@@inthemixDude, can you answer something please? You know those old samples that weren't always in the same tempo? How do I put this type of sample at the bpm I want and how do I know that it's in the right tempo?
thank you for bringing up the hearing loss point !! this is something I haven't heard much discussion on really as well, but now with this video feel I should treat with a much greater deal of seriousness you really are providing a great help to this generation and the next generation of musicians, and I very much appreciate this aspect of you and your content
The first tip with compression on the vocals sounding natural I've never heard anyone say before but now that you do explain it, it makes a lot of sense. Thanks as always for the advice!!
It took me years to figure out that in some situations it strangely works. I still have to be careful not to bring up noise, breaths and mouth noise too much when applying that sort of compression but there are amazing tools these days to reduce those noises anyway.
Compression on vocals can harm the intonations and the shaping that the artist is doing. Maybe compression could work well with an automated knob to help shape around the voices decrecendo and Crescendo and paying close attention to the shape the artist is going for. Compression is good. But it's a double edged sword if you're making expression with your voice. But one edge of that sword is definitely hurting more than the other(compression leveling out the volume).
If I see a too big difference in loudness between words, I chop these parts and adjust gain manually. Only after that, I use heavy compression. It works like magic. I figured out it about 6 months ago. The only problem I sometimes encounter is that the higher frequencies become quite annoying after heavy compression.
Also automation can play a big role. If done well can sound more natural then compression and with less artifacts. But can take a lot of time to do it well
Thank you for bringing up hearing loss in the video and dedicating so much of the video to talking about it. Some of the best musicians I've ever had the pleasure of playing and creating with are also people who are suffering from hearing loss simply because they were not properly informed about it when they were young. It was extremely meaningful to hear you say that hearing loss does not make someone less valuable as a musician or as a person.
I’ve been following some of the things I learned in your “Sound vs Sanity” video since I watched it a few months back and I can actually, wholeheartedly say that yeah, a lot of stuff in there is solid. It works. I’m more productive in general, not just in music production, but in life.
That is such good advice. You can't see it in this shot but I have a big fiddle-leaf fig tree just out of the camera shot and some more plants over on the side table. You can never have too many plants :)
On vocals sounding natural : I usually work on rock songs. Even after a lot of volume automation, i had to go ahead and compress the vocals a lottt to make them cut through the mix. Having learnt music production from youtube, I used to always have a fear that I’m doing something wrong. Finally someone went ahead and said its normal to compress a lot.
When I was starting out with music production, this very channel is how I learned about taking a break from music. I learned to care about ear fatigue, listening to references, mixing, giving my ears some time to refresh. And in a sense, this increased my level of awareness when it comes to my hearing. Because as a nerd for music, hearing is my best asset. The greatest weapon in my arsenal. And I think that people who work with sound should take it seriously, at least just enough to retain healthy hearing.
just discovered you man. I think your videos are great! Keep it up! We need more people like you, the way you explain and how you focus on what's important. Enjoyed the whole video.
There really needs to be big warning signs in every video to new musicians to mix at low volumes, keep an eye on their levels, and never try to make things more present by just adding more gain. 2 years into making music I discovered I had lost significant hearing in my right ear, all because I was trying to learn FL studio by following trap beat tutorials with loud 808s and loud kicks that just fought for volume and not a single tutorial showed how to mix them together to have them both sound cohesive, it was always just "I added this cymatics distortion to the kick to make it punchier, I added fruity fast distortion to my 808, etc." Now everything I hear in headphones sounds like it's panned to the left because I was just uneducated about what to be careful with and how to handle competing bass frequencies, and it makes me wonder how much of my solo-produced music will be hurt by the fact that I can't accurately hear stereo or right-panned sounds.
Honestly I am so sorry to hear about your issues. I have always tried my best to keep my audio examples relatively low compared to my voice volume to help viewers avoid blasting their ears. I hope your hearing recovers and balances out, maybe try using studio monitors at a lower volume and turn the left one down a little? It might give your ears more rest?
@@inthemix Unfortunately I have very limited space so I have to stick to headphones, I've tried audio balancing but I kept running into issues (I don't remember what they were so I'll try again soon.) Honestly I know nothing about ear damage so I don't know what the chance of recovery is. I've been going easy on my ears for close to a year now and the damage has remained the same.
@@ZachNaI am not an expert on hearing loss. I was told that the damage is permanent, it has to do with a wall of cells in the ear that once weakened by too long an exposure to loud sounds, does not regenerate, leading to tinnitus and the likes. From what I know, this is the reason why construction workers must use ear protectors on the job.
@@ZachNa Have you tried getting your ears checked? I am serious, MAYBE it's just wax buildup. I had this twice, went to a drugstore (or anywhere where they offer it) and they jet a hose of water to push the clog out and it's like stepping out of water. And yes, it can happen in only one ear (mine are always one more than the other). It's not a hygiene issue either
43 years old, still can hear 17 KHz with normal volume. But I always protected my ears in too loud environments. Got laughed at, but my ears are important, for my job as a musician and working in my recording studio. Friends of mine at the same age stop to hear at 14KHz. Of course, age limits your hearing ability as well. But you can preserve your hearing with simple methods. As well as not cranking up the volume while mixing for 6 hours. Thanks for the video!
Man, how I wish I could travel back 18 years in time to tell my 14-year-old self to not crank up the volume of my mp3 player to max everytime, sigh. Well, atleast my hearing is still somewhat decent and I hugely appreciate this being a more recognized topic nowadays.
54 and I can still differentiate between 19 and 20kHz. Been wearing a stocking cap since the 90s. Weird habit that landed on both feet. An occasional OTC ear wash does wonders as well.
Dude, if you can still hear up to 18K you're extremely fortunate. Most people in my age range (40s) can't hear anything over 16K. And if you've played in bands or spent a lot of time blasting music like I have, you can't hear anything over 14K. It's one of those things you just have to be aware of while you're mixing. I still feel like my mixes have gotten pretty good, but I have to be sure not to make them super bright.
I've unfortunately been born with tinnitus and have never tested how far up I can hear until a week ago when I had a headache in the studio and I felt like the tinnitus is getting worse. I paused and listened for a second and realized what I was hearing wasn't my tinnitus but an actual high-pitched noise. Turns out there's a resonant noise at 19531,8 Hz which appeared recently when I had my electricity redone. I was extremely surprised I was able to hear that at all considering I'm 23. Now I have to get it fixed. After listening more carefully and some doing some experiments I realized my tinnitus was actually lower-pitched than what I heard and got a headache from.
