Unfortunately, you can’t just open your music creation software and come out with a polished track. To get that pristine album sound you first need to take each track through the mixing stage, and hands down, mixing is arguably the most involved. Having one facet of the mix out of place can ruin your entire track, maybe the entire album, but when the holy art becomes aligned the heavens part and angels sing “Alleluia”!
When it comes to mixing and the home recording artist there are normally two extremes. The first being the artist who barely mixes and quickly burns his track to cd for the next gig or demo. The second is the artist who meticulously combs over every nook and cranny until he has chased his tail so much he gets dizzy. If your reading this still you probably see yourself falling into one of these two categories so here is a list of 11 ways to make your mixes better.
Method To The Madness
The first part may seem like common sense but for the most part, may have occasionally passed you by. Have a set method to your mixes. Start every mix the same way and move like you have a check list so you know you haven’t forgotten anything. I like to start with my drums, finding good levels between each drum and panning. Maybe adding some reverb to the snare. Next I bring in the bass. Get my rhythm section going because that brings the feel of the whole track. Next if its not an instrumental bring in the vocals, then the rhythm instruments and so on.
Now, While you go through this step it is also import to remind yourself that you are just setting initial levels. As you add elements others may need to be turned down or EQ’ed different or what-have-you. Your choices are not set in stone and most likely will not stay near the original placement so don’t slave over every nuance just yet.
There’s Always Something There To Remind Me
There is nothing more frustrating than getting to a part in the mixing session where you just know you had something special planned from way back in tracking but you just can’t remember it. Well, remind yourself, but do it in a way where there isn’t Post-It Notes all over your studio. In most of the latest DAWs they allow you to make comments or notes. Mostly on a track by track basis. Jotting down a quick sentence or two to help jog your memory will do wonders for time constraints in the mixing sessions.
Ego Trippin’
Every mixing engineer that is the artist needs to break it down and realize they are part of a whole. Check your egos at the door. This project isn’t just about you! Though this is a little more relevant to other genres it is something good to learn right now.
It’ll be a little easier to explain it in a band situation. Say the guitarist is also the mixing engineer, which aspect of the mix do you think he/she will want to show off? This is why I will always swear by independent mixing engineers but I know that in some cases it is just not in the books… or more like check books.
Multiple egos is most often even worse. It’s the marry-go-round of “I Can’t Hear Me”. In a music group this will be a huge downfall, and quickly.
Emcee #1: “I can’t really hear myself in there, turn me up”.
Emcee #2: “You’re overpowering me, push me up a little”.
… and so on until the headroom for the track is taken up entirely of the vocal tracks leaving the backing tracks to be pushed quieter and quieter until you just have to start over.
Monitor, Monitor, Monitor
Probably one of the most vital aspects of mixing. I mean, what is the sense of mixing a track if you’re not listening to it? Of course it is awesome that you bought the best studio monitors Guitar Center, Musicians Friend, or Sweetwater had, but how many of the people that buy your album do you really think will be listening through your same setup?
The trick is to listen to it in as many different ways that you can get your grubby little mitts on. The first step would be multiple sets of studio monitors. Maybe one set is known to be excessive on the high end and the other set the low end, switching between the two will allow you to get a nice even mix so that if you mixed on just the high end set you might over compensate for the low end causing to blow someone’s head off with bass.
The second step would be to burn it and listen to it in any other way you can. Pop it in the car, dvd player to play on the tv speakers, maybe a home entertainment system. Try everything you can think of and take notes. Go back and apply your notes then do it all again. The only true way to get your best mix is to listen to it the way the people who will purchase your mix will.
EQ 101
Do not work on solo tracks for long. Let me repeat, do not, do not, do not work on solo tracks for long periods of time. No matter how perfect you make your kick sound it has to fit in the track with all the rest of the aspects going on. My suggestion is to use the solo button to do drastic changes to get it in the ballpark. Once there throw it back in the track and listen to make small changes.
Another way would be melodic parts. Say in your hook you have three instruments playing the same parts only in different octaves. You could solo these three tracks and work on the EQ in a group, in order to create more “space” for each instrument in the mix. EQing tracks out like that will ultimately help you hear all the parts in a mix better which is the ultimate goal in the first place. You should hear every aspect of the whole track and see it as a whole without being over powered by any one aspect.
EQ 201
You may have got the best sounding EQ on a track you think you can so move on but you are never, ever committed to your EQ. If later down the line it doesn’t work for you change it. Sometimes this means drastically too. Completely zeroing your original settings and starting over could be the better and faster option. Don’t be scared. It won’t hate you for it.
Also, maybe a part in the track calls for a different EQ setting. Say you have two bass tracks, one a “real bass” and the other being a synth sub bass. You already EQed them to have separation so you can hear the difference between the two, but in the intro you don’t want the sub. Simply automate the EQ for your “real” track to give it more depth then enable the original EQ once the sub comes in.
Be extremely cautious EQing, too. Sometimes when you can’t get the EQ exactly right it takes a change in level instead.
Don’t Listen
Yes, you read that correctly. At this point do not listen… to the ENTIRE track. Listen to parts in your mix. This is where selective hearing is a must. Listening to the vocals compared to the background vocals, the kick to the bass, etc… etc… Listen to your track in as many different ways as possible.
Another great way to not listen is to actually not listen. Most often listening for hours on end for days on end doesn’t get the best tracks. Set it aside for two days or so. When you come back to it with fresh ears I’m sure you’ll find some things that could use a tweak or two.
Cut It Out
No matter how you try, sometimes no matter how you tweak a part it just doesn’t fit in a section. Don’t force it. If it doesn’t fit, it doesn’t fit. Cut it for a new section. Doing this will also give movement to your track by adding and subtracting parts.
Plugin Overload
I know about this first hand probably more than others. When I started creating and mixing tracks all I wanted to do was insert a plugin and see what cool things I could do with it. Most of the time adding more than one plug to a track. Complete overload! While some cool EQs here, and wierd automation there is cool it really takes away from it all having to much. Decide what is necessary and cut the rest of the BS out. Having to much going on is one good way of turning listeners off because they get confused.
Dynamics
All the best mixes have flux in dynamics. It is one of the best tools to use to take your listener on a journey. Maybe start with a nice smooth intro, building it up to a banging hook. When the verse comes back in drop a part or two and start the building process again.
You can also control the dynamics with the master fader and you always want your “loudest” part to be the most hoppin’ so that would most definitely be a hook. Maybe you automate your fader to increase in amplitude as the track builds and when the hook its the fader is back at unity gain.
Application
The last, but certainly not least, step in mixing is application. I know it doesn’t make sense that I would say that being that you have already applied these steps that I have previously mentioned, but that isn’t what I’m talking about here. I’m talking about applying new ideas and concepts. Stick to what you know, but at the same time spice it up a bit. I personally love to learn and I feel that anyone who wants to be the best at whatever they do should be the same. I always read the latest magazines for a walk through or tutorial on something that could bring a little extra to my game. If I don’t really care for then I leave it, but if it works it is just another aspect in your bag of tricks.
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