Mixing vs. editing first?

[Laneismusic]

This was probably asked somewhere on the forum before, but I can't find it!

I'm recording a bands lp (8 songs), so this will be a test of whether or not I do a good job mixing each track the same or not.
I just finished tracking their first song yesterday, and we found the guitar tone that they wanted, which was no good... It is so muddy, and bassy, but they told me not to mess with it.... I told them that the "full huge" sound they want will be achieved with the bass being added, and we added the bass, and it sounded full and awesome, but that same guitar tone they had was just killing the mix...

So i'm not sure how to deal with it.

Also, do you think I should mix or edit first? My drums are done, but I have guitar and bass to flex/slip...

Thanks!

 

[crillemannen]

Editing is not included in mixing. If a band would send me a cd to mix then it should have been edited. And the same goes for me, if i where just to record a band not mix it, then i would edit everything before i was done with my part of the deal.

So track it all first. Then do a test mix and see what they think.

 

[Laneismusic]

So it's best to get all the levels down first? because i am supposed to mix and edit it.

 

[Ermz]

Edit first, before mixing.

 

[ahjteam]

track -> edit -> mix -> master

 

[Jarkko Mattheiszen]

I second what everything else said here, with the minor exception that if I'm doing the whole production myself (tracking, editing and mixing), I usually mix a bit while I edit to make some things easier to hear (like sculpt the tom sounds to be more apparent etc.).

 

[crillemannen]

I second what everything else said here, with the minor exception that if I'm doing the whole production myself (tracking, editing and mixing), I usually mix a bit while I edit to make some things easier to hear (like sculpt the tom sounds to be more apparent etc.).

I also do some tiny mixing while tracking, but i usually delete it and start from scratch when everything is recorded and im moving into the mixing phase.

 

[Dalinkwent48@aim.com]

Edit first than mix.

 

[Jarkko Mattheiszen]

I also do some tiny mixing while tracking, but i usually delete it and start from scratch when everything is recorded and im moving into the mixing phase.

True, I usually end up doing that too

 

[JeffTD]

Track drums, edit them. Track bass, edit it, Track guitars, edit as you go (for the most part). Track vocals, track guitar leads, edit all together, reamp, mix, master.

 

[crillemannen]

Track drums, edit them. Track bass, edit it, Track guitars, edit as you go (for the most part). Track vocals, track guitar leads, edit all together, reamp, mix, master.

Interesting approach you have there Jeff, doing Vox before guitar lead. I usually do it like you except the guitar lead before vox.

 

[Seth Munson]

this is how I roll through it.

pre pro then track about 30 seconds of a song and mix everything together (really quick, maybe like 10 mins) so we know the general overall sound that we are going for in the final product. then track everything, doesnt matter to me what order guitar/bass/leads go in. I do those to whoever is awake and who ever is warmed up. drums first, vocals last

but please not that on an album/ep I will take half the time they have planned and do all the drums/edits for the entire CD. then each day after that is a day of tracking a song. I do it this way cuz I dont like having the vocalist push out 12 songs of vocals all day for a couple days. this gives him about an hour to two hours of tracking a day and saves his voice in the meantime. And after each instrument I edit the fuck out of it.

then after everything is tracked, it will already be edited then you find the final mix you are going with apply to all songs then do the same for mastering.

 

[Seth Munson]

Interesting approach you have there Jeff, doing Vox before guitar lead. I usually do it like you except the guitar lead before vox.

same just because I do alot of deathcore bands with leads over the breakdowns and the vocals follow the leads and not the breakdown pattern

 

[Laneismusic]

this is how I roll through it.

pre pro then track about 30 seconds of a song and mix everything together (really quick, maybe like 10 mins) so we know the general overall sound that we are going for in the final product. then track everything, doesnt matter to me what order guitar/bass/leads go in. I do those to whoever is awake and who ever is warmed up. drums first, vocals last

but please not that on an album/ep I will take half the time they have planned and do all the drums/edits for the entire CD. then each day after that is a day of tracking a song. I do it this way cuz I dont like having the vocalist push out 12 songs of vocals all day for a couple days. this gives him about an hour to two hours of tracking a day and saves his voice in the meantime. And after each instrument I edit the fuck out of it.

then after everything is tracked, it will already be edited then you find the final mix you are going with apply to all songs then do the same for mastering.

Sweet, editing each instruments part right after i record it sounds like a good way, and a lot faster.

Also,

The band and I have set up a three week kinda system.
Example, yesterday we tracked drums for two songs, one that we tracked the whole thing for today, and are completing the other drums for the next time they come in.

Is this a good system? Tracking drums for the whole EP first?