- Oct 21, 2011
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Hello all - I mostly lurk, try to squeeze a bit of general feedback from everyone, reading advice etc.
https://soundcloud.com/redoubt9000/sets/riff-n-mix-series
A catalogue of my work so far for this series (#9 being the most recent). Perhaps it will give some idea of what "poor mix decisions" I may be making consistently from project to project?
I'm getting that feeling again that I'm not making much headway in the way of mixing here lately. My biggest hurdle has been zeroing in on "that sound" for each instrument, that come to really characterize a whole song and give it life. Like Ermz's snare on the Elm Street album (freakin luv it) or getting that bass and guitar to gel, something I'm finding to be impossible at times, or processing drums
to exude sheer monumental, ball shakin' awesomeness.
I make it a point to complete a project, however small, and move onto the next. I've found more dramatic improvement (imo) working on one project to the next, as it remains fresh for me. I end up working on my recording & writing in addition to mixing it, etc. Otherwise I find myself obsessively doing absolutely nothing when it comes to mixing, if I linger too long on any one project. I'm painfully aware that the material is important, to include the source sound one's working with. In fact, yeah I know that's certainly a culprit.
But it doesn't stop me from thinking it's just myself, and that somewhere I'm hitting a wall over and over again over something stupid. Perhaps the biggest injustice is that I'm still mixing in an untreated room, with low-rung monitors, and expecting to make halfway worthwhile adjustments in my mixes.
One gem of advice that I can recall was from Catharsis. I remember posting a song seeking feedback years ago and he came along with a gold tip for me back when I was a newb at this shit.
I guess I'm looking for another "Stop doing that." pro-tip to put me in my place.
So a list of things I KNOW are a problem outright as far as my physical space.
1) No treatment. Whatsoever. I end up referencing alot on my m50's
2) Instruments. I nabbed a cheap bass a while back just so I'd have tracks for my mixes
3) Common denominator being my guitar + writing & more importantly, my PLAYING.
4) No amp, nor experience in miking very many. I guess I can only expect so much out of sims.
5) ^ditto on drums, samplers are all I've ever known.
6) I avoid presets like the plague, perhaps even to my own detriment. I used them at one point as a reference, trying to mix to that preset's sound as close as possible. So as to improve my ability in getting the specific sound I'm hearing.
Or maybe I'm just making another long-winded thread over nothing. It's probably just me squirming around while I wait on my guitar pre-order to finally go thru Next on the checklist will be a bass guitar that isn't a hunk of deadwood!
I guess I'm just seeking general advice from the community as I'm finding search a bit less inspiring here of late!
https://soundcloud.com/redoubt9000/sets/riff-n-mix-series
A catalogue of my work so far for this series (#9 being the most recent). Perhaps it will give some idea of what "poor mix decisions" I may be making consistently from project to project?
I'm getting that feeling again that I'm not making much headway in the way of mixing here lately. My biggest hurdle has been zeroing in on "that sound" for each instrument, that come to really characterize a whole song and give it life. Like Ermz's snare on the Elm Street album (freakin luv it) or getting that bass and guitar to gel, something I'm finding to be impossible at times, or processing drums
to exude sheer monumental, ball shakin' awesomeness.
I make it a point to complete a project, however small, and move onto the next. I've found more dramatic improvement (imo) working on one project to the next, as it remains fresh for me. I end up working on my recording & writing in addition to mixing it, etc. Otherwise I find myself obsessively doing absolutely nothing when it comes to mixing, if I linger too long on any one project. I'm painfully aware that the material is important, to include the source sound one's working with. In fact, yeah I know that's certainly a culprit.
But it doesn't stop me from thinking it's just myself, and that somewhere I'm hitting a wall over and over again over something stupid. Perhaps the biggest injustice is that I'm still mixing in an untreated room, with low-rung monitors, and expecting to make halfway worthwhile adjustments in my mixes.
One gem of advice that I can recall was from Catharsis. I remember posting a song seeking feedback years ago and he came along with a gold tip for me back when I was a newb at this shit.
I guess I'm looking for another "Stop doing that." pro-tip to put me in my place.
So a list of things I KNOW are a problem outright as far as my physical space.
1) No treatment. Whatsoever. I end up referencing alot on my m50's
2) Instruments. I nabbed a cheap bass a while back just so I'd have tracks for my mixes
3) Common denominator being my guitar + writing & more importantly, my PLAYING.
4) No amp, nor experience in miking very many. I guess I can only expect so much out of sims.
5) ^ditto on drums, samplers are all I've ever known.
6) I avoid presets like the plague, perhaps even to my own detriment. I used them at one point as a reference, trying to mix to that preset's sound as close as possible. So as to improve my ability in getting the specific sound I'm hearing.
Or maybe I'm just making another long-winded thread over nothing. It's probably just me squirming around while I wait on my guitar pre-order to finally go thru
Next on the checklist will be a bass guitar that isn't a hunk of deadwood!I guess I'm just seeking general advice from the community as I'm finding search a bit less inspiring here of late!
