Today, I want to pick your brains about using Reverbs and Delays. Most producers have a basic set of Reverb/Delay Sends and Returns in their DAW sessions: a standard reverb (mostly on a 3 sec plate or concert hall setting), a delay for throws (with feedback for repeating echoes), and maybe a small room simulation…
Mixing is 80% preparation and 20% inspiration… However, mix preparation is NOT mixing. Ideally, it is a process separate from the actual mixing. Many top engineers delegate this to their assistants, to be able to start the mix with fresh ears. It’s NOT a trivial task – those assistants working with the world’s best…
Once we have created a frame for our mix via solid mix preparation (which is a post for another time), it’s time to focus on the vocals – in many cases the most important instrument in the mix. The human voice is the most complex instrument we have to deal with, and you have to…
This is a look at the most popular classic types of EQs, from my best-selling book “YOUR MIX SUCKS”. The book is a Complete Mix Methodology for the entire process from DAW preparation to delivery. Before we dive into specific types of EQs, and where to use them, know that you will need to use…
A very common scenario for an audio engineer is to be working as part of a team or company. This could be a collective of songwriters and music producers, the audio group of a bigger company with multiple businesses (from game development to news podcasting), a studio producing audio for commercials, a good old classic…
This post is about cause and effect, and why things have to be done in the right order. I’m receiving a lot of e-mails from people who ask me to review and comment on their mixes, many even offer me money to do this as a service. The e-mails go something like „what’s the single…
Discussions around studio monitor speakers should be added to the unholy trinity of conversation topics (sex, politics, religion). Most people swear by the pair they use, and roll their eyes upon listening to anything else. Let’s just start by saying that you probably all have a „standard“ pair of nearfield studio monitors. Most likely some…
Have you ever listened to a great mix and wondered how the vocals were upfront and in your face, had tons of attitude and at the same time still sounded natural and relatable? Many times, the secret behind that was Parallel Processing aka Parallel Compression. The beauty of Parallel Processing lies in the simplicity of…
I put a HUGE DISCLAIMER at the beginning of this post: if you are planning to get nerdy over designing a PERFECT Mix Room, plus you’re ready to stop making music for a year, or have put 100 grand aside for that purpose, then this article is NOT FOR YOU! If you’re ready to go…
We all have a basic idea of what a compressor does and how to use it, right? I’ve googled „what does a compressor do?“ and the „top“-results are pretty much all similar but still all wrong. Something along these lines: „Compression controls the dynamics of a sound, it raises low volumes, and lowers high volumes“…
In „The magic of the first listen“, I spoke about the massive advantage a hired mix engineer has, compared to the situation of a producer mixing his own song. But of course, many of you are producers and songwriters or even artists who write, play, produce and mix your own music from start to finish.…
The environment in our jobs is tough, the music industry is on a Titanic-course. All the more, the most critical skill in our jobs is dealing with clients and their feedback. When you have paying clients, you obviously want to keep them. In addition to all the nerdy audio chapters, this is a major part…
