Electrical Audio
Steve Albini explores the art of miking speaker cabinets by emphasizing microphone placement's impact on sound accuracy and quality. He advocates positioning the mic at the speaker's center to capture the most accurate signal and suggests backing it off to around 12-14 inches for a natural cabinet sound. This distance helps blend the eccentricities and reflections into a cohesive tone, similar to what a listener experiences in a live setting. Albini demonstrates practical methods, like using a flashlight to locate the speaker center and employing mic stand adjustments to achieve precise alignment. His insights are valuable for anyone looking to capture the authentic sound quality of a guitar or smaller combo amplifier cabinet.
Audiopunks
Chris Coady explores the use of the Spectronics 610, a vintage compressor known for its unique distortion and harmonic saturation, in producing an indie rock track. While originally intended to mimic the 1176, the 610 excels in adding excitement and presence to recordings, especially when layered across multiple elements like vocals, drums, and guitars. Coady highlights how the plugin version captures the hardware's essence, allowing for creative flexibility without the constraints of physical gear. Through a demonstration, he shows how applying the 610 plugin can revitalize sterile recordings, making them more vibrant and engaging. This tool is particularly effective in enhancing tracks where the performance is passionate but lacks sonic life.
Produce Like A Pro
Marc Daniel Nelson demonstrates a creative delay technique for electric guitar using the iZotope Vinyl plugin followed by H-Delay. By hard-panning the guitar and its delay, Nelson creates a unique stereo effect that provides a lush, ambient texture. He explains how feedback automation is used to add dynamic, organic qualities to the sound. Hard-panning the guitar and its delay to opposite sites allows the guitar to stand out and contribute to the song's atmosphere without cluttering its center. Nelson emphasizes the value of intentionally using noise and distortion artifacts to enhance the guitar's character, turning what might be considered undesirable elements into a distinctive, musical texture. This is especially useful for adding depth and interest to simpler guitar parts.
SonicScoop
Joel Hamilton demonstrates his hybrid mixing approach on Sparklehorse's "Skull of Lucia," focusing on bringing an intimate vocal forward using a combination of analog and digital processing. He uses the Distressor and the obscure Magnetech compressor to add presence and snap, while employing console EQ and Kirchhof EQ for precise tonal shaping and problem frequency control. Hamilton complements the vocal chain with the Fairchild 660 and Neve 1084 plugins, creating a rich, dynamic sound. Additionally, he uses parallel processing with the SansAmp plugin to add urgency, showcasing a creative blend of traditional and modern techniques. This session highlights Hamilton's philosophy of making aesthetic decisions that align with the compositional intention, offering insights into mixing unusual arrangements with limited resources.
SonicScoop
Renowned mixer Richard Furch explores the art of using reverb to add excitement and clarity to vocal tracks. He prefers plate reverbs over halls for their cleaner midrange and brighter high-end, allowing more control over the reverb's tonal qualities. By starting with a brighter reverb tail, Furch demonstrates how to use high-frequency damping to tailor the sound, ensuring the reverb complements rather than competes with the vocal. Furch emphasizes the flexibility of subtractive synthesis principles, adapting reverb settings to fit the mix. This approach enables precise placement of the vocal within the soundscape, ultimately enhancing the listening experience.
EngineEars
In this mix breakdown, engineer Teezio dives into the process behind Victoria Monét's "On My Mama," focusing on vocal treatment. He uses FabFilter Pro-Q3 for surgical EQ cuts and iZotope Neutron for broader EQ shaping. A touch of DMG Audio Limitless adds subtle limiting, while "Fresh Air" plugin introduces airy texture. Teezio highlights the importance of treating each vocal section separately to maintain clarity and avoid compromise. He also shares his philosophy of working with existing elements when they sound "dope," instead of altering them unnecessarily. This approach ensures each track element is treated uniquely and effectively.
SonicScoop
In this reverb masterclass, Richard Furch discusses four classifications of reverb: vocal, ambient, special effect, and throws. He focuses on using long vocal reverbs and short ambient reverbs to create space and texture in a mix, demonstrating his techniques with a session from R&B artist Leela James. Furch showcases the use of different reverb styles, like plate and spring, to emphasize how each affects the vocal's texture and presence. He uses creative descriptions to convey the subtle differences between various reverb effects, highlighting the importance of choosing the right reverb to enhance a track’s emotional impact. This session offers practical insights into how reverb can be used to shape the space and vibe of a track, making it essential viewing for those looking to refine their skills.
