|
Mixing tracks
Mix is an art that combines individual pieces of music tracks,
so they complement each other and they form one single
musical unity,
which is something more than just the sum of individual
tracks. Each piece of music tracks should be shaped using
processors, to provide the best of the whole sound.
The main mistake while mixing is following the desire to obtain such an effect, that each of
the tracks sound just as powerful as possible when soloed. When playing
back all the tracks together such treatment
leads to mutual extinction of the frequency, the whole
mix sounds flat and dull and the right output level is hard
to obtain.
It is absolutely not possible to completely remove this error by the
even the best
mastering alone. The quality of final sound of the music recording is very highly
dependent on both these processes, i.e. the mix and
mastering.
Although adequate mastering can very clearly improve badly
mixed material, it is unable to obtain such a result as
from well, beautifully mixed material.
So the mixing is all about making all the tracks working
together well and making up one musical picture that really
shines. Masters performed from such mixes will bring them to
the whole new level of excellence.
In order to shape the perfect
sound and definition of the various
tracks
in the mix the different tools are used, such as
dynamic processors,
the effects of the type of echo and reverb,
equalizers, enhancers and others. Properly performed mixdown
should have all the instruments perfectly
audible, but not competing with each other and forming a perfect whole, both in
terms of the sound spectrum and stereo panorama.
In the case of vocal recordings, it is important to give it
proper prominence in relation to other instruments that
make up the song. Vocals are the most important thing, and
everything should revolve around the vocals.
During the mixdown we use various technical
hardware or software devices of which the most
important are the equalizer, compressor and reverberation processors.
If I was to pick one, single most important effect it would
be the equalizer. When a material is recorded on
digital equipment using the little analogue devices in audio
path during the recording, it is imperative to use the
appropriate equipment that is able to bring enrichment to
the tracks before the final
realization of the mixdown.
Digital audio negative feature is that, despite impeccable measured
technical parameters, it does not mix properly with another
tracks in the mix, and although each of the
tracks soloed may sound very convincingly, however, that
same tracks can be very difficult for the proper settings in mix.
In the age of the analog equipment when the signal passed through the tubes
ore
early solid state devices into the
mixing desk, to finally be recorded to reel to reel tape decks, the mix was
much easier, because the
tracks somehow integrated themselves automatically, without
much processing, they
were shaped already by those devices. In an era of raw-sounding
digital devices mix is unfortunately much more difficult.
the microphones and another recording devices have become so
good that the sound they give is harder to handle. Therefore, the
proper sound
of each track must be somehow forced by processors using the
classical, more traditional patterns of sound recordings made in
the good years of rock and jazz music on the hardware
analog devices.
What processor types should be used?
The sound of classic analog
recordings was created on the basis of a slightly overdriven
deck's tape, and the signal path through a number of devices, which added
their own positive characteristic and flare to the sound.
This way, the whole recording setup along with the
microphones and studio room has become an integral part of
the recording process, almost a separate instruments.
Working in the digital world we should always be aware of
this and try to repeat this setup and the whole process by using the appropriate
processors, and the settings of our equipment. Whether these will be hardware devices or software
is not as crucial as to how we will shape the path. More
discussion on what should be dominated by what, hardware or software
equipment, you
can read
here.
What should be avoided in your mixes? ...
Avoid normalization, frequency conversion and using
different types of lossy compression (such as MP3, Real
Audio, AAC, WMA, etc.) These things can damage or destroy
the recording, if they are used improperly and can
dramatically affect the quality of your mixes. Avoid sum
(master) compression or riding the levels too high.
The reference recordings and CD ...
We accept the reference recordings showing your favorite
sound or style as examples of how to
shape your music in the process of mastering in our studio. They can be sent by
mail in the form of CD\DVD-ROMs, as well as via the Internet in
the form of .mp3 files at a frequency of at least 128 kb \
sec. We invite you to include works by other performers, as
reference to your sound goals which you would like
to obtain.
For all your questions and
inquires please contact us at:
bestmastering@gmail.com
tel: +48 666 11 333 0
Wersja polska
|
|