Which of these problems have you struggled with the most? And which ones do you feel like you've overcome? Big thanks to new sponsor GPU Audio for supporting this podcast. Get FREE Early Access to their convolution reverb at gpu.audio/sonicscoop
What I started doing instead of using compression or a limiter was to master onto hifi betamax, and let the tape be my compressor and my limiter. I found that if I need a master limiter to keep the tape input level between 0 & +3 I have something wrong with my mix. I try to automate the level of whatever it is jumping out, normally a vocal part. I am working in an untreated room. It's very tricky to get the mix just perfect, but it can be done. Any headphones, as long as you know what they sound like, works great as a reference. I try to keep a reference track loaded into my session. and I don't use any plugins on the master channel. And you are right about reverb, you have to think about what your goal is with that reverb. The thing I do is solo different instruments, or reverb with only drums and bass, then I can hear how the "room" sounds. The last song I released is just completely soaked, but the thing is meant to sound live. I used a medium hall. Had the best frequency response, the plate is too mid-rangy. Actually I haven't liked the way a plate sounds hardly ever. Sounds like a tin can. And electric guitar with distortion should always be automated
If you feel your mixes suck, go back and listen to something you did two years ago. I can almost guarantee you your more recent stuff will be way better. Sometimes you get lucky and something you did a long time ago holds up. But for the most part, the improvement will be obvious. I've gone from absolutely terrible to just slightly terrible in two short years!
the luck is absolutely true, i have a remix of the song "im the walrus" from the beatles that is my all time best mix, and it end up being out of pure luck
Been mixing for close to ten years now and I still often feel my mix sucks. Or I come back to something I was really happy with and hear a bunch of problems. A nice consolation is A: It means I'm learning, and B: most people will not notice the problems I'm hearing because the mix is communicating the song and the problems it has are more of the nitty gritty things us mix engineers gripe over.
Number one hit me real hard. But thanks cause I needed that. I hope to keep learning. I just started and am mixing my first song now. Wish I could send to you for an eval but I doubt you'd do that lol. Anyway, I gotta keep learning and working at it. Man, this is tough!
I agree, I can barely hear compression. I've ruined so many mixes with compression, not realizing it, only to come back a week later and ask myself why it sounds so bad. Also I suck as a mixer. But I still mix, and I do Ok and I get better each time. Also tip #11 - your ears are tired.
I'm going to do a series shorts this summer on compression for beginners, What to listen for. What it sounds like. Starting with the very basics and building from that.
Mr. Colleti you are an excellent chap indeed!! It's finally sunken in for me that volume moves throughout the mix for most elements make a MASSIVE difference. I watched your vid and decided it was finally time to implement this in my mixes - I think I had a mental block with it - and now I don't know how I managed to skip that in the past! So, cheers Justin!
Man, you said it! If I could add a #11, my biggest weakness for years was not understanding the difference between *production, mixing, and mastering.* Prioritizing balance and clarity in the first 2 phases makes the final mix SO much easier to work with.
Thanks Justin, another great video! I would like to learn more about what Reverb (Plate, Chamber, etc.) and Delay to use and how to EQ them, with a focus on vocals. I think how to automate would mix nicely into that tutorial. Thanks again!
ive found your videos very helpful. I totally understand alot of what your saying. Ive been there before with alot of what your saying in making mixes. Thankyou man for the videos.
Insightful and not knowing your DAW can definitely be a reason that affects all the remaining reasons. Hopefully song sounds good with only editing, leveling & panning done before mixing.
Absolutely need a effect tutorial. Mono vs stereo effect on mono vs stereo sources. When to use chorus and other effects for mixing vs the creative production process, I.e. on synths. I feel this is very Under talked about that define a style. Think of 80s reverbs vs 70s. Reggae effects vs Edm. Ect.
Problem #6 is the bane of my mixing. I'm trying to fix but I really don't want to, I think it is ingrained in my taste in music and how I like listen to the songs for hundreds of times and discover new things in them.
I once mixed on Sony speakers, and the album is left to prove it, from 2014. Oddly, I worked so hard on compensation that it holds up to today, even through the JBL's I now own. I love the master so much but realize it needed something. I don't believe in messing with the past, just move forward and do it better next time. Artists who do remasters on the big market, I always fall back to listening and enjoying the original master instead.
Great video as usual Justin! As an idea to sell your compression course maybe you could do a quick video with examples of over and under compressed mixes. Mixing to me is like cooking, like a recipe, that has to be balanced and that as you eat you don’t have to taste all ingredients as you’re eating, yet they are all there just creating the end result!
Justin, please do a course on saturation. I loved the video you did on saturation and that did help but I still don't have a full grasp on saturation. It's something I would like to have a true understanding of and master it once and for all. Of course being that I have all your courses, you know very well I'll buy that in a heartbeat 👍 Thanks for being a great teacher!
Your Buddy Glen might be able to master on headphones but he is awesome, so it doesn't necessarily mean anyone can do it at a high level. I agree it can be done but I think you need to be really good to do it. Love the channel!
I have a question. Lots of mixing channels say that one should never solo parts. I understand why, because a lead guitar for example needs to sound thinner than one might think, but the problem comes when you (and everyone else) say not to listen to the mix too many times. Does that make sense? The last song I made, a Leo Sayer cover, took me three months to record, edit, mix, master, and film. Three months full time. Even though I use a template, even though my tracks are already pretty well established and well used (and therefore already fairly well EQed into their respective lanes for example), all mostly because I have 14 mics on the drums and can be very picky about the sound. I use all stock Reaper plugins as well, and that was my first song trying a few aftermarket plugins, so I had a learning curve there . . . but still, THREE MONTHS?! I mean, it came out good, but I have to do something to make it less tedious or I will continue to NOT record anymore, because the thought of another song taking that long, makes me cringe and never record. I've only recorded ONE song in the last 18 months because of this! Sure I have another career to hold down, but before that song when each song took me something more lfike 3-4 weeks, I was putting out a song every month. And I looked forward to it. That last song was such a nightmare to mix, that I think it traumatized me! I NEED to record something, but I can't motivate myself because of the fear of it driving me crazy. Any advice? Did the Leo Sayer cover come out alright? I've since remastered an old, badly recorded cover of Stairway, and that came out okay despite the drums being auomated too loud during the screaming part after the guitar solo as well as generally sounding awful (mic'ed in mono with a Shure PG58 and then quintupled and panned) and I also think that I didn't compress the vocals enough -- But even that remaster was fully a year ago. So I really hope this comment gets through; I always ask every pro mixer to critique me, but nobody ever does. Be the first? Anyway . . . rant over! Glad I found your channel! Maybe it can inspire me to bring my dream of a music channel back to life. Because I'm often told I should have at least 30k subscribers, and I believe I have the talent to get there if I can get back into it and do the work. But the complete lack of traffic, complete lack of feedback, complete lack of growth and exposure . . . more stressful than anything. Help!
