Mixing Questions

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Threewms
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2015/02/24 21:25:48 (permalink)

Mixing Questions

Hi all,
 
Since 2002, I created lots of music over the years using Sonar, then took a hiatus for a few years, and then resumed recording in 2012 with first X1 and now X3. And now that I'm starting to mix that material down after my hiatus both for my own archives, and to possibly upload to YouTube and the like, I'd like to do it right. I'm using X3 with a Fireface UCX, and an A/B box connected to M-Audio BX5 and Avantone mixcubes, and trying to follow the advice in Mike Senior's Mixing Secrets for the Small Studio book, rather than my old technique which was to mix it according to my ears, and then slap Izotope Ozone on the master bus and hope for the best.
 
So here are my questions:
 
Do you use mix down to two tracks, and then run that track through Ozone? If so, do you use any bus compression on the initial mix?
 
Do I need to worry if I'm not hearing any distortion while monitoring, but the meter still pings the red line occasionally? To avoid that issue, what level do you set your master bus output?
 
Is there a layman's guide to gain staging?
 
Any Sonar-related mixing/master advice would be appreciated.
 
Thanks,
 
Ed
#1

19 Replies Related Threads

    AT
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    Re: Mixing Questions 2015/02/25 00:22:49 (permalink)
    The common method is to mix to stereo.  That is your mix.  Then run that through your mastering stuff to get, well, a master, or finished file (back in the tape days you had to top and tail, etc.)  Some people do run a mix through a buss comp/limiter while they mix, so it depends.  Upon the person and the song.  I usually don't use a comp on the whole mix, but for most of the stuff I master at home I usually check it several times w/ mastering, burning a CD to listen elsewhere.  If you don't know how a compression/limiting on the master affects the sound, it is worthwhile to try a comp bus until you do.
     
    It shouldn't matter, but I wouldn't want red on my master bus.  Tracks and other busses it doesn't matter.
     
    Gainstaging is like much else in music production, there are ideas but not fast rules.  Basically, you want a nice strong signal that doesn't overload the next thing downstream.  0 on a mixer is 0 dB, or unity, not silent.  It is best if everything is set as close to unity as possible.
     
    Sound on Sound has a lot of great articles that include gainstaging in them.  I would start reading those back articles.  And then it is just practice until good levels become 2nd nature.
     
    @

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    there came forth little children out of the city, and mocked him, and said unto him, Go up, thou bald head; go up, thou bald head.
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    #2
    bassman999
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    Re: Mixing Questions 2015/02/25 02:33:31 (permalink)
    Here is a link to Sound On Sound's guide to gainstaging:
     
    http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/sep13/articles/level-headed.htm
     
    Good luck
    #3
    Threewms
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    Re: Mixing Questions 2015/02/25 04:46:45 (permalink)
    Thanks fellas, much appreciated!
    #4
    Steve_Karl
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    Re: Mixing Questions 2015/02/25 06:54:43 (permalink)
    I master everything in Sonar. My A bus always has a brick wall limiter on it set to -0.1 dB.
    My B Buss is the only thing that feeds into my A bus and B always has a multi band compressor on it and often a 6 band parametric EQ. I set the level of the B bus to try to get the A bus to hit the top as little as possible but to always hit it at least once. All other bus feed into the B bus.
    I'm happy with the way it works for me.
    I'm not into the volume wars, but if I was, I'd just push against that brick wall on A until it was loud as hell,
    and it would get loud as hell, and still only peak at -0.1dB.

