How do you guys reset your ears/perspective when you're lost on a mix?

[Cryo114]

Just a hobbyist here,

I'm working on something right now where, for a little while, it'll be productive. But it's getting to the point often where I end up doing something and I'll scratch my head and think "Not sure if that makes it sound better or worse..." Like, I can hear there's something wrong, but I can't hear what it is anymore.

Sometimes just going away and coming back fresh later is all it needs, but that method isn't exactly conducive to getting much done.

Do you ever find this happens to you? Any ways you've found that help you get your ears/perspective back in check?

 

[MattGrave]

You need to have a workflow in place that let's you be productive and get a decent amount of work done but leaves you open to coming back later to tweak things.

I usually do 10-12 hour days in the studio and I've found that by alternating between editing and mixing I can get heaps done and not have my perspective too distorted by the end of it.

 

[RedDog]

A shower. Read a book, then listen to Testament's "Formation of Damnation", headbang like fuck, get back to work.

 

[crillemannen]

I can usually feel pretty well when im slipping. Usually after a couple of hours if im struggling. Then its better to just quit for the day and begin all over again if feel you made poor decisions the day before.

If you don't have the time to take the rest of the day off. take 2-3hours off that usually does it.

 

[TLTD]

Turn the volume down, sometimes that gives you a better perspective of what's going on. Sounds like you are straining to hear something that isn't coming through right. There's a lot of things that could mean. You might have to use your ingenuity to come up with ways to get it to work. Ways that aren't really pleasant sounding. In the past, engineers have tried all kinds of things (playing through tiny amps cranked that probably sounds terrible by itself to fill out that black hole). If it's guitars, you might need a really classic sounding amp blended in with the thrashy sounding one. Think like that. Don't do too many things directly to tracks, send them to a mix bus and do all the experimenting there and use that to blend the original and new sound. Don't worry about getting everything loud just get it so you can hear everything you need to and figure out ways to get to the sound that you like. All else fails, import a professionally mixed track right into your session and try and EQ it to better match that. After a while, you will be able to tell what it needs, but you need to play around and hear what different things do and compare it to other famous recordings. When you are really stuck, or maybe as a rule...look up what gear is being used, what mics, what console, what studio, everything you can about the stuff used in the mixes you are going for. And...bug people when you hear something you like...find out how they did it. Find them and tell them you need to know all the dark secrets or you find them will attack them with their own guitars while they sleep. That kinda stuff.

 

[Machinated]

go for a run. bang on some dance music. watch a beatles doc. have a cup of tea.

something with background noise where you dont really need to concentrate is good i think. as is fresh air.

 

[Mashreef]

a cup of tea or coffee def helps man...
if you cant hear it... take the day off

 

[plague_rider]

Enya

 

[Nimvi]

I can usually feel pretty well when im slipping. Usually after a couple of hours if im struggling. Then its better to just quit for the day and begin all over again if feel you made poor decisions the day before.

If you don't have the time to take the rest of the day off. take 2-3hours off that usually does it.

This has been my experience as well. The first couple of hours I feel clear and creative but at a certain point I just notice that my hearing and thoughts become coloured. Whenever I try to push further at that point, everything I do turns out to be pointless the next day, so I've just stopped doing that. It's a waste of time.

So I'll then either quit for the day, or if I still feel productive, I'll start to do something else that doesn't require aural judgement. Like masturbation.

 

[xFkx]

Yeah, i don't believe that the time spent on a mix directly correlates to it's quality

I usualy do a mix in under 3 hours, if it sucks, I start from scratch the following day with a new vision in my mind

 

[botus99]

I usually do a mix in under 3 hours, if it sucks, I start from scratch the following day with a new vision in my mind

It took me years to adopt this. Best decision I've made in my "mixing-life"

 

[mickrich]

Listen to a few songs from "High Violet" by the National.
It is a really dark yet clear album and I have found nothing better for resetting the ears.
Not only that but it is so laid back that it will help you relax and unwind before getting back to the mix.

Also works for a break from drum editing.