My newest rule as a complete amateur is to listen at low volumes in headphones. Took me a long time to get on with that one. But it’s now so important to me.
To be honest, I try not to add anything... even automation... until the song is what I call 'end-to-end' as a basic balanced arrangement before I start thinking about 'colouring in'... if that makes sense? 🤔
I'm 61, with 40+ years of tracking, mixing and mastering, with the bulk of my training done in the 80s and. 90s with the Zomba Group at Battery Studios in London UK, though I was a tape op and assistant engineer for some years before that - and a gigging musician since probably 1977. Everything here jives with my personal experience exactly. The man is completely right. Thanks for sharing with the up and coming folks!
I have to say that number one was a revelation, not for its content but for the delivery. Great insight! I realized this principle from your description in the way I haven't before. Thanks!
I can't say thank you enough! I became disabled a few years ago and because of neck injuries I had to stop playing in bands and I thought my lifelong love affair with music was over. One day I discovered your channel and because of your positive encouraging teaching I decided to learn to record and mix. I am having the most fun I have ever had! I have learned so much from you and could never express in words the gratitude that I feel in my heart! God bless you Warren! You are a wonderful treasure!
I am not a beginner mixer, neither do I consider myself a world-class mixer but I must say this particular video should be pinned up on my billboard (and everybody else's as well) as a daily reminder of what to do when mixing a song. Thank you so much from Canada!
@@Producelikeapro credit where it’s due, you do great work here. Whether it’s a condensed list like this or a step-by-step show&tell tutorial, as well as the song breakdowns and interviews. Great variety for reference material, especially to those of us in the cheap seats 👍
you are appreciated. listening to opinions of mixes is the cheat plan to getting a more balanced final output. yet a mixer must not allow opinions and suggestions to discourage them from finding the sound that makes them smile and sleep at night. i have been very lucky to watch these educative lessons. my first and cornerstone rule about mixing is FOCUS on the project.
The best piece of advice in this video is the leave the room and let the mix breathe and get the bigger picture. It can really help get a handle on the low end. Sometimes getting some distance from the monitors will let the bottom end wavelengths do their thing and you will hear things you just can't get close up to the drivers. I love to get as far back from my monitors as I can quite often to check how I'm doing. I have been blessed to have spent as much time live as I have, it helps in finding the problems. High pass filters are your best friends!
Really glad you called out that “top-down mixing” idea. Having just about got away with doing it largely inadvertently on a project, I can tell you I’m never going there again.
Before I even stick one plug-in on a track. I get my entire vision for the mix lined up. This includes volume balancing, panning, bussing assignments, and eq. I also think ahead for any type of ear candy automation I can create. Once I get volume, panning, eq, and compression popping, I am 90% of the way there. The rest is just my vision or the artist's vision for their song.
You feel blessed? I feel blessed that you take the time to teach anyone listening such valuable lessons from your accomplished career in music production. Thank you Warren, this video was particularly helpful to me.
When you're 5 plugins deep and you ask yourself "did this improve anything?", be honest! It's sooo easy to bullshit yourself at that point, especially if you've just spent 15 minutes tweaking. The reality is if I spend that much time tweaking, it's quite obviously because what I'm doing is NOT WORKING. Like Warren was saying, soving a problem by creating a different problem is not the way.
Yep. It probably means a bad arrangement and/or bad performances. These days, it probably means, "I didn't bother to even think about it, I just started recording stuff and figured I could spend ten times longer editing it until it sounds ok." If it doesn't sound 90% of the way there as recorded after basically setting levels, then that should be addressed, IMO. Of course that's pretty much anathema to the modernists. And of course of course, the incredibly plastic, inhuman nature of modern music means that '90% of the way there' is already inhumanly perfected.
When you come here to learn something, then you realise that you already know 90% of it. Yess you’ve grown over these years. All the best to all producers out there!
I feel like I should pay you for all this free knowledge. Also, the title is very misleading. You said 5 Rules of Mixing yet, here you are giving loads of tips to better a mix. Love you for this, kind sir
This is one of the most important videos, if not the most important video about mixing I know. I only would like to add one small thing, that I have to tell myself nearly every time I am mixing. “Don’t be afraid to finish!” Yes, there is always room for improvement. Yes, some months ahead of it you might ask yourself “Why did I do it that way?”. But the danger of losing yourself in a mix and never finish it can not be underestimated.
I have been creating music in the box for about 7 years now and I am JUST starting to mix with my ear's and not my eyes. It's staggering. I literally hold my hand over my hands to not catch a peek at the master bus. I am just now getting into side chain compression/sidechain reverb and such. It is funny how the pendulum swings. First dozen projects are a mess of volume automation, NOW years later I barely do it at all. Its a loooong road for me but what keeps me sane is being older (52 years old) and remembering tascam 4 tracks and doing little dumb tape demos. I would be hard pressed to have the yarbles to listen to old mixes...every now and then I get brave and do so and it's humbling beyond belief. thank you for your channel! and CHEERS!
Pure gold advice here. I love that you said “everyone does this.” Half of the battle is remaining present enough to remind yourself to view the forest not the 🌳’s.
Personally, I save the “global stuff” for the mastering stage - in my own work - to give it its character there as it is now in an even greater context of a larger body of work. I may experiment with effect chains on a master bus, but I make sure to bypass it and incorporate that chain when doing my mastering or mastering prep. In my own stuff also, I like to employ contrasts whenever I can (and this is something Musician on a Mission has brought up). Just like you have contrasts in song sections, you can employ subtle contrasts within the mix. For instance, I would have advised for your student’s “sweet mix” to employ something of the opposite to something else. So yeah, the vocals can still sound “sweet”, but the instruments can sound a little “sour” or “dirty” or “gritty”. It doesn’t have to be a dramatic difference. After all, we don’t top our dishes with both soy sauce and mint at the same time. But just a little bit distinction to keep it from being completely homogenous. And yes, I know it can vary by genre, style and overall end goal. But even in the most minimal of music (whatever that means), a little contrast goes a long way =]
One “rule” I keep in mind is that once you have the rhythm section and the vocal sounding as great as possible, all the other tracks are seasoning to taste. As a guitarist, I love getting all the different amp tones on multiple tracks, but when it comes to the listener, they only hear if the guitar is too loud. Thin then out, pan them, whatever. Unless it’s metal, the electric (and acoustic) guitars are a texture. Who wants to bury a great vocal performance? And sometimes awful tones soloed work in the context of the mix. Fantastic overview on mixing!