Kohle Audio Kult
Kristian Kohle dives into drum bus compression using an SSL-type compressor, focusing on achieving natural-sounding results. He explains crucial parameters like attack and release times, illustrating how to maintain punch and transients without over-compressing. Kohle highlights the importance of not setting the attack too fast to avoid cutting off transients, particularly for kick and snare. He suggests a 3-millisecond attack as a good compromise. For release time, Kohle advises faster settings for an invisible compression effect and to emphasize the room sound. The auto-release feature is recommended for an organic and dynamic compression approach. By comparing compressed and uncompressed drums, Kohle demonstrates how these techniques create a compact, glued-together sound with more punch, making them ideal for rock and metal productions.
Audiopunks
Chris Coady provides an in-depth look at his production techniques on Rachel Bobbitt's "Sweetest Heart," focusing on creating depth and atmosphere with vocals. Using a Heiserman 251 microphone, he filters both highs and lows to narrow the vocal range. For a unique touch, he adds a distorted vocal double, inspired by Rachel's demos, using Avid's Real Tape Saturation plugin compatible with ProTools HDX. Coady also highlights the use of the Audio Punk's Great British Spring reverb, which adds warmth and cohesion to the vocals. In the song's outro, Coady incorporates demo elements and layers recorded from a distance, adding richness and fullness. By capturing live claps and snaps in the room, he maintains an organic feel, blending these elements back through the KN desk for the final mix.
Record Production
Andrew Scheps discusses his practical approach to using samples in drum mixing. He emphasizes that while he rarely fully replaces a kick or snare with samples, he often uses them to enhance the original sound, such as adding brightness or length to a snare. Scheps highlights the importance of the listener's experience, noting that most people aren't concerned with the technical details like sample usage. He prioritizes making the music enjoyable, even if it means using techniques like tuning vocals when necessary. Ultimately, Scheps advocates for letting go of rigid studio ethics in favor of achieving the best possible sound for the listener.
Elysia
Moses Schneider introduces the "SnareO" technique, a unique method for capturing a powerful, 808-style drum sound. By placing two small condenser omni mics beneath the snare, equidistant from the kick beater, this setup avoids cymbal bleed creating a clean stereo image of the whole kit. Schneider emphasizes the importance of phase correction and encourages pushing the low frequencies to their limits for maximum impact. The SnareO technique involves heavy processing, including gating, EQ, and over-compression, to enhance the drum's character and presence. This approach allows for a distinct, punchy drum sound that stands out in the mix, offering a fresh alternative to traditional overhead miking.
Reverb.com
Jessica and Noam explore the iconic drum sound from Amy Winehouse's "Rehab," known for its crunchy, lo-fi vibe with a modern low-end, reminiscent of hip-hop records. They achieve this using a 70s Gretsch drum set and a single Shure SM57 microphone, emphasizing its precise placement to capture the essence of the sound. To shape the sound, they employ Pultec EQs, boosting and cutting frequencies to add low-end and manage high-end clarity. The use of an Otari MTR90 tape machine adds saturation and transient control, creating a vintage yet energetic drum tone.
Universal Audio
Grammy-winning producer Jacquire King demonstrates how to record pop/rock acoustic guitars using modern microphone techniques. He prefers a large diaphragm condenser mic, like the Mojave MA 200, for a broader top-end range, paired with a characterful mic like the 57 for added grit. King swaps guitars and mics to fit dense rock mixes, ensuring the acoustic can hold its place amid powerful drums and other instruments. He emphasizes mono recording for flexibility in mixing, allowing for creative rebalancing. The approach includes using a DI signal, enhanced by the UA 610-B and 1176, to bring presence and stability. King showcases how adding room reverb replicates the feel of a big studio, making the acoustic sound expansive and rich. This method suits a rock context, providing a robust acoustic presence that complements a full band arrangement.
Puremix
In this session, Jacquire King shares his approach to gain staging a vocal chain using a Neve preamp and an LA-2A compressor. He emphasizes the importance of pushing the Neve preamp to achieve a fuller, saturated tone by adjusting the input and output levels. This technique allows for optimal tonal quality without overloading the compressor. King demonstrates the balance required between input gain, compression, and output levels to maintain a healthy signal and desired compression level. This meticulous adjustment ensures a rich vocal sound and an effective recording level.
