Setting the "sound stage".....

[Zed10R]

OK - I've read this forum for a long time, but posted very little. Most of the people on here share quite a bit of useful knowledge when I do post. I truly hope to get some more of that in response to these questions.

I can be rather wordy, but I do that to be as clear as possible about what I am trying to say.

1) I need to achieve a certain "sound stage" on my recordings. More specifically, I need everything to feel/sound like it is played in a medium sized, acoustically tuned concert hall, and you are seated dead center at about the fifth row. I need a sense of space and a LITTLE distance. Not much distance. Everything still has to be tight and powerful with a lot of impact and maximum definition and clarity.

2) Should I begin this process by applying effects to individual tracks before/during the mix down stage, or should I mix all the tracks without any effects and begin building the sound stage to a completely "dry" mix? OR...should I not even worry about that and just send the mix to a mastering studio and have them set the stage??

3) Is the answer to #2 also best for an instumental solo track? I'm looking to cheat if I can.....

4) Does the genre of music effect how a sound stage is achieved? If Celine Dion and Slipknot both wanted to sound like they were playing in the same space, what different recording/mixing/mastering tecniques would be used for each artist?

5) Can anyone recommend a mastering studio? I know you get what you pay for, but I would like to keep it around $500 for 10 to 12 songs...is that reasonable, or will I get crap for that price?

Thanks again!!

 

[AlexW]

I'd think you definitely want to establish your space during the mix stage rather than mastering. Using panning, relative volume levels, and reverb to achieve a sense of space. Good monitors/listening environment will be key to achieving an accurate picture of what you want.

 

[robin watson]

I think most people here would agree with the 'build from a dry mix' approach. Get it sounding as best you can without effects, and only then start 'placing things in the mix.'

 

[dmc777]

I think most people here would agree with the 'build from a dry mix' approach. Get it sounding as best you can without effects, and only then start 'placing things in the mix.'

I agree. What are you recording, where, and how will help a little though.

 

[SouthSIDE Glen]

Creating the room

Yep. If you think about it, the reverberation reaching the listener's ear is a reverberation of the sum of the sounds eminating from the stage. Although each instrument is affected by the room somewhat differently, what the listener is getting from the room is literally a "mix" in and of itself.

So mix the tracks dry. Mix then to create the sound stage; i.e. a "3D" representation of the sound coming direct from the stage to your ears. Then apply the verb to "create the room"; to create the "mix" of reflected sound coming off the room. Apply this wet reverb back to the dry mix as needed to emulate "the 5th row" (in general, the cheap seats will have a greater percentage of wet-to-dry verb, whereas the VIP seats will be almost all dry.

G.

 

[Zed10R]

Yep. If you think about it, the reverberation reaching the listener's ear is a reverberation of the sum of the sounds eminating from the stage. Although each instrument is affected by the room somewhat differently, what the listener is getting from the room is literally a "mix" in and of itself.

So mix the tracks dry. Mix then to create the sound stage; i.e. a "3D" representation of the sound coming direct from the stage to your ears. Then apply the verb to "create the room"; to create the "mix" of reflected sound coming off the room. Apply this wet reverb back to the dry mix as needed to emulate "the 5th row" (in general, the cheap seats will have a greater percentage of wet-to-dry verb, whereas the VIP seats will be almost all dry.

G.

That is SO AWESOME!! THANKS!! I was looking for exactly that sort of description....

 

[SouthSIDE Glen]

All in a day's work for Bicycle Repair Man!

 

[Zed10R]

I agree. What are you recording, where, and how will help a little though.

I've got drums recorded via condenser overheads, condencer ambients, and clip on dynamics routed through an out board mixer, already mixed down to one stereo track. 2 guitars, recorded direct, with two stereo tracks each for rythm and two stereo tracks each for any sort of harmonizing, solo, or lead. Not done mixing them yet. Bass was recorded mic'd with an SP C-1 and direct onto 2 tracks at the same time, mixed down to one stereo track. 4 to 6 (varying per song) tracks of vocals recorded with the same SP C-1. Not done mixing them yet either. Everything has been recorded in the same acoustically dead room, so there is minimal "room sound" to deal with.

Any further advice on the steps to take to properly set the sound stage would be GREATLY appreciated!!

Thanks!!