Previous Thread
Index
Next Thread
Print Thread
Go To
Page 1 of 2 1 2
Off-Topic
E
eddie1261
Unregistered
eddie1261
Unregistered
E
I just finished some edits on a song on my studio computer with the Wharfedale monitors. Levels were great. Balance, vocals present, backup tracks just right. I brought it downstairs and played the wav file on my Chromebook through a Bose bluetooth speaker and it sounded like crap. Tracks that were just right upstairs were WAY too far out front on that little speaker. It sounded okay in my downstairs office with a Logitech 3 speaker system. That was as an RB file, as a wav file, and even as a 320 sampled MP3. But in here, nope.

HOW do you guys mix this stuff down and master it so it will sound the same through everything I can play it back on?

I am hoping Rog's magic touch will smooth it all out because it's a REALLY good tune! Should have it for you within a week or so.

Off-Topic
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 27,603
Veteran
Online Happy
Veteran
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 27,603
Eddie, the Wharfdale speakers are likely Hi-Fi audio speakers, not the near field monitors you need to mix with.


BIAB 2026 Win Audiophile. Software: Fender Studio One 8, Swam horns, Acoustica-7, Notion 6, Song Master Pro, Win 11 Home. Hardware: Intel i9, 32 Gb; Fender Quantom HD8 & Faderport 8, Royer 121, Adam Sub8 & Neumann 120 monitors.
Off-Topic
Joined: Aug 2017
Posts: 547
Journeyman
Offline
Journeyman
Joined: Aug 2017
Posts: 547
Personally I use both head phones and stidio monitors to mix in my home studio. Then I will listen to it on a variety of different speakers and headphones to see how it sounds. My 2 main go tos though are mine and my wife's car sterios. I can usually take notes on what i hear there and adjust it in the studio so that it sounds better. For a serious project like the album I put out last month repeat those steps 3 or 4 times until you're satisfied. Good luck.


Samuel Davis Jr
BIAB 2018 + Cubase + Ignite
BMI

www.sammycountry.com
Off-Topic
E
eddie1261
Unregistered
eddie1261
Unregistered
E
Originally Posted By: Samuel Davis
Personally I use both head phones and studio monitors to mix in my home studio. Then I will listen to it on a variety of different speakers and headphones to see how it sounds.


I do all of that too Sam. My problem is that when it sounds good "here" but not "there", when I change it for "there" I am then also making changes for "here". I can get one or the other to sound right, but not both.

Off-Topic
E
eddie1261
Unregistered
eddie1261
Unregistered
E
No, Matt, they are definitely near fields. Got them from Sweetwater years ago.

Wharfedales

Off-Topic
Joined: May 2015
Posts: 887
I
Expert
Offline
Expert
I
Joined: May 2015
Posts: 887


Computer: Macbook Pro, 16 inch 2021
DAWs: Pro Tools, Logic, and Maschine
plays drums, percussion, bass, steel pan, keyboard,
music producer/engineer
Off-Topic
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 639
B
Journeyman
Offline
Journeyman
B
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 639
Eddie, I was like you going from the car to other devices trying to get my mix sounding good on everything. I mix with studio monitors, studio headphones and even IPhone ear buds to hear what it sounds like. But the one thing I found that has been working great for me is a iZotope Tonal Balance Control plug-in. It comes with Ozone 8 & Nuetron 2.
I have the advanced versions so I don't know if that is available as a single plug-in on not. There are tons of videos on youtube that show how this works. You might want to check it out.

Brian


BIAB 2026 Ultrapack- Fender Studio Pro 8, Windows 11, Mac Mini M4 with Logic Pro 11, Melodyne Studio, Luna Pro

Off-Topic
Joined: May 2015
Posts: 887
I
Expert
Offline
Expert
I
Joined: May 2015
Posts: 887


Computer: Macbook Pro, 16 inch 2021
DAWs: Pro Tools, Logic, and Maschine
plays drums, percussion, bass, steel pan, keyboard,
music producer/engineer
Off-Topic
Joined: Dec 2016
Posts: 1,173
Expert
Offline
Expert
Joined: Dec 2016
Posts: 1,173
I had a boss that told me I should seek a high level of excellence and give up on perfection. Often a level of excellence is perfection in the eyes (or ears) of others.

