What Outboard Gear is a MUST??

[Marciano]

It´s not Nonsense...
of course i´m considering that someone already have cables for mixing, that's why i didn´t meantion it...he asked about outboard gear for mixing! Of course you can do a mix without compression, you can do a mix however you like...what i wanted to hear is one of your mix without having a good band or a good compressor...and without automatation.Try to mix a rock or a metal band without compression, and then teel me what did the band think of it...

Cheers

Marcio Silva

 

[xstatic]

With proper mic selection, decent preamps, and over all proper tracking, dynamics processing becomes much less of an issue. I would take good monitors any day of the week over compression.

 

[Marciano]

"""im talking along the lines of effects, compressors, gates... that kind of stuff."""
I´m just answering the question!My advice was on MIXING, not tracking or mastering!!!READ MY WORDS!!!!
when i record, i usualy don't use compression, only when i realy need.
Of course good monitoring is absolutly necessary, or better, a par of monitors the you feel good in working. Many engeneers just want ns10, not because they are the best but because they are used to it.

 

[xstatic]

I think smooth natural sounding reverb is the most important outboard piece to a MIX. However, my comments about mic choice, placement, and proper tracking technique IS about mixing. Mixing and tracking are very closely tied together. All the comps in the world won't make killer mixes out of bad tracks. However, killer tracks can make awesome mixes with no comps.

 

[Marciano]

Folling out your words and if you want to think like that, tracking, mixing, mastering are all important! Good mics are important, good prés are important, good room is important, good cables are important, good converters or tracking machine is important, good board is important, good Eq is important, good comp is important,good reverb unit is important,etc...But they are diferent jobs and, many times donne by completly diferent persons! I've had many works that i didn´t put my feet on the recording studio and i´ve had to deal with bad tracking. If you do all your own job, you must consider what the material you have and made your choices. I repeat and please don't make me respond the same thing again:
I made my post for mixing, not tracking or mastering!
Even more, if i wanted to follow your line of thinking my favorit outboard devices on a mix is a good band!!
And i'll say to you also, i wanted to hear a killer mix from you using no compression, just a board and a good reverb unit and no automatation and that hasn't been recorded with compression also..., but i can give you a great mix with compression and without reverb unit.
All instruments in a band have diferent dinamics, and if you have a bad band is even worst, as you should know it. That's wy, in my opinion, comps are the most important peaces on a mix. You can make a more stable and united mix.

 

[jtienhaara]

I like puppies.

 

[punkin]

Me too...almost better than cheese burgers.

 

[xstatic]

You can take this all as personally as you want. For me, I know I can do a good mix with or without compression, with or with out reverb etc... If I have to pick one desert island tool for MIXING ONLY, it would be a good EQ. One reason why in my opinion a good reverb is more important to me for mixdown is the fact that...

1. Reverb can be used for adding a little of that third dimension
2. It can be used effectively on a bunch of different channels whereas a compressor can only be used once.

I won't argue the fact that for you, compression seems to be the most important thing. That is completely evident by your angered ranting. Now why is it that you are telling me I can't use automation? I would like to see you do a mix with just compression, but no cables to hook them up.

In the end, it's perfectly OK by me that YOU find that compressors are the most important part of a mix. The difference is that you hopped into this discussion and made BOLD LOUD STATEMENTS that compression is the most important thing and that no other opinions would be correct or even considered. What I would like is for you to work with some of my clients with this kind of closed mindedness. Lets see how happy they are then. So how about we put away the little attitude and stop pretending that you are the one great engineer in the world passing down this bible of information to the masses. I have no idea what work you have or haven't done, so I will not pass any judgement on your engineering skills. In turn, since you don't have any idea of wht I have or haven't done, let's make make any decisions on my capabilities. Especially if you are just going to base it on the fact that I didn't blindly agree with your opinions.

 

[Marciano]

I´m not taking it personally, i´m enjoing the discution. I just don´t like to repeat things.
My early post: "That's why, in my opinion, comps are the most important peaces on a mix.".
"It can be used effectively on a bunch of different channels whereas a compressor can only be used once."- Stereo Compression can be used on a bunch of diferent channels.
Compressors and limiters are often the primary factors in creation of a commercial sounding mix. A solid understanding of these valuable tools is fundamental in your ability to create impressive and competitie mixes.Thats my opinion an that was all. I accept all kinds of opinions and there are many ways to get "there" using all kinds of ways. Thats the beauty of it. I just gived my "opinion".
Sorry if i forgot to put a "for me" in the midle of "Dinamic processors are the MOST IMPORTANT UNITS IN A MIX!". Thats the why of this discution?
"So how about we put away the little attitude and stop pretending that you are the one great engineer in the world passing down this bible of information to the masses."????? I´m not pretending anything, and i´m not expecting that you or anyone assumes that i´m a great or not engeneer just based on words. That is build on facts. Here we can be anyone we want, or not be who we are. Thats the fun of it. Anything that i put here, in this forum, are just opinions. I´ve never question any of your opinions until you started question mine. If you see my first two posts, one talks about compression, the other about reverbs. Thats why i also thinked if he wanted to start by bying a good reverd unit, that was ok either. If you know i to use a good reverb machine you can also balance tracks! Smoothing the tracks helps you balance the tracks.It is a more tricky joob not to oversmooth, but you can.