I've watched so many of your videos in the last month while learning FL Studio and it is soooo not surprising to see you bring up a very empathetic position towards hearing loss. It's far too late for me 😅 (years of standing next to a 4x guitar cab and worse at concerts as a teenager) but I do what I can now. I wish I'd taken it more seriously when I was younger. There are probably a lot of aspiring young producers among your followers and I can't overstate how much I respect you for raising the subject, especially while you're getting more attention from your recent viral content. I was already subbed but I'm gonna check out your plugin. I feel like I owe you that much. Thank you for doing what you do ♥️
YESS!! Finally, someone with reach seriously addressing hearing protection! I'm in my 30s and last year I came very close to a tinnitus! I was in the club and it was too loud for too long. (I don't go often but when I go I go hard.) I thought it wouldn't matter but it left me with a faint noise in my ears I kept hearing for weeks! Luckily, it's either gone or so insanely faint these days that I'd probably have to be in a totally noise-isolated room and focus hard to identify it. Other than that, my hearing is perfectly fine. Bottom line is don't fucking mess with your ears. You only have to screw them one time too much... Btw, I ordered the earplugs from Eargasm to be protected next time I go clubbing and so far I dig them! I would love reviews on other earplugs that protect you well but still allow for a great experience in the club or at an event. Maybe something that could be considered on this channel in the future! :)
Thank you for sharing your story, others will hear it and learn from it! So true that it only takes 1 loud exposure to mess them up for a while or potentially permanently if you're unlucky. I'm glad you got through it and took the steps to have a better time at your next gig!
only a few minutes in, but WHAT a fantastically helpful and insightful video this is! Wow, so good to hear someone applying thought and reason to the subjects :)
i love u not in a parasocial way, just your videos instill this sense of calm in me and your honesty is such a breath of fresh air in an industry rife with trite nonsense. my addition to this discussion is it is very helpful to speed or pitch shift a whole song up/down to highlight weak points or issues in pretty much any aspect of production. it feels like listening to it for the first time. any pitch or timing issues become obvious, same with any areas where too much or little is going on. i use it whenever something doesnt feel right but i cant tell quite what it is or how to fix it. also when i'm tired or bored of a song-it lets me hear all the melodies and changes for the first time again. it feels new and motivates me. also inspires new different ideas if i've run dry. i rarely see this mentioned
Very nice, thank you for also speaking about less prominent topics, especially hearing less even tho it is important for me and this industry as well I believe
There are too many videos about music production on youtube. I would say about 90% is not worth watching because its just clickbait or someone trying to convince the audience to buy something. But watching your videos really help a lot when trying to learn about this topic. Thank you :)
I agree with every word. I worked in big nightclubs for 15 years and ended up with incessant buzzing in my left ear. And now that I spend a significant part of time in the studio, I have to deal with the high frequencies in my music with one ear. It's horrible. Take care of your ears. Make the sound as quiet as you can hear it. And if at some point this level seems "not enough", then it's time to switch off the sound and rest. That's the only way, no other way. And of course, in noisy places it is better to use ear protection, whether it is a concert or home repairs.
bro you really have helped me a lot in the last few years, started doing my own production vids in FL, your great inspiration and when I need to know the workings of FL your the first person I go too!!
Top bloke, good on you shining light on the hearing loss issue. Highly professional, consistent high quality content, always. Thank you for your service to the industry 🙏
Thank you so much for all of your videos! You're one of the UA-camrs I trust the most when it comes to music cause you're always really genuine & explain things really well!! I've been watching your content for years now.
Love all the points made in the video! Glad you addressed the hearing loss issue. As a teenager I used to play super loud music with no ear plugs with my band in my parents shed, and I know it definitely did some damage to my hearing
Love your channel and info but I argue most who need this information are also putting endless hours in and your voice is so soothing… the material so detailed… let’s just say I find myself nodding off more often than while driving in the rain at night with the heater on. Thanks 🙏
Hey Micheal. Absolutely amazing video. The first tip is something I noticed a lot when playing around with compression but I thought I was hearing things. Especially when you have already attained the right tonal balance
I just dealt with the compression realization last night so seeing you confirm this today makes me realize I'm not crazy LOL! Thanks man; you always have great videos.
Since your last video about hearing loss and a really loud concert that made me question my hearing, I'm wearing ear plugs wherever it's loud: clubs, concerts, small cinemas (they seem to have the volume higher than the big cinemas for some reason),... And people actually find it cool. And if not, then I tell them that I need to protect my hearing because I make music, then they understand. And when we leave and everybody's ears ring except mine, it's the best feeling ever and you realize that you did something good for yourself. All of this to say: Michael, you're so right about ear plugs! 100% recommend them
I've been watching your videos since you've had less then 100K subscriber and I was really young. I always loved music and your videos always inspired me to become an professional/best music editor. Unfortunately, due to financial instability I had to throw my dream felt like I was leaving myself. Till this day your videos brings happiness into my heart thinking people are getting these knowledge for free.❤️
Generally don't comment on stuff, but I just want to say thank you so much for making these kinds of tutorials, ones that are just very real, and made entirely with respect to quality. If I had known about your channel 10 years ago when I was really struggling hard with understanding everything music production related, I personally think I'd basically have a job in this and have made multiple albums and been an extremely skilled music production freelancer. I used to follow recording revolution a lot, but noticed that some of their advice did not always work for me and I never understood why and it would take a lot of experimentation to figure out. Thank you for making videos that go into concepts and the hows and whats properly, they have actually literally changed my life for the better. I am releasing a single on Bandcamp soon, the first ever original I'll be releasing after over a decade of playing music, and your videos are the foundation behind at least 30-50% of its production quality (the remaining percentage is just experience based from applying the knowledge of past advisors and learning from what worked and what didn't). Thank you.
09:28 My hearing has been tested and it's perfectly fine. I have, however, always found it difficult to understand people's words when there is background noise or if the room has a high amount of reverberation. Audio Processing Disorder exists, (which is to do with the brain's ability to process sound), and it is unrelated to hearing loss, (which is a result of damage to the hair cells inside the ear).
You are absolutely correct and I could have been more clear. I just listed a few possible signs in the hopes of helping. I know that I can struggle to hear individual voices if I am not paying close attention in loud spaces too.
This really is the first video related to audio mixing that I’ve seen that addresses the hearing topic. So important. I have hearing tests at my local HNO doctor‘s surgery ever couple of years. Turns out one ear has a slightly different graph to the other. Great channel. Please keep it up!!! 👍👍
ah yes once again in my life i watch an "In The Mix" video. Very thankful for the effort you put in. For me and many others, you were a mentor back in the early days. been watching your videos and following your advice for half a decade now. thanks a lot. cheers
these kinds of videos are honestly super helpful when i was trying to figure out the slew of info i was running through when starting out and becoming better.
The biggest thing I could recommend on the hearing point is using references. Not just for comparing your mixes to other’s works but seeing what you can hear. Is there a song out there with more high frequencies and can you hear them? Also with the new AI Splitting tools you can see exactly where the important elements are set. Where does the bass peak? What does the Kick look like on an RTA. Where is its fundamental? Where’s the snare’s fundamental? How loud are the vocals and other elements. It has gotten me to where I want to be so much faster than trying to analyze the whole mix all at once.
Fantastic video! I learned some of these the hard way. After being a viewer for a few years just wanted to comment and say thanks for getting such useful information out to people who need it! ✌
Mate, you're bang on with how moving away from the mic affects the volume. I recorded vocals on a track a few weeks back for a song where I am significantly louder in the chorus than the verse, so I took a slight step back (maybe 4-5 inches) from the mic. When I got home and sorted all of the tracks, I found that my chorus vocals were a lot lower than the verses. I was able to fix it with clip gain adjustment and, as you suggest here, fairly strong compression, but it's certainly something I will keep in mind for the future. I was worried about blowing out the mic, but I needn't have been concerned about that.