Hey Craig, sorry I missed this! Three months is a long time. Which parts of the process took you the longest? I can definitely help with getting the mixing part to go MUCH quicker in the Mixing Breakthroughs course. The rest I can't help as much with. I think that you should be able to get to the place where you do the kinds of videos you are doing at least once every 4-6 weeks part time if you develop great systems for it. Your audio sounds pretty good, and although I could definitely help you with some ideas that could improve the results and speed of the mixing and mastering process further, I'd say the lowest hanging fruit for your channel gaining greater reach is the visual presentation. (Something I could do much better myself to be honest!) We can go into all of this in a lot of detail in either a private one on one session or in the members only mix feedback sessions. Hope that helps! -Justin
@@SonicScoop Hey thanks for the reply. To answer the first question, the process of recording usually only takes me a few hours, two days if it's really dense like The Argus was. Then the process of dialing in everything in post, is just endless. Particularly the drums and vocals, both of which I'm a bit of a novice doing anyway. As for the visual presentation, I'm hoping a 4k version of five of me in the room like on the Leo Sayer cover will do, but you're right I need cinematography for sure. Thanks for saying that about my audio. I do have my devoted listeners, but the algorithm seemingly malevolently keeps that number from growing. Hence the begging random people's channels for input as to why. I'm not usually one to join anything involving pay; I just don't work that way. So a Mixing Breakthroughs course would be great and all, but I guess I was just asking for advice and a critique, and you certainly delivered. I appreciate that very much, thank you. I'll certainly be watching your content when I can from now on and learning from you.
Hey Craig. I checked out the Leo Sayer cover. You have a GREAT visual gimmick idea on that one. Unfortunately, I would have no idea what makes this video unique or interesting based on the thumbnail and title you selected. It tells a prospective viewer who might like it absolutely nothing about what's in it or what makes it unique. That's part of the visual presentation you've got to work on. People should be able to see, at a glance, why they might like the video, and what unique or interesting promise it's likely to deliver on. I also think you have to get over this idea of not wanting to pay for help. Don't let an overzealous commitment to a DIY approach get in the way of getting what you want out of life. But to be honest, I suggest you DON'T spend money with me. Your audio and mixes could be improved by 30-40% for sure and we could look at ways of doing that together. But your thumbnail and titling strategy could easily be improved 300%-400% with half as much effort. And you overall visual aesthetic can be improved 300-400% with a bit more effort than that. You should be seeking out some channels that help you with that kind of thing first. It's the lower hanging fruit for you. And I'd recommend that some paid courses or memberships from people you grow to trust in that area could potentially do you a ton of good and give you back way more than you give them. What I can help you with most at this stage is streamlining your mixing and production process so things take 1/2 to 1/5th as much time on that front, freeing up bandwidth for you to focus more on your visual aesthetic, which is the lower hanging fruit for you. Unfortunately, a 4k camera simply isn't going to do it. Improving lighting and backdrop and the way you set whatever camera you do have are the way bigger wins here. A 720p shot with better lighting and backdrop is going to look better than a 4k shot with poor lighting, backdrop and camera settings every time. And this is coming from a guy who puts VERY LITTLE effort into his camera shot. So please understand that I'm like the pot calling the kettle black here. I easily have one of the worst visual aesthetics in my genre! But the results are good enough for me based on the fact that I put about 1/10th as much time effort into my channel as channels that have gotten that dialed in much better! But with what you do, which is about creating an aesthetic experience, rather than delivering information, you HAVE to improve that side of the aesthetics even more than I do. All I have here is a very basic DSLR and some very basic lights, in a studio that's in a repurposed bedroom where I have put practically no effort into creating an attractive backdrop. You should be able to quickly surpass the video quality I have here and beyond with a bit of care. I usually can not write messages of this length to people asking for advice because I would have no time to get things done that I need to get done. That's why I charge for consultations. And honestly, anyone who has advice worth taking is going to have little time and have to prioritize who they answer based on who is paying. Free advice is often worth what you pay, because the people who are in a position to give it away for free often don't have much of value to give you. And they know that if someone isn't paying for and invested in their advice, and therefore taking it seriously, they are less likely to actually act on it. Often, when you pay for help you are doing yourself a favor. But again: DO NOT PAY ME PLEASE. Please don't become a member or get the courses. Go get help on the video front instead, and for advice on the UA-cam algorithm/strategy front. Once you have seen how much you can improve on those fronts and how quickly, particularly by paying for organized holistic courses that you are personally invested in, you can consider coming back to me for more help with mixing and the like. Once you see how much that kind of thing can help you, I have no doubt you will have a different perspective. At this stage of your development, if I hear that you paid a single penny for another guitar or instrument or pedal or camera or plugins or set of speakers instead of paying to invest in yourself or your own skills, it means your priorities are wildly misplaced, and I won't be able to answer any more of your messages. I'm dead serious on that. Paying the people who make guitars or pedals or plugins or cameras instead of paying for people who can help you actually get what yo want out of those tools would be completely backwards for where you are right now. The only equipment you are allowed to invest in right now in my book is 1. lighting and 2. backdrop. NO cameras. No musical gear or music production gear. Zero. Not until you have figured out how to make the most of what you have. You could either invest a LOT of time in learning to improve your visuals and your thumbnail/titling strategy, or you can invest a little bit of time and a little bit of money. I recommend the latter because time is more precious than money. Especially as you get better. Which reminds me, I have to stop writing now and get back to work! X-D One exercise you will likely be reassigned is to go back and redo ALL of your exiting thumbnails and titles with what you have learned. This will likely substantially increase your traffic without creating a single new video. But you will have to improve the visual feel of your videos going forward to go even further Seek out channels that will help you master UA-cam strategy around thumbnails, titles and niche, and channels that will help you with lighting, backdrop and shot composition. PLEASE consider getting some of their premium material instead of wasting money on more gear. When you've seen the results you can get there, come back to me and we can talk. Hope that helps! Hope it doesn't come across as too harsh. But you are talented and skilled and dedicated enough to what you are doing that you deserve a swift, stiff kick in the pants on this. Normally, this kind of custom targeted email from someone who actually knows what they are doing could cost hundreds of dollars. That's why you're not getting it for free elsewhere. I don't want you to pay me. But I do want you to do this for me as a favor in return: Stop getting in your own way. Put your attention and energy and financial resources in the right places instead of the wrong ones. What got you here isn't going to get you where you want to go. Hope that is helpful. When you have doubled your traffic and more by doing what I've said here, I think you will have a different perspective on paying for help from people who can actually help. This is the first and last time I can devote this much energy into a UA-cam reply. And this is why you aren't getting replies. People who can actually help you with this are busy. And now, I'm 30mins behind on my work for the day! That's why I can't really do this kind of thing. But fortunately for you, I was inspired by what you are struggling with, and I know you are not alone in making the errors I'm seeing here, so the exercise of writing to you helps me formulate my thoughts so I can help others with the same problem in public facing videos and courses in the future. Very best, -Justin
@@SonicScoop I can't thank you enough for this. I'm going to copy and forward it to my email so it doesn't get buried. You couldn't be more articulate, concise or correct, about everything. Thanks for making the time. Off to revamp my visuals from the ground up!
my mixes always suck, but each and everytime, for different reasons. i don't have a learning curve at all. i do everything differently everytime i mix, and everytime i get a mix that sucks differently. all i can do is shrug at this point.
