Mixing routine

[zuzu]

Do you have a mixing routine? I do. Each track separately EQ'd unto near satisfaction, putting the ones that will ride the buss onto the buss, if not already done. Mix the whole track together in mono, with the goal of achieving a fair degree of frequency separation. Use the vocal as the aural yardstick, measuring each track individually with the vocal track, then adding and subtracting various tracks in layers. Switch to stereo and mount your tracks in the spectrum. Now, really get down to business, because some, maybe none, of what is described here will make it, as is, onto the final mix...but you never know.

How about you? Obviously, many variables will enter into your process as you go forward, but do you have a way you prefer to get started?

[b1j]

Originally Posted by zuzu

Do you have a mixing routine? I do. Each track separately EQ'd unto near satisfaction, putting the ones that will ride the buss onto the buss, if not already done. Mix the whole track together in mono, with the goal of achieving a fair degree of frequency separation. Use the vocal as the aural yardstick, measuring each track individually with the vocal track, then adding and subtracting various tracks in layers. Switch to stereo and mount your tracks in the spectrum. Now, really get down to business, because some, maybe none, of what is described here will make it, as is, onto the final mix...but you never know.

How about you? Obviously, many variables will enter into your process as you go forward, but do you have a way you prefer to get started?

Thanks for starting this conversation. I’m a noob at this, and I have some personal guidelines — many of those are in your list — but it won’t elevate this thread for me to pour my nascent ideas over it, so I’ve pulled up a seat and I eagerly await the ideas of those who have an experienced opinion.

[Bob Womack]

I start with the drums. The drums are the heartbeat of the song. I group them together and "get them talking," mostly monitoring them as a group but soloing to find problem children. I get EQ, panning, and ambience going for them.

Next, I pull in the bass. The bass is the foundation of the song. I get the basic sound working with proper EQ and compression and then add it in with the drums. Those two have got to talk and interact well.

Next, I get the foundational rhythm instruments, piano, organ, keys, rhythm guitars going with EQ and panning to make them all fit their places in the mix.

On a good session where I've got time, the rhythm instruments go in a group. From there, the drum group, bass track(s), and rhythm instrument group go into a group for the whole section. Then I close the Section group master.

Next, I deal with the lead vocal tracks and close harmonies. I comp the takes down as needed. The lead vocals and double or triple tracks go to a group where they are EQ'd together. I go through all the vocal tracks and level them up, sometimes by cutting them into regions and using offline compressing in order to get levels under control while maintaining equal density between loud sections and soft sections. This is also where I'll deal with tune and timing.

Next I deal with the background vocals. I group them together, level as needed, pan and EQ. It is amazing how often BGVs aren't produced to bring together the entrances, exits, and consonant sounds. I'll be timing the heck out of some, comparing them to the lead vocals.

Now I bring up the Section Group and bring in the Lead vocal group get the lead to "sit" in the mix nicely. Once it is in place, I chose and develop the ambience, either reverb or delay or both, to make it fit. I add the BGVs and figure out how they should sit relative to the lead vocals and add ambience to them.

Finally, as a treat to myself, I add it the fill and solo instruments and adjust any "call-and-response" relationship that may need to be developed. Why a treat? Because I sometimes get called in to add the "glue" of fills, solos, and call-and-response on guitar, so I'll be dealing with my own parts that I recorded during the production phase! I'll drop in the SSL Bus Compressor plugin and start pushing into it a few DB to smooth things out.

All this time I've been building the mix using Izotope Insight and its LUFS monitoring to mix to the main export loudness and density that the primary delivery medium (CD, various streaming services, YouTube, broadcast) requires. Once I get an aesthetic mix that I like, it comes down to adjusting everything to meet the LUFS goals for the primary delivery medium via the master fader or the SSL Bus Compressor Gain Makeup or a variety of other means.

All this can happen over multiple days or as little as an afternoon, depending on the song's complexity, deadline, or the medium it is going into.

Bob

[zuzu]

Thanks Bob! The whole enchilada! Yes, background vocals from a group can make you cuss your grandma. Few are as good at it as they think they are.

