How many of you guys like your own mixes?

[AndrewB]

Personally, I almost never like my own mixes. I always feel as if I'm 80-90% there, and that extra 10-20% is somehow unreachable for me. I've done maybe two mixes ever that I've really enjoyed listening to after I've mixed them.

So, how does the rest of the Sneap forum feel?

 

[006]

I have some I like and some I don't. Some bands make demands on the mix or during the tracking phase where it's really hard to be totally happy with every project in the end.

 

[if6was9]

I've listened back to stuff like a year later and been happy but never at the time. I always feel like it's not good enough and that there must be something I can do to make it sound better.

 

[Zozobra]

Usually like well enough at the time and hate within 3 months.

 

[Joshua Wickman]

I have some I like and some I don't. Some bands make demands on the mix or during the tracking phase where it's really hard to be totally happy with every project in the end.

THIS!!



I usually hate my work for the most part though. I'm my own worst critic.

 

[Jarkko Mattheiszen]

If the music is decent, it's well tracked and I get to mix it the way I want, I can usually listen to the stuff later and really enjoy it.

If the stuff is poorly tracked and/or the band requests me to do stuff I really don't feel works for the music (or doesn't make any sense), I usually just get pissed off when I hear the material later.

 

[Uros]

If the music is decent, it's well tracked and I get to mix it the way I want, I can usually listen to the stuff later and really enjoy it.

If the stuff is poorly tracked and/or the band requests me to do stuff I really don't feel works for the music (or doesn't make any sense), I usually just get pissed off when I hear the material later.

This. Decisions made by the band members often make or brake that 'aftertaste' I end up with.

I've listened back to stuff like a year later and been happy but never at the time. I always feel like it's not good enough and that there must be something I can do to make it sound better.

It's the other way around for me

 

[C_F_H_13]

I have never done anything I could go back and listen to and say "yeah that was good". I think that's what keeps me driven to improve and improve and improve some more.

 

[Ermz]

It depends. I have a varying level of tolerance for my work, from project to project. Normally when I'm actually working on it, or I've just finished it, I absolutely hate it. Doesn't really matter what it is, or how 'good' it sounds, I think it's the worst thing that's stained the world. After a few months I usually warm to it, and start to hear it for its own merits.

There are some projects which have intrinsic tracking issues - you know, those ones you can never quite get sounding as good as you intended to, and they're a lot harder to warm to.

 

[Melb_shredder]

I don't particularly LIKE my own mixes, as in I don't listen back and go WOO it's great. But if I've worked to the point of 'This is the BEST I can do' and the band is happy, then I'm happy, and that's what matters

 

[RandomAwesome]

I usually finish a project being fairly satisfied with the mix/master... then I listen to it a few weeks later and hate it, haha

I refuse to do anything to a mix/master when I know it damages it or doesn't fit/suit their style. I do whatever I possibly can, and bend over backwards to cater to personal tastes, but never at the expense of the quality and consistency of the project. To anyone who finds themselves in that situation, use your engineering instincts and say NO - chances are, they're a crap band anyhow, so who cares if they leave a little less than 100% happy? They may see the errors of their ways a few weeks later and respect you more for it.

 

[RandomAwesome]

Funny thing is, the most recent Those Who Fear EP was such a mixed bag of feelings for me. I was super down on myself for it... then someone made a topic here saying how much they loved it. Can't express how much that meant to me, because I was beating myself up over it for a few weeks. Just goes to show that we're our own worst critics and sometimes we hate a mix for the details nobody else will ever hear, and miss the big picture of it.

 

[smy1]

Normally when I'm actually working on it, or I've just finished it, I absolutely hate it. Doesn't really matter what it is, or how 'good' it sounds, I think it's the worst thing that's stained the world.

Why do you work as an AE then? I thought it's about loving what one does? *puzzled*

 

[Mago]

If the music is decent, it's well tracked and I get to mix it the way I want, I can usually listen to the stuff later and really enjoy it.

If the stuff is poorly tracked and/or the band requests me to do stuff I really don't feel works for the music (or doesn't make any sense), I usually just get pissed off when I hear the material later.

Something along these lines for me.
But I always find something that I think could have been done better (or different) with a bit of time between the mixing and listening to the music.
Most of the time I can live with it and stand behind what I did tho.

But there are days were I absolutly hate all my work and everything sounds like shit...dunno why, they aren't really connected to anything particular, they just occur randomly. Then I know it's time to play some guitar

 

[Jarkko Mattheiszen]

Why do you work as an AE then? I thought it's about loving what one does? *puzzled*

I think Andy himself said in an interview or such that whenever he's finished with an album, he's certain his career is done. I can definitely relate to that

 

[Headof75]

Why do you work as an AE then? I thought it's about loving what one does? *puzzled*

If you operate as a business it's not possible to love what you do 100% of the time. Sometimes it's just about getting something done as best you can and moving on because you are being paid to do it. To me that is the definition of professionalism.
Anyone who says 'I won't do this' - I admire your resolve, but if I was your customer and you told me that I wouldn't use you again...

 

[Ermz]

Why do you work as an AE then? I thought it's about loving what one does? *puzzled*

Andy said much the same thing a while back, and I remember feeling so relieved after reading it. It's not to do with loving or hating the process, but rather just being so 'in the zone' and so self conscious after you've finished the mix that you're completely paranoid about it.

 

[smy1]

If you operate as a business it's not possible to love what you do 100% of the time. Sometimes it's just about getting something done as best you can and moving on because you are being paid to do it. To me that is the definition of professionalism.
Anyone who says 'I won't do this' - I admire your resolve, but if I was your customer and you told me that I wouldn't use you again...

There's difference between "not loving what you do 100% of the time" and "hating it every time!".

Also there's a difference between hating the process and hating the outcome (at first).

I was mainly wondering about the strong wording cause I always had the impression that Ermz really loved audioengineering.

To answer the OPs question: I am usually happy with my mixes a week after they are done. When I compare them with my newer stuff a year later, I get less satisfied with the older mixes.

 

[Ermz]

I do love audio engineering. Mixing is a bit of a love/hate relationship though, mostly because of all the strain and pressure I put on myself. It's the only way I can assure that I keep doing my best work.

I'm sure others can relate. Often times when you finish an intense mix, you're just dead to the world. Everything you had went into it, and your perspective is just completely gone. It's one of the big reasons I prefer not to master my own work!

 

[Loren Littlejohn]

I have had some where I dug it a lot and some where I was pissed my name was going to be on it.

Usually if I like the mix I liked both the bands music and working with them (they had good tunes, were good players, and treated me like I know what I'm doing haha), and the other way around for the other option.