Just a thought


HP i7-4770 16GB 1TB SSD, Win 10 Home,
Focusrite 2i2 3rd Gen, Launchkey 61, Maton CW80, Telecaster, Ovation Elite TX, Yamaha Pacifica 612
BB 2022(912) RB 2022(2), CakeWalk, Reaper 6, Audacity, Melodyne 5 Editor, Izotope Music Production Suite 4.1
Off-Topic
Joined: Dec 2015
Posts: 1,114
Expert
Offline
Expert
Joined: Dec 2015
Posts: 1,114
Hi Eddie

When you say different speakers are the audio systems themselves different.
Say in EQ, loudness contours, tone settings bass and treble lift and cut, listening environment, etc.
Or are they all set flat, this will obviously effect what your hear.

Personally I try to make my recordings flat and not in favour of one particular sound system.
That way I or the listener can adjust to their liking at the playback stage to suit the equipment in use.
Mixing is a bit of a black art there is always a trade off, I well remember when each record label had its own EQ curve recorded in and some that were balanced to sound good on cheapo record players needed a lot of unpicking on a good Hi Fi .

Individual tone and level tweaking between the instruments in the song I guess is down to personal choice, and this again is where you may get in trouble at the playback stage if the playback gear has nasty peaks and poor speakers.

As I compromise I often make the final recording with a slight smiley face type EQ
Very similar to the old loudness control setting but not quite as boosted as some of them were. As well as turning the ends up a bit I may pull the mid down a couple of Db I find this helps to get rid of booming in some resonant speaker systems .
Basically I like to leave most of the final whole sound adjustment to the user and their personal sound preferences and for that It is best near to flat,
Just my rambling
Mike

Last edited by Mike Head; 12/31/17 04:48 AM.

BIAB2021 UltraPlus,AsusN55S1Tbssd, W10/64,Akai EIEpro
Yamaha CVP405,SquireStrat, CoolsoftVMidSynth
Novatation Impulse61 Ctr kbd, Cwalk blab Kontakt

http://mikesmusic.byethost16.com/
Off-Topic
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 27,603
Veteran
Online Happy
Veteran
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 27,603
That’s good about the Wharfdale monitors. The link went somewhere else though.

Can you identify what about your mixes is most problematic? For me, it’s always about the bass. Bass, and lower drums. Those are the first things to mix, and perhaps the hardest to get so they don’t boom and muddy a mix. When they are right, the rest falls together easily.

A good place for a mix discussion would be in the Recording forum here.


BIAB 2026 Win Audiophile. Software: Fender Studio One 8, Swam horns, Acoustica-7, Notion 6, Song Master Pro, Win 11 Home. Hardware: Intel i9, 32 Gb; Fender Quantom HD8 & Faderport 8, Royer 121, Adam Sub8 & Neumann 120 monitors.
Off-Topic
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 16,206
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 16,206
Well, whether or not I do it may be open to question but FWIW.

I mix (Logic Pro X) at a relatively low volume with small KRK’s. I have a host of Ozone tweaked presets but lately have favored Ozone 8’s master assist. Also and perhaps most importantly I use a reference song - something that is very close to or exactly what I’m aiming for. This gives me a product that to my ears sounds good on the monitors, the Yamaha sub/Polk Audio living room system and in my vehicle.

I don’t care what it sounds like on a mobile device unless, of course, the device is driving good speakers.

Bud

PS I have some very talented friends who are honest with opinions. I have no reticence to seek their opinion on a mix smile


Our albums and singles are on Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, YouTube Music, Pandora and more.
If interested search on Janice Merritt. Thanks!
Our Videos
Off-Topic
E
eddie1261
Unregistered
eddie1261
Unregistered
E
Originally Posted By: Matt Finley
That’s good about the Wharfdale monitors. The link went somewhere else though.


The link should have been a picture of my desk.

Quote:
Can you identify what about your mixes is most problematic?


