Reset the ears

[silvermaples]

So how do you guys reset your ears when you take a break from mixing? Listen to other music, sit in silence, bang your head against a wall and wonder why I even try. Wait....I think that last one is just me


Cheers
-Cory

 

[Soundlurker]

Sometimes I listen to other music with a very agressive high and low pass (leaving only some soft mids). I find that our perception of highs and lows is most easily distorted and hearing only the mids helps me a lot. Other times I don't listen to anything - it sometimes helps but not always. I've even tried listening to white/pink noise at low levels... just try some stuff and see what works for you.

 

[Empathy]

Sometimes I listen to other music with a very agressive high and low pass (leaving only some soft mids). I find that our perception of highs and lows is most easily distorted and hearing only the mids helps me a lot. Other times I don't listen to anything - it sometimes helps but not always. I've even tried listening to white/pink noise at low levels... just try some stuff and see what works for you.

I thought I was the only one

I do that sort of stuff if I need to be working my ass off, usually I just take a quiet break if it's non-critical work. Rarely ever play music during rest periods, I prefer to go outside and re-acquaint myself with the sound of my suburb - wildlife, road noise, neighbours, that sort of shit. Listening to something you know as well as your own skin is the best reference.

 

[BLUElightCory]

Miles Davis - "Kind of Blue"

 

[Uros]

silence is golden.

 

[Shturmovik]

ABBA seems to do the trick for me when mixing grindcore...

 

[greyskull]

sigur ros

 

[AudioGeekZine]

shower
I often come up with automation or processing ideas in the shower.