I use one but it is mainly for my buses and effects (delays, reverbs, and parallels). I have Plugin Alliance’s SSL E channel on all my buses to get that console vibe (which is very achievable with their tmt technology) that many times I’ll just have the audio run through and then use other eq/compression plugins. But other then that, my buses are mostly blank slates. I also have a modified version of Brauerization in the template. My template is mostly for the routing then any real mixing decisions
All of this is very logic. On your git amp you have your goto settings. You don't invent them everyday. So the same goes for mixing. You need a starting point. Life is short. Great show.
Same sort of thing with Cubase Pro - all the drum and bass tracks I have for the album I'm working on should be fairly uniform, so I save the settings to recall on other songs. It brings in all the plugins, EQ and rack settings - the only thing I need to do is some tweaking and getting the levels right.
Very interesting thoughts on templates. My template is still evolving. Import Session Data is one of my favorite things about Pro Tools. It's a game changer however I'm not sure if there is anything similar in other DAWs. Thanks for sharing Warren!!!
Tom yes i agree they are very interesting thoughts warren has on templates. Are you on FB or Instagram? I learn so much from musicians like you and could do with d.m. you.
@@tessabendelow5438 Yep, I'm on PLAP, Facebook but not Instagram - possibly sometime when I get some time to figure it out. lol.. Sent you message on PLAP.
I have setup my template in the last couple of months and have been perfecting it ever since. It's a massive part of my process. Dealing with a lot of repetitive "admin" tasks kills my creativity. And using a template allows me to focus on what's important and work faster. Presets are a big part of it.
Soooo helpful, I just setup templates few weeks ago and wasn't sure what to do & how to effectively use them - really valuable information Warren! Templates are simple time saver that save me from repetitive tasks and give me more focus on the main part: Actually Mixing the track :D
brilliant lecture and Eric G Rocks I used the studio one 3 base templates when called for when first learning Studio One but find my self opening up empty sessions now as Ive progressed but will move to my own templates when putting together my first album this video was very helpful thank you maestro
Warren, I am just on a reboot of my system and trying to do things properly, Great vid from Marc, Im in Reaper at the moment, lots of this stuff is transferable. I do a similar thing for live mixing, keeping the same channels for drums, bass, guitar, so much faster turning bands around when there are a few playing on the night. A real repository of information, Many thanks.
I like being organized this way. For example I always give a little effort in the early stages of mixing, to organize tracks, whether it's colors or mainly folders, grouping. But this is what I've never thought of, and it is pretty logical, kind of in your face! I've never before heard anyone talk about this but it's pretty straightforward and helpful. Massive thing for me. This week I started "manually" applying the same drum room reverb to the individual drum tracks on several songs I've been working on to get the more less same feel throughout the emerging album. I've been following the channel for some time, and for some reason, for the past few days I'm being overwhelmed by soaking in the content on this channel. I think if you stopped posting in this very moment there will still be an invaluable legacy of knowledge left because there are so many little things people can learn from these videos. So keep on!!! I've thanked you before and must thank you again for your holistic approach in all of this. It really starts from your personality, the way you encompass important things while keeping in mind that there are people with very different levels of knowledge. Very humble. Thank you to Warren, Eric and the production team (the animators on the new series). I would like to meet you one day, shake your hand and thank you in person! Greetings from Belgrade, Serbia!
I just used a session template for the first time for the Darrel Thorp / Robert John and the Wreck class. I got to learn how to do it in Harrison Mixbus 32C and Reaper. I normally have a template that only has busses and a few frequently used verbs and plugins.
Great advice, Warren! From a drummer's standpoint, if my drums are in exactly the same place with the same mics and positioning for different recordings, templates are a must.
This is a thing that I found really useful from when I had a good set up from 2003-2009, with an older computer that just had wonderful dual sound cards and great accessible controls I could use keyboard commands to get just right. I saved lots of settings with names that made sense to me, including settings for various websites to collaborate live with other people, with little to no latency. I loved that little program for saving all sound settings, within whichever application I was working with and on the computer system as a whole. I need to replace power supply on that machine again, it had the best sound, over subsequent computer systems.
I find working with templates to be a huge time saver! Even though it means putting time in on the front end to set up a good template, it's absolutely worthwhile in the end! My templates allow me to work at the speed of creativity so I can literally just cruise along while doing a mix instead of having to continually stop and set up something new. My workflow keeps rolling because I have everything I need in my template! And if it's not in my template, I make a note so I can add it to the template for next time. That way, the template, along with my process continues to evolve and improve!
Watched this this morning (12 hrs ago). Just got round to doing something with what you taught me. I had been trying to do everything with a complete template for various circumstances as a blank canvass. I had no idea I could import elements onto differnt tracks or new tracks in Pro Tools. This is a total game changer. Because I record the same instruments and vocalist regularly that are currently set up on a pretty permantent basis (heck, it is lockdown, don't we all?) I can now save myself loads of time! Loved the analogy with the IRL units and desk. Makes a lot of sense that guys and gals using outboard gear don't mess with it very often. Pretty much like the input gain on the interface input for my wife's bass guitar!