I'm a complete novice to mixing. However the one thing I have learned is that less is usually more. Especially in terms of plugins like you said. It's amazing how much mileage you can get from just some basic filtering eq moves. I've lost count of the amount of hours wasted loading more and more plugins for it to just sound worse and worse. Only to eventually strip all the plugins out and go back to the static mix! I think as long as you are learning from your mistakes, then it's still a win in the greater scheme of things. It can be hard though, as there is just soooo much information/disinformation out there. Thank goodness for channels like yours! Thanks Warren, great content as always.
I just realized that after 10 yrs of mixing I can call myself a mixer. I got lots to learn but I think it safe to call myself a “mixer” now. Your videos are some of the best. I appreciate that you focus on the craft and not on the equipment. Content like yours has allowed myself and my band the ability to create some quality records. Our music has been played on some of the local radio stations and universities and we haven’t gone broke to get there. Thanks again for the great content 👍
Great Video Warren. A famous guitarist once told me to always play the mix and go and listen to it from the bathroom. I still do it. Also. Mix. Go to bed. Have another listen with fresh ears in the morning. The last thing you worked on is sometimes a bit too loud.
Watching from Northern Ireland. Thank you so much for the Channel and your invaluable teaching. I have learned so much from you and incorporating those learnings in my own work.
I’ve been playing for 50 years, and have been around studios a bit, but never made the leap to know all that much about this. This stuff is fascinating.
I've only been mixing for 2 years and top-down was one of the first techniques I came across on the internet. Never used it but just the other day while leveling a new song, planning a strategy, I briefly considered a top-down approach. My 2 years of experience kicked in and I thought to myself " What a dumb way to mix"
Your videos have helped me sooooo much. I haven't commented on so many of them because they're years old and it seemed weird commenting so late. But I just have to and hope you see this Warren. I can't count how many I've watched and not commented on. I'm just getting back into it after a few years break. This one is a HUGE eye opener as I've been doing things backwards according to this. One of your other videos you mentioned to comment on what helped in the video and then mentioned you might have to watch these videos twice, maybe even more until that one time it suddenly kicks in and you get it. That is EXACTLY what has been happening to me. I actually watched a couple not even realizing I already watched them until towards the end and the light bulb went off and I suddenly got some things I didn't the first time watching lol thanks so much for all you do 😍
We all learn from you and you learn as well, what a win:win haha I heard once that teaching is the best way to improve! I think the biggest lessons I learned from this channel was to make a static without any plugins, just using volume and panning and define a direction! Best - Advice - Ever! 🤘
This is an OUTSTANDING video. Not just because of the wisdom and insight, but also because of the tone and delivery - with humour, a smile and some humility. Just from an educational standpoint, as one whos is a highly qualified educator, this is top draw education. If you are serious about becoming a "Pro" at music production and mixing, learn from Warren. Put in to practice what he teaches and work hard. You will reap rewards to be proud of. Also I have to say, as a cricket playing Scotsman - I'm pretty sure Warren is among my favourite Englishmen, along with Ian Shepherd.
i agree totally ive been mixing since 1974 worked with peter hopper out of nyc he mixed barbra striestands tracks early in her career and yes we always started with a basic mix faders up and listen first to decide what the track is telling us before doing anything else This video is 1000 percent on the money
This is the best 'Numbered' video on the basics of mixing I've seen. I'll never be a professional mixer but having certain basic knowledge will help me make my own music sound acceptable, maybe even good enough to get my songs sold.
I quite like the sound of screaming violins hitting me in the face but point taken. I really paid attention a few years ago when you emphasised the importance of high passing your Low lows. Literally cleared up several issues with my mixes.
6:56 I completely agree that somebody needs to be able to work with these different styles and shouldn't pigeonhole themselves too early, at the same time, another justification for forcing ourselves to work across genres is that we might serendipitously discover some niche that we truly love and that were extraordinarily talented at, but which we didn't even know about until we worked across the self-imposed boundaries we set for ourselves previously.
The first thing I do is press mono. Then I quickly fade up channels to determine which ones are fundamental to the musical piece. If there is singing, that’s my starting point for further focus. I feature it prominently over a very rough mix of basic elements, whatever they may be, for the purpose of writing automation as needed to solve level problems. My favorite method is clip gain rather than fader moves because the visual element is so helpful, and the physical fader then assumes a de facto trim mode, sitting still. What I learn about the song by doing this hatches a vision for the finished product, in a more efficient way than anything else I’ve tried. I find this ‘one channel attention’ useful for bass as well. It also enormously reduces my dependence on compression later on these focused elements, and that has improved my work a lot. Only at this point do I go stereo and look for that vision that is by now haunting me after all the science work. I usually stay dry while doing EQ, and ignore drums detail as long as possible to concentrate on melody, harmony, song form. If there’s no vocal, this same process works for whatever melody or featured instrument. It’s harder to apply this to purely orchestral mixing but it definitely works for scoring. A side benefit of my method is that it chases ANYONE out of the room without offending them. I prefer being alone, artist-wise, for a long period of time, from a few hours to the whole day depending on how successful my learning phase is. I work as an arranger while mixing, and the artist is often uncomfortable with that. An assistant, on the other hand, is very inspiring to me as they don’t ‘have a dog in the fight’ and can give great advice and support. I don’t always have that luxury, but it makes a big difference for me when I do.
Gosh Warren... ! Wish I'd had words to say how important all these means to all of us.. ! So glad I'm able to honestly understand all your lovely, informative breakdown & indeed shredding down the myths around about top down mixing etc.. Once i did overuse Soothe 2 on a Nice & Warm Saxophone and had to remove it after fiddling for hours as the tones became too polite ! Though, Soothe 2 is the best plugin in the market of its kind ! Thanks billions for each of your caring words out to all mixers out there... ! You are such a Treasure ! 🏅🏅👍🥇
I alway mix in a way that the mix mimics a live setup, ie you are standing in front of the band and your ears are the microphones, speakers and mixing console. No one size fits all but is this the way engineers work. This was the most helpful video explanation. You mentioned everything mixing sin I’ve committed.
Im an amateur sound engineer, going professional. Your channel is absolutely amazing. You make the points no one else is making and its great to find myself already doing what you're suggesting and getting the constant reminder of the basics. In my opinion you're 90℅ of the time busy with the basics. Its that 10% of the time where i find myself working on the details. You are a great help in my (personal) edm mixes as well as my orchestral film score mixes!
