Mixing part 2

Panning, Processing pt.1

Panning

Some people like to save panning for when the mix is done, and others like to do it as they go along. I usually tend to do panning as I go, and experiment a little bit with what sounds best. It helps to create more space and clean up the mix a little bit, and it allows us to get an idea of how the project will sound in stereo once it is done. If you are mixing in stereo, it is important to check your mix in mono just to see how it sounds. There is a good chance that your track will get played in mono at some point, so you want to make sure that it sounds just as good in mono.

EQ

Next, I like to EQ nearly everything, as most tracks can use at least a little bit of it. Keep in mind that every track will need different EQ. It’s important to not just slap on one of the EQ presets and call it a day. This goes for any of the plugins you may use. The presets don’t know exactly what your instrument sounds like or what frequencies need to be cut or boosted. Plugin presets can be helpful in providing us with ideas. For example, if an EQ has a “Punchy Kick” preset and you apply it to your kick drum track, it will likely have a boost around 60Hz, a small cut from 100-400Hz, and another boost around 5kHz. This preset is not tailored specifically for your kick drum! But it can provide you with ideas of what to boost and what to cut when looking to get a “punchy” kick sound. Listen carefully, figure out what each track needs, experiment with boosting and cutting different frequencies. How you EQ may depend on the instrument or source, the mic with which it was recorded, how it was miked, the room in which it was recorded, where the source was placed within the room, the preamp used, and other factors. What is most important, though, is what sounds best. There is not one particular way to best EQ any sound or instrument. Only your ears can tell you the best way to EQ a particular track.

Compression

Compression is something that can be quite easy to use incorrectly. Something that people don’t always realize is that while compression can be used as an “effect”, it is not an effect. It is very important to know your intentions before using compression. Always ask yourself things like: “Does this track need compression?”, “Could this track benefit from some compression?”, “How much compression does this track need?”, etc. Be sure that you know why you’re using compression. Be careful not to over-compress. If you are using the compressor for its intended purpose, you should not be able to hear it working, and if you do it should be very, very subtle. If you’re struggling to find the right amount of compression on a particular track without over-compressing it, there is a very simple way of resolving this. Using a method called “parallel compression”, you can add more compression without over-compressing the signal. “How is this possible?”, you might ask. It’s quite simple, actually. When you put one compressor after another on the same track, you can spread out the work between them. This allows each compressor to only compress a little bit at a time, preventing over-compression. Don’t be afraid to do this, especially if you feel a track needs a decent amount of compression, but one compressor alone is over-compressing when you reach the desired amount. This is a technique that is used widely and very often.

One thing I should note about working with processing is that you should process within the whole mix. In other words, don’t always solo the one track you are processing. Listen to how the entire mix sounds as you adjust EQ or compression or reverb (or anything!) on a single track. The reason for this is that each of your instruments/tracks will sound different within the mix than they will on their own. The best way to build a cohesive mix is to process and mix everything together. This is especially important when using EQ. You want each instrument to have a bit of its own frequency space, otherwise your mix might sound crowded. For example, if you want your snare drum to cut through the mix, you might tweak the EQ a little bit. If you have it soloed the entire time you are EQing, how will you know if it is cutting through the way you want it to? Pay close attention to these things, ask yourself questions like: “Are the guitars or cymbals getting in the way of the vocals?” or “Is the bass guitar getting lost?”, etc. It’s okay to solo things now and then, just try not to make it a habit.