Hey Warren. Firstly thanks for the great ongoing content. It's really very much appreciated by me and many colleagues and friends working in the home studio community. I am a Cubase Pro 10.5 user and was inspired to change my workflow by some online videos on templates by Chris Selim. It really helped once I'd tweaked the templates to suit my own Album / EP / Single workflow and release needs. Keep up the marvellous work! Paul
For writing/producing I always have a template in FL Studio. With my favorite drums from Addictive, Bass channel, 3 guitar channels, vocal channel and some effect channels (delay, reverb etc...). This makes it easy for me to record ideas and try out sounds. When I start mixing this I start over and sometimes partially use the same template, at least with the Addictive Drums sending to the right channels... When I'm mixing the band I'll make a template based on the first song I mix, just like you said. The other songs have the same mics etc... because we record in the live room with everything set the same.... Of course I'll change things depending on the song.
For me it depends a lot on the usecase.. When making youtube videos where output frequency is important I create a mix and reuse it for 3 or 4 videos before I do a new mix - at which point I have also started to hear things in that mix that I want to improve. When doing recording that will actually be released as music I start from scrats but keep the songs for an EP or album in the same mix session since in metal you have pretty much the exact same instruments from song to song, the primary difference being tempo and feeling where slower songs can have more bass and reverb on certain elements which may not work on the faster songs.
I think you bring up something important. A lot of the great mixers use templates. Especially when it comes to outboard gear. Templates, in and of themselves, aren’t bad. It is, like you have been emphasizing for the past couple of weeks, the INTENTION behind the decisions that matter
When I had a mixing console, I used a template to setup the groups to always match my regular settings. Produced quick over and over, but it stopped me from innovate. Now I do everything in the box from scratch, it makes it easier to deal with the problems that shows up easier for me. But! I save the settings I like so that I can reuse
For me the effects world seems to be where I need to develop some better templates as I seem to fall trap on sitting there trying a million different ones instead of a couple of effects chains that I know work...
@Produce Like A Pro hi Warren , I see you’ve changed the lead on your Blue Lolas . I had the same problem with the original lead like you did. I’ve tried various new headphone leads , which haven’t been much cop. Can you tell me what lead you’re using and if it’s been any good. Thanks
@@Producelikeapro Thank you so much . I think I’m going to have to do that. The original lead was .... well, very disappointing. I don’t think mine are still under warranty, but I’m sure they will be able to point me in the right direction. Thanks again . You Rock !
@@Producelikeapro I will do Warren. I thought it was just me until I saw the video where you said you’d had the same problems with the lead . I’ll let you know how I get on . I’m gunna email them first thing .
Amazing stuff Warren! It's really important to keep track of your gain structure with templates - if you already set-up your compressor for certain amount of gain reduction, most of the time you need to clip gain some stuff up or down when importing. But it's not as hard as doing everything from scratch.
Warren how do you always give such great quality videos haha, love your channel, I've learned so much from you and have found my mixes to improve drastically because of your videos, thank you so much, you rock 🤘🤘
I have been looking to standardize on a few templates in Logic Pro X, however I realize that tracking (I mainly record live instruments) and mixing would be two separate concerns. Do you split out a template for tracking vs. mixing? Did you cover that in a video already? This YT channel is the oracle of recording, mixing and production. You're a national treasure!
This is brilliant! It would also be amazing to see it broken down in more detail seeing how to Template actually is built. In advance thank you if you decide to do that, and thank you for this vid! Bless
Awesome mate! It'd be really cool to see something on mixing not just muddy mixes, but recordings with issues such as highly audible background noise, small digital clipping or imbalances in vocal distances that causes not just changes in volume but also in EQ. These are things smaller mixers find when someone sends in their DIY project that's too late to change usually. Is it broken or are there techniques where they can be fixed to work with the song? Cheers my dude!
I have bus templates but rarely channel templates. When I’m working on a multi-song project, I tend to keep most of the busses the same and adjust the tracks in each song to meet the same expectations. The notes on each bus are really important, because I note how the bus is being hit gain-wise, how many db of compression should be happening, etc. so I can approximately recreate the gain staging on the tracks themselves quickly.
But, but, but I like to fiddle with the tracks 😜 I still haven't looked into templates because they confuse me but I'm wondering instead of having a whole shnizzle-ton of stuff inside one template if you could just make smaller templates for things like one for bass, one for guitar, etc. I'm gonna have to take a Reaper deep dive to figure it out. Thanks!
Anita, take a look at FX chains. If you like to drop a specific EQ and comp on the kick drum every time, you could create an FX chain and then quickly recall it in every new mix. I have a Focusrite channel strip setup with a basic setting stored as an FX chain, and then I can use SWS extensions to copy that FX chain to every other track.
@@matthewsweet5232 Ooooooo! Hadn't thought about that one. I do have one I made for vocal thickening that I use. I'll have to look into doing that more with other tracks. Thanks Matthew!