Great video, and thanks for making it! The walking away thing, listening down the hall etc.? Best advice ever. It does make you focus on how the sound is mixing in AIR, feet from the console where it "blooms". Not right up in the nearfields, zooming in on singular instruments with tunnel vision. It also is almost like coming back the next day, and noticing something sticking out weirdly, or getting masked or lost. Perspective, like you said. I have one of my own, but I'm sure most (many?) people do this, but here it is. At the very end of my mix, I lower the level WAY down, turn off the monitor (screen), and turn out the lights, and listen to the TOP END. I've gotten to the point where I don't trust my OH, hi hat and ride levels without doing this before the mix leaves. It just seems like I am able to focus on the treble and "air" region better at low level. And not looking at the screen? I'm not distracted by all the visual stuff, and I love that. Some days, I hate computers man. Turning the monitor off reminds me that I am there doing AUDIO, and only audio. Not programming some digital nonsense, or playing a video game getting a "high score" by adding the 4th plugin to a track. Maybe one more plugin will make it 1% better!!!??! No. What the hell. Man I miss tape sometimes. Thanks again for another video that keeps me thinking, and learning. On the straight and narrow. Good stuff. Important stuff. Forest instead of trees stuff.
My mixes have improved so much in the last few years. Even while I have severe tinnitus (ringing in ears), and have lost some frequencies in my left ear which I compensate for (I get checked twice a year now), my mixes are way better. I am using less plugins, and more rack gear and 500 series, and summing tracks through an analog mixer. That has improved my mixes ten fold. I think it's best to use less than more, and as you said mix hearing everything together.
I love this video. I'm really just at the beginning of thinking about my mixes at a more creative level. So... Rule 6 - 'Be clever enough to know when to throw away the rule book when it just makes artistic sense.' Oh, and putting a plug in on the master bus is like... (refer to Rule 6.) Thank you! I'm going to refine my nifty knob twiddling skills and tune my sonic palette to the needs of the moment.
WOW! I am very happy to found your chanel by casuality. I am a beginner in mixing and a punk rock old guitarrist from 80´s that I want to produce some music in my home using Cakewalk, Presonus Studio 24c interfaz, my Gibson Les Paul guitar, a cheap mic for vocals and writhe my midi bass and drums. Not much, but I really feel that I am learning a lot in your videos and my dirty music is going to sound better and I very glad to you. Thanks and bless you
What you`re saying about balance makes totally sense for me, when i remind my very first homerecording. My first "Homestudio" was the most unprofessional equipment one could imagine, even at the time (1985). It was a Philips D8734 double sound machine (a so called boombox) with a special feature wich turned out to be very useful for my personal intentions. The micmixing section with two (left/right) 3,5mm input jacks and a gain knob next to them. I think Philips had the rappers in mind, when they produced this device. It also could have been used for Karaoke, but i used it as a recording device. I put any audiosource into the mic in jacks, mixed it with the recording on tape A, recorded this on tape B and so on, and so on...(unlike multitracking it was a constant overdubbing with a permantly encreasing noiselevel). The setting for the first song was very simple: drums, bass, vocals. The technical equipment was spartanic: 1 bassguitar, 1 ibanez tube screamer, 1 coron flanger, 1 NEXT analog delay and a headphone instead of a real microphone. When i listen to this old recording now, i think, the essential decision i intuitively made, was to record the distorted bass twice (left/right). Wich made it sound like a synthesizer and gave it a plasticity, that makes the whole recording sound interesting till today. All other parts are mono. Before i forget. The drumpart was a bassguitar with spongestopped strings, lying on the table, played by 2 pencils. Routed through a particularly activated flanger.
THIS was a GREAT VIDEO!!! Totally RIGHT-ON in my experience as a musician/sound engineer since '85. What I've ALWAYS experienced as problematic is the Kick & Bass relationships. THAT'S WHY I use EXTERNAL compression on the Bass (ART DIGITAL VACTROL TUBE PREAMP & ART ANALOG VACTROL TUBE COMPRESSOR). Having THAT under control B4 it ever gets 2 the Mixing Buss makes ALL the difference 4 achieving a CLEAN BOTTOM END! Once THAT'S taken care of FIRST I RARELY have a problem with Kick & Bass separation. If I DO have a problem, it's usually resolved with Low-Cut Roll-Offs; & WORST CASE SCENARIO: Side-Chain Compression of the Bass from the Kick'll USUALLY do The Trick!👽
Hey Warren, something you said here about compression made me think about it in a new way. You said: compression is about controlling dynamic range! Which is very true, it's very important part of making a final product that is balanced and also that plays well so that queter details can still be heard (voiced) on a variety of cheaper and wholely inadequate 'real world' playback situations. Not just FM radio, but also all those noisy environmental conditions and with inferior speakers too. However what made me think about compression in a different way now is because to take that approach to it's logical conclusion we might end up compressing the whole song, so that there is no longer any tension, suspension or release. Because everything is at the same volume, and the dynamic range is gone. So when i think about good popular songs that have a groove or a beat. It's really all about having that range of time 'windows' or the rythm where the dynamic range is still there, but not over 'too long' a time. Such as would otherwise be the case with the long quiet sections of a clasical or orchesteral composition. Which cannot be played back well without better equipment that is capable of a higher dynamic range. So I suppose the more nuanced revelation (for me) is that thing is to preserve is dynamic range over certain time scales. And to play with that in itself as a tool. For example an automation lanes for various parts or sections of a song. Inbetween sections, on bridges etc. And to keep a healthy range of treatment in the short term time scales, across only a bar or 2. Will help to keep a song sounding vibrant and 'alive' without crushing it or killing it with too much compression over everything ('washing it out'? i guess you might use different terms). So I think this gap in understanding is a kind of a rookie mistake, and helps to understand the skill or experience and what makes a good or better production or mixing. I suppose maybe there are also some dynamic eq multiband compression tools that can also help too. Or other techniques with sidechain etc. That can help here too. Which you guys (and Mar too) also features in other videos on your channel here. Hope that makes sense, it's probably completely obvious to other people. Or you use different words / terminology for this. But also it's very much a blurred line between the performance and the production / mixing as to how much input or thought / effort goes into getting this aspect right. Without the musicans ending up sounding all muddy or whatever. IDK. But anyhow thanks for the insights! Really appreciate these type of chat / discussion videos. They are really helpful
I heard you talking about all the mixing mistakes, made them all myself and then come back here and constantly nodded xD Thanks for the great content man, you are the man! 🤠
Thank you! Not many people really talk about building the mix. In our modern day of mixing, everyone turns to these wonderful plugins first and foremost and forget all about the foundation of mixing.
NICE ONE WARREN👏🏻 LONG OVERDUE❗️ I just had to part ways with someone who couldn't get any of this through his "look what they've done to my song (mix)" head 😤🤯 Thank you!❣️
All of this truly wonderful content, also done in an adorable soothing English accent no less, has truly made me appreciate all of those finished records I had so taken for granted before far more. This industry is apparently no 'piece of cake' at all when one realizes you're dealing with so, so many different variables AND the personalities of possibly technically ignorant "Artists" and even their producers AND Apple's publishing standards. Good luck with that.