SonicScoop
In this masterclass, Tony Maserati emphasizes the critical role of understanding the mood conveyed by a vocalist when mixing pop music. He highlights that a performer's delivery should naturally communicate the song's essence, even if the lyrics are unclear. Tony shares his approach of relying on the vocalist to steer the direction of a mix, trusting their performance to guide the emotional tone. He humorously notes how, when mixing K-pop, he often doesn't understand the lyrics but can still grasp the song's mood through the vocal delivery. This session is part of a broader discussion led by Maserati, where he shares insights into his mixing philosophy and techniques, including visualizing mixes mentally before making adjustments. This is valuable for anyone looking to enhance their intuition and responsiveness in mixing.
SonicScoop
In this masterclass, Dennis Jones, aka ROC.am, demonstrates his approach to mixing overheads in a jazz fusion/R&B track using EQ and multiband processing. He starts with an SSL EQ to reduce harsh high-mid and high frequencies, preserving the live feel of the recording. ROC.am then uses Soothe2 to further tame harshness, leveraging its default settings to quickly identify problematic frequencies. This session highlights the importance of maintaining a live, natural sound while carefully controlling frequency clashes, ultimately achieving a balanced mix that retains its energy and authenticity.
Produce Like A Pro
Darrell Thorp demonstrates how to thicken distorted rhythm guitars using a parallel bus with compression and EQ. He employs a UAD Distressor for compression followed by a Neve 1073 for EQ, adding top-end clarity and boosting around 220 Hz for extra body. This technique enhances the fullness and cohesiveness of the guitar sound, making it stand out in a rock mix without overpowering other elements.
SonicScoop
Joel Hamilton explores his unique approach to mixing "Skull of Lucia" by Sparklehorse. He highlights the narrative aspect of mixing, likening musical elements to characters that support the storyline of the track. In this example, Hamilton avoids traditional reverb, instead using additional instrumentation like strings, guitars and background vocals to create a sense of space and openness in the chorus. This approach maintains the track's gentle, dreamy quality, emphasizing the importance of compositional intention over conventional effects.
URM Academy
In this bit, Tom Lord-Alge discusses the creative use of multiple reverb setups for different sections of a song to enhance vocal mixing. He highlights the flexibility modern DAWs provide, allowing separate reverb chains for verses, choruses, and bridges, even if the initial settings are identical. This approach avoids the need for automation and allows for nuanced control over each section's ambiance. Tom also shares his strategy for vocal panning and channel management, using specific channels for stereo panning and ensuring clarity and separation between vocal doubles. This technique helps achieve a dynamic and engaging vocal mix, suitable for modern rock and alternative genres.
SonicScoop
In this reverb masterclass, Richard Furch demonstrates his approach to crafting vocal reverb by de-essing before the reverb stage. This technique prevents harsh sibilance from cluttering the reverb, allowing only the desired brightness to enhance the vocal space. Furch further refines the reverb by cutting low-mid frequencies with an EQ to avoid muddiness, ensuring a clear and splashy reverb effect. He emphasizes controlling brightness on the vocal track to achieve a balanced blend, highlighting the importance of a slightly darker reverb compared to the direct vocal sound. This nuanced control helps the reverb complement the vocal without overwhelming it.
SonicScoop
Richard Furch delves into reverb parameters, focusing on reverb time and pre-delay settings in this insightful masterclass. He explains that reverb time in certain units, like the Buckram, can feel shorter than others, influencing the perceived length and impact on vocals. Furch suggests using mathematical approaches to set reverb length, such as matching it to the song's tempo, but ultimately trusts his intuition to guide adjustments. When discussing pre-delay, Furch highlights its subtlety in maintaining vocal clarity. He advises experimenting with pre-delay settings between 50-100 milliseconds, aligning with the song's tempo for a more cohesive sound. This approach can transform pre-delay into a musical element, enhancing creative expression in your mix.
SonicScoop
In this masterclass, Tony Maserati discusses the importance of using templates to streamline the mixing process. By setting up a range of aux tracks and effects in advance, he can quickly adapt to creative ideas as they arise. Maserati emphasizes visualizing the desired sound environment, considering details like room acoustics and microphone placement. This mental preparation helps him achieve the right mood and space for each element in the mix. This session offers valuable insights into pre-planning and the creative aspects of mixing.
SonicScoop
Joel Hamilton discusses his hybrid mixing approach at Studio G, combining an SSL console with digital plugins. He emphasizes using plugins like the Kirchoff EQ for precise corrective EQ and mild compression on vocals, ensuring the desired signal reaches the console for further analog processing. Hamilton's technique allows him to shape the sound effectively before adding analog color, maintaining a clean and intentional mix foundation. This approach highlights the balance between digital precision and analog warmth, tailored to enhance the unique qualities of the vocal performance.