Warren is there a time where you had an argument with an artist over keeping demo elements in a final mix vs asking them to re-record the part? If so what criteria / rules helps you justify the re-recording
Mastering oftentimes include making a collection of songs sound coherent and like they come from the same artist. Save some time in the mastering by having templates for at least the basic tracks is not a bad idea! Great video! Thanks, Eric! :D
I have a question about mixing in the box. So someone sends in a multi-track demo, with plugins in it, and you're missing a few of them. How do you deal with that, creating a template? That would be very annoying? Or use your own, you have in your stack? UAD plugs should be a problem for me for one, because I don't own yet the hardware.
I just started to make an template and I think it pays off right on the next project 👍🏻 I record and mix mostly only metal so it should be pretty all around starting point. 32 tracks, 12 busses and four sub mixes with effects sends and stuff took me few hour to make from a scratch. Next I need to import session data for some tracks wich I was totally unaware of before watching this video 😀
Templates are a lifesaver! After some years of mixing you kind of develop your routine, workflow and even some go to plugins... Add to that all the bussing, aux tracks and eve simply naming all of the tracks and busses, and you can see just how much time can a template save. It takes much less time for me to just delete the channels and busses I don't use in a specific song, than it does to create, name, color code and route them. Combine that with some of your go to plugin chains saved as presets and you can save aloooot of time on these boring tasks. Recording templates are a also great thing, having all of the inputs routed, channels named and aux outs already set just makes the recording process that much easier and faster.
Of course. I use one template each for composing, for recording, for mixing, and for mastering. Why should I do something twice, when I know I'll have to do it again.
Seems like routing evrything makes it more structured and therefore more easy to mix and apply reverbs trough busses etc. All these trackstrough busses under you fingertips feels good :P
I use templates like I use presets - never. It is just easier to start from scratch. It is very quick to load things in and manipulate whatever needs doing. I think it is easy using templates to get in the habit of using the wrong thing because it is there already and it also means you start your session with clutter you then need to remove. I can use any of 5, or 6 EQ's, or compressors and I like to pick which suits. I often drive tape saturation and NLS at the start of my chain and get halfway there with that and other times I'll be straight in with a limiter and an EQ. Other times I might want to get straight in with a sub enhancer, or a pan modulator. Every time is different, loading up a template would be a working hell for me.
Thanks for exposing your process! What do you do when you’re mixing 10-12 songs albums? Start from scratch each time? Do you deliberately avoid repeating your self on each song? If the artist went for a particular sound in the studio and you nail it, how do you avoid using that again if it’s their intention? Thanks ever so much
@@Producelikeapro Hi Warren, thanks so much for the reply. It was a lovely surprise. I only ever work on electronic music, so it's always different each time for me. I am desperately waiting for another mix competition from you guys, as I missed the last one. It has been 15 years since I worked with any live recordings and back then I was my ears weren't trained. I am used to dealing with ancient samples and vinyl noise but nothing with phase issues, wild dynamics, rumble, bleed etc. Personally never cared much about bleed, it's part of the sound to me. I only very recently got happy with where I'm at mixing, so I am dying to have a bash at some live recorded audio files, rather than midi and samples. I studied Music Tech in Manchester for 3 years in the 00's and to be honest it was almost identical to what you teach on here, which is why I love this channel, I trust what you say. I always had that good foundation and now feel that my ears have had a lot of training. I always liken it to video games. You can know all the buttons on the controller but if you don't practice and have that muscle memory, you'll be obliterated in seconds. My main approach to mixing is speed. If my ears get tired my mix gets wrecked, I like to work as fast as I can. The sound I try to achieve is always the same. I don't like wishy washy. I like big thump, big snap, clean separation but a good lick of grit. I like very in your face mixes. I am very much of the opinion if you can't hear it then don't put it in. I definitely don't mix with subtlety. I am also a firm believer in some degree of loudness because we listen back in such hectic environments that quiet sounds get lost easily. The studio doesn't have the bin waggon driving past, or the neighbours hoovering, or washing machines and kettles. Just my opinion but as the war on loudness has stopped, it is more relevant than ever. I don't flat line but I like a big chunky wave form, like a fat prickly caterpillar.
Yes that’s the point. I don’t have many plugins in my template. Only my rev and delay are in and some // compressions. My 2 bus chain is also set. I don’t want to use always the same plugins, sometimes I will use ssl and sometimes something else.
I ordered a vintage Fender Pbass neck on eBay . 1972 mother of pearl inlay with block inlays on mahogany fret board . The USPS cracked it near the nut , bent the tuning pegs packed separately and dove them into the headstock scratching it everywhere and it took them 14 days to do it %#@@#&&$#%%@
I use Templates for Recording and since I'm Mixing along the way while I'm Recording it's essentially the same thing. A Mix however can go in so many directions, using Templates might not make much sense for me, unless it's something like a Jazz session where once you have dialed in the sound you would want the exact same tones and balances to be consistent from tune to tune.
The "starting point" comment is tge big winner for me. You always, ALWAYS have some sort of starting point, so why not have one that is more likely to be closer to your destination?
Pro Tools really needs to separate the main volume/pan setting from the automation in the session import dialog. Same with plugin settings and automation. There is really no practical reason why you'd want to import automation on a new track. A remix of the same track I can understand. Make sure you create an import data preset to save time.