Thank you. What you have to watch out for is that when you move back, the recording also looses some bass and mids. Sometimes quite a lot to be honest! I'm glad you managed to fix it in post. I am continually surprised by the dynamic range of modern, good quality preamps. The ones in my mix pre 6 (the interface I used to record this video) are almost impossible to clip. When set right they can record whispers without floor noise and shouts/yells without clipping. It's amazing really!
I have been watching your videos for years to get ideas about music production, and finally, I got FL Studio and Midi Controller last week. You are motivating and helping me so much on this journey, more than you can imagine. Especially after I tried to dive into details after purchase, I was frustrated because I saw so many courses, plugins, and videos that tried to make me believe I could not do anything without their tools. Still wrestling with FL studio and music theory through the process, thanks to my ADHD :D But I will handle it with you on YT. I wanted to share my thoughts and thank you for your efforts. I spent my last money on the black Friday discount for FL Studio and FLKey :D, but I promise I'll also purchase your plugin. You deserve more than this.
Really appreciate the discussion of hearing loss. I went deaf on one side due to an autoimmune disease about 5 years ago, and it also affects my right side in more minor ways. I really felt like Id lost everything, but seeing the way many people in this space who don't have hearing loss talk about those who do drives me mad. There's always this underlying assumption that it's your fault, and it would have led me to believe I really had lost everything. Not true! You absolutely can do this with hearing loss, it's just yes, an added set of challenges, and you have to get used to your situation and find appropriate workarounds.😊
Thank you for sharing your journey with us. It sounds like a horrible thing to experience but I am glad you have overcome it and found ways to continue mixing though it. I think our skills and attention to detail are more important than the theoretical maximum frequency we can hear and I think you prove that too! I am happy to keep talking about it, it's a topic that needs more light shed on it and it really shouldn't be taboo in our industry.
i just started working in a car workshop, and the impact wrench is so loud i got some hearing protection for myself. at first everyone was like "huh, you have earplugs? haha" but i was like "i dont care, i dont want to suffer from ear damage" thank you for you pov on this, very helpful.
Thank you so much for all these advises, these are topics that almost nobody talks about, it's always great to learn something new from you! Keep it going and greetings from Colombia.
Great that you mention hearing, spent 30 years as an audio engineer, always looked after my ears, always used ear plugs for gigs, rarely use headphones in loud environments, rarely listen to music for long periods with ear buds, etc etc I have kept testing my ears over the years to keep an eye on hearing loss, now I have lost a bit of top end but no more than normal however I do have a mild tinnitus. Yet a lot of the music students I’ve met seem unaware of hearing loss, massive use of headphones & ear buds & monitoring in the studio at extreme levels, the chance of them have a sustainable career is slim as their hearing will be shot quite quickly.
About the hearing loss: I have tinnitus since I started making music with my band 20+ years ago. Yet I don't feel like it hinders me in hearing a lot of details in the music. Dave Grohl said something similar in a late night show, reporting of his ringing in the ears and still being able to mix and master music. That being said if I could turn back time and tell myself to wear earplugs right from the start during rehearsals and loud metal concerts... I'd definitely do that.
Great video. I carry eargasm ear plugs with me everywhere on my keychain. I even mix live sound with them, after getting the rough mix set up. I’ve yet to have any complaints voiced. In case anyone fears hearing damage, just because you have hearing issues doesn’t mean your career is over. Like many other injuries or disabilities, you can adapt. I have bad tinnitus and still work every day on projects ranging from indie low budget to multi million dollar projects for mega corporations. You can even compensate for frequency loss if you pay attention. I start almost every day by doing a slow frequency sweep to see if I’m having trouble with any frequencies. I find that when I’m congested or sick I have noticeable reduction in hearing around 8.5kHz
Thankyou for the reminder to protect your hearing. I work in construction and love loud music it’s just who I am but sometimes I will forget how serious hearing loss is and how it REALLY does happen to people. And just imagining not being able to hear music anymore just breaks my soul so it’s such an important message to remind people.
The ear protection point is what I needed to hear(pun intended). My hearing is totally fine, but I want it to be perfect for the rest of my life, let alone career.
Overhere almost everyone is using earplugs at concerts, when I was young nobody used them and I tell you that our concerts were way louder than 100 db. I still miss it sometimes because I like loud concerts. Be careful with your ears because they can only get worse and never get better. With Atmos coming out I think the loudness target for streaming will probably go to -18 Lufs, so basically all playback devices will be forced to a lower volume. Who knows when it might change. Great video and yes 25 db of compression on vocals can do wonders 😊
I've been following you since the beginning of your journey, I can't believe it's been 10 years already.. You really are an amazing person with excellent and true content who is not ashamed to tell his truth, glad to know that I came to the same insights about music. Thanks for the knowledge you share it helps a lot.❤
3:28 I once noticed that it is often worth dividing the signal (in Pro-Q this can be done very easily) either into left and right or into mid and side, even if the node settings are the same (or you can make them very slightly different to add differences between right/left or mid/side channel, and thus add width, affect the stereo image). In other words, you need to consciously approach how exactly the equalizer processes the signal - both channels together or separately (or uses a different form of signal division - mid/side instead of left / right). And also to which mode is used - zero latency or linear (linear is better if mid-side separation is used). And this is what often helps to make the equalizer processing more natural, less destructive and noticeable.
I would absolutely love to hear you talk more about hearing protection. I’m 18 and have ever since I started making music been protective with my hearing. Nonetheless, there are plenty of times when I experience loud noises and don’t have earplugs available and I spend a long time afterwards worrying about whether it has affected my hearing negatively. Every time you mention something about the topic, it’s of great value for me and I’m sure for a lot of other people as well🙏
Amazing insights as always and please please continue... For me: Education and practice is on the top. If I were to start all over, I would not evet consider looking after all those high end plugins / sample packs in the beginning.
1. Please do a podcast answer questions regarding mixing, music, etc. 2. Please share some tips and information for getting high quality vocal audio. Your audio is always so clear and Im curious what you have/do to make it sound so good. Thank you
The hearing loss, is what I thought about a lot recently. I wonder how a 60+ year old mixing engineer can do a proper mix for a pop song aimed to kids or young adults. Of course there are frequency measures to refer to, but your own ears are the only true tools to decide when you're satisfied with the mix. I often think my mixes are too muffled, but my younger friends doesn't seem to mind. Maybe they pick up frequencies I no longer can. (I'm 64). It's a interesting topic that isn't discussed that much.
I think if a person retains enough up to around 8-10kHz they can probably mix something that will work for most people. I think having some other ears in the studio/label probably helps a tonne to make sure no high frequency noise gets past you. I always load up my masters into a spectrum analyser at the end and see if there is any junk noise from 18kHz-96kHz that I've missed...because I don't have my dogs ears!
The human brain (a very clever thing), based on the experience of being exposed to sounds since birth, are filling in the missing frequencies... Missing frequencies by age (not by damage) that is...This is the true sense of psycho acoustic ;-) But if you damage your hearing in a young age, it will be very destructive compared to the natural way of aging and loosing frequencies from the top end and downwards.