Great example is the song I just wrote and am working with Rog on a master. When I listen to it on my music room computer in RB, it is fine. When I rendered it to a wav it still sounded good up there. When I came downstairs I also used Audition to make it an mp3. Now I expect the compression will take some luster off it, but what happened was that a backing horn section part is now suddenly WAY out front. So to experiment, I connected by bluetooth to my Bose speaker in the living room and played all 3, the SEQ, the wav, and the mp3. I never heard 3 more different outputs in my life. Now if I was a paying customer, I would be upset that the CD I just bought doesn't sound the same everywhere I play it. Someone else mentioned making it dead flat and then adjusting tone when I play it. No, that is absolutely unacceptable to me, because I don't want to have to boost treble for one song, then have to flatten the treble and boost bass for the next one. They should all be pretty much the same. Of course there are professional people who do that every day for a living so I don't have to, but man, we are fighting with this song to keep the tracks level with each other.

This song has been a battle because I have a sound in my head and I am trying to convey the sound using words. 5 different people may interpret words like "rich", "lush', "lavish", "tinny", "distant", "boxy", different. It's like trying to make someone who has never been able to see understand what red is using words. "Red. Like an apple." Well, he's never seen an apple....

Last edited by eddie1261; 12/31/17 09:22 AM.
Off-Topic
Joined: Dec 2015
Posts: 1,114
Expert
Offline
Expert
Joined: Dec 2015
Posts: 1,114
Hi Eddie.


I don’t see how you can expect a CD any other recording to sound the same on any bit of gear.
It will sound a lot different on a Boom box than a HI FI system or a transistor radio.

I suspect that the system that is giving you the up front sound for the horns has a nasty peek or resonance somewhere within the Frequency range of the Horns
Either in the amps EQ or the speaker’s frequency response.

If you care to send email me a copy of the recording I will analyze it for you to see if there are any unusual frequency peeks in the recording I doubt it if it sounds good on other systems.
Best regards
Mike


BIAB2021 UltraPlus,AsusN55S1Tbssd, W10/64,Akai EIEpro
Yamaha CVP405,SquireStrat, CoolsoftVMidSynth
Novatation Impulse61 Ctr kbd, Cwalk blab Kontakt

http://mikesmusic.byethost16.com/
Off-Topic
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 22,641
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 22,641
Originally Posted By: eddie1261

So to experiment, I connected by bluetooth to my Bose speaker in the living room and played all 3, the SEQ, the wav, and the mp3. I never heard 3 more different outputs in my life. Now if I was a paying customer, I would be upset that the CD I just bought doesn't sound the same everywhere I play it.


This section confused me.
Listening to 3 different formats on the same Bose system does not mean the CD won't transfer to different systems.
Above, you are comparing how it will sound on iTunes compared to a CD or the original seq file (on that given system).


I do not work here, but the benefits are still awesome
Make your sound your own!
Off-Topic
E
eddie1261
Unregistered
eddie1261
Unregistered
E
Originally Posted By: rharv
Listening to 3 different formats on the same Bose system does not mean the CD won't transfer to different systems.
Above, you are comparing how it will sound on iTunes compared to a CD or the original seq file (on that given system).


That was parenthetic. I just can't figure out why a horn or a string line is present and crisp at the perfect mixed level in the seq file, but not in the wav, and then BOOMING in the mp3. They are mixed the same, right? Why rendering to a wav and converting that wav to an MP3 should affect 2 selected tracks (out of 22) is beyond me. It's not THAT being of a deal. I am just being a nerd.

Off-Topic
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 21,121
Veteran
Online Content
Veteran
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 21,121
Originally Posted By: eddie1261
The link should have been a picture of my desk.

Eddie! The Lava lamp! That's got to be the problem. Where's the Lava lamp? grin


BIAB & RB2026 Win.(Audiophile), Windows 10 Pro & Windows 11, Cakewalk Bandlab, Izotope Prod.Bundle, Roland RD-1000, Synthogy Ivory, Session Keys Grand S & Electric R, Kontakt, Focusrite 18i20, KetronSD2, NS40M, Pioneer Active Monitors.
Off-Topic
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 27,603
Veteran
Online Happy
Veteran
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 27,603
I saw the picture, but seriously, there were about 20 Facebook-type junk articles under it.


