Making it pro

[xMannequiNx]

I've noticed that with all of my productions, they sound just alright, but never compare to professional recordings. I'm sure many other people on these forums feel the same way about their productions as well.

I know there are quite a few professionals on these forums, and they all had to start somewhere. For example, I've noticed how Joey's work has progressed from the first TDWP album to the latest. It went from a more amateurish (although still pretty damn good) to professional quality.

So my question is to all of the people on these forums who are professionals - what happened that turned your semi-professional recordings into pro quality material?

I know there is the fact that "no mix is the same" and "theres no plugin/settings chain that will make everything sound good," but I was thinking of getting answers along the lines of general rules/techniques/gear that when used created a noticeable difference in the professionalism of your sound.

Please post if you would like to hear these answers as well!

 

[Zack Uidl]

lots, and lots, and lots, and lots of practice.....

 

[FalseMessiah Mike]

I'm not pro, but I know its a constant process of improvement. Your question is a bit general and open. The most helpful thing would be to use your ears and pick out what exactly it is that you are not happy with your latest mix. Then listen to other mixes and do your research and asked specific questions.

I've started reading a book called 'multi-platinum pro tools' by Nathan Adam and Brady Barnett - advanced editing techniques to take your projects from good, to gold, and beyond. I think I read a thread the other day that said Joey Sturgis had read this book. I don't think he uses pro tools but the principles are the same.

 

[GarethSE]

The main thing I learnt is to only process each track as much as it needs to be processed, and never any more.
Get stuff sounding great on the way in, and mixing will be less about trying to get all the components of a mix pro sounding on their own before trying to make them gel together as a second phase, and more about just polishing your great sounding raw files to a mirror shine.

Rhythm Guitars: if you can't get them to slot perfectly into a mix with high pass, low pass and perhaps a 100hz cut for rumble and NOTHING else, re-amp it and try it again.
Drums: 4:1 Ratio, 20-30ms attack, 120ms-ish release, threshold -20 (or whatever it takes to get about -5db reduction) for that POP that really pro sounding drums seem to have. Gate the snare's real tail off and make a fake snare tail with a send effect to a reverb.
Low pass Overheads high, about 500hz, Room mics about 200hz and be really careful with compressing either of those two tracks because it can make the top end dull and harsh all at once, don't even compress them if you can get away with it.
Bass: duplicate the track, low pass the 2nd track and distort the top end and high pass the original track and compress it. Blend the two tracks together. Plus obvious amp and cab sims, etc.
Vocals: experiment with compression. sometimes i completely smash vocals with infinity:1 ratio and -50db threshold, believe it, and sometimes i end up using almost identical settings that i use on my snares (listed above) Then EQ.

That should be enough to get everything sounding pretty good, if a little dry

 

[led-ua]

I demand ahjteam's opinion concerning this issue. With respect to him and others personally I find his works really-really serious (just check "An Idea to compare our mixing techniques" thread).

 

[DanLights]

Bass: duplicate the track, low pass the 2nd track and distort the top end and high pass the original track and compress it. Blend the two tracks together. Plus obvious amp and cab sims, etc.

could you please explain this better? what do you mean low pass it and distort the top end? I distort the top end of the low passed signal? And, how do I do that? is there a distortion plugin that allows to distort only a certain freq band? or Do I send it to another highpassed aux and distort it there? Im a confused noob

 

[GarethSE]

could you please explain this better? what do you mean low pass it and distort the top end? I distort the top end of the low passed signal? And, how do I do that? is there a distortion plugin that allows to distort only a certain freq band? or Do I send it to another highpassed aux and distort it there? Im a confused noob

just low pass it to taste and slap wagner and keFIR on there
then with the original track, high pass it fairly low (so it's all bass) and compress it
Send them both to a group track and you can eq the whole thing, change the level, blah blah. Sorted

 

[Matthias King]

just low pass it to taste and slap wagner and keFIR on there
then with the original track, high pass it fairly low (so it's all bass) and compress it
Send them both to a group track and you can eq the whole thing, change the level, blah blah. Sorted

I think you have your terms "low pass" and "high pass" switched around, if I'm understanding you correctly.

 

[Charles J]

I think you have your terms "low pass" and "high pass" switched around, if I'm understanding you correctly.

lol. yes, he does. i think we need to hear from 'pros' in this thread and not well, you know, shit like this.

no offense.