Back in the early to mid-1990s I was wearing ear plugs to Rock and Metal concerts, and receiving some strange looks from those around me including my own friends; it felt like I was the only one wearing them. However I value my hearing plus I also noticed that wearing plugs helped with cleaning up the sound, and removing that high end distortion from P.A. system monitors being driven too loud and hard. The other benefit was being able to go home after the gig, and not have my hearing ringing and hissing away for days after. These days a few more people wear them but nowhere near enough. I've also been to gigs where the sound was IMHO perfect and no ear plugs required at all, and heard some people complaining it was not loud enough etc.
Your experience os very similar to mime. Some gigs sounds simply awful and sound better with plugs in. It’s insane that this is the state of live sound in 2024… other gigs sound perfect and no need for plugs!
@@inthemix imho i would wear plugs either way cause the levels at any gig most definitely extend 100dB or the recommended exposure! Even if it sounds good it could still be too loud!! Love your videos!!!
Not heavy at all, I think. I´m glad that you addressed this. To me it felt like a very sincere remark. Maybe beyond the scope of your video, but if you ask me, you were spot on about people projecting their own deep pain on others. And treating others accordingly. I also notice that a lot of people crave for the selfdestructive behaviour that some artists have, so they can avoid dealing with their own feelings of hurt and anger. To let the artist express their own conflicts, which can never truly relieve or solve anything of course. And how some artists feel as if they have to push themselves further and further into an abyss to get or remain popular. And some artists might take it out on others. There´s a lot of abuse and it´s a real problem, I feel. More and more I hear that being expressed in music, which then - to my ears - isn´t music anymore. Anyways, thanks for your video.
It's a bit of an odd concept. I was completely against heavy compression for a couple of years and I don't know where I picked up that idea from. Honestly don't know how that got into my brain but I'm glad that I can see past it now and learn from the mistake.
@@inthemix And I have watched all your compression videos, and it would leave me a little confused when I watch others going for agressive compressor settings, i have seen someone going for 12:1 ratio, 0.1ms attack time and it sounded good
Having a decent dB meter to get some average A and C weighing readings when you're blasting your music is sometimes a useful indicator for when you're pumping the music too loud. Some occasional blasting shouldn't be an issue, but it's often a habit of some people to keep on cranking the volume up and up without realising how much their perception of the mix will change with the increasing volume, as well as potential hearing damage. Wearing earplugs is a great idea - I often use the passive Etymotic musician earplugs, Surefire ear pro or just plain old foam plugs when I'm out in town or travelling, because the noise levels of busses and other vehicles can be pretty intense. I'm already working my ears for a certain number of hours per day; when I leave the studio, my ears need downtime. Thank you! ❤
Can I ask you about those ear plugs? How do you rate the Etymotic plugs? I was considering getting a pair of the Surefire pros for shooting but wasn't sure how discreet they would look for concerts and stuff!
@@inthemix My advice, unless you already have some, is getting custom made earplugs with interchangeable db-filters. Prices are a little steep, from ₤250 and upwards, but the fit is perfect, much less physical fatigue to your ears (cheap plugs can be painful), and you can get filters for different applications, including fully closed filters for shooting. Especially if you want them to be discreet, as they take up little to no space in your ear, and you can get them in transparent colors. Extremely worth it, and I use them everywhere - including bars and clubs with poor acoustics/loud music. The filters allow treble to come through, so it's easier to hear the person talking next to you. If you can, try and ask to keep the mold, in case you loose one of the plugs! Also think you can get some that fits certain types of earbuds, so you can use them as IEM's.
the goat. ive been laughed at a few times already for wearing ear plugs when it's too loud for me. I couldnt care less. Unfortunately already have mild Tinnitus on both ears, but thankfully wirhout any hearing loss! And I would love to keep it that way
as a young aspiring cover artist your videos are seriously so useful in learning how to mix! i know you probably won't see this, but is there any chance you could give some advice on how to help vocals sit in the mix when you aren't able to change the original instrumental (such as when making covers)? i feel like my voice is always drowned out by the instrumental no matter what i do :(
Thanks for the kind words. I try to reply to all of the comments, so no worries there. My advice (which is probably what many experienced folks would say) is that it sounds like your vocals need some better compression settings or potentially just more compression in general. Your voice is probably too quiet on average to sit in or on the mix but occasionally will peak above it. Using compression will even out the vocal but you must use a shorter attack time to allow it to recover between words. Give that a go and see if it sounds better!
I wanna say that I coped reviver like 6 months ago and its an absolutely beautiful plugin!
Thank you!
@@inthemixDude, can you answer something please? You know those old samples that weren't always in the same tempo? How do I put this type of sample at the bpm I want and how do I know that it's in the right tempo?
Can you please make a video about how to correct bad pitch in AI Vocals? How can I contact you directly?
thank you for bringing up the hearing loss point !!
this is something I haven't heard much discussion on really as well, but now with this video feel I should treat with a much greater deal of seriousness
you really are providing a great help to this generation and the next generation of musicians, and I very much appreciate this aspect of you and your content
I wish I’d heard someone talk about it when I was younger. Just doing my part!
AZALI!! i love your music as well :3
Azali my guy are you stalking all the UA-camrs I watch or what 💀
Andrew Huang has discussed it very openly, it was cool!
The first tip with compression on the vocals sounding natural I've never heard anyone say before but now that you do explain it, it makes a lot of sense. Thanks as always for the advice!!
It took me years to figure out that in some situations it strangely works. I still have to be careful not to bring up noise, breaths and mouth noise too much when applying that sort of compression but there are amazing tools these days to reduce those noises anyway.
Compression on vocals can harm the intonations and the shaping that the artist is doing. Maybe compression could work well with an automated knob to help shape around the voices decrecendo and Crescendo and paying close attention to the shape the artist is going for. Compression is good. But it's a double edged sword if you're making expression with your voice. But one edge of that sword is definitely hurting more than the other(compression leveling out the volume).
@@inthemixthis is why you’re the goat of yt mixing advice man, thanks as always
If I see a too big difference in loudness between words, I chop these parts and adjust gain manually. Only after that, I use heavy compression. It works like magic. I figured out it about 6 months ago. The only problem I sometimes encounter is that the higher frequencies become quite annoying after heavy compression.
Also automation can play a big role. If done well can sound more natural then compression and with less artifacts. But can take a lot of time to do it well
Just woke up, saw this video on my feed, and thought I was in a time loop for a second.
I can imagine!
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ME TOO!!
take care of yourself. stay away from music production youtube when you're high af
Watching your videos is like having a really good friend that cares about you giving you solid advice! Love your videos, always helpful!
I am so happy to hear that. I hope you know that I do genuinely care for anyone watching this. We are all in this together :)
@@inthemix I definitely know you care, it comes through the screen!
You have no idea how much value you're constantly inputting into the world man
Thank you for bringing up hearing loss in the video and dedicating so much of the video to talking about it. Some of the best musicians I've ever had the pleasure of playing and creating with are also people who are suffering from hearing loss simply because they were not properly informed about it when they were young. It was extremely meaningful to hear you say that hearing loss does not make someone less valuable as a musician or as a person.