BIAB 2026 Win Audiophile. Software: Fender Studio One 8, Swam horns, Acoustica-7, Notion 6, Song Master Pro, Win 11 Home. Hardware: Intel i9, 32 Gb; Fender Quantom HD8 & Faderport 8, Royer 121, Adam Sub8 & Neumann 120 monitors.
Off-Topic
E
eddie1261
Unregistered
eddie1261
Unregistered
E
Originally Posted By: VideoTrack
Eddie! The Lava lamp! That's got to be the problem. Where's the Lava lamp? grin


Not to mention the beaded door and tie-dye drapes!!

Off-Topic
E
eddie1261
Unregistered
eddie1261
Unregistered
E
Originally Posted By: Matt Finley
I saw the picture, but seriously, there were about 20 Facebook-type junk articles under it.


You mean all that stuff that was on my monitor at the time? Not following what "under it" means.

Previous Thread
Next Thread
Go To
Page 1 of 2 1 2

Link Copied to Clipboard
ChatPG

Ask sales and support questions about Band-in-a-Box using natural language.

ChatPG's knowledge base includes the full Band-in-a-Box User Manual and sales information from the website.

PG Music News
Last Chance! The Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac® Special Ends Today (May 31, 2026) at 11:59pm PDT!

Time really is running out! Save up to 50% on Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac® upgrades and receive a FREE Bonus PAK—only when you order by 11:59 PM PDT today!

We've added many major new features and new content in a redesigned Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac®!

Version 2026 introduces a modernized GUI redesign across the program, with updated toolbars, refreshed windows, smoother workflows, and a new Dark Mode option. There’s also a new side toolbar for quicker access to commonly used windows, and the new Multi-View feature lets you arrange multiple windows as layered panels without overlap, making it easier to customize your workspace.

Another exciting new addition is the amazing new AI-Notes feature, which can transcribe polyphonic audio into MIDI. View the results in notation or play them back as MIDI, and choose whether to transcribe an entire track or transcribe specific parts like drums, bass, guitars/piano, or vocals. There's over 100 new features in Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac®.

There's an amazing collection of new content too, including 202 RealTracks, new RealStyles, MIDI SuperTracks, Instrumental Studies, “Songs with Vocals” Artist Performance Sets, Playable RealTracks Set 5, two RealDrums Stems sets, and much more!

Upgrade your Band-in-a-Box for Mac® to save up to 50% on most Band-in-a-Box® 2026 upgrade packages!

Plus, when you order your Band-in-a-Box® 2026 Mac upgrade during our special, you'll receive a Free Bonus PAK of exciting new add-ons.

If you need any help deciding which package is the best option for you, just let us know. We are here to help!

Band-in-a-Box® 2026 Mac Special Offers Extended Until May 31st!

Good news- we've extended our Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac® special offers until May 31, 2026!

Band-in-a-Box® 2026 is packed with major new features, enhancements, and an incredible lineup of new content! The program now sports a sleek, modern GUI redesign across the entire interface, including updated toolbars, refreshed windows, smoother workflows, a new dark mode option, and more. The brand-new side toolbar provides quicker access to key windows, while the new Multi-View feature lets you arrange multiple windows as layered panels without overlap, creating a flexible, clutter-free workspace. We have an amazing new “AI-Notes” feature. This transcribes polyphonic audio into MIDI so you can view it in notation or play it back as MIDI. You can transcribe an entire track (all pitched instruments and drums) or focus on individual parts like drums, bass, guitars/piano, or vocals. There's an amazing collection of new content too, including 202 RealTracks, new RealStyles, MIDI SuperTracks, Instrumental Studies, “Songs with Vocals” Artist Performance Sets, Playable RealTracks Set 5, two RealDrums Stems sets, and much more!

There are over 100 new features in Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac®.

