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Evangeline Greenko
Before reviewing the chapter, let's just take a look at the song process before it ends up a CD. Say you write a song, it gets heard by the "right" people and a record company thinks it's worth something. Once the deal is finalized, the record company agrees to finance the song/album production. At the studio, tracking is done and the song is recorded, mixed then sent the mastering engineer. After the mastering process happens, the track is sent off for duplication, CDs are made, album covers are choosen, and the song/album is sold!
Mixing is one of the most important things in this process; it is creating a balance (frequency, volume, spacial, depth) in the stereo image. This balance can be created by basic panning and volume adjustments or adding reverbs and delays. What is more important than mixing? Prepping to mix! After tracking is done, make sure your files are in order, everything is labeled/color coded correctly, markers/buses/and groups(/sub-groups) are set up, etc. The next steps are to get the levels and start panning! Later, EQ, automation and other processing effects can be done before the bounce is created!
It is important to remember that there is still one final process after mixing: Mastering. The mastering process preps the master copy of the final mixdown for duplication. This has a DIRECT effect on your mix, it's almost as if your mixing adjustments are magnified! Keeping that in mind, here are some useful tips:
- When getting levels, clipping is bad!
- Check plugins for clipping as well.
- Check your mix in Mono.
- Bounce to the right fromat.
This chapter marked my first week at my new studio, OC Recording. I remember being super nervous to see how a new studio operated but Asaf and the rest of the gang have all been really amazing, welcoming, and helpful during my transition and in my schooling. I have learned so much already, I can't wait to see what the last few weeks have to brinng... Cheers, until next time!