I’ve been following some of the things I learned in your “Sound vs Sanity” video since I watched it a few months back and I can actually, wholeheartedly say that yeah, a lot of stuff in there is solid. It works. I’m more productive in general, not just in music production, but in life.
I recommend having green plants or anything green, it's a color that boost creativity in the mind☺️
That is such good advice. You can't see it in this shot but I have a big fiddle-leaf fig tree just out of the camera shot and some more plants over on the side table. You can never have too many plants :)
@@inthemix yeah I noticed & exactly 👌😊
green is indeed a creative colour!
On vocals sounding natural : I usually work on rock songs. Even after a lot of volume automation, i had to go ahead and compress the vocals a lottt to make them cut through the mix. Having learnt music production from youtube, I used to always have a fear that I’m doing something wrong. Finally someone went ahead and said its normal to compress a lot.
Michael, your channel is an example of YoutTube at its best . Thanks for always sharing your technical expertise and for caring about your viewers.
When I was starting out with music production, this very channel is how I learned about taking a break from music. I learned to care about ear fatigue, listening to references, mixing, giving my ears some time to refresh. And in a sense, this increased my level of awareness when it comes to my hearing. Because as a nerd for music, hearing is my best asset. The greatest weapon in my arsenal. And I think that people who work with sound should take it seriously, at least just enough to retain healthy hearing.
just discovered you man. I think your videos are great! Keep it up! We need more people like you, the way you explain and how you focus on what's important. Enjoyed the whole video.
Sooo relieved that your voice doesn’t sound muffled or harsh to me phew 😅
michael, you're genuinely an absolute legend, especially for your realness and videos like this! much love 🤍
Thank you, you’re too kind!
There really needs to be big warning signs in every video to new musicians to mix at low volumes, keep an eye on their levels, and never try to make things more present by just adding more gain. 2 years into making music I discovered I had lost significant hearing in my right ear, all because I was trying to learn FL studio by following trap beat tutorials with loud 808s and loud kicks that just fought for volume and not a single tutorial showed how to mix them together to have them both sound cohesive, it was always just "I added this cymatics distortion to the kick to make it punchier, I added fruity fast distortion to my 808, etc." Now everything I hear in headphones sounds like it's panned to the left because I was just uneducated about what to be careful with and how to handle competing bass frequencies, and it makes me wonder how much of my solo-produced music will be hurt by the fact that I can't accurately hear stereo or right-panned sounds.
Honestly I am so sorry to hear about your issues. I have always tried my best to keep my audio examples relatively low compared to my voice volume to help viewers avoid blasting their ears. I hope your hearing recovers and balances out, maybe try using studio monitors at a lower volume and turn the left one down a little? It might give your ears more rest?
@@inthemix Unfortunately I have very limited space so I have to stick to headphones, I've tried audio balancing but I kept running into issues (I don't remember what they were so I'll try again soon.) Honestly I know nothing about ear damage so I don't know what the chance of recovery is. I've been going easy on my ears for close to a year now and the damage has remained the same.
@@ZachNaI am not an expert on hearing loss.
I was told that the damage is permanent, it has to do with a wall of cells in the ear that once weakened by too long an exposure to loud sounds, does not regenerate, leading to tinnitus and the likes.
From what I know, this is the reason why construction workers must use ear protectors on the job.
@@ZachNa Have you tried getting your ears checked? I am serious, MAYBE it's just wax buildup. I had this twice, went to a drugstore (or anywhere where they offer it) and they jet a hose of water to push the clog out and it's like stepping out of water. And yes, it can happen in only one ear (mine are always one more than the other). It's not a hygiene issue either
@@neuroxik I've used those before to no effect. I've also got extremely frequent tinnitus so it's likely permanent damage.
43 years old, still can hear 17 KHz with normal volume. But I always protected my ears in too loud environments. Got laughed at, but my ears are important, for my job as a musician and working in my recording studio. Friends of mine at the same age stop to hear at 14KHz. Of course, age limits your hearing ability as well. But you can preserve your hearing with simple methods. As well as not cranking up the volume while mixing for 6 hours. Thanks for the video!
Man, how I wish I could travel back 18 years in time to tell my 14-year-old self to not crank up the volume of my mp3 player to max everytime, sigh. Well, atleast my hearing is still somewhat decent and I hugely appreciate this being a more recognized topic nowadays.
54 and I can still differentiate between 19 and 20kHz. Been wearing a stocking cap since the 90s. Weird habit that landed on both feet. An occasional OTC ear wash does wonders as well.
Dude, if you can still hear up to 18K you're extremely fortunate. Most people in my age range (40s) can't hear anything over 16K. And if you've played in bands or spent a lot of time blasting music like I have, you can't hear anything over 14K. It's one of those things you just have to be aware of while you're mixing. I still feel like my mixes have gotten pretty good, but I have to be sure not to make them super bright.
I'm 63 and have a natural LPF at about 8 kHz. Not sure about the dB/octave steepness though. 😉
I've unfortunately been born with tinnitus and have never tested how far up I can hear until a week ago when I had a headache in the studio and I felt like the tinnitus is getting worse. I paused and listened for a second and realized what I was hearing wasn't my tinnitus but an actual high-pitched noise. Turns out there's a resonant noise at 19531,8 Hz which appeared recently
when I had my electricity redone. I was extremely surprised I was able to hear that at all considering I'm 23. Now I have to get it fixed. After listening more carefully and some doing some experiments I realized my tinnitus was actually lower-pitched than what I heard and got a headache from.
I've watched so many of your videos in the last month while learning FL Studio and it is soooo not surprising to see you bring up a very empathetic position towards hearing loss. It's far too late for me 😅 (years of standing next to a 4x guitar cab and worse at concerts as a teenager) but I do what I can now. I wish I'd taken it more seriously when I was younger. There are probably a lot of aspiring young producers among your followers and I can't overstate how much I respect you for raising the subject, especially while you're getting more attention from your recent viral content. I was already subbed but I'm gonna check out your plugin. I feel like I owe you that much. Thank you for doing what you do ♥️
In the mix is my GOAT! You’re the reason my music sounds good!!
YESS!! Finally, someone with reach seriously addressing hearing protection! I'm in my 30s and last year I came very close to a tinnitus! I was in the club and it was too loud for too long. (I don't go often but when I go I go hard.) I thought it wouldn't matter but it left me with a faint noise in my ears I kept hearing for weeks! Luckily, it's either gone or so insanely faint these days that I'd probably have to be in a totally noise-isolated room and focus hard to identify it. Other than that, my hearing is perfectly fine. Bottom line is don't fucking mess with your ears. You only have to screw them one time too much... Btw, I ordered the earplugs from Eargasm to be protected next time I go clubbing and so far I dig them! I would love reviews on other earplugs that protect you well but still allow for a great experience in the club or at an event. Maybe something that could be considered on this channel in the future! :)
Thank you for sharing your story, others will hear it and learn from it! So true that it only takes 1 loud exposure to mess them up for a while or potentially permanently if you're unlucky. I'm glad you got through it and took the steps to have a better time at your next gig!
