Mixing and EQing and Whatnot

[TheSunAndTheRainfall]

Mixing. EQing. Mastering. Jesus, they drive me up the wall. Most of the time I'll throw something together, think it sounds pretty swell, that it just needs a little tweaking, and proceed to move some settings around. Then the next day I'll go back to it, think it sounds like shit, and make some adjustments. Same thing the next day. And the next. And then I realize that I've spent two weeks tweaking the damn thing and it still sounds like crap to me, only a different kind of crap than at the beginning.


So I want to ask you guys, how do you guys mix/EQ/master your stuff? I don't want you to note down numbers, that probably won't be of much help. I mean, there is no universal formula to mixing, as far as I know, so what works for one thing might not be suitable for the other. What I mean is, how do you know what to tweak, when to stop tweaking, what to leave as is, and just how much of everything is enough? Is it just something that clicks together at some point after playing around based on how you feel the song is going, or is there a more sort of... precise or general way of finding your way through a mix?


And also, I'd really like it if this could also turn into a feedback thread, if anyone else is into that idea. I know I'd definitely appreciate any insight you could offer into what I might be doing wrong, and how I could improve the quality of the stuff I do, and maybe there's someone else out there who does too.


For example, over the last few weeks I've been working on the music for an Equestria Girls brony singalong (which, by the way, everyone is welcome to join!), but I'm just never satisfied with the way it sounds. Right now I think it sound muddy and dull and boxy; my impression is that the bass drowns pretty much everything, but if I mess around with the lower frequencies it just sounds empty and weak. I'd really, really appreciate any feedback you could offer on it:

http://soundcloud.com/thesunandtherainfall/e01g

Thanks. C:

[Pinkie Cake]

Well my way of EQing/mastering is unprofessional IMO.
I usualy EQ/master thing on the spot when I'm making stuff: I make a bassline, I EQ it to sound good, I make synth leads, I EQ it to sound good. And when I'm done with the song I usually put it on loop for 1-2 days and listen and correct everything that needs correcting. After correcting I loop it more and do this until I'm finaly satisfied.

[Facade]

eqing mastering ive made whole albums and i dont know what this is, is that bad?

[Sugarholik]

I'm not very experienced but well...

When using EQ:

-Preferably use it too little than too much

-Preferably cut instead of boosting frequencies (reduces the risk of clipping)

-Avoid having one band at the bottom and the next one high up: this creates phaser-ish sound without LFO (of course it can be used creatively, but maybe not when mastering)

Some things i have found useful:

-Listen to your stuff with different headphones/ speakers (i sometimes use headphones from my mp3 player). This makes sure it sounds good everywhere and not only through your speakers.

-Take a break. You will think your song sounds good and all the instruments are audible, but it's an illusion because you know what to listen to. Go for a walk or listen to your favorite music and clear your head of everything you've done. Once you come back you'll see things realistically.

And finally what i'd do with your bass issue:

-Use EQ to boost lower frequencies (or cut higher ones. Depends on how much you've got room to boost). Thus it won't sound too weak.
-Drop the volume of bass until it isn't drowning anything.

[SeanNH94]

-Listen to your stuff with different headphones/ speakers (i sometimes use headphones from my mp3 player). This makes sure it sounds good everywhere and not only through your speakers.

This. A thousand times this. This is basically what mastering is. You mix your song with you amzing sounding headphones/speakers and get it sounding great, then play your song through some standard headphones and standard speakers. You want to try and make it sound good both in your sweet headphones/speakers and normal ones. Of course, sometimes your going for a sound that just isn't possible on most speakers (like super low bass) but that's the exception, not the rule.

[[voodoopony]]

What they said, it's always great to have a reference. I was at some studio in NY and in there they have a plastic box with a cheap speaker in it, they always use that for reference when mixing and mastering. If you can hear it all in there, you're good to go.

Mixing to me is almost a personal thing. Once you get in the hang of it, it's like a game.
I like to think of each track as a piece of a puzzle, each instrument and sound has it's place and dominant frequency in the EQ spectrum. I started EQing heavily and nowadays I only do it minor-ly.

A way to avoid muddiness in your mix is to cut off frequencies below 200 for instruments that don't have/need bass, like hihats, pads, leads, percussion, etc. I'd just leave the bass freqs to a sine wave or whatever you're using as a bass. Avoiding having several instruments playing at the same time in the same frequencies also help, too.

When EQing something it's best to go back and forth between playing back the track itself and comparing it with the entire song. Sometimes an eq job can sound great on the instrument alone but like crap with the rest of the mix.

I can write a novel but it's best you check out the moneyshot thread, I've seen boys walk out as men from there.
http://www.dubstepforum.com/this-thread ... 74832.html

[TheSunAndTheRainfall]

Sorry I haven't been around for days. School's been keeping me busy and all. Thanks for all your advice guys, I'll try to put some of that into practice soon, as soon as I get some time out from school. The amount of stuff there is to learn and master about making music still leaves me dumbfounded. How on earth do people find the time to learn all this stuff? D:

[Sugarholik]

The amount of stuff there is to learn and master about making music still leaves me dumbfounded. How on earth do people find the time to learn all this stuff? D:

Happens little by little. Basics are quite quick to learn, but even after many years you'll discover something new.
Rome wasn't built in a day, you know...

[Wub5TRIKE]

Dang, so that's what I was neglecting to do. Mastering. Been making a couple things here and there and I am getting mixing down, but could never make it sound right in different speakers. I guess I was too excited to have gotten something off on my computer.

[itroitnyah]

NEEEEEEECRRRROOOO

Regardless, keep this thread alive. It's good use for people like "Wub5TRIKE"

[Nine Volt]

Wheeew. That may be the longest necro I've ever seen on this site.

[Freewave]

Yeah this was one of the worst necro'ing i've seen on this site. Also cute to see my pal putting together a thread on this subject.