Mixing Tips.

Start your journey here.

Audio production is very fun, but we all wish we had some solid mixing tips to help get us started. It can be hard to know what to do when there is so much information and so many factors to consider. We’ve been there, that’s why we have put together some tips and tricks in some core areas of audio production like Sources, Balance, Compression, EQ, and Workflow to help you out.

Quality Audio Sources.

Everything starts at the source.

Mic Selection & Placement are important decisions, and the solution will be different based on the instrument you are working with, and the type of sound you want to capture. Different microphones can provide unique frequency characteristics that can be better suited for specific instruments and circumstances. Some people would say “This is where the fun begins“, but it is a vast and expensive rabbit hole to dive into. If that seems like a daunting proposition, there is good news! There are some affordable go to mics that can handle almost every scenario for recording performances.

The Shure SM57, and SM58 are a couple of the best known and most reliable microphones on the market. Grab the SM57 when you want to capture electric guitars, bass, or snare. The SM58 is an incredibly reliable microphone you can go to for capturing powerful vocal performances. It is a microphone you often see used on stage.

When setting up microphones for an amplified instrument, bring a flashlight to see the speaker through the mesh if it isn’t visible. Place your mic roughly straight on to where the cone meets the center. Move the mic further away to capture more low end, or keep it close for a more focused sound. Feel free to experiment with subtle positioning to find unique characteristics in your sound. 

Everything starts at the source, that doesn’t just mean setting up a mic for recording. That means a collection of factors need to be checked and rechecked to insure you capture quality source audio recordings. These are the things you want to nail before you even think about the mix.

  • Use quality instruments and equipment you are confident in. Make sure they are set up to perform ( no intonation/buzzing on guitars etc.).
  • Set up your instruments with fresh hardware (strings, drum heads, etc.), tune, and retune after every take.
  • Never compromise on a captured performance, keep it tight and on time. If parts of a performance are too difficult to record, rewrite the part, or hire someone to play it for you.
  • Make sure your mic placement is in the best position to capture the performance, and make sure you are using a microphone suited for the job.

If you are lacking in quality equipment to record or perform with, consider renting equipment just for your recording sessions to bring out the best of your performance. 

Audio Balancing

Hearing everything in it’s place.

Once you have all of your quality source material, it’s time to throw it in the mix and see how everything fits together. Balance the volume of every instrument so that nothing is too overpowering, and nothing is too hard to hear. Add room and space to your mix by panning your instruments in the proper orientation.  

Panning your instruments in the right way can help provide a wider sounding mix, we suggest panning most instruments either full right, left, or center. As an example, 2 different rhythm guitar performances panned left and right, with the bass panned center. Other instruments like a drum kit, strings, etc. can be panned to provide a sense of room the mix. Panning on different parts of a drum kit, like cymbals, and toms during a fill can help draw a listeners attention and add excitement to your tracks.

Audio Compression.

Squash it down, bring it up.

Compression can be tricky at first, it can be used to push sounds back, bring them forward, and essentially shape it to give it more character. This is where a lot of energy is added to a mix.
-Under Construction-

EQ

Make some space with the right frequencies.

under construction.

Production Workflow.

Find a consistent flow that you can count on.

under construction.

under construction.