Your videos helped me learn a lot, especially the basics!
only a few minutes in, but WHAT a fantastically helpful and insightful video this is! Wow, so good to hear someone applying thought and reason to the subjects :)
The recording quality of your voice is outstanding. As expected from a man of the craft 👏
Given that I recorded and mixed this with a head cold/flu, I am very glad it turned out okay. My ears are toast today!
i love u not in a parasocial way, just your videos instill this sense of calm in me and your honesty is such a breath of fresh air in an industry rife with trite nonsense. my addition to this discussion is it is very helpful to speed or pitch shift a whole song up/down to highlight weak points or issues in pretty much any aspect of production. it feels like listening to it for the first time. any pitch or timing issues become obvious, same with any areas where too much or little is going on. i use it whenever something doesnt feel right but i cant tell quite what it is or how to fix it. also when i'm tired or bored of a song-it lets me hear all the melodies and changes for the first time again. it feels new and motivates me. also inspires new different ideas if i've run dry. i rarely see this mentioned
Just wanna say, I love how high effort your videos are! I’m a beginner and I’m going through your archive, all great stuff!
Thank you! I am always trying my best.
Very nice, thank you for also speaking about less prominent topics, especially hearing less even tho it is important for me and this industry as well I believe
There are too many videos about music production on youtube. I would say about 90% is not worth watching because its just clickbait or someone trying to convince the audience to buy something.
But watching your videos really help a lot when trying to learn about this topic. Thank you :)
Just watching and realized I really need all your advices, especially your dog’s hanging tongue. 😅 it made my day!
I agree with every word. I worked in big nightclubs for 15 years and ended up with incessant buzzing in my left ear. And now that I spend a significant part of time in the studio, I have to deal with the high frequencies in my music with one ear. It's horrible. Take care of your ears. Make the sound as quiet as you can hear it. And if at some point this level seems "not enough", then it's time to switch off the sound and rest. That's the only way, no other way. And of course, in noisy places it is better to use ear protection, whether it is a concert or home repairs.
bro you really have helped me a lot in the last few years, started doing my own production vids in FL, your great inspiration and when I need to know the workings of FL your the first person I go too!!
Loved this bro, keep the good work, wish you a lot of success
Top bloke, good on you shining light on the hearing loss issue. Highly professional, consistent high quality content, always. Thank you for your service to the industry 🙏
Thank you so much for all of your videos! You're one of the UA-camrs I trust the most when it comes to music cause you're always really genuine & explain things really well!! I've been watching your content for years now.
Love all the points made in the video! Glad you addressed the hearing loss issue. As a teenager I used to play super loud music with no ear plugs with my band in my parents shed, and I know it definitely did some damage to my hearing
Thanks mate! I think we all did some damage back in the day, at least we know better now!
He forgot the tip where you need 3 fruity soft clippers on EVERYTHING
I dropped the ball on that one...
You mean Soundgoodizers?
@@NNNNNNNNNN-nnnnnnnnnn multiple soundgoodizers are reserved for the master chain, obviously!
@@inthemixplus 100% wet reverb on the master ofc
@@inthemix😂😂
Love your channel and info but I argue most who need this information are also putting endless hours in and your voice is so soothing… the material so detailed… let’s just say I find myself nodding off more often than while driving in the rain at night with the heater on. Thanks 🙏
I appreciate the feedback. Maybe I could liven up the videos a touch more. Admittedly I was a little bit unwell when filming!
This is insanely good! I was searching for mix tips and I'm leaving with life advice. Thank you for trying to normalize hearing damage prevention!!
Hey Micheal. Absolutely amazing video. The first tip is something I noticed a lot when playing around with compression but I thought I was hearing things. Especially when you have already attained the right tonal balance
I just dealt with the compression realization last night so seeing you confirm this today makes me realize I'm not crazy LOL! Thanks man; you always have great videos.
The section regarding hearing loss was spot on. Thanks for sharing.
Since your last video about hearing loss and a really loud concert that made me question my hearing, I'm wearing ear plugs wherever it's loud: clubs, concerts, small cinemas (they seem to have the volume higher than the big cinemas for some reason),... And people actually find it cool. And if not, then I tell them that I need to protect my hearing because I make music, then they understand. And when we leave and everybody's ears ring except mine, it's the best feeling ever and you realize that you did something good for yourself.
All of this to say: Michael, you're so right about ear plugs! 100% recommend them
I've been watching your videos since you've had less then 100K subscriber and I was really young. I always loved music and your videos always inspired me to become an professional/best music editor. Unfortunately, due to financial instability I had to throw my dream felt like I was leaving myself. Till this day your videos brings happiness into my heart thinking people are getting these knowledge for free.❤️
Generally don't comment on stuff, but I just want to say thank you so much for making these kinds of tutorials, ones that are just very real, and made entirely with respect to quality. If I had known about your channel 10 years ago when I was really struggling hard with understanding everything music production related, I personally think I'd basically have a job in this and have made multiple albums and been an extremely skilled music production freelancer. I used to follow recording revolution a lot, but noticed that some of their advice did not always work for me and I never understood why and it would take a lot of experimentation to figure out. Thank you for making videos that go into concepts and the hows and whats properly, they have actually literally changed my life for the better. I am releasing a single on Bandcamp soon, the first ever original I'll be releasing after over a decade of playing music, and your videos are the foundation behind at least 30-50% of its production quality (the remaining percentage is just experience based from applying the knowledge of past advisors and learning from what worked and what didn't). Thank you.
09:28 My hearing has been tested and it's perfectly fine. I have, however, always found it difficult to understand people's words when there is background noise or if the room has a high amount of reverberation. Audio Processing Disorder exists, (which is to do with the brain's ability to process sound), and it is unrelated to hearing loss, (which is a result of damage to the hair cells inside the ear).
You are absolutely correct and I could have been more clear. I just listed a few possible signs in the hopes of helping. I know that I can struggle to hear individual voices if I am not paying close attention in loud spaces too.
Mixing has trained me to listen to everything at once for hours and hours that I forget I need to just focus on someone's voice in the real world lol
This really is the first video related to audio mixing that I’ve seen that addresses the hearing topic.
So important. I have hearing tests at my local HNO doctor‘s surgery ever couple of years. Turns out one ear has a slightly different graph to the other.
Great channel. Please keep it up!!! 👍👍
ah yes once again in my life i watch an "In The Mix" video. Very thankful for the effort you put in. For me and many others, you were a mentor back in the early days. been watching your videos and following your advice for half a decade now. thanks a lot. cheers
these kinds of videos are honestly super helpful when i was trying to figure out the slew of info i was running through when starting out and becoming better.
The biggest thing I could recommend on the hearing point is using references. Not just for comparing your mixes to other’s works but seeing what you can hear. Is there a song out there with more high frequencies and can you hear them? Also with the new AI Splitting tools you can see exactly where the important elements are set. Where does the bass peak? What does the Kick look like on an RTA. Where is its fundamental? Where’s the snare’s fundamental? How loud are the vocals and other elements. It has gotten me to where I want to be so much faster than trying to analyze the whole mix all at once.
