Do you guys clone?

[ElektricEyez]

Just wondering if anyone here works hard to get a solid mix on a song, then clones the settings to other metal songs then just adjust a little here and there. Or do you start fresh on every song?

Just wondering everyone's technique. For metal clients I usually spend time mixing down one song as best as I can get it, then bounce it down to a 96k/24 dual mono and then open a new session and import those tracks and add a few final touches like volume level maybe a little EQ or compression depending on what it needs, which then I go back and forth changing things in the mix then bounce down, etc. Once that is set and final I usually clone all my settings to a new song, such as plugins, sends/returns, faders EQ's etc for a very consistent mix. It sucks dragging plugins from one song session to another, but in the long run it saves time and keeps a good consistency.

How do you roll?

 

[Loren Littlejohn]

Mix down at the sample and bit rate it was recorded in.
import all of those songs into another project.
Setup mastering chain on each.
Adjust to taste, easily soloing each song for comparative loudness.
Mix down with dither to 44.1 16 bit.

Honestly I don't clone. I might look at the spectrum of a commercial song to see what's going on but I don't clone (I have ozone 3 so I could but don't find it necessary).

 

[Torniojaws]

Use templates You don't have to drag or copypaste anything.

 

[Loren Littlejohn]

Use templates You don't have to drag or copypaste anything.

Ah yes this is true. Honestly I have only had to do it a few times because I get a lot of 1 song bangers (which is wierd, who the fuck just wants 1 song?).

But yes template would be a better step than "setup mastering chain on each track."

 

[ElektricEyez]

Yeah I get a lot of 1 hit wannabees too. Well I do use templates, but the problem is that you can't just use one template for every song, you still have to take that template somewhere. Like there are certain things I know I will use so I just set that up at the initial template for the band. But once you get into the fine tuning detail crap, which can take hours even when you think your almost done. I've also tried making a master template mix then dragging in all the audio files but for some reason that didn't go very well because of all the fader and panning automation.

Edit: I think the reason I get the 1 song bands is because they get all excited to be back in the studio again, but thats all they can afford so they are working their way up to a CD. I don't mind, cash is cash. The only downside is that it can take like 3 separate sessions to get all the tracks done for only 1 songs worth.

 

[plague_rider]

I think i get what you mean about it, do you mean using the same settings or your own presets for EQ/Gate/Compress on different audio tracks??

do you mean in the mixing stage??

I know this may not be best etiquette but as i've only worked with EPs of 2-4 songs, i've had them all in the same project, meaning i have the basic mix the same for each song

i will go in and automate any particular changes i feel need to be made to individual tracks (I love automation!!!!!!)

 

[greyskull]

depends, do you mean between songs on an album? or between projects?
normally do the classic do one song, save settings and template; but if i tracking up to 3 songs and have no time/budget i track/mix in the same session
between projects?? fuck no!

 

[aclarson]

I never clone. I only record myself really, so I'm taking a ridiculous amount of time from one track to the next. Seems like every song I do, I get where I want to quicker by doing some of the things that worked before, but I doubt I could really keep to a mix template, though I do have tracking templates, obviously.

I don't know how you could use the same mix template for more than one band, with different instruments, players, I can't keep the same settings for a whole song!

That being said, if I'm recording my studio kit or something, I have it set up in one spot and it always sounds pretty similar, so I have a few tried-and-true EQ and comp plugins on my tracking template.

 

[Genius Gone Insane]

 

[ElektricEyez]

Oh I mean only on the same album or session I should say. That's why templates can only get you so far because each band is unique. I only clone on a per session basis.

What I mean by cloning is you get a song mixed exactly how you want it. Once you have done that pull up the next song and copy all the settings over exactly, including plugins, fader positions, panning, etc. Then do little tweeks to the song, but the overall mix is basically the same as the first song you mixed.

 

[nwright]

@ Genius


I usually save mixer and channel settings in Cubase to pull up and apply to all of the songs in a project. I will usually tweak them a bit to fit each song and automate each song differently, but generally I've found this keeps the albums "sound" more consistent.

 

[Erik Monsonis]

What I mean by cloning is you get a song mixed exactly how you want it. Once you have done that pull up the next song and copy all the settings over exactly, including plugins, fader positions, panning, etc. Then do little tweeks to the song, but the overall mix is basically the same as the first song you mixed.

Absolutely always.

 

[lolzgreg]

^^ Yes.

If all guitar tones are the same, drums are the same, same singer-same mic, same feel. You want consistency that's what (most) albums are about! Use the template for your project, man!

 

[Nectar-and-Fuel]

I never clone but I do tend to use the exact same plugins in the exact same order. I may even copy over some the settings but I always end up tweaking it so as to bring out whatever's prominent in that song.

I am experimenting with a new methodology though whereby I mix a whole album in one track after bouncing each bus of each song into its own track (so that everything's already processed/sidechained/whatever) and then doing all the master bus stuff in that one huge track. This allows for more natural sounding transitions between songs.

 

[Loren Littlejohn]

I think i get what you mean about it, do you mean using the same settings or your own presets for EQ/Gate/Compress on different audio tracks??

No when we say templates we (well in my case) just mean the mastering chain we like to use. So all the plugs would be loaded on each track, but I personally wouldn't have them set (I never use the same settings so copying those from song to song wouldn't help).

 

[Morgan C]

I do, with changes for each one.

However, a lot of pop records now are mixed by different people. Completely different drum samples, etc. I think the end effect is a more sonically interesting album. But for metal, I think getting one 'best' mix is a better choice. Metal's problem is usually clarity, where as pop's is interesting-ness.

 

[tgs]

I record and mix all the songs in the same project file. Used to work with separate project files for all the songs in a production but it was a total pain in the ass. Saving mixer settings and loading them up in the other projects worked fine, until you had a project with a different channel configuration and everything just became a mess. Also did some tweaks in some songs that I'm pretty sure I ended up forgetting to load up in the other projects.

 

[::XeS::]

I start mixing one song, when I get the best sound, I save the project and I open another song project. Import session data and I chose all the tracks and busses from the song already mixed (without automation of course). It imports in protools all the tracks with plugins. I delete the tracks (not the tracks imported, but the ones where there is the waves ) and I replace them with the tracks of the new song. Sbam! Already mixed, with some adjustments to do.

 

[Chris_P_Critter]

Yes.

 

[::XeS::]

But there is a problem, when you import tracks and plugins from anothe song already mixed, you can find that the new song need different volumes for drums or guitars, and sometimes it seems that the 2 tracks are not from the same album
So you have to go back and forward to check them and make all the songs more similar as possible