Being a musician that has played in many contemporary styles as well as classical styles, I find that my musical experience really informs the way I mix. I think the knowledge of a genre and how it works is a critical component that informs the decisions one makes when mixing. Thank you for this encouraging video!
Bang on the money Warren! Workflow is probably the most underestimated tool in your arsenal. If you start right you'll probably finish right. First thing i do is get a balanced static mix with zero plugins except a limiter on the master buss only to protect the converters for any stray peaks initially but not to increase loudness, the rest becomes program dependent objectivity! 👍👍
So happy to hear you mention overuse of things like Soothe - I've heard some mixes lately where it sounds like literally every edge has been filed down with it, and it's some of the most perfectly and excruciatingly boring stuff I've heard. It makes late 70s yacht rock sound edgy by comparison.
Knowing when and where to use the proper tool for great results is what separates the great from the mediocre, whether in music or in life. Striving for perfection, although unattainable, to achieve excellence through creativity, integrity and perseverance is essential for success. Thanks and many blessings for sharing your talents and time, Warren!!!
@@Producelikeapro Marvellously welcome. Good telly is basically radio with pictures, so paying attention to sound i super important. Wombled up the Lewitt 440 on you recommendation & it's a perfect VO mic for the studio. We've also been doing lots of VO language dubbing recently so dull stuff like where to put what in the signal chain and what knob/button does what is very useful, especially how to 'fix' stuff.
Great suggestions once again 👍 My fav mixing rules/philosophy: Garbage in = garbage out; just redo the tracking if you can, avoid reliance on future fixing in the mix unless necessary to finesse the best available take. Serve the song. Boost-wide cut-narrow with caveats: High pass and low pass are exempt, also using subtractive EQ to achieve a net positive (ie rolling off lows to boost midrange & highs), and sweeping bands with peaky boost to find obnoxious spots. Finally, not a rule but it’s fun, and often beneficial to try the “Pultec trick” at least once 💪🔥🚀
I've been dabbling in home recording about 20 years but, now that I'm recently retired, am getting into it more seriously as a hobby and pastime. I'm learning a lot from your videos. One of the most important tips I've learned is to use low cut on all my tracks to take out low frequency energy that's not needed. I could never figure out why my mixes sounded so boomy and muddy until I started doing that. I've also learned that, where plugins are concerned, less can be more in the genres of music I do, mainly folk/blues kind of stuff. That's not to say that I don't use plugins but I do use them sparingly. I'm still learning, of course, and your videos have been of great benefit to me.
I didn't learn a new shining thing from this video, but dude; what a great summary this is... Really admire this approach! Keep up the good work, thanks for sharing!
This is the HARD truth everyone should hear. I've made all of these mistakes many times and will still do but maybe not so often. My biggest sin is not having a system. I mostly record myself so the tracking and mixing phases totally blend together and I end up with a messy project where I haven't done step one yet but already have tons of processing happening. Thanks for the reminder Warren, this video will absolutely land your best of collection!
What are some of YOUR rules for mixing? Let me know below!
I feel the most important mixing step would be organization! Setting up channels with labels, busing channels to groups, etc…
Balancing balanced balance! Cheers Warren!!
Reference!!! I need to know where im heading, having a end sound in sight is key for me!!!
My newest rule as a complete amateur is to listen at low volumes in headphones.
Took me a long time to get on with that one. But it’s now so important to me.
To be honest, I try not to add anything... even automation... until the song is what I call 'end-to-end' as a basic balanced arrangement before I start thinking about 'colouring in'... if that makes sense? 🤔
I'm 61, with 40+ years of tracking, mixing and mastering, with the bulk of my training done in the 80s and. 90s with the Zomba Group at Battery Studios in London UK, though I was a tape op and assistant engineer for some years before that - and a gigging musician since probably 1977. Everything here jives with my personal experience exactly. The man is completely right. Thanks for sharing with the up and coming folks!
Thanks ever so much for sharing!! I really appreciate it! Great to hear your journey
Low cuts, paraell compression, but I try to let the track breath.
“It made The Carpenters sound like death metal”. 😅
Great video Warren, thanks.
Haha yes, indeed Dan!
You might be on to something... would be really wild to do a metal mashup featuring The Carps.... hahahaha
@@danb1942 yes!! Do it Dan!
I have to say that number one was a revelation, not for its content but for the delivery. Great insight! I realized this principle from your description in the way I haven't before. Thanks!
I can't say thank you enough! I became disabled a few years ago and because of neck injuries I had to stop playing in bands and I thought my lifelong love affair with music was over. One day I discovered your channel and because of your positive encouraging teaching I decided to learn to record and mix. I am having the most fun I have ever had! I have learned so much from you and could never express in words the gratitude that I feel in my heart! God bless you Warren! You are a wonderful treasure!
Wishing you a quick recovery and the best of luck in all your Musical endeavours Micheal ! Warren's beyond a treasure indeed !!!👍👍
@@reziahamed6654 thank you and God bless you!
Wow! Thanks ever so much Michael for sharing your experience with us!
@@michaeltablet8577 wishing you the speediest of recoveries!
@@reziahamed6654 well said!
there is absolutely no way im getting this information for FREE. TONS of love from germany
Aw shucks! Thanks ever so much
When I find myself in times of (mixing) trouble, Father Warren comes to me, speaking words of wisdom, marvellouesly.
Hahaha thanks
Reminds me of my favourite Beatles song, Yesterday.
@@SK-od6et I'm pretty sure that was from Yellow Submarine. Yeah, definitely Yellow Submarine.
I am the Warren, goo goo g’joob
"Can I have everything louder than everything else." - R. Blackmore
Haha nice Tim!
I think it’s actually Ian Gillan that says that, but - yeah 😁
@@PANTECHNICONRecordings
Ritchie says it off mic, barely audible. and Gillan repeats it.
@@ardiris2715 a rare moment of Gillan and Blackmore agreeing about something!
Yes you can, it's called mastering in the 90s.
You have given so much of yourself. You should get a Grammy for services to musical humanity.
Songs in the key of Life - just sitting on the desk... love it
Such a masterpiece! Thanks ever so much
I am not a beginner mixer, neither do I consider myself a world-class mixer but I must say this particular video should be pinned up on my billboard (and everybody else's as well) as a daily reminder of what to do when mixing a song. Thank you so much from Canada!
Thanks ever so much Le Studio! I agree, I'm always reminded of some of the most basic things and that's ok!
I recommend this channel to anyone who is interested in audio, regardless of experience. Videos like this one are why PLAP & Warren get top billing
@@nocuh Wow! That's amazing!
