Overwhelming in the start of mixing

[GearMan2point0]

So when you are overwhelmed with what to do when you first enter the mixing stage.

1. Volume adjustments (I start with kick, bass, snare, toms, oh's guitar and vocals)

2. 2band EQ (limiting unneeded frequency to allow pocket)
---------kick - HP @ 55-62hz and LP @ 8-10khz
---------snare - HP @ 120-150hz and LP @ 10-12khz
---------Toms - HP @70-100hz (depending on tom) and LP @ 10khz
---------OH's - HP @ 300-400hz and LP @ 14 - 16khz
---------Hats - HP @ 200-300hz and LP @ 12-14hz
---------Room - HP @ 200hz and LP @ 2khz
---------Bass - HP @65-72hz and LP @ 2khz (unless you want to do the grit trick)
---------Guitars - HP @ 80-120hz and LP @ 8-10khz
---------Vocals - HP @ 100-130hz and LP @ 12 - 14khz

3. Subtractive EQ
---------Kick - 100hz (room for bass) 200-250hz (room for snare) Scoop Mids
---------Snare - Depends on source (just get rid of ring)
---------Toms - scoop mids
---------OH's scoop at around 2-4khz to allow room for vocals)
---------Bass - 120 (room for low end of toms) 200 (small cut for snare) 250-300hz (room for guitars) scoop mids (for guitars)
---------Guitars - 700-800hz to allow note value for vocals, 3khz for clear vocals


Then go through add your compression, change order if needed and apply more subtractive EQ where needed, and additional EQ where needed. Then continue with transient shaping, saturation etc.....

Hope this helps!
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[Fox Mulder]

I personally wouldn't use so much lp filters through out the mix.

 

[GearMan2point0]

I personally wouldn't use so much lp filters through out the mix.

Yeah, I agree that it isn't always necessary. But for people who really want to understand the idea of where everything sits I feel it's not a bad idea to practice sculpting things out that aren't always needed.

 

[egan.]

To each his own but personally I disagree with most of this.

 

[JeffTD]

To each his own but personally I disagree with most of this.

This. Pretty much all of.

 

[C_F_H_13]

To each his own but personally I disagree with most of this.

This. Pretty much all of.

This.

 

[HOFX]

To each his own but personally I disagree with most of this.

This. Pretty much all of.

This.

T.

 

[GearMan2point0]

Does anyone care to share any input?

EDIT: I used this method and it got me with this mix -->

https://www.dropbox.com/s/cat7w4qo7wn8o3j/01 Believe In.mp3

 

[abaga129]

you cut 100hz from your kick? I usually sit my kick around 80-100hz.

 

[GearMan2point0]

you cut 100hz from your kick? I usually sit my kick around 80-100hz.

My low end of my kick lays within the 60-70hz area. bass usually warms up between 70-100hz. But at 100hz my kick and bass usually compete.

EDIT: I mean it's fine if you don't agree with most of this post. I was just trying to help those who struggle getting started.

 

[~BURNY~]

IRL mixing is not like cooking. Sure if you always use the same set of samples and presets it might work for you but your approach is suggesting that sound sources are predictable and that everybody is shooting for the same ideal result. That's a wrong way to look at it imho.

 

[GearMan2point0]

IRL mixing is not like cooking. Sure if you always use the same set of samples and presets it might work for you but your approach is suggesting that sound sources are predictable and that everybody is shooting for the same ideal result. That's a wrong way to look at it imho.

I definitely agree with you. The post was just a suggestion for people who have trouble starting a mix. Ultimately the main idea is to filter first. (people may disagree) but it works for me and does the job right. I was just offering a tip that is all. Whether someone comes away from this learning something or not, it's still my job to help those who are starting out, or just to help those who could learn a little new trick.

 

[AntonioPetrole]

I understand high passing all of your tracks to some degree because bass eats up a ton of headroom, but low passing all of your tracks? That makes no sense to me

 

[SoundsLikeFog]

I understand high passing all of your tracks to some degree because bass eats up a ton of headroom, but low passing all of your tracks? That makes no sense to me

And unless you're doing live sound in crappy basement club, even the high passing is obsolete.. If you're running out of headroom in 24 bits, you're doing something seriously wrong.

 

[GearMan2point0]

I understand high passing all of your tracks to some degree because bass eats up a ton of headroom, but low passing all of your tracks? That makes no sense to me

Of course! Fundamentally it makes sense, with a multiband compressor and highpassing some of the low frequencies leaving room for 'mastering' to have a well controlled low end. In the high end, it's different for me. When I listen to a lot of recordings and albums, I hear a harsh competition within the 5khz-20khz range. In my opinion the best sound comes from when the vocals sit primarily at 700-800hz and 2500-3500hz and brightens up at 7-8khz. And then cymbals sitting above that at around 10-16khz primarily. This is just how I do it, and it has worked well with the sources I use. I am definitely glad you guys are disagreeing with me, resulting in a nice conversation about it.

 

[guitarguru777]

To each his own but personally I disagree with most of this.

Yep spot on, let the song dictate what it needs not some "pre determined" well this guys does this, or that guy does that. Every mix is different. About the only thing thats ALWAYS a given in my mixes is high pass filters on the guitars, and scooping the mud out of the kick, but its NEVER always the same frequencies.

 

[guitarguru777]

My low end of my kick lays within the 60-70hz area. bass usually warms up between 70-100hz. But at 100hz my kick and bass usually compete.

EDIT: I mean it's fine if you don't agree with most of this post. I was just trying to help those who struggle getting started.

Mines just about opposite, kick sits around 60 to 100 depending on the mix, and the bass sits BELOW that to give the mix weight, and a nice bed to sit on. Pretty much everything from 100 - 250 is sclupted to all FUCK for my bass tones, and then everything from 325 - 500 is pretty scooped. Again depends on the mix

 

[tomas_almeida]

Mines just about opposite, kick sits around 60 to 100 depending on the mix, and the bass sits BELOW that to give the mix weight, and a nice bed to sit on. Pretty much everything from 100 - 250 is sclupted to all FUCK for my bass tones, and then everything from 325 - 500 is pretty scooped. Again depends on the mix

Could you post an example of this? Full mix and just bass and drums of the same track, if you could.


It's just that I'm imagining that having your bass peaking under 60Hz will basically make it inaudible in most audio systems.

 

[guitarguru777]

http://www.reverbnation.com/dariolorina/song/18412677-revolutions

Unfortunately I do not have access to the sessions any more for this record. So I cant post just bass and drums.

 

[guitarguru777]

the point of the bass under 60 is not to Hear it, its to FEEL it. The meat of it is the low mids in the 250ish area that makes you hear the "note". I tend to not like twangy bass tones.