You have recently developed an idea using your digital audio workstation (DAW) and think its time to hone in on the mixing. Or you've recorded sounds from various instruments in your home studio and are ready to turn the individual tracks into a complete song. Regardless of your particular situation, mixing remains a cornerstone in music production. It (mixing) is the art of merging various sounds into form, by balancing, refining, and blending individual tracks, to create a sculpture that is connected, clear and well-defined. When a song or a composition is properly mixed, one is able to hear everything: each sound is given its own space and position, within the audible frequency range of humans, in which to operate in. And while mixing is typically a subjective process that is best learned by practice, the advice below can make your process a little less daunting.
To have a rough or default mix, play the song through, and adjust the volume of each track in the song to a loudness that suits you. Pan all the tracks to the center. This default mix may be considered the starting point of an otherwise repetitive journey.
Understanding the Surroundings
Understanding your room's acoustics and it's effect on the sounds you create/record is very important. Acoustics are the effects of sound produced in an enclosure. For instance, are there boxes around your speakers? Is your home studio located in a small room without windows? Are there high ceilings in your recording space? What materials are the walls made of? Knowing how your recording space affects what you create gives you greater control in mixing; any effect a room has to a sound can be compensated for while mixing. For instance, if one has tall ceilings, he/she might hear unintended echoes while listening to a default mix. By being aware of this, such a person is careful to avoid inaccuracy by trying to eliminate the echoes from the mixing board/interface.
Optimize your room's acoustics by repositioning the objects contained in the recording space. The goal is to be able to achieve a wide and comprehensive sound-scape of the music. As a case; if your speakers are placed beside a couch, removing the couch or placing the speakers on stands, at opposite ends of the room, will help to minimize the absorption of bass frequencies and pick up the most sound.
In addition to understanding your room's acoustics, know your speakers/monitors. This can be done by listening to your favorite compositions, mixes or songs. How does each song sound through the speakers? Subjectively, is what you hear what the producer/composer of the song intended? Do the monitors carry a little much bass? What do the high-, mid- and low-ends sound like? By knowing the speakers through the music of those whom one admires or respects, one will be able to compare the sound of a mixing project to the sound of a work very familiar. Your view of the work will arise from a more objective viewpoint. This helps one to better manipulate within the parameters of each sound towards the best possible mix.
It is advisable to keep the volume relatively low through most of the mixing process. Keeping the volume loud through the course can alter your perception of the music. You will often need to listen to what you have done on a very loud volume, to ensure it works. However, also bear in mind that a good mix sounds well balanced when played quietly.
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| The Mixing Balance 1.pdf |
| File Size: | 84 kb |
| File Type: | pdf |
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