@@Producelikeapro credit where it’s due, you do great work here. Whether it’s a condensed list like this or a step-by-step show&tell tutorial, as well as the song breakdowns and interviews. Great variety for reference material, especially to those of us in the cheap seats 👍
So true!
you are appreciated. listening to opinions of mixes is the cheat plan to getting a more balanced final output. yet a mixer must not allow opinions and suggestions to discourage them from finding the sound that makes them smile and sleep at night. i have been very lucky to watch these educative lessons. my first and cornerstone rule about mixing is FOCUS on the project.
The best piece of advice in this video is the leave the room and let the mix breathe and get the bigger picture. It can really help get a handle on the low end. Sometimes getting some distance from the monitors will let the bottom end wavelengths do their thing and you will hear things you just can't get close up to the drivers. I love to get as far back from my monitors as I can quite often to check how I'm doing. I have been blessed to have spent as much time live as I have, it helps in finding the problems. High pass filters are your best friends!
Really glad you called out that “top-down mixing” idea. Having just about got away with doing it largely inadvertently on a project, I can tell you I’m never going there again.
Before I even stick one plug-in on a track. I get my entire vision for the mix lined up. This includes volume balancing, panning, bussing assignments, and eq. I also think ahead for any type of ear candy automation I can create. Once I get volume, panning, eq, and compression popping, I am 90% of the way there. The rest is just my vision or the artist's vision for their song.
Swear everytime I see you upload, there's a huge smile on my face. So helpful man. Much love🤙🏾💖
Thanks ever so much Esa!
Same here
@@realtimestudiosgh3887 Thanks!!!
Yes! He’s so encouraging with that big smile! And to say he is so BLESSED by his viewers! Such humility.
Thanks Warren!!
@@TheMaddoxfam Thanks ever so much!
You feel blessed? I feel blessed that you take the time to teach anyone listening such valuable lessons from your accomplished career in music production. Thank you Warren, this video was particularly helpful to me.
You're very kind Murray! Thanks ever so much
You are bang on the money "by teaching others you learn yourself", thank you.
Thanks Warren for another great one. Rule ONE: DO NO HARM. If it sounds great, don't schnizzle it up.
Nicely put!
When you're 5 plugins deep and you ask yourself "did this improve anything?", be honest! It's sooo easy to bullshit yourself at that point, especially if you've just spent 15 minutes tweaking. The reality is if I spend that much time tweaking, it's quite obviously because what I'm doing is NOT WORKING.
Like Warren was saying, soving a problem by creating a different problem is not the way.
Yes! Absolutely Joe! We've ALL been there! Constantly leaning and evolving my friend!
Yep. It probably means a bad arrangement and/or bad performances. These days, it probably means, "I didn't bother to even think about it, I just started recording stuff and figured I could spend ten times longer editing it until it sounds ok."
If it doesn't sound 90% of the way there as recorded after basically setting levels, then that should be addressed, IMO. Of course that's pretty much anathema to the modernists. And of course of course, the incredibly plastic, inhuman nature of modern music means that '90% of the way there' is already inhumanly perfected.
When you come here to learn something, then you realise that you already know 90% of it. Yess you’ve grown over these years. All the best to all producers out there!
Thanks ever so much!
I feel like I should pay you for all this free knowledge. Also, the title is very misleading. You said 5 Rules of Mixing yet, here you are giving loads of tips to better a mix. Love you for this, kind sir
Thanks Warren! I'm soaking all this up while I heal.
Absolutely fantastic my friend! Feel better!!
I'm getting there slowly but surely 🙂
Your cheat sheets are so brilliant they're starting to act almost like an extra layer of acoustic treatment in my studio!
Thanks ever so much John!
It's all about using your ears, using your brain, paying attention to what's needed, when. I'm learning. I swear.
Agreed 100% Bobby! We are ALL always learning!
Amen to that!
So appreciate you, Warren :)
Thanks ever so much
This is one of the most important videos, if not the most important video about mixing I know.
I only would like to add one small thing, that I have to tell myself nearly every time I am mixing. “Don’t be afraid to finish!” Yes, there is always room for improvement. Yes, some months ahead of it you might ask yourself “Why did I do it that way?”. But the danger of losing yourself in a mix and never finish it can not be underestimated.
Congratulations on your award, Warren. :)
Thanks ever so much Rog!
thnk u for creating " produce like a pro"
I have been creating music in the box for about 7 years now and I am JUST starting to mix with my ear's and not my eyes. It's staggering. I literally hold my hand over my hands to not catch a peek at the master bus. I am just now getting into side chain compression/sidechain reverb and such. It is funny how the pendulum swings. First dozen projects are a mess of volume automation, NOW years later I barely do it at all. Its a loooong road for me but what keeps me sane is being older (52 years old) and remembering tascam 4 tracks and doing little dumb tape demos. I would be hard pressed to have the yarbles to listen to old mixes...every now and then I get brave and do so and it's humbling beyond belief. thank you for your channel! and CHEERS!
I'm watching this again for the 3rd time!! I would like it again if i could!! KOODOS!!
Wow! Thanks ever so much
The professor is in the associated house... Great wisdom on display here!
Thanks ever so much Jens!
Pure gold advice here. I love that you said “everyone does this.” Half of the battle is remaining present enough to remind yourself to view the forest not the 🌳’s.
Thanks ever so much Zack!
Personally, I save the “global stuff” for the mastering stage - in my own work - to give it its character there as it is now in an even greater context of a larger body of work. I may experiment with effect chains on a master bus, but I make sure to bypass it and incorporate that chain when doing my mastering or mastering prep.
In my own stuff also, I like to employ contrasts whenever I can (and this is something Musician on a Mission has brought up). Just like you have contrasts in song sections, you can employ subtle contrasts within the mix. For instance, I would have advised for your student’s “sweet mix” to employ something of the opposite to something else. So yeah, the vocals can still sound “sweet”, but the instruments can sound a little “sour” or “dirty” or “gritty”. It doesn’t have to be a dramatic difference. After all, we don’t top our dishes with both soy sauce and mint at the same time. But just a little bit distinction to keep it from being completely homogenous. And yes, I know it can vary by genre, style and overall end goal. But even in the most minimal of music (whatever that means), a little contrast goes a long way =]
One “rule” I keep in mind is that once you have the rhythm section and the vocal sounding as great as possible, all the other tracks are seasoning to taste. As a guitarist, I love getting all the different amp tones on multiple tracks, but when it comes to the listener, they only hear if the guitar is too loud. Thin then out, pan them, whatever. Unless it’s metal, the electric (and acoustic) guitars are a texture. Who wants to bury a great vocal performance? And sometimes awful tones soloed work in the context of the mix. Fantastic overview on mixing!