Of course in many circumstances I would agree! It's really up to you! I do import it often so I know the volume differences between verses and choruses when mixing an album project, it's just a simple move, however if it's going to complicate things for you I understand completely! Everyone has different ways to work and the best thing is to find what works best for you!
@@Producelikeapro Good points sir. I just hate fishing for automation to delete that I don't need, especially with higher track counts. I'll stare at my session and ask, "why is that reverb fading in and out?"
In principle, whats not to like - boring stuff automated, but it requires you have consistency in the production and plenty of transferrable qualities. What I really don't like, is the idea that something has transcribed over wrong, either human error or else any kind of misinterpreted naming, you could easily assign a kick to the wrong channel and not notice. That is where I prefer to do this long hand, for peace of mind.
I'm not a fan of templates. I like to start from scratch every time. I feel using a template locks me into doing the same things the same way every time and sometimes the song doesn't demand that. I want to take a fresh approach to every song. That being said, I have never mixed an entire album, I didn't think people even made those anymore, lol.
Templates for the win! I downloaded Joe Gilder's template and adjusted it to taste. All my FX, busses, parallel comp channels, snare plate and snare gate ALL ready to go. Saves loads of time.
I record in Logic but I’ve never thought about taking tracks I’ve recorded and importing them into a template purely for mixing. I’ve just mixed a song directly from the recording session. It’s no doubt a hangover from the days of me recording onto Portastudios. It’s a great idea to delineate the two processes and create a template which would save time-consuming set ups on subsequent songs and perhaps give an EP or album more consistency across the songs.
Not what I thought.Ever consider make logic mixing templates for certain genres?basically load it using stock plugins and settings for each channel ect. especially one equipped for ez drummer multichannel section.Fully loaded templates for each DAW's would be amazing and I can concentrate on my music.Anybody do this?Million dollar idea I put out there!
Pros use templates. They have always used and keep using. There is no time to loose for them. Formely it was common to take a new synth, use its patches first than the others and move on to a newer one. Programmable drum samples are ordered specialy for projects. Everything that would save time and money matters.
Yes, much to Andy & Stewart’s chagrin. That was the 1st time Sting presented a song in that way & they were pissed off about it, but at least it was a hit!
Warren, thank you now i have a better understanding mixing templates. Please could Eric send me more info on this to my email? Also when are you going to do another live stream on youtube ? Thank you.
Do you use a template when mixing?
Never but i watch every PLAP Video
@@andreirlmeier haha thanks
I definitely should, but I never use.
@@CrushingAxes worth a try!
I use one but it is mainly for my buses and effects (delays, reverbs, and parallels). I have Plugin Alliance’s SSL E channel on all my buses to get that console vibe (which is very achievable with their tmt technology) that many times I’ll just have the audio run through and then use other eq/compression plugins. But other then that, my buses are mostly blank slates. I also have a modified version of Brauerization in the template. My template is mostly for the routing then any real mixing decisions
Perfect Idea for a video. You have helped me/my mixes so much the past six months or so. Thaaaank you!
Wow! Thanks ever so much! I’m glad to be able to help
Always!
Thanks ever so much Mike!
All of this is very logic. On your git amp you have your goto settings. You don't invent them everyday. So the same goes for mixing. You need a starting point. Life is short. Great show.
Thanks ever so much!!
After 31 years of learning and practice, I feel so sure about my mix but every time something new. Thanks a lot, dear friend
Thanks ever so much!!
It's a real time saver, and makes it all a lot easier and overviewable
Marvellous! Thanks Jade!
Same sort of thing with Cubase Pro - all the drum and bass tracks I have for the album I'm working on should be fairly uniform, so I save the settings to recall on other songs. It brings in all the plugins, EQ and rack settings - the only thing I need to do is some tweaking and getting the levels right.
Sounds like the CLA way to do things. Pretty sure I've heard him say, "If I need different settings on a rack unit, I just buy another one."
Very interesting thoughts on templates. My template is still evolving. Import Session Data is one of my favorite things about Pro Tools. It's a game changer however I'm not sure if there is anything similar in other DAWs. Thanks for sharing Warren!!!
Tom yes i agree they are very interesting thoughts warren has on templates. Are you on FB or Instagram? I learn so much from musicians like you and could do with d.m. you.
@@tessabendelow5438 Yep, I'm on PLAP, Facebook but not Instagram - possibly sometime when I get some time to figure it out. lol.. Sent you message on PLAP.
Tim I can't access okay at the moment , due to account details not being recognised . Sent you a friend request on fb
I agree with you, Warren. Templates are time saviors. Love watching your channel, it's really cool
Hi Warren, thank you for your advice, makes sense, have a great day, all the best.
Thanks ever so much
Thank you! this is exactly what i needed for an upcoming album mix.
You're very welcome Gareth!
I have setup my template in the last couple of months and have been perfecting it ever since. It's a massive part of my process. Dealing with a lot of repetitive "admin" tasks kills my creativity. And using a template allows me to focus on what's important and work faster. Presets are a big part of it.
Hi Luke! Thanks ever so much!
