Little things that made a big difference

[InAbsentia_]

Along the way you pick up little bits and pieces which completely change the way you play guitar/sound/mix/whatever. Post them here.

For me:
-Picking like a man
-Learning how to vibrato and bend consistently/in an emotive way

 

[Jarkko Mattheiszen]

Learning to listen to compression and understanding how it works. It seemed absolutely impossible when I was starting out

 

[James Murphy]

coming to the understanding of when it's best to do nothing at all.... applies to playing equally well as with mixing

 

[HandsOfDespair]

Learning to listen to compression and understanding how it works. It seemed absolutely impossible when I was starting out

+1. I still have a hard time with release to be honest . I think it's easily hearable on stuff like drums, but I still have a hard time hearing it on bass.

 

[Jarkko Mattheiszen]

coming to the understanding of when it's best to do nothing at all.... applies to playing equally well as with mixing

But... But... They're paying me to do SOMETHING. Maybe just a 0.1dB notch on the muted hi-hat channel there... Yeah, that's it, it's done.

 

[Pedro Teixeira]

+1. I still have a hard time with release to be honest . I think it's easily hearable on stuff like drums, but I still have a hard time hearing it on bass.

It's easier if you have a part with just one long note decaying, if you have a part like that, loop that part and play with release, you'll hear it instantly

 

[InAbsentia_]

Compression is very very hard to grasp, and unfortunately it's also extremely useful. Same goes for EQ when you're starting out.

 

[Mesa4x12er]

I found the best way to learn compression was with extreme settings. That's when you can really hear what the attack and release are doing. Once you understand how you are shaping you can set it more subtly and you'll still be able to hear what you're doing since now you know what you're doing and listening for.

 

[Star Ark]

Compression is very very hard to grasp, and unfortunately it's also extremely useful. Same goes for EQ when you're starting out.

I agree with this. And spatial stuff like reverb and delay and panning. The basic stuff is by far the most important, and it takes years to really start getting it, well it did for me at least

 

[JeffTD]

Gain staging.

 

[ahjteam]

Most of this comes from live sound world:

• keeping it cool when disaster strikes and how to switch stuff on the fly (very important live)
• wrapping cables properly and FAST, also in 4 different ways on the way
• setting up a mic set on a band neatly, so that it's "invisible" and non hazardous
• soldering cables
• gain staging, setting up monitors and how to avoid feedback
• gating and compression, or more like: why, where and why not
• time management (meaning: how to schedule a tour or a 5 band show) and that ironically comes with time and territory.
• processing order (like for example preamp - hp filter - gate - eq - comp and time based fx on sends etc)
• learning that vocals are the most important part of the mix
• how to adapt, compromise and minimize the setup, especially if you don't have enough/correct type or amount of channels/auxes/microphones/wedges/stands/cables/workers etc
• roadie tetris
• loudness management
• how to work with/around assholes. especially movie, video and light people + people who have no idea about sound, but the worst breed is those who know some.

I think that's most of it.

 

[B36arin]

Most recently I'm extremely thankful that I've learned to be able to commit to certain things(EQ/comp on the way in, printing amp sims, generally printing edits and effects). Building up a workflow where I have to commit as soon as possible has really helped me.

 

[AudioGeekZine]

trimming the noise out of tracks.
Hi and low eq on reverbs
De-essors aren't needed if you choose the right mic.
Slight changes in position don't create drastic tonal changes when the mic is over 18" from singer. If the room is good this is WAY more natural sounding.
Having a mixing strategy.
Preparing myself and my environment before working. (teeth brushed, desk cleared except for a glass of water, distractions out of sight)

 

[K Odell]

coming to the understanding of when it's best to do nothing at all.... applies to playing equally well as with mixing

I can't echo this one enough. Has to to be the one for me.