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Recording, Mixing, Performance and Production
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[quote]When I mix with headphones through VMRbox then compare my song through my HiFi, I'm constandly tweaking trying to find a happy medium. {/quote]

That is a clue.
You need to find a solution you trust and use that. If it's direct, fine.
If the monitors (once adjusted) and they work, that's fine too. But if you tell me you keep using the VRM and you keep having to redo it, I'm gonna suggest stop using the VRM.

You have decent equipment, and I think learning your monitors and trusting your ears is much better than twiddling with a VRM to change everything you have set up in your project.

Your mix may have EQ on track 'X', then you change the whole response with VRM, and have to go back and touch tracks again .. only to find if you tweak it a little more, you have to go bck again. I suggest not using a tool that keeps changing what you are hearing, and instead; learn you monitors and make the MIX sound like you want it to.


I do not work here, but the benefits are still awesome
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I actually prefer the sound in the headphones I have. It's brighter sounding.

Several of my tunes were mixed exclusively in the cans. There's nothing wrong with that as long as you understand how they will translate the music.

One of the downsides to cans is ear fatigue. You can easily have a louder volume level in the cans especially if you're not paying attention and that will fatigue the ears and after a time, you're not making the best choices.

I mix in cans only when I have to..... folks downstairs working or watching TV..... and a project needs to be finished for a deadline. I always like to check it the next morning after the house is empty on the monitors.


You can find my music at:
www.herbhartley.com
Add nothing that adds nothing to the music.
You can make excuses or you can make progress but not both.

The magic you are looking for is in the work you are avoiding.
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Paul,

What you have with the VRM is something that is trying to simulate what normally is the purview and luxury of a professional studio where they might have 3-5 sets of monitors, all in the same room.

I agree with rharv - pick one as your reference and mix using one combination.

What is nice about VRM is that you remove potentially misleading acoustics in your monitoring space (Like I believe you might have by your current placement - particularly the left hi-fi speaker), with a controlled acoustic simulation over headphones.

What is bad about VRM is that it can lead to a cycle of constant questioning because of the choices available. It's akin to having access to 30 different sampled grand pianos and trying to pick which one to use on each and every track where you use a grand piano track.

Many choices is not always a good thing and can in fact be counter-productive - which it sounds like what you are facing right now. By adding in another set of speakers, you will multiply your current choice count by two, where you already have many more simulated monitoring environments than most on this forum using the VRM with phones.

Going back to your sample track you posted a couple of weeks ago - you are already doing a great job in my opinion. You've made it past many of the faux pas that we home recordists run into and have to learn by practice. I think you might introduce some new issues with your purchase of the Rode K2 microphone and the room that you are in.

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Originally Posted By: rockstar_not
I think you might introduce some new issues with your purchase of the Rode K2 microphone and the room that you are in.



Hey rockstar_not

Thanks for your encouragement. Just to say that I've got the Rode K2 now and have been on a spending spree with getting a vocal filter and Pop filter. In for a penny in for a pound. Only got the vocal filter today and did one recording. Did an A-B comparison with/without and the filter really does bring life to your vocals by keeping sound reflections out of your mix. You have to hear it to believe it. My better voice quality now compared to my dynamic mic recordings although the TGX80 mic still has it's place in other ways.


Last edited by PaulH; 12/17/13 01:29 PM.
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