Justin, you always know just what to say. I feel much better about sucking now. Seriously, my most recent mix is worse than the last. Maybe it was luck on the last few but I was quite proud of them (Mixing my own material). This mix has taken me back months. Gonna drop it and move to the next, revisit it later. Is this common? The worst part is, it's one of my best songs. Anyway, thanks for the wisdom, cheers!
Very relatable! Yes, sometimes of things can’t come together quickly, the best thing to do is get some distance from it, so you can hear it clearly again. Sometimes the issue isn’t the mix either. Sometimes a song demands to be revisited with a new approach, a new arrangement, a new temp or a new key. This idea of having one “canonical” performance of a great song is so 20th century. Maybe I should do an episode about that sometime. Hope that helps! -Justin
I know it sounds strange (and i don't know the real reason), but for me it's much easier to just focus on the song, say the "orders" about the mix to somebody else. The reasult is always much better balanced, than if i operate with the tracks myself 🙂Otherwise, i can confirm everything you say and thank you very much for it!!
Love the video Justin! On point as usual. Any ideas on how to approach being a co-writer who records the music, arranges multiple takes into something usable, then edits, mixes, etc? I just did this and it was very difficult switching between roles and sometimes at different points of the process.
It can be tricky to wear so many hats for sure! Some people make it work. Here’s an episode I did on mixing your own tracks, and the value of specialization as well: ua-cam.com/video/0FJhpL0VHaI/v-deo.html
Justin, Question for you... There is a recording principle of "getting it right at the source." Many of us are unable to control the source tracks (i.e. getting them from live venues, clients, imperfect rooms, etc.). So, does it make sense to do an initial corrective EQ on most/all channels (dealing with poor mic placement, room modes, no EQ on live sources, etc) to rectify/fix recording issues PRIOR to starting the mix process? I recognize that this runs close to the Problem of trying to optimize everything in solo. But I'm thinking of an initial post-tracking EQ to get to a mix starting point. Still assuming that further mix ew would be used. Does this approach have merit?
I still think that is covered by approach I recommend: Before applying processing, first decide what, if anything, needs to change. If you do that, you'll know which of these "flaws" actually need to be addressed. But if you just zero in on each track individually to "fix" each one before determining if it needs fixing, I think you're adopting a process that will take longer, wear you out more, often lead you in counterproductive directions. In Mixing Breakthroughs, I recommend starting your mix by working with NOTHING but volume and pan. This may seem restrictive if you haven't done it, but it's actually extremely freeing. And once you've done this to the best of your ability you'll be able to evaluate which tracks really need to be "fixed", and what you should spend most of your focus, time and energy on. I could do a whole podcast length answer to this question (and maybe someday I will!) But I hope that's a good starting point. Hope that helps! -Justin
I am composing and mixing at the same time, if a composition in my mind isnt working after a few hours, it usually ends in the bin of unfinished stuff. It seems the faster I work through an idea and rough mix initially, the happier I am about it. I can always go back to it later. I watch people who are mixing and mastering at least 2 or 3 cues a week for production and their mixes sound more than adequate, better than mine. I know they are far more organized for one thing I am still a newbie but when I started recording Id putz over a piece for way too long. Sounds like crap to me now Whether its art, sound design or production, using comparative reference tracks are good practice. I am doing some remixes and using the original song as a reference and breaking apart and trying to better it with newer samples and superior VSTs, that I have now.
Thanks Justin, for all the great info! If a mix sounds good to me in the Sony MDR 7506 headphones, and somewhat less good in three or four other speakers/environments, what would you say could be wrong with the mix?
I'm not Justin, but for mixing on headphones it really helped for me to use the SoundID Reference Plugin, in a nutshell it's just an eq which will flatten the frequency response of your headphones (you should check if your headphones are in the presets). It helped me a lot and I think there is a 30 day trial or something
Great! Having problem with reverbs. I haven’t found any good resources on UA-cam. In depth. No basics. I know what a pre delay is, and a faster tune needs faster delay time, that you need to use eq after etc etc. To me it’s hard to hear the differens in the mix, what reverb to use. It so much taste.
Hi Hector, Here’s a video where I go into a little more detail on the two biggest reverb mistakes: ua-cam.com/video/EF4_N0Ud6c4/v-deo.html I should probably do a whole course on the subject sometime though! Hope that’s a helpful place to start, -Justin
@@SonicScoop Thanks Justin! Yes, it would be really nice with a more in depth turtorial on reverbs, you could be focusing on just the vocal, what different reverbs do to a song, how a spring on vocal is better in some situation, what reverb does to the emotion, how far you can take a reverb or how less can get away with!
I am so guilty of trying to make everything impressive. I am obsessed with a massive snare tone, but I also love huge guitars and but vocal reverbs. I get things set up and I always find that my amazing snare tone doesn't dominate the mix like I want it to.
Oh I hear you. Been there done that! Here's an episode I did on the general idea of making things sound really impressive and massive: ua-cam.com/video/nmtRrKuTttc/v-deo.html -Justin
That's true, even Luca Pretolesi does mix using headphones with sonarworks reference 4. I would recommend using "Studio Monitor Headphones" for anyone who's working in an untreated room. You'll get better results this way as compared to using speakers.
I would never finish a mix in one session. It's always better at the end of the second session. And yet better at the end of the third. So I can pass about 10-12 hours on a mix. If here is a lot of problems (bad performances by example demanding timing and pitch adjusts) it can be way way longer than that. I don't just put a vocal in a auto tune plugin to transform it in a robot voice or put a compressor on it with -6 dBs reduction resulting in a ugly pumping effect rather than making volume automation to begin with). Getting a really high quality mix in 4 hours seems to me impossible unless you get stellar recordings to begin with, with about no automation to do. Even with a track with electronic tones it seems to me really short. It makes me think of that student which finish his exam in 20 minutes all glad he finished first than later you learn that he got 50%. Great if some can finish a mix in 4 hours. But would not it be better if they come back with fresh ears/perspective to makes it even better one day or two days after to put the final polish on? Maybe new great ideas will pop at the second session? I personally works on at least 2 or 3 mixes in the same period. I go from one to another with 2-4 hours sessions long for each track. I don't give me the time to get bored by one track and keep my objectivity that way.
