question about my mixes
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From: Phillip on 2 Feb 2006 16:09 Ok, so I feel as though I'm pretty good at setting volume levels in my mix....however, even after one of my songs is mastered, it still sounds flat compared to a commercial CD. I don't know what else I can do. I will be upgrading sound cards and microphones soon, but I don't know how much that will help. I currently use Sonar 4 and have the Waves Plug-In Gold pack. My songs always sound as if they are coming from the center when I'm listening in my car. There is no defined panning it seems, even when I pan something hard right or left.....it still always seems to be coming more from the center. Commercial CDs always have a very defined speaker set where certain instruments are coming from, but I can never seem to get my instrument to have a defined place in the mix. Also, my instruments and vocals just never sound "clean" like a commercial CD. It just always seems muddy, and I'm not sure why this is considering all of my instruments are done in the digital form (midi soundfonts/samples.) What's going on here? Is there anyone that can give me some tips? Thanks.
From: Neil Rutman on 2 Feb 2006 16:52 Wow Phillip, mixing is one of the most difficult parts of the whole recording process and possibly the most essential (up there with great writing and great performances). You might want to get yourself in on some pro mixing sessions and see what goes on. Also, try to figure out your mixing environment. If you haven't done any treatment this could be part of the problem. You say that instruments panned hard left or right sound like they are coming from the center. This tells me that there is either a software/hardware problem somewhere in your chain that prevents the pan or more likely that you are using a stereo effect or a series of fxs that brings the instrument back to the middle. You can add reverb or any other fx to a track and pan that fx to stay to one side. Neil R "Phillip" <p(a)woh.com> wrote in message news:ByuEf.29383$H71.12852(a)newssvr13.news.prodigy.com... > Ok, so I feel as though I'm pretty good at setting volume levels in my > mix....however, even after one of my songs is mastered, it still sounds > flat > compared to a commercial CD. I don't know what else I can do. I will be > upgrading sound cards and microphones soon, but I don't know how much that > will help. I currently use Sonar 4 and have the Waves Plug-In Gold pack. > My > songs always sound as if they are coming from the center when I'm > listening > in my car. There is no defined panning it seems, even when I pan something > hard right or left.....it still always seems to be coming more from the > center. Commercial CDs always have a very defined speaker set where > certain > instruments are coming from, but I can never seem to get my instrument to > have a defined place in the mix. Also, my instruments and vocals just > never > sound "clean" like a commercial CD. It just always seems muddy, and I'm > not > sure why this is considering all of my instruments are done in the digital > form (midi soundfonts/samples.) What's going on here? Is there anyone that > can give me some tips? Thanks. > >
From: Pat Farrell on 2 Feb 2006 17:18 Phillip wrote: > Ok, so I feel as though I'm pretty good at setting volume levels in my > mix....however, even after one of my songs is mastered, it still sounds > flat compared to a commercial CD. First, making good sounding CDs is an art. If it was easy, everyone would do it. What do you mean by 'mastered'? > I don't know what else I can do. I will > be upgrading sound cards and microphones soon, but I don't know how much > that will help. Don't spend money too soon. It is easy to think that gear is the problem. It usually is not. Unless you are recording on some hideous Soundblaster or using a high-impedance mic that came free with your PC. If you have something as basic as a Shure SM57, you can make great recordings. If you have the talent and technique and patience. > My songs always sound as if they are coming from the center when I'm > listening in my car. There is no defined panning it seems, even when I pan > something hard right or left.....it still always seems to be coming more > from the center. So do a first level test. Take a track, say a vocal, and put it hard right. Then change it to hard left. Make a CD, listen. If it is still in the middle, you have a more fundamental problem. > muddy, and I'm not sure why this is considering all of my instruments are > done in the digital form (midi soundfonts/samples.) Step back a bit. Digital does not mean quality. There is good digital and bad digital. Soundfonts are not always great quality, and some are weird about panning. Use real sources that you control. Skip the soundfonts until you get the fundamentals working. Also check out this group's FAQ. http://www.pfarrell.com/prc/cafaq.html its old and a bit out of date, but the price is right. -- Pat
From: Mr Tibbs on 2 Feb 2006 20:06 Phillip wrote: > Ok, so I feel as though I'm pretty good at setting volume levels in my ... What's going on here? Is there anyone that > can give me some tips? Thanks. Welcome to the wanna be club! My next move is going to be, setting a large pair of speakers no less than 25' away and mix at a distance. you know...drive it to me from there see... right now...i can lean back and set on my 400 watts of speakers...which is too much... but the problem is..i am too close to the mix this is whay I hear you saying, you are too close to the mix lemme know if you find a technic that gives depth you are looking for!
From: Ricky Hunt on 3 Feb 2006 01:13
"Phillip" <p(a)woh.com> wrote in message news:ByuEf.29383$H71.12852(a)newssvr13.news.prodigy.com... > Ok, so I feel as though I'm pretty good at setting volume levels in my > mix....however, even after one of my songs is mastered, it still sounds > flat > compared to a commercial CD. I don't know what else I can do. I will be > upgrading sound cards and microphones soon, but I don't know how much that > will help. I currently use Sonar 4 and have the Waves Plug-In Gold pack. > My > songs always sound as if they are coming from the center when I'm > listening > in my car. There is no defined panning it seems, even when I pan something > hard right or left.....it still always seems to be coming more from the > center. Commercial CDs always have a very defined speaker set where > certain > instruments are coming from, but I can never seem to get my instrument to > have a defined place in the mix. Also, my instruments and vocals just > never > sound "clean" like a commercial CD. It just always seems muddy, and I'm > not > sure why this is considering all of my instruments are done in the digital > form (midi soundfonts/samples.) What's going on here? Is there anyone that > can give me some tips? Thanks. My guess is it's your monitoring setup. Your tracks and commercial tracks sound good on your monitoring setup but your tracks don't sound as good in the car? |