EngineEars
In this mix breakdown for Victoria Monét's "On My Mama," Teezio dives into his approach to processing the 808 and bass. He starts with subtle use of Waves R Bass, followed by surgical EQ adjustments with FabFilter Pro-Q3 to remove unnecessary frequencies and maintain the demo's vibe. Teezio employs MV2 for balancing low and high elements, and uses iZotope Neutron and Waves C2 for smooth, transparent compression. He emphasizes the importance of tackling resonant frequencies to avoid buildup and improve clarity. By layering different bass elements, Teezio adds depth and body, crafting a rich, cohesive low-end that pairs seamlessly with the drums.
URM Academy
Tom Lord-Alge showcases his vocal mixing techniques on Angels & Airwaves' "The Adventure," focusing on creating unique reverb effects. He explains how he adapted a pre-delayed reverb style using the Valhalla Vintage Verb, enhancing the vocal presence while maintaining clarity. To achieve a polished sound, Tom inserts a delay before the reverb, with feedback to create a timed reflection that fills the spaces between vocal lines. He also uses a de-esser on the reverb send to prevent any harshness, ensuring the vocals remain smooth and engaging. In the chorus, Tom applies EQ to remove boxiness from the reverb and demonstrates console automation for seamless transitions. His approach highlights the importance of personalizing effects to improve the mix, turning original ideas into something distinctly his own.
Mix with the Masters
In this clip from Mix with the Masters, Jacquire King discusses the art of balancing elements in a mix, focusing on what to make prominent and what to keep in the background. King emphasizes the importance of these choices in conveying emotional energy, showing how subtle vocal placement can enhance the listener's engagement with the song. This approach ensures the track starts with intrigue and sets the stage for the story to unfold.
SonicScoop
In this masterclass, mixer ROC.am shares his approach to achieving a polished drum sound using a combination of EQ, compression, and saturation. He highlights the effectiveness of using high-pass and low-pass filters on the drum bus to remove unwanted frequencies, adding clarity and punch. ROC.am employs an SSL compressor for its renowned punch, boosting low-mid frequencies while darkening the highs to balance the drum mix. He also incorporates the Softube Saturation Knob to add subtle warmth and character. Additionally, ROC.am uses his favorite compressor with a mix knob to enhance the drum tone rather than purely compressing. By layering these techniques, he creates a dynamic and open sound, ensuring the drums sit well in the mix. This video is ideal for those looking to refine their drum processing skills in a professional mixing context.
Audiopunks
Chris Coady discusses mic placement for recording acoustic guitar while producing Rachel Bobbitt's "Sweetest Heart." He uses a Heiserman 251 mic, positioning it about 2-3 feet away to capture a direct sound without excessive room ambiance. Coady emphasizes finding a sweet spot where the mic is close enough to avoid a distant sound but not so close that it feels overly magnified. He adjusts the distance by moving the mic until the room sound is audible, then pulling it back slightly for the desired clarity. This approach allows the guitarist to find their own comfort zone by listening through headphones, ensuring a natural and integrated sound in the production.
Universal Audio
Jacquire King highlights the use of a DI (Direct Input) when recording acoustic guitars to add mid-range clarity and presence. By blending the DI with a mic signal, King achieves a balanced sound that emphasizes the guitar's immediacy without the influence of room acoustics. In situations where using a DI is the only option, King enhances the sound through tone shaping with EQ and compression. He uses a UA 610-B Tube Preamp to soften the tone and an 1176 Limiter with a unique two-to-one ratio for subtle control and character. To add dimension without overwhelming reverb, King sends the DI signal to an aux with Ocean Way Studios plugin, using room and reverb modes to create a spacious feel. This approach ensures a polished guitar sound, offering flexibility and depth in the mix.
Electrical Audio
In this bit, Steve Albini explains his approach to recording acoustic stringed instruments at Electrical Audio studio. His key idea is to evoke the "sense memory" of hearing acoustic instruments naturally, emphasizing the importance of capturing the entire system—the strings, bridge, and body—using microphones rather than pickups. Albini details how the body of an acoustic instrument shapes its unique sound, explaining why microphones are preferable for achieving an authentic acoustic recording. He critiques pickups for failing to capture the full acoustic profile, making them more suitable for demos or amplified settings where sound quality isn't critical. By understanding the mechanical and acoustic properties of instruments, Albini provides insights into choosing microphone techniques that preserve the instrument's natural sound. This knowledge is invaluable for creating recordings that reflect the true essence of acoustic music.