When you order purchase Band-in-a-Box® 2026 before 11:59 PM PDT on May 31st, you'll also receive a Free Bonus PAK packed with exciting new add-ons.

Check out the Band-in-a-Box® for Mac packages page to find the best package for you.

Holiday Weekend Hours

It's Victoria Day Long Weekend in Canada. Our Customer Service hours are:

Saturday, May 16: Closed
Sunday, May 17: Closed
Monday, May 18: 8:00am - 4:00pm

Regular hours
resume Tuesday, May 19th!

Today's the Last Day of the Band-in-a-Box 2026® for Mac Special!

Order before 11:59pm PDT today (May 15, 2026) to save up to 50% off your Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac® upgrade and receive a FREE Bonus PAK loaded with great new Add-ons to use with this new version!

Don't wait - order today!

Check out all the new features in the redesigned Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac®!

Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac - Special Offers End at 11:59pm PDT on Friday, May 15th, 2026!

Order before 11:59pm PDT on Friday, May 15th and SAVE up to 50% on most Band-in-a-Box® version 2026 for Mac Upgrade packages... and that's not all! With your version 2026 for Mac purchase, we'll include a Bonus PAK full of great new Add-ons FREE! Upgrade to the 2026 49-PAK to receive even more NEW Add-ons including 20 additional RealTracks... that's 222 NEW RealTracks available with version Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac!

Upgrade to Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac® today for as little as $49! Check out the Band-in-a-Box® packages page for all available purchase options.

Learn more about the Free Bonus PAK and 49-PAK here.

If you have any questions about which package is the best option for you, just let us know. We're here to help!

202 New RealTracks Released with Band-in-a-Box 2026!

With Band-in-a-Box® 2026, we've released 202 incredible new RealTracks (in sets 468-488) in a variety of genres—featuring your most requested styles!

Jazz, Funk & World (Sets 468-475):
Our new jazz, funk & blues RealTracks include a groovin’ collection of RealTracks and RealDrums! These include more requested “soul jazz” RealTracks featuring artists Neil Swainson (bass), Charles Treadway (organ), Brent Mason (guitar), and Wes Little (drums). There are new “smooth jazz” styles (4), which include a RealTracks first: muted trumpet, as well as slick new smooth jazz brushes options for drums. Blues lovers will be thrilled—there are more “classic acoustic blues” styles, including guitar (5), bass (4), and drums (10) with blues master Colin Linden, featuring understated and tasty background acoustic soloing, plus brushes drums and acoustic bass. There are also new electric blues RealTracks, including electric blues with PG favorite Johnny Hiland (3) and soulful electric slide guitar from Colin Linden (4). If you love funk & gospel, there are great new options this year, including gospel organ (3) from Charles Treadway, as well as new funk, tango, and rock ’n’ roll drums (3) and bass (1). And for big, bold arrangements, we have uptempo soul horns (4) featuring a three-part hip horn section with options for a full mix or stems of each individual horn — plus an accompanying rhythm section (4) of drums, bass, guitar, and electric piano!

Rock & Pop (Sets 476–482):
Our new rock & pop RealTracks bring a powerful mix of requested favorites, fresh genres, and modern chart-inspired styles! We have more of our popular “Producer Layered Acoustic Guitars (15)” featuring Band-in-a-Box favorite Brent Mason. We’ve continued our much-requested disco styles (10), and added new Celtic guitar (5) with a more basic, accessible approach than our previous Drop-D or DADGAD offerings. There are also highly requested yacht rock styles (17), inspired by the smooth, polished soft-rock sound of the late ’70s and early ’80s — laid-back grooves, silky electric pianos, warm textures, elegant harmonic movement, and pristine production aesthetics. Fans of heavier styles will love our new glam metal (13), capturing the flashy, high-energy sound of ’80s arena-ready guitar rock. We also have a set of rootsy modern-folk rock (18), with a warm, organic sound combining contemporary folk textures and driving acoustic strumming. And we’ve added lots of new modern pop styles (16) — the kinds of sounds you’re hearing on the radio today, featuring exciting new drums, synths, and cutting-edge RealTracks arrangements.