Soooo helpful, I just setup templates few weeks ago and wasn't sure what to do & how to effectively use them - really valuable information Warren! Templates are simple time saver that save me from repetitive tasks and give me more focus on the main part: Actually Mixing the track :D
brilliant lecture and Eric G Rocks I used the studio one 3 base templates when called for when first learning Studio One but find my self opening up empty sessions now as Ive progressed but will move to my own templates when putting together my first album this video was very helpful thank you maestro
Thanks ever so much! Yes, Eric Rocks!
Warren, I am just on a reboot of my system and trying to do things properly, Great vid from Marc, Im in Reaper at the moment, lots of this stuff is transferable. I do a similar thing for live mixing, keeping the same channels for drums, bass, guitar, so much faster turning bands around when there are a few playing on the night. A real repository of information, Many thanks.
Great tutorial, as usual! Thank you!
You are so welcome! Thanks ever so much
I like being organized this way. For example I always give a little effort in the early stages of mixing, to organize tracks, whether it's colors or mainly folders, grouping. But this is what I've never thought of, and it is pretty logical, kind of in your face! I've never before heard anyone talk about this but it's pretty straightforward and helpful. Massive thing for me. This week I started "manually" applying the same drum room reverb to the individual drum tracks on several songs I've been working on to get the more less same feel throughout the emerging album.
I've been following the channel for some time, and for some reason, for the past few days I'm being overwhelmed by soaking in the content on this channel. I think if you stopped posting in this very moment there will still be an invaluable legacy of knowledge left because there are so many little things people can learn from these videos. So keep on!!!
I've thanked you before and must thank you again for your holistic approach in all of this. It really starts from your personality, the way you encompass important things while keeping in mind that there are people with very different levels of knowledge.
Very humble. Thank you to Warren, Eric and the production team (the animators on the new series). I would like to meet you one day, shake your hand and thank you in person!
Greetings from Belgrade, Serbia!
Thanks ever so much for your wonderful comment! I appreciate you sharing your experiences! I’m so glad to be able to help!!
I just used a session template for the first time for the Darrel Thorp / Robert John and the Wreck class. I got to learn how to do it in Harrison Mixbus 32C and Reaper. I normally have a template that only has busses and a few frequently used verbs and plugins.
Marvellous! Thanks ever so much Matthew!
Perfect timing! I just spent a number of hours setting up a new PT template. There was some very helpful info in your video. Thanks for posting!!
Thanks ever so much my friend
Great advice, Warren! From a drummer's standpoint, if my drums are in exactly the same place with the same mics and positioning for different recordings, templates are a must.
Wow! Thanks ever so much for sharing your insight
This is a thing that I found really useful from when I had a good set up from 2003-2009, with an older computer that just had wonderful dual sound cards and great accessible controls I could use keyboard commands to get just right. I saved lots of settings with names that made sense to me, including settings for various websites to collaborate live with other people, with little to no latency. I loved that little program for saving all sound settings, within whichever application I was working with and on the computer system as a whole. I need to replace power supply on that machine again, it had the best sound, over subsequent computer systems.
Yes thats exactly what im starting to do, just feels so much more organized
Marvellous!
I find working with templates to be a huge time saver! Even though it means putting time in on the front end to set up a good template, it's absolutely worthwhile in the end! My templates allow me to work at the speed of creativity so I can literally just cruise along while doing a mix instead of having to continually stop and set up something new. My workflow keeps rolling because I have everything I need in my template! And if it's not in my template, I make a note so I can add it to the template for next time. That way, the template, along with my process continues to evolve and improve!
Brilliant podcast
Thanks ever so much A.D. Green!
Watched this this morning (12 hrs ago). Just got round to doing something with what you taught me. I had been trying to do everything with a complete template for various circumstances as a blank canvass. I had no idea I could import elements onto differnt tracks or new tracks in Pro Tools. This is a total game changer. Because I record the same instruments and vocalist regularly that are currently set up on a pretty permantent basis (heck, it is lockdown, don't we all?) I can now save myself loads of time!
Loved the analogy with the IRL units and desk. Makes a lot of sense that guys and gals using outboard gear don't mess with it very often. Pretty much like the input gain on the interface input for my wife's bass guitar!
Great video!
Thanks ever so much!
Hey Warren. Firstly thanks for the great ongoing content. It's really very much appreciated by me and many colleagues and friends working in the home studio community. I am a Cubase Pro 10.5 user and was inspired to change my workflow by some online videos on templates by Chris Selim. It really helped once I'd tweaked the templates to suit my own Album / EP / Single workflow and release needs. Keep up the marvellous work! Paul
For writing/producing I always have a template in FL Studio. With my favorite drums from Addictive, Bass channel, 3 guitar channels, vocal channel and some effect channels (delay, reverb etc...). This makes it easy for me to record ideas and try out sounds. When I start mixing this I start over and sometimes partially use the same template, at least with the Addictive Drums sending to the right channels...
When I'm mixing the band I'll make a template based on the first song I mix, just like you said. The other songs have the same mics etc... because we record in the live room with everything set the same.... Of course I'll change things depending on the song.