You’re not necessarily doing it wrong! If your results are good and the payoff you’re getting for the time invested is good for you, then keep doing what you’re doing! That said, most of the major mixers who I have interviewed (and I’ve interviewed many of them) usually mix much more quickly than that. 4-8 hours is the norm for many or most of them. I was amazed by that too, as it used to take me MUCH longer to mix. So I dedicated quite some time to figuring out how they do it. The result of that was the Mixing Breakthroughs course. Granted, you may be considering some things “mixing” that they don’t consider mixing. For instance, you may be considering as part of your mixing stage setup tasks that they are usually having handled before the final mixing stage. (Often handled by an assistant at the professional level.) So some of what’s going on may be a difference in terms, but some of it is almost certainly a difference in process. At the higher levels in the industry, yes, recordings do tend to be pretty stellar to begin with, and if they are not, then they are generally still in the production phase rather than the mixing phase. You may be doing things in the mixing stage that many of them might consider production phase. So that can be part of it. But I don’t think that’s all. From what I have seen from great mixers, from myself, and from my students and clients is that creating a system that speeds up mixing and makes it more seamless and more creative is a huge part of it as well! Automation can go quite quickly if you have several banks of motorized faders at your disposal as many top mixers have. But this is not necessarily required for fast mixes as evidenced by some trackball magicians working on very big records! (And as evidenced by my own results and those of coaching clients and course students.) I believe that a lot of this faster, more creatively minded kind of mixing process can be adopted at any level with the right processes and systems in place. That’s what a lot of mixing breakthroughs is about accomplishing. In it, you can even see and hear me go head to head with Michael Brauer on a track that was done by hobbyist musicians, with me using nothing but a mouse and stock pro tools plugins. We both took about 4 hours to mix it. And I believe the results I get from these systems are in the same league-and most viewers seek to agree. I hope you will as well. (I do have a free version of that video out in the channel as well if you’d like to give your opinion.) All I did was use the faster approaches to better mixing covered in the course, that I learned from studying, watching, watching and interviewing these guys. I’ve come to find that if you can get the technical and the production phase stuff out of the way first, the mixing stage can become incredibly fast, creative and fresh. It’s also worth noting that the idea of mixing across multiple sessions is itself a fairly new concept in music production! Most of the favorite records you grew up with were likely not mixed across multiple sittings. I believe that is something that can help mixes feeling fresh and alive. Thanks for the thoughtful comment. I find a lot of it relatable, even though I’ve changed my tune and have come to believe that so much of that time investment can be reduced by using better systems. Hope some of that is useful and makes sense! -Justin
@@SonicScoop Yes it makes sense. Certainly that if everything is stellar (recording, performances, arrangement, no need for more or less editing audio which could really well be considered as a production step it can be way shorter to makes it. I tend to do everything from composition or just arrangement to mastering other than perform if I record an artist or a band). Editing audio can be freaking long so if I put this less or more in the mixing stage... it adds up. Dynamics EQ on loud high pitch vocal when each different vowels has peaking harmonics problem can be long to do. If you run on that kind of problem it can consumes time. :P I may have a short mix one day... Thank you for your fleshed out answer! You write very quickly ah ah! You're one of the best I found on youtube. Keep making the in details great work! ;)
Conversely, Andrew Scheps SWEARS by Sony MDR7506's and claims he does most of his ITB mixing through them and only uses his monitors as a "change in perspective". Claims to have been using those $100 headphones as his primary mixing perspective for the past 20 years.
You can get to know almost anything if you listen on it enough and hear enough references through it! As a somewhat older guy who is likely losing some high frequency hearing, he probably doesn’t mind their brightness as much as I do. Fortunately, mixing is a lot more about *listening* than hearing, so there are a lot of amazing older practitioners out there. -Justin
Sucks ? mate ur worst mix could win a grammy EASY... most audiences dont give a toss about mixing, only producers and influencers.. trap music only took off because of digital distortion and intentional unbalanced mixing.. and clean mixes dont always mean great music by the way.. some clean mixes just dont move your pulse.. i like intentionally muddy mids on low volume with some chorus, bright clear highs and mono stereo, clipped lows... for me its all about referencing other mixes not just focused on 1 style, that could enhance your craft, depening on how experimental u can get...simply put , u can not break rules that you havent learned / arent willing to learn
Lol, try listening instead of skimming and you might learn something like thousands of others apparently have 🙃 These episodes are not designed to just give little tidbits of information so much as they are designed to actually change behavior for the better. But different strokes I suppose. Good luck in your journey! Thanks for stopping by, -Justin
@@SonicScoop Ok fair point. Do you also share your wisdom in a short format like UA-cam shorts? I don't have 40 min. to spare because you know. I am really busy producing and mixing music ;)
Which of these problems have you struggled with the most? And which ones do you feel like you've overcome?
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What I started doing instead of using compression or a limiter was to master onto hifi betamax, and let the tape be my compressor and my limiter. I found that if I need a master limiter to keep the tape input level between 0 & +3 I have something wrong with my mix. I try to automate the level of whatever it is jumping out, normally a vocal part. I am working in an untreated room. It's very tricky to get the mix just perfect, but it can be done. Any headphones, as long as you know what they sound like, works great as a reference. I try to keep a reference track loaded into my session. and I don't use any plugins on the master channel. And you are right about reverb, you have to think about what your goal is with that reverb. The thing I do is solo different instruments, or reverb with only drums and bass, then I can hear how the "room" sounds. The last song I released is just completely soaked, but the thing is meant to sound live. I used a medium hall. Had the best frequency response, the plate is too mid-rangy. Actually I haven't liked the way a plate sounds hardly ever. Sounds like a tin can. And electric guitar with distortion should always be automated
If you feel your mixes suck, go back and listen to something you did two years ago. I can almost guarantee you your more recent stuff will be way better. Sometimes you get lucky and something you did a long time ago holds up. But for the most part, the improvement will be obvious. I've gone from absolutely terrible to just slightly terrible in two short years!
You're absolutely right, but the problem is that you feel like going and remaking everything you did before. :D
Progress is progress
I’m having the opposite problem
the luck is absolutely true, i have a remix of the song "im the walrus" from the beatles that is my all time best mix, and it end up being out of pure luck
Been mixing for close to ten years now and I still often feel my mix sucks. Or I come back to something I was really happy with and hear a bunch of problems. A nice consolation is A: It means I'm learning, and B: most people will not notice the problems I'm hearing because the mix is communicating the song and the problems it has are more of the nitty gritty things us mix engineers gripe over.
