Turning off your computer monitor during mixing/tracking, anyone?

[TheBlackSheep]

Curious if anyone else is doing this...

I routinely turn off my computer monitor when mixing and turn it on only when necessary. I seem to hear much better when my eyes aren't distracted by looking at the screen. It's also a much more pleasant experience when the light of the monitor (even at lowest brightness settings) isn't staring you in the face. I've even begun tracking with the screen off. Again, it feels much better and I simply hear things better.

 

[muckypup1]

How can you control shit then? Like if you are using a DAW to control everything, how can you adjust the volume of stuff or EQ things if you can't see whats going on the screen?

 

[Pablo333]

Curious if anyone else is doing this...

I routinely turn off my computer monitor when mixing and turn it on only when necessary. I seem to hear much better when my eyes aren't distracted by looking at the screen. It's also a much more pleasant experience when the light of the monitor (even at lowest brightness settings) isn't staring you in the face. I've even begun tracking with the screen off. Again, it feels much better and I simply hear things better.

this works wonders, so keep it up!! - your eyes get so fixated on the screen sometimes it is hard to "listen" properly.

 

[TheBlackSheep]

"Close Your Eyes

When I sat there during the Focal demonstration, I was amazed at how much more I heard when I closed my eyes. It felt as though my brain re-allocated my eyesight “processing power” to my ears.

If you close your eyes next time you’re tweaking an EQ, you’ll be amazed at how much more focused you’ll be. You’ll listen for certain frequencies much more diligently. And I bet you’ll find that your EQ decisions will be very different from what you would’ve done with your eyes open.

Let’s face it, our eyes are constantly wandering around, searching for something to look at. When working in a computer-based recording system, it’s even worse. There are all sorts of flashy buttons on the screen, begging us to look at them. Fight the urge. Grab an EQ knob and close your eyes until you like what you hear.


You can take this a step further by using a control surface. This is why I love my Digi 003. I didn’t think I’d like it all that much, but the ability to grab a couple of knobs and adjust an EQ without having to click around a plug-in is huge. It made me listen. You don’t have to have a control surface, though, to make yourself listen. Close your eyes, and…hold on to your chair…listen to the music."

Close Your Eyes

 

[drew_drummer]

I move to the other side of the room; and keep my back to the computer.

 

[amarshism]

I always close my eyes when making fine adjustments. Learn to trust your ears more than what's up on the screen.

 

[ahjteam]

I keep the screen on, but I look to the left when I track.

 

[ze kink]

I don't ever have to turn off the screen; I can just stop focusing on it, look somewhere else or close my eyes. I don't do just that though, I'll also walk around the room a bit and listen in different places etc.

 

[waltz mastering]

I'll shut it off sometimes when tweaking outboard analog eq and compression for mastering.

I keep the monitor angle pretty steep anyway (almost horizontal) so it's never much of a problem or distraction.

 

[SkybluestudiosBEN]

Yea this works wonders, Sometimes I catch my self mixing from the screen and realize it really fucks with your perspective, EXPECIALLY VOCALS!!!!! O man. Do I HATE mixing vocals.

 

[BLUElightCory]

I check mixes with my screen off all of the time. It seems to help me focus more than using the screen, closing my eyes, etc. Definitely a great mixing trick.

 

[SocialNumb]

Ok this works pretty good. Personally I use my eyelids. However, (little ot) it sucks for masturbation. Everything was going fine till I closed my eyes and all of a sudden I got an image of Laurence Fishburne and instantly lost the game.

 

[muckypup1]

Oh, I didn't realise this was about tracking guitars as well I don't like seeing the screen while tracking guitars, It takes my attention away from what I'm playing because I'm constantly looking at the screen!

 

[jval]

this really works. I turn off the monitor (screen saver) when automating the vocals and when listening back to my mix. Definitely has a big impact on how you hear... I wish I didn't have to EQ with my mouse or I would just have it off for most of my mixing.