So I’m starting to mix the beat in it’s own session, then mix the vocals over the beat in a new session to save processing power. However today I had two copy’s of the beat in the same session when mixing the vocals. I had two beat tracks because the first beat I used the snare and kick were a little low, so I went back made the adjustments and added the revised beat back in the session. So I played back my mix and it sound really good. Then I noticed that both of the same beats were playing at the same time. It definitely gave the mix a lot more “pop” and character.
Now I’m wondering if this is good practice or not, and isn’t this what essentially parallel processing/compression is or does?
Lol I’d hate just start dubbing every instrumental to give it that extra thing I’m looking for. I know there’s no rules but I’d like to know.
The simple answer is no, it doesn't sound better, it's just louder that's why you might think it sounds better. As mentioned by Krushing, it will just create phase problems.
So make sure that your beat sounds good on its own. Even when you want to use parallel compression, parallel compression should only enhance your sounds not change them completely. Go back to your mix to try everything you can to make it sound good on its own just like what you were hearing when it's doubled. That should be your goal from here on.
Ok thanks, I'll keep that in mind going forward with my projects. Also it makes sense to me why mixing the vocals with the beat in the same session would be better. It's just when I start using a lot of plug-ins through out the mix, my comp get's pretty sensitive and overloads frequently. Maybe I should be very particular how many plug-ins I use and what channels I use them on and I'll be smooth sailing.
Thanks for your input. I'm still new to some of the techniques that are used, and thought to myself that doubling the beat may or may not lead me to some problems which I definitely want to avoid.
I also can't see how one would mix the beat without the vocals then bounce the instrumental to mix the vocals on top of the beat. I don't believe that's a good approach.
To save CPU, simply export/bounce the sounds that you've already processed, replace them with the bounced audio, save the project with the bounced audio as mix-2 for example so that you can go back to mix-1 to make any changes if necessary.
I'm failing to understand how someone can get a professional mix if they have to wait till the end to mix a specific sound. Mixing is all about going back and forth between sounds. You don't process one sound then that's it, you'll obviously have to go back to it maybe change the processing completely or just improve minor details.
For example, if you realize that the keys and the vocals are fighting for the same space in the lower mids maybe around 200Hz then you cut that frequency on the keys and then your mix opens up and your vocals are starting to be more audible. At that point you're happy. Then later you realize that damn the snare needs to dominate that frequency then you simply cut the vocals in that area as well to help the snare pop because you know it's a muddy area for vocals anyway.
My point is, you'll always go back to change something and I mean always. It could be a reverb, compression, levels or other processing issues it's not just EQ that you'll need to revisit.
So when you've bounced the audio you can fix the problem easily even when you're at mix-23.
Hope that helps.