Thanks ever so much for sharing Martin! I really appreciate it!
For me it depends a lot on the usecase.. When making youtube videos where output frequency is important I create a mix and reuse it for 3 or 4 videos before I do a new mix - at which point I have also started to hear things in that mix that I want to improve. When doing recording that will actually be released as music I start from scrats but keep the songs for an EP or album in the same mix session since in metal you have pretty much the exact same instruments from song to song, the primary difference being tempo and feeling where slower songs can have more bass and reverb on certain elements which may not work on the faster songs.
I think you bring up something important. A lot of the great mixers use templates. Especially when it comes to outboard gear. Templates, in and of themselves, aren’t bad. It is, like you have been emphasizing for the past couple of weeks, the INTENTION behind the decisions that matter
Hi Jared! Great point! Thanks ever so much
When I had a mixing console, I used a template to setup the groups to always match my regular settings. Produced quick over and over, but it stopped me from innovate. Now I do everything in the box from scratch, it makes it easier to deal with the problems that shows up easier for me. But! I save the settings I like so that I can reuse
Really awesome video Warren! I created my own mixing template and now using it a lot it saves time a lot :)
Thanks ever so much for sharing my friend
Thanks, Warren. I think Logic has similar template & setting-saving capabilities I’ll be diving into.
Thanks ever so much Pete for sharing!
For me the effects world seems to be where I need to develop some better templates as I seem to fall trap on sitting there trying a million different ones instead of a couple of effects chains that I know work...
Thanks ever so much for sharing Jonathan!
@Produce Like A Pro hi Warren , I see you’ve changed the lead on your Blue Lolas . I had the same problem with the original lead like you did. I’ve tried various new headphone leads , which haven’t been much cop. Can you tell me what lead you’re using and if it’s been any good. Thanks
Hi there, these are a new pair and this is the cable it came with. Sorry if that doesn't help? Maybe try contacting them if there is an alternative?
@@Producelikeapro Thank you so much . I think I’m going to have to do that. The original lead was .... well, very disappointing. I don’t think mine are still under warranty, but I’m sure they will be able to point me in the right direction. Thanks again . You Rock !
@@valium-fm7236 ok, they have been really good with us. Let me know how you get on!
@@Producelikeapro I will do Warren. I thought it was just me until I saw the video where you said you’d had the same problems with the lead . I’ll let you know how I get on . I’m gunna email them first thing .
@@valium-fm7236 ah, you mean how it keeps coming out easily? Haha yes!! It's not as bad as it was!
Amazing stuff Warren! It's really important to keep track of your gain structure with templates - if you already set-up your compressor for certain amount of gain reduction, most of the time you need to clip gain some stuff up or down when importing. But it's not as hard as doing everything from scratch.
Learned a lot from your videoes🔥🔥🔥🔥❤️
Thanks ever so much!
A time saver and also a ear and creative lifeboat
Marvellous Ivan!
Warren how do you always give such great quality videos haha, love your channel, I've learned so much from you and have found my mixes to improve drastically because of your videos, thank you so much, you rock 🤘🤘
Thanks ever so much!! I’m glad to be able to help
I have been looking to standardize on a few templates in Logic Pro X, however I realize that tracking (I mainly record live instruments) and mixing would be two separate concerns. Do you split out a template for tracking vs. mixing? Did you cover that in a video already? This YT channel is the oracle of recording, mixing and production. You're a national treasure!
This is brilliant! It would also be amazing to see it broken down in more detail seeing how to Template actually is built. In advance thank you if you decide to do that, and thank you for this vid! Bless
Awesome mate! It'd be really cool to see something on mixing not just muddy mixes, but recordings with issues such as highly audible background noise, small digital clipping or imbalances in vocal distances that causes not just changes in volume but also in EQ. These are things smaller mixers find when someone sends in their DIY project that's too late to change usually. Is it broken or are there techniques where they can be fixed to work with the song? Cheers my dude!
Marvellous idea David!!
I have bus templates but rarely channel templates. When I’m working on a multi-song project, I tend to keep most of the busses the same and adjust the tracks in each song to meet the same expectations. The notes on each bus are really important, because I note how the bus is being hit gain-wise, how many db of compression should be happening, etc. so I can approximately recreate the gain staging on the tracks themselves quickly.
But, but, but I like to fiddle with the tracks 😜 I still haven't looked into templates because they confuse me but I'm wondering instead of having a whole shnizzle-ton of stuff inside one template if you could just make smaller templates for things like one for bass, one for guitar, etc. I'm gonna have to take a Reaper deep dive to figure it out. Thanks!
Anita, take a look at FX chains. If you like to drop a specific EQ and comp on the kick drum every time, you could create an FX chain and then quickly recall it in every new mix. I have a Focusrite channel strip setup with a basic setting stored as an FX chain, and then I can use SWS extensions to copy that FX chain to every other track.
@@matthewsweet5232 Ooooooo! Hadn't thought about that one. I do have one I made for vocal thickening that I use. I'll have to look into doing that more with other tracks. Thanks Matthew!
