Mixing opinions wanted! I have gone on for too long

    Quote from Michael_dk

    I can't tell you where to stand - I'll just advise you to try MOVING AROUND - ie. not standing in any specific spot - to shift your perspective a bit. If you are sitting in a place where the bass is boomy, you need to get away from that place every once in a while. Find a spot where the bass ISN'T as boomy. If you want to experiment, run some sine sweeps through the low frequencies (40-400 Hz) and move around the room. Find some spots that sound balanced - or at least can compliment each other.
    Re. vocals being added: I wouldn't do much mixing or even reamping without the vocals - it makes absolutely no sense. You will likely want the vocals to take center space, but I think this is where you're currently trying to place your guitars.


    This. With the vocals in the mix, the whole thing will change drastically. Mix only when you have all the components of the song in place.

    Quote from Cederick

    By the way the drums are not programmed they are acoustic drums mixed with samples

    Ok, I thought they could be programmed, awesome drummer! :) Do use a software trigger (like Slate Trigger) or do you've got shots from connected triggers? With a software trigger you could increase the dynamics of the hits a little bit. What I do when I blend with samples is that I do the blending to a separate bus so I can compress the original signal and blend it with the uncompressed sample. Sometimes when the sample is too harsh and has too much transients I use some kind of tape emulation or something like this to smear it out.

    Quote from nightlight

    This. With the vocals in the mix, the whole thing will change drastically. Mix only when you have all the components of the song in place.

    Yes, this changed a lot for me too... I've spend so many time with pre-mixes and so on that only costs a lot of time. :) This one and reducing the amount of "solo-hearing" during a mix has changed a lot for me. Actually I try only listen to signals in solo mode is when I want to filter something and try to hear a specific frequency and I switch as often as possible to the full mix.

    Quote from schreckmusic

    Yes, perfect advice! I have started doing this myself and talked about it in other posts. The drums dictating the guitars tone by being over compressed and EQed. Organic sounding guitars do not fit in with over processed drums or vice versa.

    I'm not sure if my drums are modern sounding, they are not really 80s sounding either.
    Some mid-way I would say. More like 80s inspired and terribly mixed by some guy in 2017 :D



    Quote from Michael_dk

    I can't tell you where to stand - I'll just advise you to try MOVING AROUND - ie. not standing in any specific spot - to shift your perspective a bit. If you are sitting in a place where the bass is boomy, you need to get away from that place every once in a while. Find a spot where the bass ISN'T as boomy. If you want to experiment, run some sine sweeps through the low frequencies (40-400 Hz) and move around the room. Find some spots that sound balanced - or at least can compliment each other.
    Re. vocals being added: I wouldn't do much mixing or even reamping without the vocals - it makes absolutely no sense. You will likely want the vocals to take center space, but I think this is where you're currently trying to place your guitars.

    When I find the spot, you mean I should stand there when I'm listening? Or move my studio studio stuff? The first one I can do, but the latter is hard, the room is not very big and I share the space with my girlfriends studio corner so...


    I just want to get the basics done first. Adding vocals aint a biggie in my opinion.

    Quote from Navar

    Yes, this changed a lot for me too... I've spend so many time with pre-mixes and so on that only costs a lot of time. :) This one and reducing the amount of "solo-hearing" during a mix has changed a lot for me. Actually I try only listen to signals in solo mode is when I want to filter something and try to hear a specific frequency and I switch as often as possible to the full mix.

    Yeah :) Solo mode is great while learning IF you use it correctly - i.e. know what you want to achieve. Finding a resonance, dialing in compressor attack times (checking against the full mix as you do so) etc. Helps zero in on tweaks, but JUDGE the tweaks without the solo button in. And use it sparingly, training your ears to be functional when all tracks are playing. You can't mix something that only is one component :)

    Quote from Cederick

    When I find the spot, you mean I should stand there when I'm listening? Or move my studio studio stuff? The first one I can do, but the latter is hard, the room is not very big and I share the space with my girlfriends studio corner so...


    I just want to get the basics done first. Adding vocals aint a biggie in my opinion.

    You should every once in a while move around to those spots - or just move around in the room in general. If you can't move stuff around, just make do with what you have. But it's important to get a different sonic perspective every once in a while - ESPECIALLY when dealing with the low end of a mix.


    Regarding getting the basics done first - if your vocals will be the focal part of the song, you should START with those instead. You don't force the focal point to sit in the mix - you force the (rest of the) mix to allow the focal point to sit (or to carry it, really). If the guitars are the focal point, that's of course another case.

    Quote from Navar

    Ok, I thought they could be programmed, awesome drummer! :) Do use a software trigger (like Slate Trigger) or do you've got shots from connected triggers? With a software trigger you could increase the dynamics of the hits a little bit. What I do when I blend with samples is that I do the blending to a separate bus so I can compress the original signal and blend it with the uncompressed sample. Sometimes when the sample is too harsh and has too much transients I use some kind of tape emulation or something like this to smear it out.

    Actually, it's me drumming. Unless we count Cubase quantize tool :S
    My band had a drummer but it's split up now, so I had to try to record drums myself. All songs were written to his skill level, he was insanely good unlike me who's not even drummer in first place. Basically I play the drums very hard as usual, but with very light touch on the bass drum and some double bass patterns are added later :D


    With that said, I CAN play drums if I just want to and find time to practice a bit before recording.
    Problem is I dont have unlimited time, most my time goes to guitar, recording, writing, vocals, and stuff like that. My rehearsal with drums is just too far away for me to go and practice regularly.

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    But as you can see I can defintely play drums :D
    (WARNING, terrible thin sounding mix)


    I have done paid drumming sessions for other bands: when doing that, I defintely take my time to do things correctly. Not me in the video by the way 8o

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    (I am actually recording drums for another band right now as we speak)


    And I have also played drums live for Steelwing when there drummer couldn't...
    After ONE rehearsal with the bass player and singer :D

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    Just felt I had to assert myself a bit :thumbup:

    Quote from DannyEvil

    Your mixes are definitely getting better. It is a learning process. Lots of trial and error. You are training your ears. If you keep at it... you will find it easier and easier to nail your mixes.

    Yeah I haven't often before actually reached for opinions online, rather done everything thinking I can do this but now I wanna learn from others.


    Should have done that earlier, hahaha. I have released so many albums I wish I mixed better :D

    Quote from Navar

    But the most important thing is that you've released them, so many people have problems getting things finished especially their own music. :D

    Actually, I sort of like having relased albums with not-so-good production: they let me look back at what I've done wrong in the past, so I can try to better myself in the future :)


    I dont have many fans complaining about my productions anyway, so I guess I'm doing SOMETHING right.