[KevWind]

Yes but mixing for myself only,, it is not all that complex. I mostly do Acoustic guitar/s and vocals But sometimes introduce Electric gtr, lead and or VI instruments and or VI drums

It starts with one of my user defined templates (the number of which I have reduced quite a bit down to basically) 4 templates all 24 bit 48k
#1 Acoustic guitar and vocals
#2 Acoustic guitar , vocals, and virtual instruments
#3 Acoustic guitar , vocals and virtual drums
#4 Acoustic guitar , vocals , virtual instruments and virtual drums

All templates also have a parallel reverb Aux track (often bypassed) a parallel tape echo.delay Aux track (bypassed) and a main 2 Bus (or Mix Bus) Aux track with my Hardware compressor inserted on it (bypassed) , and a Master Fader track with my Massey 2007 limiter on it (bypassed)

Then the templates also have a highpass filter on each audio track usually engaged and then an EQ (bypassed) on the associated Routing Folders tracks and recently the vocal tracks also have the UAD LA2A compressor plugin (bypassed) on them

Then mix routine is make any major fader moves to get a rough balance volume wise--- then more surgical clip gain moves to dial in closer

Then I will often set a preliminary for Mix bus compressor and perhaps revisit clip gain or not
Then think about any more specific EQ moves (create space etc.)
Then any specific track compression moves (if any)
Then the final move is to engage the 2007 limiter and then if I am going to upload to Youtube (which is almost always) I use Nugen MasterCheck to get LUFS

Here is a screen shot of my basic #4 template now most of the folder tracks are collapsed and it is ready to record the Acoustic rhythm guitar and the lead vocal, parts

[Joseph Hanna]

My session template always includes a Sonimus N-Series console and a Sonimus Sweetone EQ. That is my default Pro Tools/Studio One channel strip and right this moment, etched in stone. I put that and the Sweetone plug-in on virtually every track that inputs audio, except for Aux's. When the session is done I level the input using the N-Console. At that point, I can relax (relatively speaking) knowing there are no overtly high or low signals. That is to say, all inputs are very close in value. There is of course some finagling as to peak-vs-rms but those adjustments usually take seconds.

As to the mixing, I never mix by sub-groups. (drums, bass, guitar, etc) that just never works for me so, the second step, for me. is to start the endless task of "the pass". I just endlessly take swipes at the mix, first looking to set relative levels to each track. This is the most time-consuming component of the process. Once that's sketched out I'll focus on EQ passes (if needed) just to make sure the sonic landscape isn't being hogged by an aggressive instrument or vocal. For eq-ing, I start by using the Sonimus Sweetone, which is dead balls simple (using only hi-pass, low-pass, and a general "tone" control) sounds just wonderful, and extremely easy on resources. It's important to note here I'm still doing my passes with all tracks activated and on.

From there I start the FX passes. I find that once a mix is in a relatively good position it is much easier to hear where FX's are most beneficial.

If time allows I'll walk away for a day or so, although time is seldom available. Once I cleared my hearing and memory, I'll start a final mix.

[DupleMeter]

Assuming I'm getting the tracks to mix, and I didn't record them, I pull all the tracks into the appropriate template (I have several for different mix types) to start, which has most f what I usually want setup & routed for me so i can just get right to work.

I'll take several passes to see if I need to do any cleanup (tuning, trimming, noise reduction, etc). I like to get the technical stuff out of the way before I start mixing in earnest. i typically deal with basic balance & pan at this point too. This also gives me a chance to get a feel for what's there & what I think it's trying to be.

After that, I move to EQ & compression. Once I have a sense of what's what, I'll add reverbs & delays, and I might play with ear candy stuff, if it's appropriate. Lastly, I make several passes writing & tweaking automation.

If I'm also the recording engineer it's a different process. I tend to mix as I go.

[keith.rogers]

Arrange your tracks to fit your workflow, e.g. grouping like things together, bussing the obvious (drums, bgvs, whatever...), then do what Joe Gilder (IIRC?) calls a "static" mix - no FX, no nothing. If you can't make it hang together there, well, I hope you're getting paid by the hour.

Clean up tracks. Identify anything that needs to go out to Rx or anything else that you don't want to mess with as a plugin. Pan, EQ, automate, compress, other FX, like setting up your reverb bus(es) or aux sends. Add mix bus compression. Let simmer until done.

[RRuskin]

Originally Posted by DupleMeter

...If I'm also the recording engineer it's a different process. I tend to mix as I go.

That's what I do. About 1/2 the time, no major changes are needed.

[Eastbound]

Get your volume levels close to being right on each track first.

from here, I usually start with EQ on any track that needs it. Always EQ a single track with all the tracks playing. Never solo a track and EQ unless there is something really funky with that track. Remember, you're Eq'ing to make the tracks all sound good together. If you EQ single tracks, they will sound good alone but not good together

I usually add compression next if needed

Last, I add reverb, delay or any other effects

[Brent Hahn]

This is sort of two different subjects: 1. Organization, and 2. Getting from faders-down to sounding-good.