Fantastic Anita!! Best of luck!! Thanks ever so much
also known as track templates
Warren is there a time where you had an argument with an artist over keeping demo elements in a final mix vs asking them to re-record the part? If so what criteria / rules helps you justify the re-recording
Yes, years ago, now I always start with the demo elements and IF we can beat them then we use the new tracks, if not we keep the demo tracks!
@@Producelikeapro Awesome thanks for responding Warren!
"Massive drum sound"..... Now THAT's a topic for a how-to video!
Gimmie!! Thanks :)
Great tutorial, great advice .Thank you!!!
You’re very welcome
Mastering oftentimes include making a collection of songs sound coherent and like they come from the same artist.
Save some time in the mastering by having templates for at least the basic tracks is not a bad idea!
Great video! Thanks, Eric! :D
I have a question about mixing in the box. So someone sends in a multi-track demo, with plugins in it, and you're missing a few of them. How do you deal with that, creating a template? That would be very annoying? Or use your own, you have in your stack? UAD plugs should be a problem for me for one, because I don't own yet the hardware.
Brilliant! I would use it to pull up my favourite plug-ins in one click.
Hi Doug! Good choice! Thanks ever so much
I just started to make an template and I think it pays off right on the next project 👍🏻 I record and mix mostly only metal so it should be pretty all around starting point. 32 tracks, 12 busses and four sub mixes with effects sends and stuff took me few hour to make from a scratch. Next I need to import session data for some tracks wich I was totally unaware of before watching this video 😀
Hi Arto! That's a great idea! Thanks ever so much
Templates are a lifesaver! After some years of mixing you kind of develop your routine, workflow and even some go to plugins... Add to that all the bussing, aux tracks and eve simply naming all of the tracks and busses, and you can see just how much time can a template save. It takes much less time for me to just delete the channels and busses I don't use in a specific song, than it does to create, name, color code and route them. Combine that with some of your go to plugin chains saved as presets and you can save aloooot of time on these boring tasks. Recording templates are a also great thing, having all of the inputs routed, channels named and aux outs already set just makes the recording process that much easier and faster.
Of course. I use one template each for composing, for recording, for mixing, and for mastering. Why should I do something twice, when I know I'll have to do it again.
Marvellous! Thanks Jürgen!
If I'm not mistaken the kick plays on one and three, but the kick sample plays four on the floor. Is that done on purpose? Great stuff, as always!
Seems like routing evrything makes it more structured and therefore more easy to mix and apply reverbs trough busses etc. All these trackstrough busses under you fingertips feels good :P
I use templates like I use presets - never.
It is just easier to start from scratch. It is very quick to load things in and manipulate whatever needs doing.
I think it is easy using templates to get in the habit of using the wrong thing because it is there already and it also means you start your session with clutter you then need to remove.
I can use any of 5, or 6 EQ's, or compressors and I like to pick which suits.
I often drive tape saturation and NLS at the start of my chain and get halfway there with that and other times I'll be straight in with a limiter and an EQ.
Other times I might want to get straight in with a sub enhancer, or a pan modulator.
Every time is different, loading up a template would be a working hell for me.
Thanks for exposing your process! What do you do when you’re mixing 10-12 songs albums? Start from scratch each time? Do you deliberately avoid repeating your self on each song? If the artist went for a particular sound in the studio and you nail it, how do you avoid using that again if it’s their intention? Thanks ever so much
@@Producelikeapro Hi Warren, thanks so much for the reply. It was a lovely surprise. I only ever work on electronic music, so it's always different each time for me. I am desperately waiting for another mix competition from you guys, as I missed the last one. It has been 15 years since I worked with any live recordings and back then I was my ears weren't trained. I am used to dealing with ancient samples and vinyl noise but nothing with phase issues, wild dynamics, rumble, bleed etc. Personally never cared much about bleed, it's part of the sound to me.
I only very recently got happy with where I'm at mixing, so I am dying to have a bash at some live recorded audio files, rather than midi and samples.
I studied Music Tech in Manchester for 3 years in the 00's and to be honest it was almost identical to what you teach on here, which is why I love this channel, I trust what you say. I always had that good foundation and now feel that my ears have had a lot of training.
I always liken it to video games. You can know all the buttons on the controller but if you don't practice and have that muscle memory, you'll be obliterated in seconds.
My main approach to mixing is speed. If my ears get tired my mix gets wrecked, I like to work as fast as I can. The sound I try to achieve is always the same. I don't like wishy washy. I like big thump, big snap, clean separation but a good lick of grit. I like very in your face mixes. I am very much of the opinion if you can't hear it then don't put it in. I definitely don't mix with subtlety.
I am also a firm believer in some degree of loudness because we listen back in such hectic environments that quiet sounds get lost easily. The studio doesn't have the bin waggon driving past, or the neighbours hoovering, or washing machines and kettles. Just my opinion but as the war on loudness has stopped, it is more relevant than ever. I don't flat line but I like a big chunky wave form, like a fat prickly caterpillar.
I watched one from schepps and built my own and my mixes have sprung New life
Fantastic!!
Hope you are doing marvelously well!
I am! I hope you are too!
I use simple templates and simple presets. Starting points but not too elaborate or I end up spending more time dismantling than I save.
