How do you guys handle large projects?
- Thread starter abaga129
- Start date
KHE
Member
i've worked both ways with big sessions with songs that needed all similar or the same processing.
but i'm still somewhat unsure which way i like more.
i like easy organisation and the simlpe behaviour of one-sessions when clients deliver mix-notes.
and i can easily jump between the songs to find a sound that works for most songs.
but sometimes i have the feeling that i can loose the focus for small details in these big sessions. like small automation-moves, little editing-tweaks etv.
because the content is sometimes overwhelming for me.
when i work with single sessions, i can focus for 100% on that single song, without jumping to other songs and loosing the focus/vibe/feeling whatever.
how do you guys with big one-sessions aviod loosing the focus? i'll think i just have to get more used to it and work in a more disciplined way...
but i'm still somewhat unsure which way i like more.
i like easy organisation and the simlpe behaviour of one-sessions when clients deliver mix-notes.
and i can easily jump between the songs to find a sound that works for most songs.
but sometimes i have the feeling that i can loose the focus for small details in these big sessions. like small automation-moves, little editing-tweaks etv.
because the content is sometimes overwhelming for me.
when i work with single sessions, i can focus for 100% on that single song, without jumping to other songs and loosing the focus/vibe/feeling whatever.
how do you guys with big one-sessions aviod loosing the focus? i'll think i just have to get more used to it and work in a more disciplined way...
Separate sessions for each song for tracking.
I mix one or two songs, and base the rest of the record off of those, but...
The more projects I do, the less I'm worried about consistency in the form of "every song sounding like the same mix," and worry more about each song sounding as great as it can, and if the album works together as a whole.
Some songs just call for different tracking techniques, tones, etc. At that point, they'll never sound exactly the same as the rest of the record...and I don't think they should. I think, if the material on the record doesn't all sound like the same song (and hopefully it doesn't), then each song will need to be mixed on its own, focusing on making that specific song sound the best it can.
Just my $0.02
I mix one or two songs, and base the rest of the record off of those, but...
The more projects I do, the less I'm worried about consistency in the form of "every song sounding like the same mix," and worry more about each song sounding as great as it can, and if the album works together as a whole.
Some songs just call for different tracking techniques, tones, etc. At that point, they'll never sound exactly the same as the rest of the record...and I don't think they should. I think, if the material on the record doesn't all sound like the same song (and hopefully it doesn't), then each song will need to be mixed on its own, focusing on making that specific song sound the best it can.
Just my $0.02
Kohugaly
Member
- Oct 15, 2011
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I'd say it depends on the songs. If they are very similar than I'd choose one session for all. But if they are very different... like having 4 different keyboard parts in every song, than I'd rather mix the songs separately (probably using the template of the simplest song as a starting point) and leave "making it consistent" to the mastering stage.
In the end people end up listening to certain songs only, so give up some quality to gain perfect consistency is pointless in my eyes.
In the end people end up listening to certain songs only, so give up some quality to gain perfect consistency is pointless in my eyes.
mva801
Member
- Nov 18, 2009
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One session per song here. I rarely do metal bands who always record the same instruments for each song, so I'd constantly end up with sessions of 100+ tracks and way too many plugins going because each song has unique tracks in it.
I've NEVER seen anybody work with all songs in one session, but it obviously isn't that big of a deal if you're keeping your track count pretty simple!
Not sure how easy it is in your DAW, but Pro Tools' import session data feature makes copying mix settings extremely simple. I just do that, delete the other songs automation (which comes in with the volume settings), then start the mix from there.
I've NEVER seen anybody work with all songs in one session, but it obviously isn't that big of a deal if you're keeping your track count pretty simple!
Not sure how easy it is in your DAW, but Pro Tools' import session data feature makes copying mix settings extremely simple. I just do that, delete the other songs automation (which comes in with the volume settings), then start the mix from there.
Every keeps talking about importing session data but I'm pretty unfamiliar with that. Sounds really useful though. I need to see if Reaper is capable of that.