Number one hit me real hard. But thanks cause I needed that. I hope to keep learning. I just started and am mixing my first song now. Wish I could send to you for an eval but I doubt you'd do that lol. Anyway, I gotta keep learning and working at it. Man, this is tough!
I agree, I can barely hear compression. I've ruined so many mixes with compression, not realizing it, only to come back a week later and ask myself why it sounds so bad. Also I suck as a mixer. But I still mix, and I do Ok and I get better each time. Also tip #11 - your ears are tired.
Amen
Can’t believe how long it took me to learn that. I finally learned that a good mix going inexplicably flat meant break time. Duh!
I'm going to do a series shorts this summer on compression for beginners, What to listen for. What it sounds like. Starting with the very basics and building from that.
Perfect timing to immerse myself into mixing mistakes! Love to weekly content Justin🔥
This content is pure gold.
Thanks J.
Mr. Colleti you are an excellent chap indeed!! It's finally sunken in for me that volume moves throughout the mix for most elements make a MASSIVE difference. I watched your vid and decided it was finally time to implement this in my mixes - I think I had a mental block with it - and now I don't know how I managed to skip that in the past! So, cheers Justin!
Man, you said it! If I could add a #11, my biggest weakness for years was not understanding the difference between *production, mixing, and mastering.* Prioritizing balance and clarity in the first 2 phases makes the final mix SO much easier to work with.
The emotional distance is so important
One of the best mixing tutorials I’ve seen yet. Thanks so much!
I like how you speak on separating the technical from the artistry. I go thru it with that from putting on my writing hat to putting on my mixing hat.
Thanks Justin, another great video! I would like to learn more about what Reverb (Plate, Chamber, etc.) and Delay to use and how to EQ them, with a focus on vocals. I think how to automate would mix nicely into that tutorial. Thanks again!
I love how you lay it down
I know a bit but not as much as you.. So I say Thank you
Kim
ive found your videos very helpful. I totally understand alot of what your saying. Ive been there before with alot of what your saying in making mixes. Thankyou man for the videos.
Awesome to hear Ian! Thanks for tuning in.
Great video, especially the automation of voice and effects is something I need to try out asap thanks 🙏🏼
Insightful and not knowing your DAW can definitely be a reason that affects all the remaining reasons. Hopefully song sounds good with only editing, leveling & panning done before mixing.
Absolutely need a effect tutorial. Mono vs stereo effect on mono vs stereo sources. When to use chorus and other effects for mixing vs the creative production process, I.e. on synths. I feel this is very Under talked about that define a style.
Think of 80s reverbs vs 70s. Reggae effects vs Edm. Ect.
i think this could even be extended to a video about Mixing in mono, and its difficulties, its not even useful nowadays but its pretty interesting
Some great advice!
I'd like to add two more tips:
1- Check relative volumes in mono, and
2- EQ in a subtractive manner.
Subscribed!
Problem #6 is the bane of my mixing. I'm trying to fix but I really don't want to, I think it is ingrained in my taste in music and how I like listen to the songs for hundreds of times and discover new things in them.
I once mixed on Sony speakers, and the album is left to prove it, from 2014. Oddly, I worked so hard on compensation that it holds up to today, even through the JBL's I now own. I love the master so much but realize it needed something. I don't believe in messing with the past, just move forward and do it better next time. Artists who do remasters on the big market, I always fall back to listening and enjoying the original master instead.
One of the best take on the subject out there ! thank you !
You’re really great at this. Thanks!
Great video as usual Justin! As an idea to sell your compression course maybe you could do a quick video with examples of over and under compressed mixes.
Mixing to me is like cooking, like a recipe, that has to be balanced and that as you eat you don’t have to taste all ingredients as you’re eating, yet they are all there just creating the end result!
Another video of great content Jason! Thank you!
Justin :-) And you're welcome! Thanks for the comment
-Justin
Justin, please do a course on saturation. I loved the video you did on saturation and that did help but I still don't have a full grasp on saturation. It's something I would like to have a true understanding of and master it once and for all. Of course being that I have all your courses, you know very well I'll buy that in a heartbeat 👍 Thanks for being a great teacher!
Actually automation is another big one for me too. If you do a course on that topic, let me know 😊
Thanks for the ideas Amir! And for the kind words.
-Justin
Great tips! Thanks
Great video, thank you!
Your Buddy Glen might be able to master on headphones but he is awesome, so it doesn't necessarily mean anyone can do it at a high level. I agree it can be done but I think you need to be really good to do it. Love the channel!
Extremely good advice on all the aspects of handling a mixer. My question is this? Are these mixer suggestions compatible with FINALE?
I have a question. Lots of mixing channels say that one should never solo parts. I understand why, because a lead guitar for example needs to sound thinner than one might think, but the problem comes when you (and everyone else) say not to listen to the mix too many times. Does that make sense? The last song I made, a Leo Sayer cover, took me three months to record, edit, mix, master, and film. Three months full time. Even though I use a template, even though my tracks are already pretty well established and well used (and therefore already fairly well EQed into their respective lanes for example), all mostly because I have 14 mics on the drums and can be very picky about the sound. I use all stock Reaper plugins as well, and that was my first song trying a few aftermarket plugins, so I had a learning curve there . . . but still, THREE MONTHS?! I mean, it came out good, but I have to do something to make it less tedious or I will continue to NOT record anymore, because the thought of another song taking that long, makes me cringe and never record. I've only recorded ONE song in the last 18 months because of this! Sure I have another career to hold down, but before that song when each song took me something more lfike 3-4 weeks, I was putting out a song every month. And I looked forward to it. That last song was such a nightmare to mix, that I think it traumatized me! I NEED to record something, but I can't motivate myself because of the fear of it driving me crazy. Any advice? Did the Leo Sayer cover come out alright? I've since remastered an old, badly recorded cover of Stairway, and that came out okay despite the drums being auomated too loud during the screaming part after the guitar solo as well as generally sounding awful (mic'ed in mono with a Shure PG58 and then quintupled and panned) and I also think that I didn't compress the vocals enough -- But even that remaster was fully a year ago. So I really hope this comment gets through; I always ask every pro mixer to critique me, but nobody ever does. Be the first? Anyway . . . rant over! Glad I found your channel! Maybe it can inspire me to bring my dream of a music channel back to life. Because I'm often told I should have at least 30k subscribers, and I believe I have the talent to get there if I can get back into it and do the work. But the complete lack of traffic, complete lack of feedback, complete lack of growth and exposure . . . more stressful than anything. Help!
Hey Craig, sorry I missed this! Three months is a long time. Which parts of the process took you the longest?
I can definitely help with getting the mixing part to go MUCH quicker in the Mixing Breakthroughs course. The rest I can't help as much with.
I think that you should be able to get to the place where you do the kinds of videos you are doing at least once every 4-6 weeks part time if you develop great systems for it.
