does not usually translate to my "true" mix. It's pretty much just the kick that I need to judge from back there.

Any suggestions based on what I described for getting a more realistic kick mix (and lows in general) without hsveing to sit 5' from my computer. And for the moment I can't change rooms, so I'm stuck with this. Thanks
 
iPOD = MP3 or other compressed format. Don't go by that. Learn to mix for your mixing environment (assuming you can't do much treatment in it). I know my room is nowhere near good. I compare headphones to monitors to computer speakers in the room - I'm going to add another set of monitors for comparison purposes, too. I burn to CD and try it out in the vehicle and on the living room stereo with big floor speakers.
 
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Sounds like you need room treatment to control your low end. I'd suggest bass traps for putting up on your walls.
This means your low end will be more real so you will be able to add more low end to your mixes without the room sounding all boomy.

G
 
Thanks, where would put bass traps in the room I described? And do you have a home made trap solution as apposed to "pro" ones.
 
Chris Jahn said:
Thanks, where would put bass traps in the room I described? And do you have a home made trap solution as apposed to "pro" ones.
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There are many people on this forum that have expertise in this subject.
As for placement I would place the bass traps at the same height as your ear height (speaker height) and place them in corners and on the wall(s) behind you.
I'm sure someone with more knowledge will come in with even better tips.

G
 
I agree with getting proper treatment. But do you also have a sub? (not saying you need one) If your only using 5" monitors, your definitely not going to have the best idea of the low end. I also have small monitors and no sub. I just quickly put on some headphones just to get an idea of the bass.
 
If your room is that bad, don't use a sub. It's just gonna screw you up worse. There's only one real solution here - fix your room. That includes repositioning your monitors, listening position, and acoustic treatment. Once your monitor placement, listening position, and room treatments are in order, then maybe you can think about a sub, or better yet, bigger monitors.

If you simply can't do any of that, then you're doomed to mixing, listening elsewhere, and remixing over and over and over until you get it right. At some point, you'll "learn" your room and situation and might eventually get a decent mix without all the trial and error. That's the looooooonnnnggggg way to go though. In the meantime, listen to some professionally done reference music that you like on your setup and listen to the low end in your room. Try to make your stuff match that - if you can.
 
Have you thought about using some flat-response monitors? They can really help with getting a better perception of how the kick sounds, and the whole kit in general.
 
Beat Poet said:
Have you thought about using some flat-response monitors? They can really help with getting a better perception of how the kick sounds, and the whole kit in general.
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there are no 'flat response' monitors unless you spend a LOT!

To the OP ....... noe thing you simply have to do is get your monitors situated in equal positions. You can't have one in a corner and the other not. Get them both in corners or both away from corners. Having them like you do seriously skews what you're hearing towards one side or the other.
 
There is no such thing as flat response monitors... yet. There will always be some sort of colouration from the wood, plastic, metal in monitors of these days.

Maybe one day someone will invent the flat response monitor. And they will be very very rich because of it. :D
I think the closest to flat response monitors are the Yamaha NS10s.

G
 
ecktronic said:
There is no such thing as flat response monitors... yet. There will always be some sort of colouration from the wood, plastic, metal in monitors of these days.

Maybe one day someone will invent the flat response monitor. And they will be very very rich because of it. :D
I think the closest to flat response monitors are the Yamaha NS10s.

G
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well ..... the closest you can get is with big money speakers ...... way more than NS10s. Focal makes some .... B&W ....... but we're talking at least a couple grand perpair and even much much more.

But basically you're right. Speakers and crossovers and on and on all intereact and it's basically impossible to get a box speaker with multiple drivers to be exactly flat.

But you can get semi-close if you spend enough.
 
Greg_L said:
If your room is that bad, don't use a sub. It's just gonna screw you up worse. There's only one real solution here - fix your room. That includes repositioning your monitors, listening position, and acoustic treatment. Once your monitor placement, listening position, and room treatments are in order, then maybe you can think about a sub, or better yet, bigger monitors.

If you simply can't do any of that, then you're doomed to mixing, listening elsewhere, and remixing over and over and over until you get it right. At some point, you'll "learn" your room and situation and might eventually get a decent mix without all the trial and error. That's the looooooonnnnggggg way to go though. In the meantime, listen to some professionally done reference music that you like on your setup and listen to the low end in your room. Try to make your stuff match that - if you can.
Click to expand...

+1 Google standing waves and do what he said. Or google making bass traps and wall panels. You would be surprised how inexpensive they can be to make and how they will dramatically change your room. Be careful about putting foam stuff on the walls.
 
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