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Thoughts on not mixing while producing.
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makus
Overdream
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Posted : Jan 11, 2012 16:45:48
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I've always been mixing sounds in a track at once I created them. Never actually thought it is an issue at all, because we don't have several persons who produce, arrange and engineer a track. But recently after I'm getting tracks from different people to mix and master (and mostly this is non trance stuff) I started thinking about it in a different way.
First of all, it is not an accident that most of the music is done in stages - first compose, play, track, mix and master etc. I had an idea that composition may win if one finish it the best way it is possible to do. Not trying to mix leads, drums, efx (and by that I mean EQ and compression) right away after creating rhythms or melodies, makes you tweak and arrange the composition as clean and tight as possible with only panning, tweaking synths, adjusting levels, creating matching melodies etc. And this might be the real challenge, I have to admit. However after you get such a well-composed track mixing may bring you to another level.
What do you think about it, guys? Does it make sense in electronic music, especially if the producer and mixing engineer is the same person? Am I alone who does everything at once and everybody is always doing it in stages? 
 
www.overdreamstudio.com |
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PoM
IsraTrance Full Member
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Posted : Jan 11, 2012 16:58
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doing one thing at a time we do it better ,it let use more concentrate on it imo and it let us more concentrate on what really matter for the quality of a mix too ! synthesis and source insteed of using crapy one and fixing them.
mixing all the stage or seprating them a bit more all have pro and cons
edited my post
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makus
Overdream
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Posted : Jan 11, 2012 17:00
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Agree on that. Sure you gonna cut some extra lowend in the synths, but that's essential. before tryig to bring some artistic plot to a synth with eq make sure you twisted all the knobs on the synth already.
www.overdreamstudio.com |
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PoM
IsraTrance Full Member
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Posted : Jan 11, 2012 17:15
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imo when spending more time fixing/mixing than tweaking the source something is wrong ! one should use other synths or tweak it better ,mixing good sound is a breeze and thats what lead to the best production ,natural sound imo .
it s the same in non electronic music, the quality of production depends mostly of the musicians and how they are recorded and not the mix itself . |
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jonsta
IsraTrance Junior Member
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Posted : Jan 11, 2012 17:38
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Agree. On the production stage I'm only tweaking the synths and ajusting the volumes on the mixer. Later on I EQ and add the fx rack. Sometimes on the bass I need a 40hz cut but thats all I do during production. I've found not only my mixes improving a lot like this, but also the work flow / getting ideas written on the DAW much faster.
Free album out now:
http://www.ektoplazm.com/free-music/flembaz-tripalle
http://soundcloud.com/flembaz |
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Equilizyme
IsraTrance Junior Member
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Posted : Jan 12, 2012 06:46
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Yes, I usually produce almost everything first then move into mixing it, unless there is some mixing error that is hindering my creativity.
Its the same for me for non-electronic too. Just get the groundwork laid out before getting fancy. Leaves more room for new sounds too.
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http://soundcloud.com/equilizyme
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Icetoon
IsraTrance Junior Member
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161
Posted : Jan 12, 2012 10:15
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Well it doesn't really matter does it? Everyone will follow the pattern that they're most comfortable with |
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the daleks
The Daleks
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Posted : Jan 12, 2012 10:39
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guitarist in a band is still using eq and effects to get their sound, and bassist almost always use compression
i think its just a fact of the matter that tracking mixing and recording a band is an entirely different paradigm than making an electronic track. i usually dont pay attention to the mix as much while i am composing or let things go, until its finished and then try to get the best mixdown for the master
so its kind of the same and kind of different. i dont think theres a one size fits all approach, whatever works that you get the best results with
Gamma Riders EP out now on iTunes and Amazon.com!
The Daleks : www.myspace.com/thedaleksupreme
A-Boys : www.myspace.com/akibaboys |
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Nectarios
Martian Arts
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187
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5292
Posted : Jan 12, 2012 11:58
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I am doing everything as I go along. Reasons for this is that I have to mix things in context of the tune in order to understand what space I have left in the mix and obviously because I do not enjoy listening to dry, unmixed synths parts in the studio.
Bare in mind that when I finish the composition arrangement (and have been mixing things as I go), I let the tune rest for a few days and then come back to it with fresh ears for a proper mixdown. Then burn a CD and play in the car, play it at the small house PA I have at the bar I work at...then throw the logic song on the macbook and go for a mini mixdown session to other people's studios that have better monitors than me...like them AIR 20s with the AIR Base 12 sub
...and then do another mixdown....until Jordan forces me to stop mixing things down... it is what it is and its time to move on to the next track.
Peace out.
http://soundcloud.com/martianarts |
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aje
IsraTrance Full Member
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Posted : Jan 12, 2012 13:20
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When I compose without mixing right away I can`t get a feeling for the track because everything sounds so overwhelming. Mixing is part of the composition for me, like DH said I need to know how much space I have and go from there.
But I have tried it in stages, it just doesnt work for me.
Check out my album: http://www.ektoplazm.com/free-music/gay-satanic-hippie-tiefenrausch |
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Alien Bug
IsraTrance Junior Member
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Posted : Jan 12, 2012 13:52
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Nomad Moon
IsraTrance Full Member
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Posted : Jan 12, 2012 14:40
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Quote:
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On 2012-01-12 13:52, Alien Bug wrote:
I think the biggest problem is when you dont know how to mix, and long time looking for good settings. When you know what you want to do, it takes seconds and doesnt slow down creative process.
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thats my problem, i think i can't mix and i loose all my creativity tweaking, so my aproach nowadays is to get the track done and worry bout mixing later even if it is crap, in the end is for me and my friends |
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Nectarios
Martian Arts
Started Topics :
187
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5292
Posted : Jan 12, 2012 14:56
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Quote:
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On 2012-01-12 14:40, Nomad Moon wrote:
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thats my problem, i think i can't mix ...
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Try this:
Play some music that you know sounds well from your favourite producers. Listen to that music in your mixing environment for 20-30 minutes to get used to the sound. Pay attention at the levels.
Open you arrangement.
Bring all the faders down to -infinity/60dB.
Bring the kick in at around -10dB.
Using the kick as reference bring in the rest of the tracks, start from the drums and move on to the bassline, main synths lines, background effects/atmospheres...etc.
Go back to the tunes from your favourite producers and make sure you are in the same ball park, but when you choose a reference tune from your favourite producers, try to find one that is in the same vibe of the track you are mixing.
Peace out.
http://soundcloud.com/martianarts |
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makus
Overdream
Started Topics :
82
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3087
Posted : Jan 12, 2012 16:58
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Ah, many good replies! Well though I was mixing during production (in fact, I didn't divide these things at all), I wanna try to go the other way - first make the best possible mix through arrangement and basic level / pan controls on the mixer. Let's see if I get better results.
Also I think such thoughts came to me because I switched music production from night stuff to progressive and full on. From my opinion its pretty hard to get dense night track with lots of random stuff going on in the same time without mixing on the way. With progressive I experience pretty different situation - you make a melody, tweak a synth and it is possible to leave it as is and to understand what else it is possible to add and how much space there is left.
www.overdreamstudio.com |
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Equilizyme
IsraTrance Junior Member
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Posted : Jan 12, 2012 19:52
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As said above - reference tracks are super helpful! I have three that I listen to when I am in a new listening environment. Helps with determining the characteristics of the environment and sound system.
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http://soundcloud.com/equilizyme
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