Your audio sounds pretty good, and although I could definitely help you with some ideas that could improve the results and speed of the mixing and mastering process further, I'd say the lowest hanging fruit for your channel gaining greater reach is the visual presentation. (Something I could do much better myself to be honest!)
We can go into all of this in a lot of detail in either a private one on one session or in the members only mix feedback sessions.
Hope that helps!
-Justin
@@SonicScoop Hey thanks for the reply.
To answer the first question, the process of recording usually only takes me a few hours, two days if it's really dense like The Argus was. Then the process of dialing in everything in post, is just endless. Particularly the drums and vocals, both of which I'm a bit of a novice doing anyway.
As for the visual presentation, I'm hoping a 4k version of five of me in the room like on the Leo Sayer cover will do, but you're right I need cinematography for sure.
Thanks for saying that about my audio. I do have my devoted listeners, but the algorithm seemingly malevolently keeps that number from growing. Hence the begging random people's channels for input as to why.
I'm not usually one to join anything involving pay; I just don't work that way. So a Mixing Breakthroughs course would be great and all, but I guess I was just asking for advice and a critique, and you certainly delivered. I appreciate that very much, thank you. I'll certainly be watching your content when I can from now on and learning from you.
Hey Craig. I checked out the Leo Sayer cover. You have a GREAT visual gimmick idea on that one. Unfortunately, I would have no idea what makes this video unique or interesting based on the thumbnail and title you selected. It tells a prospective viewer who might like it absolutely nothing about what's in it or what makes it unique.
That's part of the visual presentation you've got to work on. People should be able to see, at a glance, why they might like the video, and what unique or interesting promise it's likely to deliver on.
I also think you have to get over this idea of not wanting to pay for help. Don't let an overzealous commitment to a DIY approach get in the way of getting what you want out of life.
But to be honest, I suggest you DON'T spend money with me. Your audio and mixes could be improved by 30-40% for sure and we could look at ways of doing that together. But your thumbnail and titling strategy could easily be improved 300%-400% with half as much effort. And you overall visual aesthetic can be improved 300-400% with a bit more effort than that.
You should be seeking out some channels that help you with that kind of thing first. It's the lower hanging fruit for you. And I'd recommend that some paid courses or memberships from people you grow to trust in that area could potentially do you a ton of good and give you back way more than you give them.
What I can help you with most at this stage is streamlining your mixing and production process so things take 1/2 to 1/5th as much time on that front, freeing up bandwidth for you to focus more on your visual aesthetic, which is the lower hanging fruit for you.
Unfortunately, a 4k camera simply isn't going to do it. Improving lighting and backdrop and the way you set whatever camera you do have are the way bigger wins here. A 720p shot with better lighting and backdrop is going to look better than a 4k shot with poor lighting, backdrop and camera settings every time.
And this is coming from a guy who puts VERY LITTLE effort into his camera shot. So please understand that I'm like the pot calling the kettle black here. I easily have one of the worst visual aesthetics in my genre! But the results are good enough for me based on the fact that I put about 1/10th as much time effort into my channel as channels that have gotten that dialed in much better!
But with what you do, which is about creating an aesthetic experience, rather than delivering information, you HAVE to improve that side of the aesthetics even more than I do. All I have here is a very basic DSLR and some very basic lights, in a studio that's in a repurposed bedroom where I have put practically no effort into creating an attractive backdrop.
You should be able to quickly surpass the video quality I have here and beyond with a bit of care.
I usually can not write messages of this length to people asking for advice because I would have no time to get things done that I need to get done. That's why I charge for consultations. And honestly, anyone who has advice worth taking is going to have little time and have to prioritize who they answer based on who is paying.
Free advice is often worth what you pay, because the people who are in a position to give it away for free often don't have much of value to give you. And they know that if someone isn't paying for and invested in their advice, and therefore taking it seriously, they are less likely to actually act on it.
Often, when you pay for help you are doing yourself a favor. But again: DO NOT PAY ME PLEASE. Please don't become a member or get the courses. Go get help on the video front instead, and for advice on the UA-cam algorithm/strategy front.
Once you have seen how much you can improve on those fronts and how quickly, particularly by paying for organized holistic courses that you are personally invested in, you can consider coming back to me for more help with mixing and the like.
Once you see how much that kind of thing can help you, I have no doubt you will have a different perspective.
At this stage of your development, if I hear that you paid a single penny for another guitar or instrument or pedal or camera or plugins or set of speakers instead of paying to invest in yourself or your own skills, it means your priorities are wildly misplaced, and I won't be able to answer any more of your messages. I'm dead serious on that.
Paying the people who make guitars or pedals or plugins or cameras instead of paying for people who can help you actually get what yo want out of those tools would be completely backwards for where you are right now.
The only equipment you are allowed to invest in right now in my book is 1. lighting and 2. backdrop.
NO cameras. No musical gear or music production gear. Zero. Not until you have figured out how to make the most of what you have.
You could either invest a LOT of time in learning to improve your visuals and your thumbnail/titling strategy, or you can invest a little bit of time and a little bit of money. I recommend the latter because time is more precious than money. Especially as you get better. Which reminds me, I have to stop writing now and get back to work! X-D
One exercise you will likely be reassigned is to go back and redo ALL of your exiting thumbnails and titles with what you have learned. This will likely substantially increase your traffic without creating a single new video. But you will have to improve the visual feel of your videos going forward to go even further
Seek out channels that will help you master UA-cam strategy around thumbnails, titles and niche, and channels that will help you with lighting, backdrop and shot composition. PLEASE consider getting some of their premium material instead of wasting money on more gear.
When you've seen the results you can get there, come back to me and we can talk.
Hope that helps! Hope it doesn't come across as too harsh. But you are talented and skilled and dedicated enough to what you are doing that you deserve a swift, stiff kick in the pants on this.
Normally, this kind of custom targeted email from someone who actually knows what they are doing could cost hundreds of dollars. That's why you're not getting it for free elsewhere.
I don't want you to pay me. But I do want you to do this for me as a favor in return: Stop getting in your own way. Put your attention and energy and financial resources in the right places instead of the wrong ones. What got you here isn't going to get you where you want to go.
Hope that is helpful. When you have doubled your traffic and more by doing what I've said here, I think you will have a different perspective on paying for help from people who can actually help.
This is the first and last time I can devote this much energy into a UA-cam reply. And this is why you aren't getting replies. People who can actually help you with this are busy. And now, I'm 30mins behind on my work for the day! That's why I can't really do this kind of thing.
But fortunately for you, I was inspired by what you are struggling with, and I know you are not alone in making the errors I'm seeing here, so the exercise of writing to you helps me formulate my thoughts so I can help others with the same problem in public facing videos and courses in the future.
Very best,
-Justin
@@SonicScoop I can't thank you enough for this. I'm going to copy and forward it to my email so it doesn't get buried. You couldn't be more articulate, concise or correct, about everything. Thanks for making the time. Off to revamp my visuals from the ground up!
