Different Approaches when it Comes to Mixing

[GFunkEra408]

Hey All,

So in the last year I have learned a lot about mixing my beats and songs. I went through of few online courses, but now I'm just scratching my head as to what technique is better and why ... Maybe this might help others as well with selecting a mixing course.

1st course - Ok, The first course is strict on gain staging and keeping healthy levels to a nominal level through-out the whole entire mix, and making sure that the plug-ins that I'm using are not hit too '"hot". Also, keeping at least 6DB of headroom and so forth ... I have gotten great mixes, yet they don't compete with other mixes -RMS wise (I believe this is done in the mastering stage to get stronger RMS levels?)

2nd course - The other online course that I'm going through now doesn't go through any of the gain staging stuff and basically uses a more aggressive approach to mixing beats/songs. For instance the instructor likes to put a limiter on the stereo bus and really push the faders (I.e Kick, Snare) before clipping. The ideology behind this method is to get the mix nice and loud, so during mastering there really not much more to be done. I'm still practicing, but I like the approach as I can see my mix now has a stronger RMS level and I find that it's just hitting a bit better.

Now, I'd like to know which of these two I should be following. I know music is about feel and sound, and there is no rules. Ok, I get that ... Yet I want to know which is better in the long run and what approach to you guys take for mixing?

BTW I make hip hop/RnB so I like to have my drums punchy as hell. I feel like I can't obtain that correctly with the first course. Any advice would be appreciated!

Thanks!

 

[chris carter]

You should be following the first. The reality is that if it sounds good, it IS good. But you will run into problems down the road using the band-aid technique of the second one whereby you'll feel like you've hit a road block. The second technique is not going to give you a sound you cannot achieve using the first method, you just haven't learned how to do it using the 1st method yet.

 

[GFunkEra408]

You should be following the first. The reality is that if it sounds good, it IS good. But you will run into problems down the road using the band-aid technique of the second one whereby you'll feel like you've hit a road block. The second technique is not going to give you a sound you cannot achieve using the first method, you just haven't learned how to do it using the 1st method yet.

I agree if it sounds good then it is good ...

The first course I've taking seems to have a lot of good practices, and techniques. I feel that this is the way people have been mixing for the longest time. I feel like going with this would help me out in the long run with my mixes. However, though I can get my mix to sound pretty decent it just doesn't compete with other mixes out there...even after putting a limiter on to reach certain levels. For instance I want my kick to be loud, and with this technique I just can't seem to get my kick loud enough for that fact that the instructor wants us to keep everything at a "nominal level".

So .... I guess I need to figure that out how to do this with the first method. Because the second method I get my kicks way up to a competing RMS level and then build everything around that. Only problem is that my faders are really pushed to get that kick up there.

Thanks for your response. I feel like once I find myself a good work flow I'll take off even more!

 

[localspace]

I prefer the second method of **** it, just go hard.. depends on what you're after though. It's not 'proper mixing'.. but A LOT of music totally isn't about proper mixing... like at all.
Hiphop/RnB can kinda work both ways..

I teach a 'proper mixing cult deprogramming course' if you want. For $50 an hour I'll teach you all about the joys of clipping.