Warren, I'd like to say I consider you one of the best teachers I've ever had.
That’s exceptionally kind of you to say!
Great video, clear explanations for less experienced people. Thanks!
I'm a complete novice to mixing. However the one thing I have learned is that less is usually more. Especially in terms of plugins like you said. It's amazing how much mileage you can get from just some basic filtering eq moves. I've lost count of the amount of hours wasted loading more and more plugins for it to just sound worse and worse. Only to eventually strip all the plugins out and go back to the static mix! I think as long as you are learning from your mistakes, then it's still a win in the greater scheme of things. It can be hard though, as there is just soooo much information/disinformation out there. Thank goodness for channels like yours!
Thanks Warren, great content as always.
I just realized that after 10 yrs of mixing I can call myself a mixer. I got lots to learn but I think it safe to call myself a “mixer” now. Your videos are some of the best. I appreciate that you focus on the craft and not on the equipment. Content like yours has allowed myself and my band the ability to create some quality records. Our music has been played on some of the local radio stations and universities and we haven’t gone broke to get there.
Thanks again for the great content 👍
I see mixing like being a sculptor, calving space here and filling up space there to create an aural shape like a work of art.
Very well said
Great Video Warren. A famous guitarist once told me to always play the mix and go and listen to it from the bathroom. I still do it. Also. Mix. Go to bed. Have another listen with fresh ears in the morning. The last thing you worked on is sometimes a bit too loud.
Watching from Northern Ireland. Thank you so much for the Channel and your invaluable teaching. I have learned so much from you and incorporating those learnings in my own work.
I’ve been playing for 50 years, and have been around studios a bit, but never made the leap to know all that much about this. This stuff is fascinating.
Knew all of these, but you keep dropping these small theoretical tips that make these videos both for beginners and intermediates. Big ups.
Hi Traktor! Glad to hear it! I am constantly having to remind myself of the basics!
I've only been mixing for 2 years and top-down was one of the first techniques I came across on the internet. Never used it but just the other day while leveling a new song, planning a strategy, I briefly considered a top-down approach. My 2 years of experience kicked in and I thought to myself " What a dumb way to mix"
Brilliant - brilliant wisdom, my brother!
Thanks ever so much
Your videos have helped me sooooo much. I haven't commented on so many of them because they're years old and it seemed weird commenting so late. But I just have to and hope you see this Warren. I can't count how many I've watched and not commented on. I'm just getting back into it after a few years break. This one is a HUGE eye opener as I've been doing things backwards according to this. One of your other videos you mentioned to comment on what helped in the video and then mentioned you might have to watch these videos twice, maybe even more until that one time it suddenly kicks in and you get it. That is EXACTLY what has been happening to me. I actually watched a couple not even realizing I already watched them until towards the end and the light bulb went off and I suddenly got some things I didn't the first time watching lol thanks so much for all you do 😍
We all learn from you and you learn as well, what a win:win haha I heard once that teaching is the best way to improve!
I think the biggest lessons I learned from this channel was to make a static without any plugins, just using volume and panning and define a direction!
Best - Advice - Ever! 🤘
This is an OUTSTANDING video. Not just because of the wisdom and insight, but also because of the tone and delivery - with humour, a smile and some humility. Just from an educational standpoint, as one whos is a highly qualified educator, this is top draw education. If you are serious about becoming a "Pro" at music production and mixing, learn from Warren. Put in to practice what he teaches and work hard. You will reap rewards to be proud of.
Also I have to say, as a cricket playing Scotsman - I'm pretty sure Warren is among my favourite Englishmen, along with Ian Shepherd.
Thank God for this... my mixes today are too busy and uneventful. This will help
I’m glad to be able to help!!
Thank you Warren , Great lesson
Thanks ever so much
You have also been a great teacher for not just myself, but all of us where on the YT! Thanks
Mr. Lowery! Wow, thank you!
i agree totally ive been mixing since 1974 worked with peter hopper out of nyc he mixed barbra striestands tracks early in her career and yes we always started with a basic mix faders up and listen first to decide what the track is telling us before doing anything else This video is 1000 percent on the money
A wonderful rant! Absolutely spot on :)
Thanks ever so much Dave!
This is the best 'Numbered' video on the basics of mixing I've seen. I'll never be a professional mixer but having certain basic knowledge will help me make my own music sound acceptable, maybe even good enough to get my songs sold.
Wow! Thanks ever so much Doug!
Prong!
I Agee without everything here, just fantastic advice.
Thanks Warren.🤟
Is Warren for Real !
So much music wisdom !
What a teacher !
And an Amazing person !
Lots of Good wishes !
Wow, thank you! I really appreciate it!
Great timing vid to help fix my current mess, er, mix!
Haha I hear you Christopher!!
I quite like the sound of screaming violins hitting me in the face but point taken. I really paid attention a few years ago when you emphasised the importance of high passing your Low lows. Literally cleared up several issues with my mixes.
Haha who doesn't love a good screaming violin!
I can picture the metal band name stylized and jagged: STRADIVARIUS
@@Stadsjaap yes!! Haha
6:56 I completely agree that somebody needs to be able to work with these different styles and shouldn't pigeonhole themselves too early, at the same time, another justification for forcing ourselves to work across genres is that we might serendipitously discover some niche that we truly love and that were extraordinarily talented at, but which we didn't even know about until we worked across the self-imposed boundaries we set for ourselves previously.
The first thing I do is press mono. Then I quickly fade up channels to determine which ones are fundamental to the musical piece. If there is singing, that’s my starting point for further focus. I feature it prominently over a very rough mix of basic elements, whatever they may be, for the purpose of writing automation as needed to solve level problems. My favorite method is clip gain rather than fader moves because the visual element is so helpful, and the physical fader then assumes a de facto trim mode, sitting still. What I learn about the song by doing this hatches a vision for the finished product, in a more efficient way than anything else I’ve tried. I find this ‘one channel attention’ useful for bass as well. It also enormously reduces my dependence on compression later on these focused elements, and that has improved my work a lot.
Only at this point do I go stereo and look for that vision that is by now haunting me after all the science work. I usually stay dry while doing EQ, and ignore drums detail as long as possible to concentrate on melody, harmony, song form. If there’s no vocal, this same process works for whatever melody or featured instrument. It’s harder to apply this to purely orchestral mixing but it definitely works for scoring.
A side benefit of my method is that it chases ANYONE out of the room without offending them. I prefer being alone, artist-wise, for a long period of time, from a few hours to the whole day depending on how successful my learning phase is. I work as an arranger while mixing, and the artist is often uncomfortable with that. An assistant, on the other hand, is very inspiring to me as they don’t ‘have a dog in the fight’ and can give great advice and support. I don’t always have that luxury, but it makes a big difference for me when I do.