This is great advce
Thank you
Good video. Some gems there for sure. Thanks!
my mixes always suck, but each and everytime, for different reasons. i don't have a learning curve at all. i do everything differently everytime i mix, and everytime i get a mix that sucks differently. all i can do is shrug at this point.
Thank you for this
Justin, you always know just what to say. I feel much better about sucking now. Seriously, my most recent mix is worse than the last. Maybe it was luck on the last few but I was quite proud of them (Mixing my own material). This mix has taken me back months. Gonna drop it and move to the next, revisit it later. Is this common? The worst part is, it's one of my best songs. Anyway, thanks for the wisdom, cheers!
Very relatable! Yes, sometimes of things can’t come together quickly, the best thing to do is get some distance from it, so you can hear it clearly again.
Sometimes the issue isn’t the mix either. Sometimes a song demands to be revisited with a new approach, a new arrangement, a new temp or a new key.
This idea of having one “canonical” performance of a great song is so 20th century. Maybe I should do an episode about that sometime.
Hope that helps!
-Justin
@@SonicScoop Thanks man, so easy to get wrapped up in one aspect and neglect others. Ask me how I know. Happy trails!
I know it sounds strange (and i don't know the real reason), but for me it's much easier to just focus on the song, say the "orders" about the mix to somebody else. The reasult is always much better balanced, than if i operate with the tracks myself 🙂Otherwise, i can confirm everything you say and thank you very much for it!!
It doesn’t sound strange, that’s the entire reason why mixing is a separate profession
Love the video Justin! On point as usual.
Any ideas on how to approach being a co-writer who records the music, arranges multiple takes into something usable, then edits, mixes, etc? I just did this and it was very difficult switching between roles and sometimes at different points of the process.
It can be tricky to wear so many hats for sure! Some people make it work. Here’s an episode I did on mixing your own tracks, and the value of specialization as well:
ua-cam.com/video/0FJhpL0VHaI/v-deo.html
Yes, reason Nr.1 is the most important one 😁👍great video!
great video as always
Justin, Question for you...
There is a recording principle of "getting it right at the source." Many of us are unable to control the source tracks (i.e. getting them from live venues, clients, imperfect rooms, etc.). So, does it make sense to do an initial corrective EQ on most/all channels (dealing with poor mic placement, room modes, no EQ on live sources, etc) to rectify/fix recording issues PRIOR to starting the mix process? I recognize that this runs close to the Problem of trying to optimize everything in solo. But I'm thinking of an initial post-tracking EQ to get to a mix starting point. Still assuming that further mix ew would be used. Does this approach have merit?
I still think that is covered by approach I recommend: Before applying processing, first decide what, if anything, needs to change.
If you do that, you'll know which of these "flaws" actually need to be addressed.
But if you just zero in on each track individually to "fix" each one before determining if it needs fixing, I think you're adopting a process that will take longer, wear you out more, often lead you in counterproductive directions.
In Mixing Breakthroughs, I recommend starting your mix by working with NOTHING but volume and pan.
This may seem restrictive if you haven't done it, but it's actually extremely freeing.
And once you've done this to the best of your ability you'll be able to evaluate which tracks really need to be "fixed", and what you should spend most of your focus, time and energy on.
I could do a whole podcast length answer to this question (and maybe someday I will!) But I hope that's a good starting point.
Hope that helps!
-Justin
@@SonicScoop Helpful! Thank you, Justin.
Your advice is great brother. Love your channel. Hope to be on a podcast one day!
Always fun and interesting !
Is hard to except that you don’t need to hear everything because then you ask yourself. Why is there in the first place?
I am composing and mixing at the same time, if a composition in my mind isnt working after a few hours, it usually ends in the bin of unfinished stuff. It seems the faster I work through an idea and rough mix initially, the happier I am about it.
I can always go back to it later.
I watch people who are mixing and mastering at least 2 or 3 cues a week for production and their mixes sound more than adequate, better than mine. I know they are far more organized for one thing
I am still a newbie but when I started recording Id putz over a piece for way too long. Sounds like crap to me now
Whether its art, sound design or production, using comparative reference tracks are good practice. I am doing some remixes and using the original song as a reference and breaking apart and trying to better it with newer samples and superior VSTs, that I have now.
Bro I like your videos always fueling me..
So awesome to hear! Exactly what I am looking to do :-)
-Justin
Ive been trying to learn to get good at mixing for so many years now, but everytime I improve I just realize how much more I suck haha 😛
lots of good info.. TY.
Good advice. Thanks.
Overly basic question, when do you even want a reverb? Sadly, I never use them.
One mistake I see people do is adjust things while another part of the song is playing and not the part that they are adjusting
Thanks Justin, for all the great info! If a mix sounds good to me in the Sony MDR 7506 headphones, and somewhat less good in three or four other speakers/environments, what would you say could be wrong with the mix?
I'm not Justin, but for mixing on headphones it really helped for me to use the SoundID Reference Plugin, in a nutshell it's just an eq which will flatten the frequency response of your headphones (you should check if your headphones are in the presets). It helped me a lot and I think there is a 30 day trial or something
Great! Having problem with reverbs. I haven’t found any good resources on UA-cam. In depth. No basics. I know what a pre delay is, and a faster tune needs faster delay time, that you need to use eq after etc etc.
To me it’s hard to hear the differens in the mix, what reverb to use. It so much taste.
Hi Hector,
Here’s a video where I go into a little more detail on the two biggest reverb mistakes: ua-cam.com/video/EF4_N0Ud6c4/v-deo.html
I should probably do a whole course on the subject sometime though!
Hope that’s a helpful place to start,
-Justin
@@SonicScoop Thanks Justin! Yes, it would be really nice with a more in depth turtorial on reverbs, you could be focusing on just the vocal, what different reverbs do to a song, how a spring on vocal is better in some situation, what reverb does to the emotion, how far you can take a reverb or how less can get away with!
Look into Mixing with Mike on UA-cam or buy his courses!
I am so guilty of trying to make everything impressive. I am obsessed with a massive snare tone, but I also love huge guitars and but vocal reverbs. I get things set up and I always find that my amazing snare tone doesn't dominate the mix like I want it to.
Oh I hear you. Been there done that! Here's an episode I did on the general idea of making things sound really impressive and massive: ua-cam.com/video/nmtRrKuTttc/v-deo.html
-Justin
Andrew Scheps mixes entirely in Sony MDR 7506 headphones. He's not just using them as a supplementary check.
Crazy! I use them for live venues. But never for studio work. You'd think he could afford the best monitors and room treatment.
@@chaddonal4331 he can. But why bother? If you know your headphones really well, they work just fine.