Always my go to for knowledge! Thank you 🙏
Fantastic video! I learned some of these the hard way. After being a viewer for a few years just wanted to comment and say thanks for getting such useful information out to people who need it! ✌
I'll admit that I learned all of them the hard way! You're welcome, thanks for sticking with me over the years!
Mate, you're bang on with how moving away from the mic affects the volume. I recorded vocals on a track a few weeks back for a song where I am significantly louder in the chorus than the verse, so I took a slight step back (maybe 4-5 inches) from the mic. When I got home and sorted all of the tracks, I found that my chorus vocals were a lot lower than the verses. I was able to fix it with clip gain adjustment and, as you suggest here, fairly strong compression, but it's certainly something I will keep in mind for the future. I was worried about blowing out the mic, but I needn't have been concerned about that.
Thank you. What you have to watch out for is that when you move back, the recording also looses some bass and mids. Sometimes quite a lot to be honest! I'm glad you managed to fix it in post.
I am continually surprised by the dynamic range of modern, good quality preamps. The ones in my mix pre 6 (the interface I used to record this video) are almost impossible to clip. When set right they can record whispers without floor noise and shouts/yells without clipping. It's amazing really!
I have been watching your videos for years to get ideas about music production, and finally, I got FL Studio and Midi Controller last week. You are motivating and helping me so much on this journey, more than you can imagine. Especially after I tried to dive into details after purchase, I was frustrated because I saw so many courses, plugins, and videos that tried to make me believe I could not do anything without their tools. Still wrestling with FL studio and music theory through the process, thanks to my ADHD :D But I will handle it with you on YT. I wanted to share my thoughts and thank you for your efforts. I spent my last money on the black Friday discount for FL Studio and FLKey :D, but I promise I'll also purchase your plugin. You deserve more than this.
Really appreciate the discussion of hearing loss. I went deaf on one side due to an autoimmune disease about 5 years ago, and it also affects my right side in more minor ways. I really felt like Id lost everything, but seeing the way many people in this space who don't have hearing loss talk about those who do drives me mad. There's always this underlying assumption that it's your fault, and it would have led me to believe I really had lost everything. Not true! You absolutely can do this with hearing loss, it's just yes, an added set of challenges, and you have to get used to your situation and find appropriate workarounds.😊
Thank you for sharing your journey with us. It sounds like a horrible thing to experience but I am glad you have overcome it and found ways to continue mixing though it. I think our skills and attention to detail are more important than the theoretical maximum frequency we can hear and I think you prove that too! I am happy to keep talking about it, it's a topic that needs more light shed on it and it really shouldn't be taboo in our industry.
Best tip: hearing protection! At 60, I wear ear plugs at work (noisy place) and let everyone know about that. And why I wear them. Thank you so much!!
i just started working in a car workshop, and the impact wrench is so loud i got some hearing protection for myself.
at first everyone was like "huh, you have earplugs? haha" but i was like "i dont care, i dont want to suffer from ear damage"
thank you for you pov on this, very helpful.
I am so glad you grabbed some ear plugs. An Impact wrench indoors is no joke. That’s a lot of sound!
Thank you so much for all these advises, these are topics that almost nobody talks about, it's always great to learn something new from you! Keep it going and greetings from Colombia.
more open discussions like this, its awesome
I agree with all the points you made. When I make my own studio will make sure it's filled with some natural light.
Very useful tips and I loved the bit about hearing loss and how it‘s not a shame at all to talk about it and protect your hearing! 👂🏼
Great that you mention hearing, spent 30 years as an audio engineer, always looked after my ears, always used ear plugs for gigs, rarely use headphones in loud environments, rarely listen to music for long periods with ear buds, etc etc I have kept testing my ears over the years to keep an eye on hearing loss, now I have lost a bit of top end but no more than normal however I do have a mild tinnitus. Yet a lot of the music students I’ve met seem unaware of hearing loss, massive use of headphones & ear buds & monitoring in the studio at extreme levels, the chance of them have a sustainable career is slim as their hearing will be shot quite quickly.
nice advices here again...And yes, REVIVER is really a fantastic plugin ! Big THX !
About the hearing loss: I have tinnitus since I started making music with my band 20+ years ago. Yet I don't feel like it hinders me in hearing a lot of details in the music. Dave Grohl said something similar in a late night show, reporting of his ringing in the ears and still being able to mix and master music.
That being said if I could turn back time and tell myself to wear earplugs right from the start during rehearsals and loud metal concerts... I'd definitely do that.
Great video. I carry eargasm ear plugs with me everywhere on my keychain. I even mix live sound with them, after getting the rough mix set up. I’ve yet to have any complaints voiced. In case anyone fears hearing damage, just because you have hearing issues doesn’t mean your career is over. Like many other injuries or disabilities, you can adapt. I have bad tinnitus and still work every day on projects ranging from indie low budget to multi million dollar projects for mega corporations. You can even compensate for frequency loss if you pay attention. I start almost every day by doing a slow frequency sweep to see if I’m having trouble with any frequencies. I find that when I’m congested or sick I have noticeable reduction in hearing around 8.5kHz
Thankyou for the reminder to protect your hearing. I work in construction and love loud music it’s just who I am but sometimes I will forget how serious hearing loss is and how it REALLY does happen to people. And just imagining not being able to hear music anymore just breaks my soul so it’s such an important message to remind people.
Very good points about protecting your hearing. I know so many musicians and some engineers who neglected this and pay a bitter price later in life.
Love you speaking the truth!
The ear protection point is what I needed to hear(pun intended). My hearing is totally fine, but I want it to be perfect for the rest of my life, let alone career.
You’re lucky it’s perfect, definitely try your best to keep it that way.
Overhere almost everyone is using earplugs at concerts, when I was young nobody used them and I tell you that our concerts were way louder than 100 db. I still miss it sometimes because I like loud concerts. Be careful with your ears because they can only get worse and never get better. With Atmos coming out I think the loudness target for streaming will probably go to -18 Lufs, so basically all playback devices will be forced to a lower volume. Who knows when it might change. Great video and yes 25 db of compression on vocals can do wonders 😊
Thank you for mentioning hearing loss. I've had bad ears since childhood, still try to do music to the best of my abilities :)
You are amazing at explaining all of this. Very authentic and transparent! Thank you
Nothing to add but a smile and a nodd of approval :]
Someone by the name AZALI recommended your channel It has been a life-changer keep up the good work!!
Words of wisdom. Thank you.
Spotless advice as always thanks Michael 👍
I've been following you since the beginning of your journey, I can't believe it's been 10 years already.. You really are an amazing person with excellent and true content who is not ashamed to tell his truth, glad to know that I came to the same insights about music. Thanks for the knowledge you share it helps a lot.❤
A friend of mine also told me that overcompressed vocals were how to make it sound good and I always wondered why, thanks for making sense out of it!
What a genius, thanks for so much good information, greetings from Argentina
3:28
I once noticed that it is often worth dividing the signal (in Pro-Q this can be done very easily) either into left and right or into mid and side, even if the node settings are the same (or you can make them very slightly different to add differences between right/left or mid/side channel, and thus add width, affect the stereo image).
In other words, you need to consciously approach how exactly the equalizer processes the signal - both channels together or separately (or uses a different form of signal division - mid/side instead of left / right). And also to which mode is used - zero latency or linear (linear is better if mid-side separation is used). And this is what often helps to make the equalizer processing more natural, less destructive and noticeable.
