How is your mixing proccess? Mine is this...

[TOSKO]

Once you have all your tracks in your sequencer, you are ready to start mixing, but... have you a method to do this or you simply move the faders until you think is ok?

I would like see what other producers do, this is a very important part of the chain of production and could be very interesting share our techniques.

For example, this is how I start mixing:

- First put down all the faders.

- Continue poping up the bass track until the master indicates no more than -6db

- Next pop up the drum track (or tracks) until it is well pasted with the bass.

- Then I go poping up the rest of the faders (rest of instruments) until I get the apropiated volume for each one.

- The last I popup is the voice or voices tracks.

Once the levels are OK (the master must not go over 0 db).

Then I panning: drums, bass and voice to center, rest of tracks depends of what I wanna do.

Master proccess should be to other thread

What about you?

 

[sleepy]

I just start everything at default. So if I am working on something on Cubase, everything is set to 0db.

Then I just think how I want to carve out the sound. So let's say I had a guitar track, a bass track, a drum kit, and some strings. I just have to think to myself if I want any of the pieces to stand out more than the other. Sometimes I may have things playing pretty well and I'll want the guitar to jump in out of nowhere with a bit more volume on it etc...

I really have no set process. I just pan accordingly and eq out problematic frequencies were needed. I think out how I want something to sound and go for it.

I know Mano made a thread were a lot was posted on people's mixing processes if you're really interested in seeing what other people do.

 

[Giganova]

I see no difference between the tracking and mixing part. Lets say I have a bass and a drum line already, and I add a lead synth. I move the fades until every track sits in the mix; then I add another instrument, and mix again until it sounds good. I never had a "final mixing procedure" coz the work is being mixed as its recorded, and its a continous process. Also, since most of my individual tracks rely heavily on automation (volume, panning, effects, etc), I couldn't even bring down all faders like you described and bring one track back up at a time. At this stage its already far too complex to do that.

 

[sleepy]

It is usually better to record your signals hot if recording to digital. Conveters typically work better with optimal signal levels.

 

[Sepheritoh]

I will start of with everything at a fairly low level so the main out level does not exceed about -12. Then I start with each track in order of most important (lead guitars first) and work my way through adding eq, reverb and pan as I do each track. Very ften I will return to a track again later in the process. Many people put all levels down to nothingness and work them up one-by-one. I find it a bit difficulat to know if something will sit well in the mix if I do not hear the rest of the mix.

 

[harlley]

I know Mano made a thread were a lot was posted on people's mixing processes if you're really interested in seeing what other people do.

Does someone have a link for this thread(s)?

 

[hollip3020]

i mix all the way through the process. i do this because i dont like to clutter my songs too much, im a very simplistic kind of person. also i find that if i keep it fairly well mixed throughout the process i eliminate most of the time spent truely mixing after everything is sequenced/recorded. when that time comes around, however, my process is similar to sleepy's.

 

[CubaseRox]

There was a thread like this a while back, but what the hell, I'll answer another one.

Like sleepy , I start at default in Cubase. (after I make all audio tracks)

Usually as I am recording it, I would maybe add some EQ or FX here or there. If I do that I might save it as an "alternate version" incase I decide to reset everything. Always save an alternate version (or snapshot the settings) if you decide to reset EQ's and things. It is quite hard to get it back to the way it was if you needed to.

I have all the faders of each track at 0. I will most likely solo all except the drums. To me drums is the backbone of the song, so getting them sounding fine tuned is essential to a track.

After drums I will un-mute bass and get those sitting correctly with one another. Next melodies, riffs, and all other music tracks. Vocals I usually do last. I might put some vox in while mixing the rest for reference.

I have several ways to mix a track. I change up the technique every once in a while. Different tracks require different techniques.