Thanks for all these amazing tutorials. I've learned soooo much. One luv!
Thanks ever so much
Gosh Warren... ! Wish I'd had words to say how important all these means to all of us.. ! So glad I'm able to honestly understand all your lovely, informative breakdown & indeed shredding down the myths around about top down mixing etc.. Once i did overuse Soothe 2 on a Nice & Warm Saxophone and had to remove it after fiddling for hours as the tones became too polite ! Though, Soothe 2 is the best plugin in the market of its kind ! Thanks billions for each of your caring words out to all mixers out there... ! You are such a Treasure ! 🏅🏅👍🥇
took these tips so seriously I now high pass my skype calls.
Hahahaha me TOO!!
I alway mix in a way that the mix mimics a live setup, ie you are standing in front of the band and your ears are the microphones, speakers and mixing console. No one size fits all but is this the way engineers work. This was the most helpful video explanation. You mentioned everything mixing sin I’ve committed.
Im an amateur sound engineer, going professional. Your channel is absolutely amazing. You make the points no one else is making and its great to find myself already doing what you're suggesting and getting the constant reminder of the basics. In my opinion you're 90℅ of the time busy with the basics. Its that 10% of the time where i find myself working on the details.
You are a great help in my (personal) edm mixes as well as my orchestral film score mixes!
Great video, and thanks for making it! The walking away thing, listening down the hall etc.? Best advice ever. It does make you focus on how the sound is mixing in AIR, feet from the console where it "blooms". Not right up in the nearfields, zooming in on singular instruments with tunnel vision. It also is almost like coming back the next day, and noticing something sticking out weirdly, or getting masked or lost. Perspective, like you said.
I have one of my own, but I'm sure most (many?) people do this, but here it is. At the very end of my mix, I lower the level WAY down, turn off the monitor (screen), and turn out the lights, and listen to the TOP END. I've gotten to the point where I don't trust my OH, hi hat and ride levels without doing this before the mix leaves. It just seems like I am able to focus on the treble and "air" region better at low level. And not looking at the screen? I'm not distracted by all the visual stuff, and I love that. Some days, I hate computers man. Turning the monitor off reminds me that I am there doing AUDIO, and only audio. Not programming some digital nonsense, or playing a video game getting a "high score" by adding the 4th plugin to a track. Maybe one more plugin will make it 1% better!!!??! No. What the hell. Man I miss tape sometimes. Thanks again for another video that keeps me thinking, and learning. On the straight and narrow. Good stuff. Important stuff. Forest instead of trees stuff.
Thanks for another coaching, Warren. 1, check; 2, hit; 3, confused. :D:D 4, check; 5, check.
My mixes have improved so much in the last few years. Even while I have severe tinnitus (ringing in ears), and have lost some frequencies in my left ear which I compensate for (I get checked twice a year now), my mixes are way better. I am using less plugins, and more rack gear and 500 series, and summing tracks through an analog mixer. That has improved my mixes ten fold. I think it's best to use less than more, and as you said mix hearing everything together.
Still learning from you every time I watch your videos and take seriously your advices ❤️🙏 thany you
You are so welcome!
I love this video. I'm really just at the beginning of thinking about my mixes at a more creative level. So... Rule 6 - 'Be clever enough to know when to throw away the rule book when it just makes artistic sense.' Oh, and putting a plug in on the master bus is like... (refer to Rule 6.) Thank you! I'm going to refine my nifty knob twiddling skills and tune my sonic palette to the needs of the moment.
WOW! I am very happy to found your chanel by casuality. I am a beginner in mixing and a punk rock old guitarrist from 80´s that I want to produce some music in my home using Cakewalk, Presonus Studio 24c interfaz, my Gibson Les Paul guitar, a cheap mic for vocals and writhe my midi bass and drums. Not much, but I really feel that I am learning a lot in your videos and my dirty music is going to sound better and I very glad to you. Thanks and bless you
Wow! Thanks ever so much! I’m glad to be able to help!!
What you`re saying about balance makes totally sense for me, when i remind my very first homerecording.
My first "Homestudio" was the most unprofessional equipment one could imagine, even at the time (1985).
It was a Philips D8734 double sound machine (a so called boombox) with a special feature wich turned out to be very useful for my personal intentions. The micmixing section with two (left/right) 3,5mm input jacks and a gain knob next to them. I think Philips had the rappers in mind, when they produced this device. It also could have been used for Karaoke, but i used it as a recording device. I put any audiosource into the mic in jacks, mixed it with the recording on tape A, recorded this on tape B and so on, and so on...(unlike multitracking it was a constant overdubbing with a permantly encreasing noiselevel).
The setting for the first song was very simple: drums, bass, vocals.
The technical equipment was spartanic: 1 bassguitar, 1 ibanez tube screamer, 1 coron flanger, 1 NEXT analog delay and a headphone instead of a real microphone.
When i listen to this old recording now, i think, the essential decision i intuitively made, was to record the distorted bass twice (left/right). Wich made it sound like a synthesizer and gave it a plasticity, that makes the whole recording sound interesting till today. All other parts are mono.
Before i forget. The drumpart was a bassguitar with spongestopped strings, lying on the table, played by 2 pencils. Routed through a particularly activated flanger.
I enjoyed to listen to you. Thanks for sharing refreshing the basics. Good vibes from Barcelona
Thanks ever so much
THIS was a GREAT VIDEO!!! Totally RIGHT-ON in my experience as a musician/sound engineer since '85. What I've ALWAYS experienced as problematic is the Kick & Bass relationships. THAT'S WHY I use EXTERNAL compression on the Bass (ART DIGITAL VACTROL TUBE PREAMP & ART ANALOG VACTROL TUBE COMPRESSOR). Having THAT under control B4 it ever gets 2 the Mixing Buss makes ALL the difference 4 achieving a CLEAN BOTTOM END! Once THAT'S taken care of FIRST I RARELY have a problem with Kick & Bass separation. If I DO have a problem, it's usually resolved with Low-Cut Roll-Offs; & WORST CASE SCENARIO: Side-Chain Compression of the Bass from the Kick'll USUALLY do The Trick!👽
ERIC !!!!! "Volume, Panning & EQ" is two things. See Oxford Comma. :)
Haha Errrrrriiiiicccccck!
Hey Warren, something you said here about compression made me think about it in a new way. You said: compression is about controlling dynamic range! Which is very true, it's very important part of making a final product that is balanced and also that plays well so that queter details can still be heard (voiced) on a variety of cheaper and wholely inadequate 'real world' playback situations. Not just FM radio, but also all those noisy environmental conditions and with inferior speakers too.
