MIXING TIPS

Just some random thoughts on things I’ve learned over 20 years of making music, watching engineers, experimenting and reading – I can’t recommend ‘Good Vibrations’ by Mark Cunningham enough. There are lots of brilliant, interesting stories about how a lot of classic records were made, which serve as both tips and inspiration to experiment and never be afraid to try new things.

There is no right or wrong way to mix, the bottom line if it sounds great, it’s right (though that’s also subjective..)

Most of these are relevant for rock/ pop/ dance etc.

I think it’s very easy to mix a great recording. Sounds obvious, I know, but when they went back to the Sgt. Pepper masters, although they were only 4 tracks, they said it didn’t matter how they mixed them, they sounded great.

So if an instrument or part is not sitting well in the mix, it could be that the part needs re-recording with a different sound, or played better, or replacing with a different part or instrument entirely.

I tend to look at the recording and mixing process as all part of the same thing. I will often go back and re-record parts that don’t work. Although that’s probably because I tend to do it all myself.

　

Get the rhythm right first – the bedrock of modern (loud) music. You record the bass & drums first, it is generally better to get these sounding great and grooving first before you layer anything else on top.

I will solo the bass, drums and vocals to make sure the track grooves along properly, before adding the other instruments to the mix.

　

Balance – Whenever I’m in a pro facility, I always pick the engineer’s brains, and most say that the balance of your instruments always comes first, before EQ, compression, FX, panning anything else. You could visualize the band playing, and always use your favourite albums to compare levels, though I say again there is no right or wrong way to mix.

And from this, the vocal level is critical. Too low, and you’ve got no song because no one can hear the words or get stuck into the melody (or screeching,) too high and it sounds ‘stuck on,’ and not part of the music. Though producers and musicians will listen to every part of the mix, the general audience listens to the overall sound and the vocal – those are the ‘resonant’ parts.

　

Compression is a whole article in itself. Generally everything I record through microphones gets compressed to some degree.| A lot easier to do nowadays with computers than having 10 Urei’s or Pultecs at 2 grand apiece.

I use very little compression on input – just enough to catch peaks that may distort/ clip the signal.

But on mixdown, it is vital to get the right balance in compressing; not enough and the part will sound too rough or choppy. Too much and you will take the dynamics out of the playing.

 

There are really no rules on FX. In the last few years, a lot of vocals on major recordings have been ‘dry’ – there are FX on there but not massive reverbs. Have fun and experiment with FX and different processing chains. Again, a lot easier to do with computers – I set up a group channel with mad FX chains, and then you can aux send whichever instrument to that group, adding as much or as little of the effect as you like, or with automation bring it in at certain parts of the song.

 

Checking your mixes on as many different systems as possible is a brilliant way to get another perspective. Very often your ears get tired of listening to the same track over and over through the same speakers/ setup. Playing the mix on a small ghetto-blaster, computer speakers, or through your DVD/ TV will give you a great idea of the overall sound of your mix. Many times I’ve been rocking away on my main monitors, only to find there is no snare, or the bass is smothering everything, when played on a small system.

Playing it in a car, and then flipping to the radio to compare is another useful way to get a perspective.

 

A lot of engineers mix in terms of a soundstage. They visualize the stereo field in 3D – left to right, front to back - and place the instruments in their own space within the field. I usually have kick, bass and vocals in the centre, and often draw a basic diagram of where the guitars, piano etc are, and pan and FX them accordingly.

 Try the mix at different volumes. Your ears naturally compress loud music – ever got back in your car, turned the stereo on, and had it blast your eardrums? Yet yesterday you were happily rocking your head to the music at the same volume. Same as your gran’s telly..

 

I will add to this as I think of more things, but if it gives you one idea to help your mix, i’m happy. And you must check Mark Cunningham’s book.