That makes perfect sense to me!
Yes that’s the point. I don’t have many plugins in my template. Only my rev and delay are in and some // compressions. My 2 bus chain is also set. I don’t want to use always the same plugins, sometimes I will use ssl and sometimes something else.
Excelente
Thanks ever so much
I ordered a vintage Fender Pbass neck on eBay . 1972 mother of pearl inlay with block inlays on mahogany fret board . The USPS cracked it near the nut , bent the tuning pegs packed separately and dove them into the headstock scratching it everywhere and it took them 14 days to do it %#@@#&&$#%%@
Sorry to hear that!!
Yes. The templates YOU create!
I love u. Priceless videos.
Thanks ever so much
I use Templates for Recording and since I'm Mixing along the way while I'm Recording it's essentially the same thing. A Mix however can go in so many directions, using Templates might not make much sense for me, unless it's something like a Jazz session where once you have dialed in the sound you would want the exact same tones and balances to be consistent from tune to tune.
The "starting point" comment is tge big winner for me. You always, ALWAYS have some sort of starting point, so why not have one that is more likely to be closer to your destination?
Exactly Scott! Thanks ever so much!
Pro Tools really needs to separate the main volume/pan setting from the automation in the session import dialog. Same with plugin settings and automation. There is really no practical reason why you'd want to import automation on a new track. A remix of the same track I can understand. Make sure you create an import data preset to save time.
Of course in many circumstances I would agree! It's really up to you! I do import it often so I know the volume differences between verses and choruses when mixing an album project, it's just a simple move, however if it's going to complicate things for you I understand completely! Everyone has different ways to work and the best thing is to find what works best for you!
@@Producelikeapro Good points sir. I just hate fishing for automation to delete that I don't need, especially with higher track counts. I'll stare at my session and ask, "why is that reverb fading in and out?"
@@davejohnsonmusic agreed 100%!
In principle, whats not to like - boring stuff automated, but it requires you have consistency in the production and plenty of transferrable qualities. What I really don't like, is the idea that something has transcribed over wrong, either human error or else any kind of misinterpreted naming, you could easily assign a kick to the wrong channel and not notice. That is where I prefer to do this long hand, for peace of mind.
PLAP and Beato's are really good! what channel do you think is on the same league?!
There's lot's of professional 'RUclipsrs', but Warren and Rick are one of the only ones that actually have any success in their chosen fields.
Not all of these are on the same level, but still good: mixchecks.com/best-youtube-channels-for-mixing-and-music-production/
You're very kind Thiago! Yes, Rick does amazing videos! So glad you also enjoy ours a well! I really appreciate it!
You’re very kind Tim
Wonderful! Thanks ever so much for featuring us there!
I'm not a fan of templates. I like to start from scratch every time. I feel using a template locks me into doing the same things the same way every time and sometimes the song doesn't demand that. I want to take a fresh approach to every song. That being said, I have never mixed an entire album, I didn't think people even made those anymore, lol.
Haha yes, people do actually still make albums apparently! haha
@@Producelikeapro I'm making my own...hopefully have it done by Christmas :)
I have been looking for templates for 5+years.I suck at mixing and choosing plugins.I need some logic mixing templates!
#LogicGang4Lyfe
Templates for the win! I downloaded Joe Gilder's template and adjusted it to taste. All my FX, busses, parallel comp channels, snare plate and snare gate ALL ready to go. Saves loads of time.
I record in Logic but I’ve never thought about taking tracks I’ve recorded and importing them into a template purely for mixing. I’ve just mixed a song directly from the recording session. It’s no doubt a hangover from the days of me recording onto Portastudios. It’s a great idea to delineate the two processes and create a template which would save time-consuming set ups on subsequent songs and perhaps give an EP or album more consistency across the songs.
Not what I thought.Ever consider make logic mixing templates for certain genres?basically load it using stock plugins and settings for each channel ect. especially one equipped for ez drummer multichannel section.Fully loaded templates for each DAW's would be amazing and I can concentrate on my music.Anybody do this?Million dollar idea I put out there!
Pros use templates. They have always used and keep using. There is no time to loose for them. Formely it was common to take a new synth, use its patches first than the others and move on to a newer one. Programmable drum samples are ordered specialy for projects. Everything that would save time and money matters.
every little thing she does is magic is mostly stings demo track
Very cool!
Yes, much to Andy & Stewart’s chagrin. That was the 1st time Sting presented a song in that way & they were pissed off about it, but at least it was a hit!
Warren, thank you now i have a better understanding mixing templates. Please could Eric send me more info on this to my email? Also when are you going to do another live stream on youtube ? Thank you.
Hi Tessa, we have Ken Sluiter’s template video and Templates inside of the Academy
if Eric is still working there... i feel for you brother.
Haha he's having a great time!
I need an Eric
60ml43
The 48
30 mikes on drums...I'm done, I quit!!!
Haha I've heard and seen worse! However, of course many mics were summed to one or two tracks!
@Brent Harmon's Music Corner haha indeed!
More and more I'm seeing the limitations of my current DAW. Yours, ..Frustrated.