mixdown cheat sheet....for dummies 1

Note:I've compliled a very general list of Mixdown tips and tricks incase you are not sure what to do in a mixdown. Theses are tricks learned from a few books a little experience. Please consider this sheet to be nothing more then a general guide and not necesarily "THE ONLY WAY". Also some tips are personal preferences and may clash with other peoples view. Overall, I now (Not always in the past) use the less is more approach when it comes to applying FX.

Enjoy and please feel free to comment and add suggestions.

http://line6.com/community/thread/14302

Mixdown Cheat Sheet....for dummies- The key to good recording levels is to get as hot (high) a signal as possible. How hot? Between -4 to -6dBs

- Make sure your meter never goes past 0dBs and peak out at -4 to -6 dBs

VOCALS

COMPRESSION – Threshold: -8dB

- Ratio : between 1.5:1 and 2:1

- Attack:<1ms

- Release: about 40 ms

- Gain: adjust so that the output level matches the input level. You don’t need much

Want to bring the vocals way up front in the mix then try using the following. Puts the vocals IN YOUR FACE


- Ratio : between 4:1 and 6:1

- Attack:<1ms


- Gain: adjust so that the output level matches the input level.

EQ – add fullness add a few dBs at 150Hz

- rid of muddiness, cut a few at 200 to 250Hz

- add clarity, boost a little at 3kHz

- more presence, add at 5kHz

- add air or brighten, boost at 10 kHz

- rid of sibilance, cut a little between 7.5 to 10kHz

CHORUS – to fill out a track, set the rate at 2Hz and the depth about 20 to 30 and the predelay a 10 to 20 ms.

- augmenting one lead vocal track with 2 supporting tracks mixed 3dB to 6dB below the main track.

BACKGOUND VOCALS



- Attack:<1ms



EQ – cut a little low end(below 250Hz) and at the 2.5 to 3.5 kHz

- add clarity boost a little around 10 kHz

REVERB – a slapback echo fattens up the sound

CHORUS – to make them sound fuller

MAKING BVs BIGGER – add pitch shift 2 up and 2 down to the original take

Most common BG arrangement is double of the melody and one harmony a 3rd above. You can even double or triple track each individual take for a bigger sound

GUITARS

Bring it forward and give it some punch



- Attack:25ms to 30ms



EQ – cut a little below 100Hz to get rid of muddiness

- warmth, boost between 120 to 250Hz

- attack, boost 2.5 to 4 kHz

- bite, add 5kHz

- when adding stero chorus or flanging to fatten up the tone, pan the effected guitar and the dry guitar on opposite sides.

BASS


- Ratio : between 2.5:1 and 3:1

- Attack:between 40ms to 50ms



ACOUSTIC GUITAR



- Attack: around 150ms


- Gain: adjust so that the output level matches the input level

EQ – a little cut below 80 Hz and 800 to 1kHz

- warmer, boost 150 to 250 Hz

- attack, add 3 to 5 kHz

- brightness, add 7kHz.

KICK DRUMS



- Attack: between 40and 50ms

- Release: between 200 and 300ms


SNARE – tight and punchy sound



- Attack: between 5 to 10ms



TOMS





Gain: adjust so that the output level matches the input level

PERCUSSION




- Release: about 50ms

Gain: adjust so that the output level matches the input level

- Reversing a phase. Good for subliminal messages or reversing a drumbeat

REVERB

To keep vocals up front use a short reverb setting.

*Each time you adjust one variable, you’ll probably affect one of the other variables.

*There should always be one focal point that stand out to the listener at each point of the mix.

MIX APPROACH

- Focus on drums and bass 1st.

- Next lead vocals with the drums and bass

- Then start adding ingredients in order of imporatance.

- Add all the miscellaneous percussion and some sound effects after everything else is up.

- Determine what the most important thing is at each point in the song and highlight it in the mix.

*7 to 15 sec is a standard amount of time to fade out a song

*4 secs is the standard amount of time inbetween songs

*One way to make an instrument fall back or recede in the mix is to cut its high frequency content.

* A percussion part way off to the side with a slapback echo or reverb of the part in the same location on the other side. Offers a nice balance plus an enlarged sense of space in the recording.

*Vocal with no “dry” signal, consisting of reverb only. Perhaps slowly panned around a mix, it can create an ethereal, detached sound that seems to be coming from another dimension.

*An Octaver is great at beefing up sounds that might be too thin, like a but underneath a guitar solo.

PITCH SHIFTING

Want a party sound with people shouting a word or phrase, select a pitch shift 2 semitones up and two down on your track then blend the 5 tones together. Do this several times on differeing takes and you have a crowd.

mixdown cheat sheet....for dummies 1

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