KHE
Member
Aaron Smith
Envisage Audio
I'm actually pretty surprised with how many people are doing multiple songs all in one session. I can see it working out just fine for EPs, but I'd be pretty nervous to do a dozen songs all in one session, even with my 8-core Mac Pro... I've always done separate sessions for each song, and then the session import functionality with PT makes it really simple to get consistency from one song to another.
bryan_kilco
Member
I remember the first demo I ever mixed for my own band I used a demo version of Revalver where I couldn't save any presets.
It was a god-awful nightmare to try to get 3 songs to sound like the same mix. I had to physically write down notes of what all the settings were and impulses used, etc.
I need to check out the SWS extension that is mentioned above. I use templates in Reaper but I still get screwed up when trying to paste in 16 audio tracks because they all end up on wrong tracks.
It was a god-awful nightmare to try to get 3 songs to sound like the same mix. I had to physically write down notes of what all the settings were and impulses used, etc.
I need to check out the SWS extension that is mentioned above. I use templates in Reaper but I still get screwed up when trying to paste in 16 audio tracks because they all end up on wrong tracks.
Trevoire520
Member
I'm doing it on a quad core mac mini with no problems at all. I also used to do it on a crappy dual core macbook (admittedly that struggled a bit, but not really any more than it did with EP/single song sessions)
It's not like you're playing back 10 songs at once, so I don't see why people think it would be such a massive problem?
Erik Monsonis
Member
First I mix the song I hate the least 
, then I use it as a template for every song, then I tweak every song to taste. I don't really care that much about 100% consistency... Some times I'll put the bass grind +3dB higher just in one song for no other reason than it just calls for it...
, then I use it as a template for every song, then I tweak every song to taste. I don't really care that much about 100% consistency... Some times I'll put the bass grind +3dB higher just in one song for no other reason than it just calls for it...
JeffTD
Senhor Testiculo
It's really not that bad, and I know both Machine Shop and Panda Studio do it on a regular basis.
mva801
Member
- Nov 18, 2009
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It all comes down to the way you work. If your track count isn't super high, you're fine. However, I do a lot of work with non-metal bands, and each song will have different additions. So lets say I'm mixing the first song, but there are 8 other songs that have violin, harmonies, percussion, acoustic guitar, banjo, mandolin, extra guitar, synth, etc. that aren't in the first song. With a VCC, VTM on every track, I'm overloading myself trying to do everything in one session. It'd be a huge pain in the ass. Maybe you use 6 or 8 different synth patches in Massive on the record. Then you'd have 8 instances running all the time as opposed to the one you use in the current song.
Now if all I have is midi drums, L/R gtr, bass and vocals, totalling 6 or so tracks for an entire record, then it's obviously not a big issue.
With my stuff, I'll mostly use one session file for the whole thing but in the past I've used a ton of synths- different ones on each song- in different project files for each song to make it easier. I could have done it all in one session but remembering to take some synth plugins offline for different songs got to be a hassle once there were 5 or 6 different ones in a given song.
To me, the similiarity of the recorded material is exactly a great reason to mix the songs in different sessions, even though it could be faster and easier in a single session.
If all the songs are much alike and carved from the same wood, nothing exagerates that effect like a static and unevolving mix across the whole album. Some may call it uniformity, others (including me) would just call it lazy and/or cut&paste. Of course you don't have to go fucking crazy on every track, but little differences become pretty big when listening the album through.
If all the songs are much alike and carved from the same wood, nothing exagerates that effect like a static and unevolving mix across the whole album. Some may call it uniformity, others (including me) would just call it lazy and/or cut&paste. Of course you don't have to go fucking crazy on every track, but little differences become pretty big when listening the album through.
track/edit everything in one session. so much easier.
mix a good amount of time in that session, to find a general vibe for the whole record.
for the finetuning / elements that are exclusive to single songs / automation i then split them up into single projects, so i can remain at a relateviely low channel / GRP count.
i believe i never had a session where the mix settings for one song to the next were EXACTLY the same...
mix a good amount of time in that session, to find a general vibe for the whole record.
for the finetuning / elements that are exclusive to single songs / automation i then split them up into single projects, so i can remain at a relateviely low channel / GRP count.
i believe i never had a session where the mix settings for one song to the next were EXACTLY the same...
