Setting Up A Room for Mixing

[JG96]

Hi erybody! My band is recording our new album in the next two weeks and I will be mixing it in my bedroom with a pair of tannoy monitors. This is not the tracking room and I do not have a budget for acoustic treatment. Im a high school junior just trying to put out music for my friends and for venues. I want to have a nice room for mixing though. The room is about 10X14, the floors are bamboo with cork underlayment. The monitors are facing my bed. I think I will turn the bed so it is up against the wall to prevent reflections. What else can I do to improve the mixing and mastering experience?

 

[guitarguy101]

It sounds like you're at the spot where you can do as well as you possibly can. At this point, the only advice I'd give is to take your time. Also, have your bandmates sit in on it, a fresh set of ears can really improve a recording.
I'm a high school sophomore, I record/mix/master in my basement living room. The only advice I'd give is to mix on a nice set of headphones too...the stereo image really sounds different. After mixing through my monitors, I totally changed the recording after hearing it through my Sennheisers...
Oh, this also helped a lot. I'd say about 90% of those listening to your music will be doing it through shitty iPod earbuds and Skullcandy crap. It'll really throw off your mix.
Solution? Test it with a pair of crap headphones and see what improvements you can make. I did this, it really, really helped.

 

[mjbphotos]

Mix, burn to CD and listen on as many different systems/ways/rooms as you can. Make notes on what needs to be changed, go back and adjust the mix, repeat ...

 

[snatchman]

Mix, burn to CD and listen on as many different systems/ways/rooms as you can. Make notes on what needs to be changed, go back and adjust the mix, repeat ...

Good advice..The best reference ever.....Your ears..!..Good luck..

 

[Massive Master]

Hi erybody! My band is recording our new album in the next two weeks and I will be mixing it in my bedroom with a pair of tannoy monitors. This is not the tracking room and I do not have a budget for acoustic treatment. Im a high school junior just trying to put out music for my friends and for venues. I want to have a nice room for mixing though. The room is about 10X14, the floors are bamboo with cork underlayment. The monitors are facing my bed. I think I will turn the bed so it is up against the wall to prevent reflections. What else can I do to improve the mixing and mastering experience?

(Just playing "bad cop")

The tracking room is evaluated by the control (mixing) room. Rule #2 of audio being "Your monitoring chain will only ever be as accurate and consistent as your room allows it to be" combined with your (audio-unfriendly) room dimensions -- Let's just say that you're not going to have an easy time in there.

There are things you can do to maximize the space -- Your head should be 5.3' from the 10' wall (putting your speakers 1.3' from the wall will give you an equilateral triangle of 4' which should probably converge at the opposing 5.3' mark), but if you have serious peak and null points (you do - trust me), nothing short of proper trapping is going to fix that. Yes, you can do the "moving target" thing, making adjustments and running to other playback sources, etc. But in the long run, there's little doubt that coming up with some sort of bass management strategy should be at the absolute top of your list.

 

[musicmachine]

All of these are great suggestions. For me I put great room/monitors first, headphones second, & lastly I always a burn a copy for the car or cheap stereo.