Country, & Americana (Sets 483–488):
Our new country & Americana RealTracks deliver a rich collection of acoustic, electric, and roots-inspired styles! We have new country pop (9) with legendary guitarist Brent Mason. There is also a potpourri (14) of bouzouki, guitars, banjo, and more, perfect for adding texture and character to contemporary acoustic arrangements. We’ve added funky country guitar (5) with PG favorite Brent Mason, along with classic pedal steel styles (5) featuring steel great Doug Jernigan. There are more country songwriter styles (8) that provide intimate, rootsy foundations for storytelling and modern Americana writing. Finally, we have “background soloing” acoustic guitar (12) with Brent Mason — simpler, but still very tasty acoustic lines designed to sit beautifully behind vocals or act as a subtle standalone solo part.

Check out all the 202 new RealTracks (in sets 468-488)!

And, if you are looking for more, the 2026 49-PAK (for $49) includes an impressive collection of 20 bonus RealTracks, featuring exciting and inspiring additions to add to your RealTracks library. You'll get new country-rhythm guitar styles from PG Music favorites Johnny Hiland and Brent Mason, along with modern-pop grooves that capture today’s radio-ready sound! There are also new indie-folk styles with guitar, bass, 6-string bass used as a high-chording instrument, acoustic guitar, and banjo. Plus, dedicated "cymbal fills" RealDrums provide an added layer that work very well with low-key folky styles with other percussion.

The 2026 49-PAK is loaded with other great new add-ons as well. Learn more about the 2026 49-PAK!

2026 Free Bonus PAK & 49-PAK for Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac®!

With your version 2026 for Mac Pro, MegaPAK, UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, Audiophile Edition or PlusPAK purchase, we'll include a Bonus PAK full of great new Add-ons for FREE! Or upgrade to the 2026 49-PAK for only $49 to receive even more NEW Add-ons including 20 additional RealTracks!

These PAKs are loaded with additional add-ons to supercharge your Band-in-a-Box®!

This Free Bonus PAK includes:

  • The 2026 RealCombos Booster PAK: -For Pro customers, this includes 27 new RealTracks and 23 new RealStyles. -For MegaPAK customers, this includes 25 new RealTracks and 23 new RealStyles. -For UltraPAK customers, this includes 12 new RealStyles.
  • MIDI Styles Set 92: Look Ma! More MIDI 15: Latin Jazz
  • MIDI SuperTracks Set 46: Piano & Organ
  • Instrumental Studies Set 24: Groovin' Blues Soloing
  • Artist Performance Set 19: Songs with Vocals 9
  • Playable RealTracks Set 5
  • RealDrums Stems Set 9: Cool Brushes
  • SynthMaster Sounds Set 1 (with audio demos)
  • iOS Android Band-in-a-Box® App
Looking for more great add-ons, then upgrade to the 2026 49-PAK for just $49 and you'll get:
  • 20 Bonus Unreleased RealTracks and RealDrums with 20 RealStyle.
  • FLAC Files (lossless audio files) for the 20 Bonus Unreleased RealTracks and RealDrums
  • MIDI Styles Set 93: Look Ma! More MIDI 16: SynthMaster
  • MIDI SuperTracks Set 47: More SynthMaster
  • Instrumental Studies 25 - Soul Jazz Guitar Soloing
  • Artist Performance Set 20: Songs with Vocals 10
  • RealDrums Stems Set 10: Groovin' Sticks
  • SynthMaster Sounds & Styles Set 2 (sounds & styles with audio demos)

Learn more about the Bonus PAK and 49-PAK for Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac®!

Forum Statistics
Forums57
Topics86,404
Posts804,448
Members40,113
Most Online64,515
Apr 8th, 2026
Newest Members
BillyK, Sam Leak, sgsdgsg, bill.mccall, SuperMario20
40,112 Registered Users
Top Posters(30 Days)
MarioD 114
rsdean 94
WaoBand 93
DC Ron 89
vicarn 76
dcuny 70
Today's Birthdays
Bill Shafer, edsullivan1
Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 7.7.5