Originally Posted By: Janice & Bud
Originally Posted By: Matt Finley
...
- when you mix tracks, it becomes harder to tell what's in the mix...


Hey Matt, interesting thread here but I'm not sure what you mean by the above. Do you mean the more tracks the more difficult it becomes to differentiate them? Or that a mix inherently makes it difficult to hear individual tracks? From my mixing perspective a good mix allows each track to have it's place on the soundstage. The exceptions for me are intentionally dense "wall of sound" mixes.

Bud


Yes... that can be correct. Generally, this is because of one thing. You have too many tracks in the mix. The more tracks you have the muddier the mix becomes. Add to that, many folks don't understand the proper use of high passing and have instruments intruding on each others sonic space. One mistake many recording enthusiasts make is that since they have dozens of tracks available in a DAW, they feel they must use them all.

WRONG!

Most of the pop songs and country songs on the radio have many dozens of tracks.... I even heard that some of the singers have over a hundred tracks just for vocals.... Obviously, you don't want to use them all.

The proper use of panning, and automation of the volume allows tracks to set in the mix in different sonic space, the use of EQ can separate two guitars from each other, and the use of volume automation allows instruments to come in when they are needed and go out when they are not.

By using EQ, panning, and volume control, it's possible to get the mix crystal clean so that every instrument in the mix is clearly heard, distinct from everything else.

Another part of this is NOT to use anything other than what is required. Less is More. A good vocal can carry a song with nothing other than a bass and drum, or perhaps simply a piano or acoustic guitar.

Black Velvet is a good example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tT4d1LQy4es listen to the B3 and the guitar. Notice they come in and go out, quite dramatically in places. The only things constant are the bass and drums.

Also, keep in mind the actual instrumental line up of the band you are using. I start thinking that I have a basic 5 piece band and maybe a side man or two. Bass, drums, 2 guitars & keys. (5 people) If I have dobro or fiddle or steel.... the rule is... only 5 can play at a time with some exceptions. At no time would I want 4 guitars playing. It's not the band I have and it muddies the mix.

Bud mentioned having a "wall of sound".... normally, or, from my perspective, a wall of guitars.... But this isn't generally achieved through the use of multiple (4 or more different) guitars.... it's the proper layering of one or two guitars at most. If you've ever been at a jam with 3 or more guitarists playing at the same time, that's confusion, not layering.

To learn how to mix properly, start with a bass & drum mix, then add ONE thing at a time. The object, is to make it sound good and NOT need to add anything else to that mix. Most folks start with a mix that has many tracks in it and try to make them all fit. The first thing I do is import 8 to 10 tracks that I think I want in the mix....and I mute them ALL except the bass and the drums and start adding just like I told you above. I stop adding when I have a good sounding mix regardless of how many tracks are unused.

Once you get past the idea that the 5 guitars and 3 pianos you have are indispensable to the mix, you will start to see clarity in your mixes.

Last edited by Guitarhacker; 10/13/16 02:48 AM.
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