Since the 16th pass I have started hearing the toms! What did you change on the toms? They are chopped (split and cut where they don't play), to remove the hi-hat/snare or gate? Or both chopped and gated?

 

Hey Victor I have now idea I am only the teacher. But they do sound good. They sound a bit loud but the mastering will take care of this which is why I didn't comment.
I hope I haven't offended Real. I was brought up in advertising and everything else an engineer has to do and Mono was god until very recently. So I had to change my thinking as well. But take a look at it. IPods. Headphones. Computers. Television Radio everything is now Stereo.
And it has gotten to the point where most pro engineers are mixing LCR only. No subtle panning. I am trying to adopt this but having a few problems.
Spencer

 

Soo. @spencer26 feeling to continue mentoring or a break is in order?

P.s Which genre do you is most prefer for your advice?

 

Intronninja my favourite music is Jazz. But I like Opera. I love Electro Pop. I even like Country and Metal. It gets back to the Old Duke Ellington statement there only two types of music Good and the Other. Look I think you have to treat all music the same way. If it moves you or not. As an engineer you have a job to do. I can count on one hand over 50 years the time in the studio I have been really moved by something I was recording.
I worked on the assumption that every 6 years I got a session that was a wonderfull experience. Most of the time its is work. Sometimes you enjoy it sometimes you hate it. The more you learn the more discerning you become. It is very easy to get cynical. I get so pissed of watching television and something is out of tune or something is out of time. I will stop raving. Ask me anything about music and the capturing of it.
Spencer

 

I mixed a track last week that was being submitted for the new Morgan Freeman, Michael Cain movie.
I got the session in and pulled up the drums the bass and the vocal. By accident. It sounded great. I ignored the piano brass and strings and did what I called the "Cool Mix" Everybody loved it. I loved it. I then mixed the track with what i was sent the piano the brass the strings. I had my mix I was happy. But I say again everybody loved the Cool Mix. So that is our gig. Make decisions. Don't be paranoid. One of the great mix engineers said the moment you loose your confidence pack up and come back another day.
Spencer

 

Spence, I am not offended at ALL. I'm a hungry student, nothing more. If I'm wasting people's time and energy, I want to know. But I , like everybody else here, am learning something, not being coddled to make me feel better. I appreciate it.

Also, MY WAY hasn't worked (consistently, every now and again I put out a magic mix and surprise myself) and I've been at this for years. Your way WORKS. The only thing that happened here is that I learned something valuable. I sincerely thank you for that. I feel like my eyes have been opened now.

Speaking of value...?
Am I out of line in asking what you would have charged for that mix job had you been contracted to do so?
If I am, I'm sure you'll let me know.

 

You are the man. Great job dude

 

Haha, I kept wanting to turn the toms down but we worked to get them loud so I left them like that

 

WOW, they're lining up? How did I get soooo lucky? I guess I am an apt and eager pupil/student, with decent gear and ears.

 

Prefer 19

 

already got a 21. I turned the drums down too much in 20

 

I am just finishing a mastering preset in Melda MXXX you need version 9.21. I will post it here when I am finished.

 

Preset as promised. Open MXXX select Presets and Import this preset. Then find where you put the preset, select it and press load. Remember to scroll to see all settings. The default should work but adjust the 62hz Analog Bass to taste. Starting point. I would like to hear pass 19 mastered.

 

I prefer the mix 19 although I think it lacks a bit of dynamic, a bit of life.
My 2 cents:
The bass is not enough here in the mid (you could try a multi band compressor to balance the frequency response?)
The kick lack of punch in the low (side chaining could be a solution?)
The guitars could be a little bit creaky (perhaps too much verb? a lack of hi mid?)
and the low end has been cut: Try to gently widen between 100 - 300 Hz
The cymbals hits could be wider

Finally, maybe too much compression.

Anyway, it's already a great job and the band is excellent!

 

Hey Real if it was a record company $2000 until they said it was too much then it would be $3000.
If its a band direct by negotiation $0-XXXX
Spencer

 

Here is a track I mixed and just Mastered through my preset for MXXX. The default settings are exactly what I used on this track..

 

Believe it or not, I actually recorded and mixed that last track in ableton. Of couse I turned all the warping off and didn't consolidate or freeze the tracks, but what a nightmare mixing that was. I like to use ableton live as a sketchpad, but I usually do all my real recording and mixing in REAPER. What the hell was I thinking?

 

Man I would hate mixing in Live. I switched to S1 from Fl Studio because I hated trying to mix and organize my session in FL. Ugh.
This just goes to show that IT DOESN'T MATTER WHICH DAW YOU USE. So we can stop arguing about it now, right guys..right...?
Lemme download that preset though. Thanks Spencer!

 

And the 12 returns limit with ableton as well. Doing everything in Live is a workaround it seems. But, its really made for performing, right?

 

I just registered with this Forum to gush forth my appreciation of this thread. Instead of sinking in a quagmire of mostly baffling Tube videos, this thread has given me an insight into how to give a mix an IDENTITY. Thanks guys. Next time you have an empty Guinness bottle Spencer, fill it full of knowledge, drop it in the ocean and I'll pick it up from a beach in Tassie.