    Steve Karl
    https://soundcloud.com/steve_karl
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    #5
    pentimentosound
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    Re: Mixing Questions 2015/02/25 07:46:04 (permalink)
    The thing about doing it all in Sonar is you don't have to mix down to two tracks first (you leave yourself lots of room to get it how you want!), you get to "master" it in the Master buss, or do the NYC parallel compression thing there. I believe it was Michael Brauer who set his vocals on one buss and the rhythm section on another and compressed/limited them separately, then blended them in the master buss (with maybe a  final limiter there). I'll try to find that... Craig Anderton has certainly written and video'd that approach. There's a 7 part CW tutorial here
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1rBieaGA2js
     
    The simple rule of thumb for gain staging would be, Master buss at 0db, with sub group/busses lower yet, and individual channels/tracks lower than that......more or less.
    You'd put your master buss compressor/limiter on, or use a compressor and then a brickwall limiter.
    This is a nice multipart overview workshop video from Bobby Owsinski, even though it's with T-Racks, the theory is the same.
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sq2trw-FUVA
     
    Is that what you're trying to work out?
    Michael
    post edited by pentimentosound - 2015/02/25 08:10:00
    #6
    batsbrew
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    Re: Mixing Questions 2015/02/25 11:00:56 (permalink)
    Steve_Karl
    I master everything in Sonar. My A bus always has a brick wall limiter on it set to -0.1 dB.
    My B Buss is the only thing that feeds into my A bus and B always has a multi band compressor on it and often a 6 band parametric EQ. I set the level of the B bus to try to get the A bus to hit the top as little as possible but to always hit it at least once. All other bus feed into the B bus.
    I'm happy with the way it works for me.
    I'm not into the volume wars, but if I was, I'd just push against that brick wall on A until it was loud as hell,
    and it would get loud as hell, and still only peak at -0.1dB.


    you should drop that peak down to at least -0.3db.
    \
    many reasons for that,
    i'll leave it up to you, to do the homework on why.
    hint.
     
    mp3's.........

    Bats Brew music Streaming
    Bats Brew albums:
    "Trouble"
    "Stay"
    "The Time is Magic"
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    #7
    batsbrew
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    Re: Mixing Questions 2015/02/25 11:01:54 (permalink)
    bassman999
    Here is a link to Sound On Sound's guide to gainstaging:
     http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/sep13/articles/level-headed.htm
     

    excellent link.
     
    this should be the bible for anyone new to digital mixing.
     

    Bats Brew music Streaming
    Bats Brew albums:
    "Trouble"
    "Stay"
    "The Time is Magic"
    --
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    #8
    pentimentosound
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    Re: Mixing Questions 2015/02/25 11:02:14 (permalink)
    If you haven't listened to Bat's stuff yet, go do so now! He has got it!
    #9
    batsbrew
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    Re: Mixing Questions 2015/02/25 12:03:37 (permalink)
    heheh,
    penti,
    i'm not so sure!!
     
    LOL
     
    funny thing,
    i'm in the middle of final mixing 6 of the 10 new songs i've got,
    and one song in particular, 
    i have painted myself into a corner with 'too hot' fader levels,
    having to bring all my sub faders down,
    and i believe i'm going to have to scratch it all, and start over.
     
     
     
     
    set those levels right to start with!!!
     
    and that means,
    use that snare (or whatever you have peaking the most) and keep that peak so it's not going over about -12, 
    and bring everything else down around it, 
    and keep those sub bus faders all the way up to zero!!
     
     
    LOL again....
     
    i know this, i know this, and yet i still shoot myself in the foot.
     

    Bats Brew music Streaming
    Bats Brew albums:
    "Trouble"
    "Stay"
    "The Time is Magic"
    --
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    #10
    pentimentosound
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    Re: Mixing Questions 2015/02/25 12:12:08 (permalink)
    Well obviously you are trying to learn it "in depth"! LOL
     
    I get in those spots and wonder why, then I end up learning something I didn't realize I even wanted to know!
    You'll get it, Bat. You have too good a handle on it "all" already; songs, performance, arrangements, mixing and mastering! It's all really excellent! I look forward to this next batch after you "recover"! LOL
    Michael
    #11
    AT
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    Re: Mixing Questions 2015/02/25 12:31:54 (permalink)
    It is all an education - and there is no end to it.  Either that, or your stuff never gets better while everyone else does.
     
