Need opinions on mix...

[karpathion]

I'm starting to learn a lot about recording, but when I fix one thing, I screw up another.
I've got the basics of where specific instruments fit into the EQ spectrum, I just end up with too much on one end, and not enough on the other, or the other way around.
How do I get in between these 2 mix-downs.

I have a full song going with this, I just don't want to give it all away too soon. I just need to now what direction to go in, mix wise.

Turn it up a little!

I know they are a little noisy. I haven't Cleaned them up yet, Just bare with me. It'll get there.

 

[El Dunco]

Re: Need opinions on mix...

I liked the guitar from this before you remixed it, they're painful bright now. I would start fresh EQing the guitars.

Drop the low shelf (or hi pass, depends which you find works better) for around 140hz or so.

Drop the hi shelf or low pass around 10hz and work backwards from their to leave enough room for other high details but not knock the 'sizzle' out.

The bass lives at about 200hz but you can get away with lower frequencies than that, adjust to feel. If you want to add some 'importance' to the bass give it a lift around 1khz-1.5khz. If the guitars aren't punching through, give a wide boost (the Q to aronud 0.3 or less) at 1khz-1.5kz.

Don't make this too notchy or dramatic (only needs an extra 1-2 dB) or it will sound weird.

 

[karpathion]

Re: Need opinions on mix...

Wow, I didn't ralize it was that bright, untill this morning.

I keep coming up with the same problem. When I try to fill up the low end with the bass and kick, I have to increase the mids on the guitars to even out the spectrum, and it just gets to bright.

I'm fighting the hell out of these EQs.

 

[innerdreamrecords.co]

Re: Need opinions on mix...

Try this:

Start with the drums at -6 dbs
Low cut kick 40Hz
Cut kick some dbs at 320Hz to open up some room in the mix
Low cut bass at 50Hz
Low cut snare at 140Hz
Low cut guitars 120Hz
Hi cut guitars at 11,000Khz
Keyboards low cut 360Hz
Cymbals Low cut 140Hz

You can use high and low pass filters if you like. Then if you want something to poke through you and add dbs at the right frequency. I use these as starting points for all mixes.

 

[ratherdashing]

Re: Need opinions on mix...

To my ear, neither mix has enough low mids. The guitar is super scooped. Find something to fill that mid hole.

heh heh heh ... he said "mid hole".

 

[El Dunco]

Re: Need opinions on mix...

That's the thing. EQ is a subtractive art and you'll seldom get desirable results if you are boosting too many frequencies.

 

[TwilightOdyssey]

Re: Need opinions on mix...

That's the thing. EQ is a subtractive art and you'll seldom get desirable results if you are boosting too many frequencies.

Says who?

The key to mixing anything is to EQ the instruments to that they blend together. Oftentimes, a solo'd instrumental track can have a REALLY strange timbre, yet it works in the mix.

Also, different notes use up different amounts of sonic space; most times you are best served by slicing the tracks up into sections that are similar and EQ'ing each section separately.

More work, indeed, but there is no one-button, Panacea, 'do this and it will work' approach. Every song is different.

 

[Binnerscot]

Re: Need opinions on mix...

Why not send us some wave files? I would happily send you back a mix down also export the individual tracks with EQs and comp applied , etc.

Pick the one you like the best and ask how it was done....or ask how different aspects of the differnet mixes were done.

 

[innerdreamrecords.co]

Re: Need opinions on mix...

I personally like to use this chart plus other things I've learned and eliminate any frequencies that are not needed, that's the subtractive part, and also sometimes carve space for other things e.g. a cut at 320Hz on a kick drum can really open things up. Then I like to focus on the important elements of the song and make sure they speak well using eq, compression and effects.

Here is a good chart for frequencies that are important.

Bottom line if it sounds good it is good.

 

[El Dunco]

Re: Need opinions on mix...

Says who?

The key to mixing anything is to EQ the instruments to that they blend together. Oftentimes, a solo'd instrumental track can have a REALLY strange timbre, yet it works in the mix.

Also, different notes use up different amounts of sonic space; most times you are best served by slicing the tracks up into sections that are similar and EQ'ing each section separately.

More work, indeed, but there is no one-button, Panacea, 'do this and it will work' approach. Every song is different.

I said it because it's my opinion.

When I spend effort, time and possibly money really capturing the exact piece of air I want for certain instruments, I don't like to alter their timbre. I prefer to make room by subtracting unneeded frequencies from tracks to bring out the elements I really want to hear in the others.

It's not a rule, it's certainly fine if it works for you to do it differently.

Also let's look at the keyword I used there. Art. Trial and error. Experimentation. Certainly not a one-button 'do this and it will work'. approach.

It reflects one of my philosophies which revolves around the more work, time and care being put into something from it's earliest possible stages the yield by the end is much stronger. Slow cooking is another example. If Karpation is chasing his tail trying to boost, trying to subtract instead certainly can't hurt. When you can't do it one way, maybe it's time to change your tactic.

 

[StillLearnin']

Re: Need opinions on mix...

My opinion here is pretty simple - Invest in a decent set of nearfield monitors, listen to a lot of produced music through them to get your ears "trained" to their response - not only listen to your normal genre, but all kinds of stuff and then listen to your stuff side by side - that takes time and a critical ear. The more time you put into hearing your monitors the better chance you have of getting a good mix.
Some guys use a very clinical approach to mixing and others are much more organic -either approach is valid *but* the time invested in knowing your monitors and software are key in getting good mixes down the road. How things are tracked also make a huge difference in the ability to get a good mix. You can't take the approach of "I'll fix and eq it in the mix later" and expect a kick-a$$ mix - get it right recording the tracks and you should only have to eq things very minimally. If things are recorded right, they tend to find their own sonic space naturally...