Mixing and EQing with lots of layers/instruments/VSTs?

[Daemoniac]

Alright, this is probably a huge n00b question, but nonetheless it's one that I'm having a lot of trouble working my head around.

I have 25 short "tracks" of an EP [read: concept album... too long for an EP really] that I'm doing, but have yet to start mixing/EQing properly.

My question is how do you work out exactly what to cut and what to boost etc.. when there are dozens and dozens of synth/drum/percussion/bass layers? Do you look at it in more or less the same way as a traditional mix, but in groups (so look at the group of plugins adding bass, then the groups that add high end etc..?) or just try and fit it all in individually?

Sorry for the semi-coherent question, I'm just not really sure where to even begin with this

Also, for the record, this isn't a metal mix, it's more industrial/ambient than anything.

Thanks for the help

 

[Arsenu,]

if your'e asking "how do i mix a project with lot's of tracks playing simultaniously?" i'd say in this case that less is more.

to achive more clarity in your mix try to cut off as many irrelevnt frequencies as possible e.g. guitars below 100hz and above 15Khz

and if you want to boost a certain frequency to get a different sound try cutting a bit of it's higher octave instead e.g. instead of boosting 400hz cut some of the 800hz

 

[Daemoniac]

Honestly just mixing it properly in general is doing my head in.

As there's no guitar, only synth and whatnot, I'm just not sure what to do with the individual plugins EDIT: So far as EQ goes... All of them are there for a reason (adding ambiance/noise/textures etc..), so I can't cut out the whole plugin, but knowing where to even start with it is fucked.

 

[Williamn]

You need to plan what the roles of the different voices is and be sure what they are supposed to add and how dominating in the mix they should be.

 

[LeSedna]

You could be more drastic in EQing : high pass filter higher than usual, more reduction than usual, since the addition of layers increases the overall gain of frequencies.

 

[jimwilbourne]

I've learned that EQing a mix in mono helps a ton.
I suppose the idea is that if you can get everything to have a space in mono, panning is only going to make it sound better.

 

[DanLights]

The more layers of instruments, the more extreme filtering you need to fit them all in, and clever use of panning and even compression/expansion can help to find everything's place

 

[DaveBlack]

You need to plan what the roles of the different voices is and be sure what they are supposed to add and how dominating in the mix they should be.

Yeah, It's def all about the arrangement when it comes to shit like this. If it sounds too cluttered even after all the Panning, EQ and Compression, chances are ya just got too much shit going on.

Volume automation is key too. Like someone else said, the more voices, the more gain in the frequencies so attenuating the "background" voices in certain sections will allow the lead voices to come through better.

And if you got vocal tracks over all this, just forget it lol you're better off just trimming the fat and losing some synths.

 

[Loki Laufeyiarson]

Cutting out as much as you can, use automation for that (especially in ambient automation can play a big role) and panning. Start looking at it in stems can help you as well, although you will always need to eq/filter/etc. everything individually, since every sound needs its own treatment. And don't brickwall it to death.

 

[Daemoniac]

Thanks for the help guys.

For reference, this is what I'm trying to get a handle on;

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/4972866/Aftermath of Azrael's Crucifixion The Leering Memories.mp3

 

[captainganj]

Automate the parts that are not carrying the most interest for the listener to more background levels. Subtractive eq is also your friend here, cut the frequencies that are not totally relevant to the synth. try to imagine frequency bands as little rooms for all of your sounds to go into. the more sounds trying to squeeze into one room, the more crowded and muddy things get.

Also remember that since you are composing it, textures and more background things may seem super important to you, you want to be able to hear everything. This is different for the listener. try to decide what the most interesting melodious and carrying features of the tracks are and accentuate those, while downplaying everything else, leaving it to create more of a 'feeling'.

 

[Morgan C]

That doesn't sound so cluttered. The drum beat is a bit weird, with the kicks at the sides, but apart from the drums.. I can only hear 2 or 3 synths at a time.

 

[arv_foh]

What I do is listen, and when you hear frequencies start stomping all over one another, mute channels until it you find what is causing it, then scoop some of those frequencies out. Just gradually add stuff back into the mix one instrument at a time until everything has its place.

 

[captainganj]

im not at a pc right now that can play the mix, but if it doesn't sound cluttered then don't worry about it, just because you have 25 tracks doesn't necessarily mean that you have to do a bunch of drastic shit in post.

 

[Daemoniac]

That doesn't sound so cluttered. The drum beat is a bit weird, with the kicks at the sides, but apart from the drums.. I can only hear 2 or 3 synths at a time.

Thanks, there are actually 8 or so synths in that part IIRC, but it's mostly shifting pads so I think they all just blend in a bit. This is what I mean though, I've got absolutely no idea when it comes to mixing this, whether there's a lot of stuff needed or not

As for the drums, should I try and get the kick more centred?

 

[Daemoniac]

Also, you guys are rad. Thanks for the help