Let Your Mix Be Heard

Mixing is very much a mental ascent. There are elements that require a very precise touch, backed by head knowledge and experience. However, there are areas that necessitate a more "blind" approach. This is what I want to cover today.

Now, when I deliver this there will be many who bulk at it and many who never actually put it into practice. Why? Because it seems so simple. DON'T be one of those who obtains loads of tips, tricks, and head knowledge but never experiments or applies. 

Ok, so enough preface. What's the hack?! Here it is...

Close your eyes.

Yep, I know revelatory, huh? But don't just brush this aside. How many times have you went to adjust something in your DAW and "heard" an audible difference only to realize that that knob you were tweaking wasn't moving at all! (Guilty!)

We are so visual. We want to see results. Yet, mixing is not based off of sight, it is sound we're after. Therefore by eliminating our body's natural inhibition to "see" results we are giving ear to what the craft is calling for, audible results.

 

Action Step:

If you have a Surface Controller this will be easier to do but if not it is still easily achieved by using your mouse or track pad. 

1) Pull up a track in your mix and solo it. 

2) Now, open up that "go to" EQ you love.

3) Remove any settings that may be on it. If you like how it sounds then write down those settings before clearing it out. If it has no settings then make some quick adjustments from your gut. Write them down and clear it out.

4) Pick a band and cut it by -3dbs with a moderate Q (1.5-3.0)

5) Now grab a knob on your Surface Controller or click and hold that same thing with your mouse and close your eyes.

6) Sweep around the frequency spectrum without opening your eyes. 7) Listen critically to the track and hear where that cut makes the most effective difference to get closer to the sound you're after.

Note: If you wrote down your settings from the previous adjustments, look at where your setting ended up and see if it matches your previous one. Which one sounds better? What did you discover!?

HSS Studio Tour

I recently watched an old video of mine. It was one that I made to show the gradual progress of turning my back porch into the Home Studio I work out of now. It was an eye opening experience! For one I was able to see that, although I don't have a top of the line Home Studio, I have made some improvements. (Particularly the white walls that now cover the once yellow walls... Yuck)

On a serious note, I could tell that my gear has not grown by leaps and bounds, yet my recordings and my mixes have improved dramatically! This just further solidifies my message that it's not all about gear when it comes to the Home Studio. Yes, I have upgraded a few things. Yes, I have added a few new pieces of gear. I am not against gear at all. But the difference was made when I learned how to use the gear I already had! Take a journey with me and watch the two videos below. The first is the genesis of the Studio, the meager beginning. The second is four years later after making a few improvements.                              (Watch these two videos below)

And... Four years later.

So, as you can see, when I say Home Studio Simplified... I mean it. The fact is that even with these limited resources, I am still making some great music! Let this be an encouragement to you! For one, that you have it better than you thought, and for two that you can do more than you ever thought with only a few key components. Have a blessed day!

Do My Cables Matter?

This question is often presented with the wrong end in sight. For the most part the conversation leads to high dollar cables that most of us Home Studio owners would have to save awhile to purchase.
Yes, the cables do matter! I heard a podcast the other day and within the first five minutes the guy said (rather rudely I might add) that your cables do not matter. At that point I tuned out and switched to another podcast.


Now the question is what are we really looking for in a cable? Are we looking for a pretty cable, or a cable that has a major brand name attached to it? As for me, I am Scottish by heritage, and the Scott's are noted for being very frugal with their money. Or in other words, I am a cheapskate! But I also know the importance of longevity and what value that adds long term. So, the answer I am giving, as I usually do, is to go middle of the road.


What are your needs? You need a cable that is shielded. You need a cable that is sturdy and will hold up to the usual wear. You need a cable that has a good snug fit and won't fall out in the middle of recording.


As for cable noise issues. Most brands, no matter how "good" they might be, will have cable noise at high levels of gain and that noise will increase with length. It is inescapable, but is not such a big deal that you're limited to only one or two brands. (Brands that cost a fortune I might add)
For the most part, the small amount of cable noise you record will not be heard unless everything "drops out" at a certain point in the song. On some songs this might even be conducive to the sound your looking for!

So in conclusion, yes your cables do matter. But, they don't have to empty out your bank account either. Shop wisely and keep it simple!