 

[GarethSE]

Rofl
I make a tiny mistake sheerly because I'm tired and all of a sudden my advice is shit?
If you'd have taken the time to try it out, I think you would have found that it's pretty sound advice, but no you had to be a dick and point out a literary mistake, so sorry that I wrote the low pass and high pass the wrong fucking way round for ONCE in my life. Haha.


Here's some bass using this technique http://files.getdropbox.com/u/631208/bass.mp3
Although there's like 5 tracks all overdriven in different frequency ranges with different amp sims, the principal still applies.

And as for full mixes?
http://files.getdropbox.com/u/631208/Robbie Final.mp3
Here's a recent one, it may not be up there with andy sneap, but I'd say that's pretty fucking decent.

Anything else to add without being a cunt or will that be all?

 

[GarethSE]

And for the record, this is a forum where anyone is free to offer any advice or whatever as they see fit, that's what makes this forum special. You just DON'T say to someone that's just taken the time to write out a descriptive post that it's shit, it just isn't done here.
You can say you'd perhaps do it another way, or say that you think there's a better, more efficient, nicer sounding, easier way to achieve results, but you don't just call it flat out shit.
Don't be such a dick.

I'm done being a cunt now

 

[Fox Mulder]

One thing that has really helped me was by developing a good habit of 'patient analysis'. For example, when we start mixing we're mostly likely to drop in an eq right away on, for example the kick drum and start tweaking till it sounds good. A better approach to that would be to first do nothing and listen to it as much as possible to figure out what changes you need to make. Keep on listening to it, decide what you want. Instead of 'trying to come up with something', figure out what you 'want to come up with'. Do that for 30 mins, make up a mental image of what you want, drop in the eq and tweak. To make things a little more flexible, play all the drums along with the bass. If you want to go further, start by hi-passing everything. For example, the cymbals at 700hz or whatever suits you.

 

[-Loco-]

i am wish you am post sub drop sample puleeeeeese

also, dodo's advice shows that u can turn shit into gold, that riff at the start is fucking AWFUL great mix though dont be modest about it

 

[Matthias King]

I wasn't trying to be a dick about it. Just pointing out the mistake, because it could be quite confusing for someone who isn't familiar with these things, and didn't know it was a mistake.

 

[zvish]

I wasn't trying to be a dick about it. Just pointing out the mistake, because it could be quite confusing for someone who isn't familiar with these things, and didn't know it was a mistake.

dude, read FAQ, there is link to interview with andy sneap, he explain this technique clear, and gives some good tips....

 

[Charles J]

And for the record, this is a forum where anyone is free to offer any advice or whatever as they see fit, that's what makes this forum special. You just DON'T say to someone that's just taken the time to write out a descriptive post that it's shit, it just isn't done here.
You can say you'd perhaps do it another way, or say that you think there's a better, more efficient, nicer sounding, easier way to achieve results, but you don't just call it flat out shit.
Don't be such a dick.

I'm done being a cunt now

u mad?

haha, i apologize bro. i wasn't implying that your advice was shit, because well, it's not and most of the things you outlined are methods that are tried and true (for the most part) and are decent guidelines to a 'better' sound, but that in no way makes your shit sound more 'pro'.

there are too many variables tbh. it's just a forum bro, don't get so butthurt =)

rock on!

 

[Metaltastic]

u mad?

haha, i apologize bro. i wasn't implying that your advice was shit

i think we need to hear from 'pros' in this thread and not well, you know, shit like this.

Come on man, at least own up - and the no offense in there doesn't automatically negate everything, that's the oldest trick in the book.

"You're a smelly hairy talentless hack - no offense!"

 

[006]

u mad?

haha, i apologize bro. i wasn't implying that your advice was shit, because well, it's not and most of the things you outlined are methods that are tried and true (for the most part) and are decent guidelines to a 'better' sound, but that in no way makes your shit sound more 'pro'.

there are too many variables tbh. it's just a forum bro, don't get so butthurt =)

rock on!

Cunt!

 

[greyskull]

practice makes perfect, that and sound at source

 

[DanLights]

yeah sigmund that comment was totally uncalled for. Dodo answered what I was asking and thank god Mathias King cleared my doubt cause I was all confused cause dodo mixed the two words, that's what had me doubting. Obviously it's a mistake anyone could get and with that cleared up I'ts a huge advice so thanks dodo! Mathias he wasn't mad at you for pointing out the mistake, he was mad with sigmun for being a dick saying his advice was total shit and that he wanted to hear from a real pro.