That's true, even Luca Pretolesi does mix using headphones with sonarworks reference 4. I would recommend using "Studio Monitor Headphones" for anyone who's working in an untreated room. You'll get better results this way as compared to using speakers.
I would never finish a mix in one session. It's always better at the end of the second session. And yet better at the end of the third. So I can pass about 10-12 hours on a mix. If here is a lot of problems (bad performances by example demanding timing and pitch adjusts) it can be way way longer than that. I don't just put a vocal in a auto tune plugin to transform it in a robot voice or put a compressor on it with -6 dBs reduction resulting in a ugly pumping effect rather than making volume automation to begin with).
Getting a really high quality mix in 4 hours seems to me impossible unless you get stellar recordings to begin with, with about no automation to do. Even with a track with electronic tones it seems to me really short. It makes me think of that student which finish his exam in 20 minutes all glad he finished first than later you learn that he got 50%. Great if some can finish a mix in 4 hours. But would not it be better if they come back with fresh ears/perspective to makes it even better one day or two days after to put the final polish on? Maybe new great ideas will pop at the second session?
I personally works on at least 2 or 3 mixes in the same period. I go from one to another with 2-4 hours sessions long for each track. I don't give me the time to get bored by one track and keep my objectivity that way.
You’re not necessarily doing it wrong! If your results are good and the payoff you’re getting for the time invested is good for you, then keep doing what you’re doing!
That said, most of the major mixers who I have interviewed (and I’ve interviewed many of them) usually mix much more quickly than that.
4-8 hours is the norm for many or most of them.
I was amazed by that too, as it used to take me MUCH longer to mix. So I dedicated quite some time to figuring out how they do it. The result of that was the Mixing Breakthroughs course.
Granted, you may be considering some things “mixing” that they don’t consider mixing. For instance, you may be considering as part of your mixing stage setup tasks that they are usually having handled before the final mixing stage. (Often handled by an assistant at the professional level.)
So some of what’s going on may be a difference in terms, but some of it is almost certainly a difference in process.
At the higher levels in the industry, yes, recordings do tend to be pretty stellar to begin with, and if they are not, then they are generally still in the production phase rather than the mixing phase.
You may be doing things in the mixing stage that many of them might consider production phase. So that can be part of it. But I don’t think that’s all.
From what I have seen from great mixers, from myself, and from my students and clients is that creating a system that speeds up mixing and makes it more seamless and more creative is a huge part of it as well!
Automation can go quite quickly if you have several banks of motorized faders at your disposal as many top mixers have. But this is not necessarily required for fast mixes as evidenced by some trackball magicians working on very big records! (And as evidenced by my own results and those of coaching clients and course students.)
I believe that a lot of this faster, more creatively minded kind of mixing process can be adopted at any level with the right processes and systems in place. That’s what a lot of mixing breakthroughs is about accomplishing.
In it, you can even see and hear me go head to head with Michael Brauer on a track that was done by hobbyist musicians, with me using nothing but a mouse and stock pro tools plugins.
We both took about 4 hours to mix it. And I believe the results I get from these systems are in the same league-and most viewers seek to agree. I hope you will as well. (I do have a free version of that video out in the channel as well if you’d like to give your opinion.)
All I did was use the faster approaches to better mixing covered in the course, that I learned from studying, watching, watching and interviewing these guys.
I’ve come to find that if you can get the technical and the production phase stuff out of the way first, the mixing stage can become incredibly fast, creative and fresh.
It’s also worth noting that the idea of mixing across multiple sessions is itself a fairly new concept in music production! Most of the favorite records you grew up with were likely not mixed across multiple sittings. I believe that is something that can help mixes feeling fresh and alive.
Thanks for the thoughtful comment. I find a lot of it relatable, even though I’ve changed my tune and have come to believe that so much of that time investment can be reduced by using better systems.
Hope some of that is useful and makes sense!
-Justin
@@SonicScoop Yes it makes sense. Certainly that if everything is stellar (recording, performances, arrangement, no need for more or less editing audio which could really well be considered as a production step it can be way shorter to makes it. I tend to do everything from composition or just arrangement to mastering other than perform if I record an artist or a band). Editing audio can be freaking long so if I put this less or more in the mixing stage... it adds up.
Dynamics EQ on loud high pitch vocal when each different vowels has peaking harmonics problem can be long to do. If you run on that kind of problem it can consumes time. :P
I may have a short mix one day...
Thank you for your fleshed out answer! You write very quickly ah ah!
You're one of the best I found on youtube. Keep making the in details great work! ;)
Great video.
Conversely, Andrew Scheps SWEARS by Sony MDR7506's and claims he does most of his ITB mixing through them and only uses his monitors as a "change in perspective". Claims to have been using those $100 headphones as his primary mixing perspective for the past 20 years.
You can get to know almost anything if you listen on it enough and hear enough references through it!
As a somewhat older guy who is likely losing some high frequency hearing, he probably doesn’t mind their brightness as much as I do.
Fortunately, mixing is a lot more about *listening* than hearing, so there are a lot of amazing older practitioners out there.
-Justin
Thanks for these gems,
more on the fx ?
So many! Here’s a good podcast episode on reverb specifically:
ua-cam.com/video/EF4_N0Ud6c4/v-deo.html
Hope that helps!
-Justin
Ty for helping me to not suck... 👍✊🤘
Thanks, Justin. Now it's time for an hour of self-loathing before bed.
Haha-I hope it didn’t keep you up at night!
-Justin
Anyone want to buy a slightly used pair of Sony MDR7506 headphones?
;-) Thanks Justin - your podcasts are always helpful!
What is automation?
Good guy
I cri
my Sony headphones are 7505
Sucks ? mate ur worst mix could win a grammy EASY... most audiences dont give a toss about mixing, only producers and influencers.. trap music only took off because of digital distortion and intentional unbalanced mixing.. and clean mixes dont always mean great music by the way.. some clean mixes just dont move your pulse.. i like intentionally muddy mids on low volume with some chorus, bright clear highs and mono stereo, clipped lows... for me its all about referencing other mixes not just focused on 1 style, that could enhance your craft, depening on how experimental u can get...simply put , u can not break rules that you havent learned / arent willing to learn
Based on your comment, I think you’d really like the episode if you actually listened to it 🙃
-Justin
Piece of advice. You're most likely doing too much.
Skimmed through the video (40 min - are you for real?), learned nothing, thanks.
Lol, try listening instead of skimming and you might learn something like thousands of others apparently have 🙃
These episodes are not designed to just give little tidbits of information so much as they are designed to actually change behavior for the better.
But different strokes I suppose. Good luck in your journey!
Thanks for stopping by,
-Justin
@@SonicScoop Ok fair point. Do you also share your wisdom in a short format like UA-cam shorts? I don't have 40 min. to spare because you know. I am really busy producing and mixing music ;)