Great Tutorial Mike !! Peace and good health!😎
I would absolutely love to hear you talk more about hearing protection. I’m 18 and have ever since I started making music been protective with my hearing. Nonetheless, there are plenty of times when I experience loud noises and don’t have earplugs available and I spend a long time afterwards worrying about whether it has affected my hearing negatively. Every time you mention something about the topic, it’s of great value for me and I’m sure for a lot of other people as well🙏
Thank you very much for your content and your clearance towards mixing, mastering and basics of producing.❤
Never regretted to have subbed since 2019
Amazing insights as always and please please continue...
For me: Education and practice is on the top. If I were to start all over, I would not evet consider looking after all those high end plugins / sample packs in the beginning.
1. Please do a podcast answer questions regarding mixing, music, etc.
2. Please share some tips and information for getting high quality vocal audio. Your audio is always so clear and Im curious what you have/do to make it sound so good.
Thank you
The hearing loss, is what I thought about a lot recently. I wonder how a 60+ year old mixing engineer can do a proper mix for a pop song aimed to kids or young adults. Of course there are frequency measures to refer to, but your own ears are the only true tools to decide when you're satisfied with the mix. I often think my mixes are too muffled, but my younger friends doesn't seem to mind. Maybe they pick up frequencies I no longer can. (I'm 64). It's a interesting topic that isn't discussed that much.
I think if a person retains enough up to around 8-10kHz they can probably mix something that will work for most people. I think having some other ears in the studio/label probably helps a tonne to make sure no high frequency noise gets past you. I always load up my masters into a spectrum analyser at the end and see if there is any junk noise from 18kHz-96kHz that I've missed...because I don't have my dogs ears!
The human brain (a very clever thing), based on the experience of being exposed to sounds since birth, are filling in the missing frequencies... Missing frequencies by age (not by damage) that is...This is the true sense of psycho acoustic ;-)
But if you damage your hearing in a young age, it will be very destructive compared to the natural way of aging and loosing frequencies from the top end and downwards.
Back in the early to mid-1990s I was wearing ear plugs to Rock and Metal concerts, and receiving some strange looks from those around me including my own friends; it felt like I was the only one wearing them. However I value my hearing plus I also noticed that wearing plugs helped with cleaning up the sound, and removing that high end distortion from P.A. system monitors being driven too loud and hard. The other benefit was being able to go home after the gig, and not have my hearing ringing and hissing away for days after. These days a few more people wear them but nowhere near enough. I've also been to gigs where the sound was IMHO perfect and no ear plugs required at all, and heard some people complaining it was not loud enough etc.
Your experience os very similar to mime. Some gigs sounds simply awful and sound better with plugs in. It’s insane that this is the state of live sound in 2024… other gigs sound perfect and no need for plugs!
@@inthemix imho i would wear plugs either way cause the levels at any gig most definitely extend 100dB or the recommended exposure! Even if it sounds good it could still be too loud!! Love your videos!!!
Not heavy at all, I think. I´m glad that you addressed this. To me it felt like a very sincere remark. Maybe beyond the scope of your video, but if you ask me, you were spot on about people projecting their own deep pain on others. And treating others accordingly. I also notice that a lot of people crave for the selfdestructive behaviour that some artists have, so they can avoid dealing with their own feelings of hurt and anger. To let the artist express their own conflicts, which can never truly relieve or solve anything of course. And how some artists feel as if they have to push themselves further and further into an abyss to get or remain popular. And some artists might take it out on others. There´s a lot of abuse and it´s a real problem, I feel. More and more I hear that being expressed in music, which then - to my ears - isn´t music anymore. Anyways, thanks for your video.
On point. Thank you!
Thank you, i learnt a lot watching your videos, and i cannot wait to release my first songs, so thank you very much💜
Great video! And I love your sweater.
Thanks Jordan!
The first is eye opening. First time hearing about it
It's a bit of an odd concept. I was completely against heavy compression for a couple of years and I don't know where I picked up that idea from. Honestly don't know how that got into my brain but I'm glad that I can see past it now and learn from the mistake.
@@inthemix And I have watched all your compression videos, and it would leave me a little confused when I watch others going for agressive compressor settings, i have seen someone going for 12:1 ratio, 0.1ms attack time and it sounded good
Great tips, can't wait to apply some of them. Great hair too, chur.
Having a decent dB meter to get some average A and C weighing readings when you're blasting your music is sometimes a useful indicator for when you're pumping the music too loud.
Some occasional blasting shouldn't be an issue, but it's often a habit of some people to keep on cranking the volume up and up without realising how much their perception of the mix will change with the increasing volume, as well as potential hearing damage.
Wearing earplugs is a great idea - I often use the passive Etymotic musician earplugs, Surefire ear pro or just plain old foam plugs when I'm out in town or travelling, because the noise levels of busses and other vehicles can be pretty intense.
I'm already working my ears for a certain number of hours per day; when I leave the studio, my ears need downtime.
Thank you! ❤
Can I ask you about those ear plugs? How do you rate the Etymotic plugs?
I was considering getting a pair of the Surefire pros for shooting but wasn't sure how discreet they would look for concerts and stuff!
@@inthemix My advice, unless you already have some, is getting custom made earplugs with interchangeable db-filters. Prices are a little steep, from ₤250 and upwards, but the fit is perfect, much less physical fatigue to your ears (cheap plugs can be painful), and you can get filters for different applications, including fully closed filters for shooting. Especially if you want them to be discreet, as they take up little to no space in your ear, and you can get them in transparent colors. Extremely worth it, and I use them everywhere - including bars and clubs with poor acoustics/loud music. The filters allow treble to come through, so it's easier to hear the person talking next to you. If you can, try and ask to keep the mold, in case you loose one of the plugs! Also think you can get some that fits certain types of earbuds, so you can use them as IEM's.
First tip is insane in itself
the goat. ive been laughed at a few times already for wearing ear plugs when it's too loud for me. I couldnt care less. Unfortunately already have mild Tinnitus on both ears, but thankfully wirhout any hearing loss! And I would love to keep it that way
Love this, thanks for posting ❤
Thank you Michael!
Great Great video! Need more like this. So much value and info!
Brother I use to ignore your videos because I thought you explain too much until i saw some one video that took my production 👌🔥 nw am the biggest fan
as a young aspiring cover artist your videos are seriously so useful in learning how to mix!
i know you probably won't see this, but is there any chance you could give some advice on how to help vocals sit in the mix when you aren't able to change the original instrumental (such as when making covers)? i feel like my voice is always drowned out by the instrumental no matter what i do :(
Thanks for the kind words. I try to reply to all of the comments, so no worries there.
My advice (which is probably what many experienced folks would say) is that it sounds like your vocals need some better compression settings or potentially just more compression in general.
Your voice is probably too quiet on average to sit in or on the mix but occasionally will peak above it. Using compression will even out the vocal but you must use a shorter attack time to allow it to recover between words.
Give that a go and see if it sounds better!
@@inthemix thank you so so much for the advice! i’ll definitely try to give it a go :D