However what made me think about compression in a different way now is because to take that approach to it's logical conclusion we might end up compressing the whole song, so that there is no longer any tension, suspension or release. Because everything is at the same volume, and the dynamic range is gone. So when i think about good popular songs that have a groove or a beat. It's really all about having that range of time 'windows' or the rythm where the dynamic range is still there, but not over 'too long' a time. Such as would otherwise be the case with the long quiet sections of a clasical or orchesteral composition. Which cannot be played back well without better equipment that is capable of a higher dynamic range.
So I suppose the more nuanced revelation (for me) is that thing is to preserve is dynamic range over certain time scales. And to play with that in itself as a tool. For example an automation lanes for various parts or sections of a song. Inbetween sections, on bridges etc. And to keep a healthy range of treatment in the short term time scales, across only a bar or 2. Will help to keep a song sounding vibrant and 'alive' without crushing it or killing it with too much compression over everything ('washing it out'? i guess you might use different terms).
So I think this gap in understanding is a kind of a rookie mistake, and helps to understand the skill or experience and what makes a good or better production or mixing. I suppose maybe there are also some dynamic eq multiband compression tools that can also help too. Or other techniques with sidechain etc. That can help here too. Which you guys (and Mar too) also features in other videos on your channel here.
Hope that makes sense, it's probably completely obvious to other people. Or you use different words / terminology for this. But also it's very much a blurred line between the performance and the production / mixing as to how much input or thought / effort goes into getting this aspect right. Without the musicans ending up sounding all muddy or whatever. IDK. But anyhow thanks for the insights! Really appreciate these type of chat / discussion videos. They are really helpful
I heard you talking about all the mixing mistakes, made them all myself and then come back here and constantly nodded xD
Thanks for the great content man, you are the man! 🤠
Thank you! Not many people really talk about building the mix. In our modern day of mixing, everyone turns to these wonderful plugins first and foremost and forget all about the foundation of mixing.
I really need to hang a plaque on the studio wall with these rules on them. Thank you Warren.
I hear you Mark!!
You never stop learning, thank you dude for sharing your gold knowledge 😋
NICE ONE WARREN👏🏻 LONG OVERDUE❗️
I just had to part ways with someone who couldn't get any of this through his "look what they've done to my song (mix)" head 😤🤯
Thank you!❣️
All of this truly wonderful content, also done in an adorable soothing English accent no less, has truly made me appreciate all of those finished records I had so taken for granted before far more. This industry is apparently no 'piece of cake' at all when one realizes you're dealing with so, so many different variables AND the personalities of possibly technically ignorant "Artists" and even their producers AND Apple's publishing standards. Good luck with that.
Great times, thanks. Got them into my audio engineering text file of tips.
Thank you so much for your tips and expertise ! Many greetings from Germany!
Being a musician that has played in many contemporary styles as well as classical styles, I find that my musical experience really informs the way I mix. I think the knowledge of a genre and how it works is a critical component that informs the decisions one makes when mixing. Thank you for this encouraging video!
Bang on the money Warren! Workflow is probably the most underestimated tool in your arsenal. If you start right you'll probably finish right. First thing i do is get a balanced static mix with zero plugins except a limiter on the master buss only to protect the converters for any stray peaks initially but not to increase loudness, the rest becomes program dependent objectivity! 👍👍
The mixing Messiah strikes again! Thank you for the amazing content
Glad you enjoy it!
you are always top with your great advice Thank you so much Warren...
Thanks ever so much Ahmed! I really appreciate it!
So happy to hear you mention overuse of things like Soothe - I've heard some mixes lately where it sounds like literally every edge has been filed down with it, and it's some of the most perfectly and excruciatingly boring stuff I've heard. It makes late 70s yacht rock sound edgy by comparison.
Knowing when and where to use the proper tool for great results is what separates the great from the mediocre, whether in music or in life. Striving for perfection, although unattainable, to achieve excellence through creativity, integrity and perseverance is essential for success. Thanks and many blessings for sharing your talents and time, Warren!!!
Great. Your channel has been a mine of information for our editing & post production work for audio dubbing in film & TV. Really useful.
Wow! Thanks ever so much Andrew!!
@@Producelikeapro Marvellously welcome. Good telly is basically radio with pictures, so paying attention to sound i super important. Wombled up the Lewitt 440 on you recommendation & it's a perfect VO mic for the studio. We've also been doing lots of VO language dubbing recently so dull stuff like where to put what in the signal chain and what knob/button does what is very useful, especially how to 'fix' stuff.
Great suggestions once again 👍
My fav mixing rules/philosophy:
Garbage in = garbage out; just redo the tracking if you can, avoid reliance on future fixing in the mix unless necessary to finesse the best available take.
Serve the song.
Boost-wide cut-narrow with caveats: High pass and low pass are exempt, also using subtractive EQ to achieve a net positive (ie rolling off lows to boost midrange & highs), and sweeping bands with peaky boost to find obnoxious spots.
Finally, not a rule but it’s fun, and often beneficial to try the “Pultec trick” at least once 💪🔥🚀
Thanks ever so much! Great tips!
I've been dabbling in home recording about 20 years but, now that I'm recently retired, am getting into it more seriously as a hobby and pastime. I'm learning a lot from your videos. One of the most important tips I've learned is to use low cut on all my tracks to take out low frequency energy that's not needed. I could never figure out why my mixes sounded so boomy and muddy until I started doing that. I've also learned that, where plugins are concerned, less can be more in the genres of music I do, mainly folk/blues kind of stuff. That's not to say that I don't use plugins but I do use them sparingly. I'm still learning, of course, and your videos have been of great benefit to me.
Thanks ever so much Ivan for the great comment! Great to see you doing what you love and growing in your abilities. Wishing a great 2022
@@Producelikeapro Yes, let's hope that 2022 will be a good year for everyone.
I didn't learn a new shining thing from this video, but dude; what a great summary this is... Really admire this approach! Keep up the good work, thanks for sharing!
This is the HARD truth everyone should hear. I've made all of these mistakes many times and will still do but maybe not so often. My biggest sin is not having a system. I mostly record myself so the tracking and mixing phases totally blend together and I end up with a messy project where I haven't done step one yet but already have tons of processing happening. Thanks for the reminder Warren, this video will absolutely land your best of collection!
This is the fundamentals (as opposed to basics?) video one always needed. Awesome, thanks!
Excellent explanation as always
Thanks ever so much
20% of the work gives 80% of the results. Thanks for helping us get what belongs in the 20% phase.
Thanks ever so much Kevin! I Really appreciate it!
Great info. Very insightful. Thank you
Thanks ever so much Antonio!