5
by Mason
I'll start with the drums, then the bass, then the guitars or other non-bass instruments, then finally the vocals. I unmute one channel at a time, and each time I'll press the polarity button on the unmuted channel a few times, see which of the two settings works better with the tracks I unmuted earlier and the mix I've been building. Before long I have a decent "plain" mix and there's little left to do.
Everything you do to a signal is an intervention, and I think it's good practice to make as few electronic interventions as possible. Start from the assumption that the recorded signal you're presented with is fine. As in, start from the assumption that the tambourine does not need compression; the bass doesn't need compression or a high-end lift; the vocal doesn't need slapback on it. In the end you might do all of those things, but only after seriously considering doing nothing instead. In my experience this translates to getting the same sounds I was after anyway but in a simpler, more efficient way. Like if the musician/s' vision of record from the outset does involve slapback on the vocal, then add that without hesitation. But if you're considering patching something in to add brightness, while also patching something in to tame high-end harshness, maybe you needn't do either? If the recording phase isn't over yet, can you move or replace the mic? That's basic, but especially with DAWs it bears the repetition.
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One of my most enjoyable afternoons in the last few years was when I had an attended mixing session at Burn the Furniture w/ FM matte_Archive. It was my first time not mixing my own recordings in 10 years—and I'd had minimal "real studio" experience before that (small city, etc). But it was an illuminating experience, seeing Matt quickly get these mixes that were orders of magnitude better than mine, and on material I already tried to mix myself.
What was most illuminating was that he was doing the exact same shit I already do, and that everyone does. This is not a dismissal of FM matte_Archive! But I half- or quarter-expected him to take out gear I've never heard of, doing convoluted madman shit I've never seen done or even discussed. Like "Here's the real way to compress a vocal. Trade secret; we keep this off the message boards." He certainly did things that were new to me and good to learn, but only like "let's use this compressor you are familiar with but don't have at your house."
Why were his mixes so much better? Because he's better! He has 10-15yrs more experience, and Burn the Furniture is a nice little place! He can identify and solve problems in a third of the time it takes me to even consider that maybe there's a problem there. I'd been an autodidact with cheap equipment, minimal acoustic treatment, and, most importantly, really only the opportunity to make 1-2 albums a year. It makes complete sense that my skills were where they were. It also makes sense that there is nothing standing between my skills and Matt's, for example, other than doing the work for a long time.
So to me the idea of the mixing engineer trying to read up on theory/best practices is like a musician getting really into gear for the first time or whatever. It matters, but it doesn't matter. It makes a difference, but it doesn't. Do what you can to gain experience, and that's about all there is to do.
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Just minimize the differences between the sound in the control room and the original sound of the players in the studio. Unless it would be better artistically for you to go insane and turbo on a sound instead, which is valid. I would say "Don't think" but it's better to say "don't think much". Use your leftover time to sweep up in the kitchen or read a book or do other shit. Go for a walk.
