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Mixing using spectral analyzers
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willsanquil
IsraTrance Full Member
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Posted : Apr 12, 2011 01:05
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that's assuming that you can hear everything that's going on.
I would wager that the vast majority of the readers on here can not due to non professional grade monitoring and acoustics.
Tools are good things to have 
  If you want to make an apple pie from scratch...you must first invent the universe
www.soundcloud.com/tasp
www.soundcloud.com/kinematic-records |
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PoM
IsraTrance Full Member
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162
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8087
Posted : Apr 12, 2011 02:45
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analizers are good tool but it can look perfect and sound like shit.
its also easy to compromise the sound more than enhancing it just to make things look "good",but we all have our own technics and whatever works.
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A.Rosengren
Solid Snake
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266
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4139
Posted : Apr 12, 2011 02:51
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I go by the rule, if it sounds good in the studio, in your ipod and in the club. You are there!
A
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A.Rosengren
Solid Snake
Started Topics :
266
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4139
Posted : Apr 12, 2011 03:01
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and doesn't clip 
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Beat Agency
IsraTrance Full Member
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Posted : Apr 12, 2011 03:05
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Quote:
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On 2011-04-11 23:02, Medea wrote:
Pinguin Audio Meter nearly always lives on my second screen while mixing.
When you use analyser a lot, you learn how the things should look 
And if you don't notice a problem by ears, it can be obvious when you look at the analyzer.
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Nothing is wrong if it sounds right!
www.beatagency.dk |
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piXan
IsraTrance Full Member
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Posted : Apr 12, 2011 07:50
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ok . thanx for all replies .
im not using my main setup for metering purposes .
it is linked via spdif and it has great performance. i have alesis monitors and akg headphones in the main setup. i cannot go to loud cause i live in a flat but i also have another pair of reference monitors.
i have found the spectrum analyzer to be quite useful
specially when finding that sweet spot! of course ears are involved in this hehe.
www.soundcloud.com/elektroakustica/sets/downtempo/ |
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orgytime
IsraTrance Full Member
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120
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1703
Posted : Apr 12, 2011 11:01
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As i remember you have some good stuff released, right? I think with this experience you also should be able to do so with a little audio handycap... analyzer and good headphones helps, checking the mix on other systems is more essential now. Learn how the new setup is afecting your sounds, and there will not be such a huge difference imo. Good luck
www.soundcloud.com/orgytime |
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Speakafreaka
IsraTrance Junior Member
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18
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779
Posted : Apr 12, 2011 16:34
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If it looks right but sounds wrong a spectral analyzer won't help.
If it looks wrong and sounds right a spectral analyzer can show you a weakness somewhere in your monitoring chain (kit, room)
If it looks wrong and sounds wrong a spectral analyzer can help you to figure out what is causing the issue, (freq masking, muddiness, lack of balance).
If it looks right and sounds right, you can be pretty sure it is right.
Its better to have tools to use and understand how to use them than to not have tools, or not understand how to use them.
I have found that using your eyes and your ears is superior to just using your ears to mix. I don't turn off my ears when I turn on the spectral analyzer.
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http://www.soundcloud.com/speakafreaka |
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Beat Agency
IsraTrance Full Member
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Posted : Apr 12, 2011 17:12
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makus
Overdream
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82
Posts :
3087
Posted : Apr 12, 2011 17:39
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Speakafreaka, well put. To understand how music should look like, open some pro tracks and watch what analyzer shows. In sound university they teach that our hearing is not linear, that's why your curve shouldn't be linear too. So analyzer should show a curve like this
http://img33.imageshack.us/i/screen1xw.png/
A falling curve from left to right with a small heal in the bass frequencies (left). There is no relative or absolute numbers, and there is no point in 'tuning' track to other tracks. This pic is just for a reference too.
PS Such conversation is bound to take place on this forum, more than once:
- how to use spectral analyzer?
- go buy headphones.
wtf
www.overdreamstudio.com |
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Beat Agency
IsraTrance Full Member
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Posted : Apr 12, 2011 19:24
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Dear makus. No matter if he asked how to use a spectral analyzer it's perfectly valid to have an opinion (and express it) that says that a spectral analyzer does not do any magic trick and that it's better (IMO) to use a pair of very good Headphones (in lack of a proper studio facility) and a good sound-card and use your ears. It seem you have a hard time accepting my opinion and advice. I respect your opinion but do not agree (I do not say wtf?).
Maybe try to accept that we do not agree and that my advice is equally valid as yours. By the way I am not the only producer here who disagree with you so please try and consider us as equal experienced as you. Ok?
As I said before here. Each to his own. www.beatagency.dk |
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piXan
IsraTrance Full Member
Started Topics :
107
Posts :
807
Posted : Apr 12, 2011 19:52
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Quote:
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On 2011-04-12 16:34, Speakafreaka wrote:
If it looks wrong and sounds right a spectral analyzer can show you a weakness somewhere in your monitoring chain (kit, room)
If it looks wrong and sounds wrong a spectral analyzer can help you to figure out what is causing the issue, (freq masking, muddiness, lack of balance).
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hey thanx ill look into this with more detail, im finding this thread very useful!
cheers guys
www.soundcloud.com/elektroakustica/sets/downtempo/ |
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Ascension
IsraTrance Full Member
Started Topics :
170
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3642
Posted : Apr 12, 2011 19:57
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I think all BA is saying is that he would suggest getting a good pair of headphones and a good sound card rather than trying to mix using an analyzer.
Remember that an analyzer will only allow you to decide how balanced your final output is (assuming you're just looking at one on the master). Proper balance might mean certain sounds are buried in the mix and it won't tell you the relative loudness of sounds, this is where using your ears comes in.
Read up on Fletcher-Munson curves if you wish to use analyzers more for mixing: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fletcher%E2%80%93Munson_curves http://soundcloud.com/ascensionsound
www.chilluminati.org - Midwest based psytrance group |
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Beat Agency
IsraTrance Full Member
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Posted : Apr 12, 2011 20:24
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Quote:
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On 2011-04-12 19:57, Ascension wrote:
I think all BA is saying is that he would suggest getting a good pair of headphones and a good sound card rather than trying to mix using an analyzer.
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Exactly
www.beatagency.dk |
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Speakafreaka
IsraTrance Junior Member
Started Topics :
18
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779
Posted : Apr 12, 2011 20:58
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I thought this thread was:
'How should I use a spectral analyzer?'
Not:
'Should I use a spectral analyzer?'
It looked to me like that decision had already been taken irrespective of our opinions on that issue.
Ascenion - many analyzers allow multiple inputs from different parts of the mix so you can see very preceisely how they interact with each other. This is very useful. You can use your ears to establish where there is a problem, and then your eyes to establish exactly how and why it occurs ... whilst training your ears at being better to pick it out at the same time. Personally, I find that I don't run a spectral analyzer on the master out, but run spectral analyzers on around (wild guess) half of the channels of the mix. .
http://www.soundcloud.com/speakafreaka |
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