    @

    https://soundcloud.com/a-pleasure-dome
    http://www.bnoir-film.com/  
     
    there came forth little children out of the city, and mocked him, and said unto him, Go up, thou bald head; go up, thou bald head.
    24 And he turned back, and looked on them, and cursed them in the name of the Lord. And there came forth two she bears out of the wood, and tare forty and two children of them.
    #12
    g_randybrown
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    Re: Mixing Questions 2015/02/25 14:05:55 (permalink)
    pentimentosound
    If you haven't listened to Bat's stuff yet, go do so now! He has got it!


    Sheesh, you got that right Michael...thanks for the suggestion and thanks for the entertainment Rob...I'm not only very impressed with your mixing skills but your talent!

    G. Randy Brown 
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    #13
    pentimentosound
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    Re: Mixing Questions 2015/02/25 14:55:03 (permalink)
    Not to go off topic, Randy, but..... I used to gig at the Billy The Kid Saloon(Holiday Inn?) in Las Cruces in the mid '80s with Ronnie Eden & Rt 66. You're welcome and thanks for the flashback! LOL
    Michael
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    g_randybrown
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    Re: Mixing Questions 2015/02/25 15:09:26 (permalink)
    pentimentosound
    Not to go off topic, Randy, but..... I used to gig at the Billy The Kid Saloon(Holiday Inn?) in Las Cruces in the mid '80s with Ronnie Eden & Rt 66. You're welcome and thanks for the flashback! LOL
    Michael


    Unfortunately there's only a couple of decent venues here now...I just googled "Billy The Kid Saloon las cruces" thinking I may not be aware of it and the results were all for Billy The Kid Salon (a hair salon )
    That said, lemme know if you ever make it down to my neck of the woods again.

    G. Randy Brown 
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    pentimentosound
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    Re: Mixing Questions 2015/02/25 19:07:02 (permalink)
    Actually, it was in a very large Holiday Inn there. Thanks! Will be sure to look you up, if we come that way.
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    roalin
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    Re: Mixing Questions 2015/03/04 09:42:36 (permalink)
    Anything that work for your ears is good but,
    - Using compression on a mix is life sucking, rather use it on individual tracks.
    -  -0.5 db limiting is pretty safe.(with an ok limiter)
    #17
    mudgel
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    Re: Mixing Questions 2015/03/04 22:22:59 (permalink)
    There's also the iZotope guide to mixing and mastering. I'm not sure exactly what it's currently called as its recently had a big update.

    It's considered a primer on both of these topics and seeing that you use oZone it's even more relevant. Ch ck out the iZotope website.

    Mike V. (MUDGEL)

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    Guitarhacker
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    Re: Mixing Questions 2015/03/05 08:01:10 (permalink)
    Good stuff in those articles BTW...
     
    I insert Ozone into my master buss from the very beginning and mix as I record  and go along in the project.  Once I'm done, the mix I export is stereo and at the point that I call polished and finished.  I simply trim it in an editor and call it done.
     
    Of course I am NOT sending my stuff to mastering houses for them to work on or to be commercially released on a CD. I send the music as it is exported to publishers and libraries for direct use. As long as it is at least broadcast quality it's good.   As such, the mixes are stereo with a small to medium stereo spread.

    My website & music: www.herbhartley.com

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    #19
    pentimentosound
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    Re: Mixing Questions 2015/03/05 09:31:32 (permalink)
    I have read/recommended this iZotope one on Mastering
    https://www.izotope.com/en/community/blog/tips-tutorials/2014/06/learning-audio-mastering-through-presets-part-1/
    ...but I hadn't checked out their blog and there are tons of them, if you keep "load(ing)more" at the bottom of the page.
    You guys are talking about this downloadable one? (probably)
    https://www.izotope.com/en/community/blog/tips-tutorials/2014/03/new-free-mixing-guide-now-available/
     
    I've wanted to check out the differences between Rx4 and Advanced, so I am glad of the reminder of iZotope's blog.
    Thanks!
    Michael
    #20
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