Need help with a mixing problem!!!

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bassmun

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Hello everybody. I am new to this home recording forum. I am hoping somebody can help me out. I am trying to start mixing songs for my upcoming CD and the one I have done seemed to sound a little muddy. So I decided to try throwing a High Pass filter on the Master Fader which rolled off somewhere around 65 Hz. This seems to help a little, but I am affriad that I will end up losing some of the "power" in the mix if I do this.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
 
I would go through all of the tracks, in solo and alternating in combinations to get a handle as to how their low and upper bass warmth ranges are stacking up. For example how do the bass and drums (kick) each fair as a solid balanced foundation by them selves and together, then how does it muddy up when other instruments are put back in.
Things that do not belong in the foundation should be high passed.
Trim with shelves or bell dips things that don't have to be 'thick in the upper bass/low mids that when added back in crowed the mix.

Trying combinations, and experiments with dropping different elements out of the mix, or pulling them way back is a great tool for opening windows as to how things are shaped and your original assumptions about the mix.
 
Can't you tell by listening to it whether or not you're "losing power?"

.
 
Thanks for the tips I will try that. Hey just out of curiosity, is it common practice to have to put some sort of high pass filter on the final mix?
 
No. Most of your volume comes from the low end so to do so would remove all the punch.
 
bassmun said:
Thanks for the tips I will try that. Hey just out of curiosity, is it common practice to have to put some sort of high pass filter on the final mix?
Click to expand...
I thought of getting into that part of your first question earlier... Yes, possibly that would be what's called for. But if you're doing the mix and hearing the issues then you also have access and the means to tackle them at the source, vs. filtering the whole thing globally.
 
So basically I should run the high pass filter on the original bass track rather than the entire mix? Sounds logical. Thanks.
 
I was affraid of that. I guess I will just go back and look at the bass and kick tracks and see what I can do. Thanks.
 
The trick to good mixing is to try and keep the number of things you have to do to the master bus to a minimum. Try and get your mixing done in mixing, not on the master.

G.
 
bassmun said:
So basically I should run the high pass filter on the original bass track rather than the entire mix? Sounds logical. Thanks.
Click to expand...

I wouldn't high pass the bass. Just compress it or turn it down. Maybe a bit of bass roll off.
 
FWIW, it's not entirely uncommon for ME's to put a HP filter on something

in the "show me your rack" thread, massive mastering was mentioning how he had a HP filter installed on either a compressor or limiter of his

but...even though ME's do it sometimes, you're still probably better off doing it at the track level in the mix - the HP filter is probably saved for people who don't bother with a HP in the mix. on top of that, if you DO HP the master, i wouldn't go higher than 40-45hz, or you will be killing the bass and kick.

also, HP the hell out of everything...all of the drum tracks, guitars, whatever - if it doesn't need to be thumping in the low end, take it the hell out!
 
A great source of info on all aspects of recording, mixing and mastering can be found at
http://www.studioforums.com/eve

You will find lots of articles there. Prettymuch a complete education in the art/science of recording from small home setups to the most elaborate pro rigs. If you can't find it there, you probably didn't need to know it in the first place.
But to get back to your original question....what they said...deal with it at the track first . Figure out how the kick and bass are fitting together sound- wise and also, maybe more importanrly...groove-wise. If they are not cooking together then no amount of eq/comp/whatever..is gonna make it sound good. Sometimes you have to go clear back to the tracking part to make it right.
I love an easy fix but sometimes you have to dig in and it can be a lot of work but it's worth it in the long run.
People pay a lot of money to have a producer at the session to get this kinda stuff right early in the process and many times the guy can earn his pay with a few critical suggestions.

chazba
 
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