Mixing a song/album

[Guest One]

Hi guys,

i need a good complete guide/wiki about the mix process.
Can you help me with some link?
Thanks!

[philwx]

I do not know of any guide but I do have a tip: Learn how to use compression.

Mastering compression is often the break through moment for those learning to mix. It is often overlooked and misunderstood. But it is at the heart of a successfull mix.

[Guest One]

The ardour manual is always a nice reference:
http://en.flossmanuals.net/ardour/

but perhaps you're more interested in a generic guide?

Yes, i'm interested in a generic guide because i use already Ardour.
I need to lear how to mix a song.

@philwx: yeah, i need to learn this.
Until now the compresson is the most complex thing for me.

All this is very hard but i wanna learn to produce my music by myself.

[varpa]

Use google - there are many, many sound/music related websites. You do not need a linux-oriented one to learn about mixing. Also you can find lots on Youtube. Few will use linux, but that does not matter, the principles of compression, equalization, etc have nothing to do with specific software.

[ssj71]

The podcast "sounds good" had some good mixing advice. They only had 30ish episodes, but the principles remain the same.

[aprzekaz]

What things would you use compression on and why? I am a drummer and I record myself playing the drums. I looked at some tutorials on mixing drums/general mixing discussions etc. but it seems that there are many ways to skin a cat as they say. Like for rock drums compression can be used a lot but what if I'm looking for a more open jazzy natural sound. I have one track I am working on and I'm weary to use compression at all. I guess my drummer ego is saying " I want to capture exactly what I played exactly how I played it" and to much eq or compression might "color" the sound too much. But I guess which mics I use and how I use them does the same. But I think I have a long way to go in understanding compression or mixing in general.

Just some rambling thoughts. Any feedback is welcome.

[Alwaysanewb]

The rule of thumb is if it sounds good go with it. If you like how it sounds with out compressions then don't use it.

I like using a ton of compression for drums when I record them but I am not a very good drummer and my kit is not the best ever made (Although it's the best kit ever made for 329 dollars). Just because I need compression doesnt mean there hasn't been great drums with out compression. Most of the time drums are compressed though that doesn't mean anything. Before 2004 no one had been anal gangbanged having anal sex 101 times that didm't stop victoria givins.

[aprzekaz]

Ha yes there is a first time for everything. Can you post a link? jk So is compression used to control dynamics mostly?

[Alwaysanewb]

It's used for dynamics a lot. when sound hits a diaphram of a microphone or travels through a DI it tends to accentuate every hard hit note or sound. This makes things sound much less smooth than when it just travels through the air to your ears from an amp, drum, voice etc... The way this is countered is with compression. If you record a perfect track you may not need it but it is also used for other things like setting tracks in there appropriate place in the mix. Such as acoustic guitar or drums where they would generally be in the rear of the mix having vocals or a lead guitar in front. It can also be used to just add character to a track or curtains comps tend to equal a certain way and people just put them on tracks because they like the frequency or tonal character.

[ssj71]

I think one key is to a/B it a lot. Use the bypass button on the plugins. Also make sure they are about the same volume with plugin on or off, because you will always pick the louder one, even if its actually worse. Its just how our ears work.

If you are trying to get a certain sound, get recordings you are trying to match and play them through your monitors. Ask yourself with each change in your processing if its closer or further from the sound you want. You won't get it the first time probably but as you learn you'll get better (and faster).

One of my early mixes I over compressed the vocal so it had no life. The volume was too consistent. I couldn't tell back when I did the mix. I came back to it almost a year later and could really hear the difference.

[Ricardus]

The rule of thumb is if it sounds good go with it. If you like how it sounds with out compressions then don't use it.

MAYBE. But the reason the uncompressed might sound better than the compressed is because the compressor might be set completely improperly. There are a few good compressor plugins, and a few hardware plugins that will sound good, even with extreme amounts of compression, with any settings. Unfortunately the good plugs cost real money, and the hardware units are beyond the price of most home recordists.

I will also say that very very precious few recording are made without compression. And none of them are rock and roll! So to mix without compression is a huge mistake if you want your mixes to sound "right." The simple truth is mixing is something that takes years to get good at. There is no quick fix. But yes, learning compression is key, but no more important than learning how to use EQ properly.