bitflipper
Mike, I'm jealous that you have stalkers. Nobody gives a damn what I say. Except occasionally JonBuoy, but he's so polite about it that sometimes I don't realize he's calling me out.
Bit, I give a damn. I give a damn about what Danny says too.
I am still learning, but if you like math and are able to find a chart that tells you the length of waves at different frequencies, you can compare that to room size and find where the problems might be. Ethan Winer's method is good too. ARC can show you a whole lot of useful information too. If you yake all the input, from all your knowledgeable sources, and synthesize it for your environment you can make a big difference in the quality of your produce.
basically, I have placed most of my sound reinforcement strategically. Though my room is 20 x 12 x 7.5 (which is not very good), my mixing space is about 6x 6 x 6. It is a tight little configuration. My Monitors are in tight too, they are about equidistant from the walls, floors, and ceiling and the listening position, which follows the % rule, (I think it is 38%, but I cant remember.)
I have ARC 1, I used it for measuring the room. It proved the math right, as there was a deep null at 200 right where I sat. I don't mix much with it right now as I think I am figuring out when and where to boost and cut. I do pull it out every now and then to verify my new techniques.
I can say my mixing has improved when I mix in my main room, and I always strive to get better, but when I travel and use a laptop and headphones it is a whole new ballgame.
Also, you should give a damn about what the knowledgeable people in this thread have shared, but you should probably nt give to much of a damn about what I say because I only know this, keep trying.
Also, I do have a stalker, and it is ME. I can't get myself to leave myself alone and it drives me crazy, figuratively and literally.
Jesse Q. Screed
Also, avoid using to many effects and plugs and magic dust, this all messes with your music, get a good recording to start with. If you slather your french fries with ketchup/catsup, are they still fries?