What questions are you asking yourself when you mix a song?

[jonespnice]

What questions are you asking yourself when you mix a song?
Usually when I mix I am constantly asking myself questions:
Can I hear each track or are there some tracks that are buried and hard to hear?
Do I hear mud and which tracks are contributing to that mud?
Does the kick drum and bass work well together, do I need eq or side-chaining to fix it?
Does the vocal need to up front or farther back in the mix?


These are just a few questions that I ask myself while I'm mixing, what are some of the questions that you ask yourself when you mix?

[hopi]

1- damn it, where did I leave the cupacoffee this time?
2- oh shit, did I leave a lit cigarette in the other room?
3- what's for dinner???

[jonespnice]

Originally Posted by hopi

1- damn it, where did I leave the cupacoffee this time?
2- oh shit, did I leave a lit cigarette in the other room?
3- what's for dinner???

Yeah, and don't forget the biggest question, where's my money? I guess that's the question you ask when you're done. lol.

[sillyrobin]

Originally Posted by hopi

1- damn it, where did I leave the cupacoffee this time?
2- oh shit, did I leave a lit cigarette in the other room?
3- what's for dinner???

+1

What you need is a default approach to what can typically happen. Not all things within your checklist will need to be applied. But questions have to be asked so that you don’t overlook anything. This is the checklist I have. I use Geist and it most likely does not pertain to you. It’s a drum machine if you do not know.

1.
2. Basic arrangement
3. Task = Add vocals
4. Task = Add chorus
5. Task = Add back up vocals
6. Task = Add Ad-lives
7. !!Vocals!! finished !!
8. Add markers
9. Task = Add supporting sounds in vs
10. Task = Add supporting sounds in chorus
11. Task = Add bridges
12. Task = Create key change ( middle 8 )
13. Task = Frequency Rise
14. Task = Finish Geist basic drum lay out
15. Task = Drag & Drop percussion
16. Task = Riff Change on All 4th bars
17. Task = Bass change on each vs
18. Task = Drum kit changes
19. Task = Drum fills
20. Task = Render existing vst's
21. !! No more creation!! (mixing starts here)
22. Task = Remove vocal s-sounds
23. Task = Remove bad vocal peaks
24. Task = Line up backing vocals
25. Task = Line up chorus backing vocals
26. Task = level all vocals.
27. Task = Render vocals
28. Task = Fine tune vocal levels
35. Task = EQ Cuts
36. EQ cuts complete
37. Task = Duck bass
38. Task = Duck Pads
39. Task = Duck conflicting sounds with vocals
40. Ducking complete
41. Task = pan outline. !!Use Goniomitor!!
42. Task = pan !!kick,bass,snare,vocals= centered. !!Use Goniomitor!!
43. Task = Pan instruments left & right. !!Use Goniomitor!!
44. Task = Gell drum group
45. Task = Gell instrument group
46. Task = Gell " Every Bar"


I save to new project files after the task is complete. This is what my project files looked like. And the best way to save your project files is wrap them in a winrar file. Move onto the next task and once it’s complete, move onto the next task. This list may not work for you and I suggest you make your own.

[beingmf]

Artificial or realistic?
Which reverb (if any)?
How prominent/driving is the bass?
What's in front, what's in the background?
What's the lowest note/sound, what the highest?
Go LoFi or HiFi?
How far can I push it? What's the genre or the audience the product is aimed at?

But most important: except for the latter 3, these questions arise during mixing, not before. 99% of the time, the mixes end different, but better, than I thought when I first listened to the raw tracks.

EDIT: "Am I still objective?"

[jonespnice]

Originally Posted by sillyrobin

+1

What you need is a default approach to what can typically happen. Not all things within your checklist will need to be applied. But questions have to be asked so that you don’t overlook anything. This is the checklist I have. I use Geist and it most likely does not pertain to you. It’s a drum machine if you do not know.

1.
2. Basic arrangement
3. Task = Add vocals
4. Task = Add chorus
5. Task = Add back up vocals
6. Task = Add Ad-lives
7. !!Vocals!! finished !!
8. Add markers
9. Task = Add supporting sounds in vs
10. Task = Add supporting sounds in chorus
11. Task = Add bridges
12. Task = Create key change ( middle 8 )
13. Task = Frequency Rise
14. Task = Finish Geist basic drum lay out
15. Task = Drag & Drop percussion
16. Task = Riff Change on All 4th bars
17. Task = Bass change on each vs
18. Task = Drum kit changes
19. Task = Drum fills
20. Task = Render existing vst's
21. !! No more creation!! (mixing starts here)
22. Task = Remove vocal s-sounds
23. Task = Remove bad vocal peaks
24. Task = Line up backing vocals
25. Task = Line up chorus backing vocals
26. Task = level all vocals.
27. Task = Render vocals
28. Task = Fine tune vocal levels
35. Task = EQ Cuts
36. EQ cuts complete
37. Task = Duck bass
38. Task = Duck Pads
39. Task = Duck conflicting sounds with vocals
40. Ducking complete
41. Task = pan outline. !!Use Goniomitor!!
42. Task = pan !!kick,bass,snare,vocals= centered. !!Use Goniomitor!!
43. Task = Pan instruments left & right. !!Use Goniomitor!!
44. Task = Gell drum group
45. Task = Gell instrument group
46. Task = Gell " Every Bar"


I save to new project files after the task is complete. This is what my project files looked like. And the best way to save your project files is wrap them in a winrar file. Move onto the next task and once it’s complete, move onto the next task. This list may not work for you and I suggest you make your own.

That's a nice way of thinking.

[Boray]

10 IF happy_with_the_result THEN END
20 TWEAK
30 GOTO 10

[thequietroom]

Is that my FEET?

[chrisharbin]

Where is teh phat bass? Actually, I'm quite serious (I love renbass!)

Mostly it's all feel and vibe. I'm no pro by any stretch but I do have a sense of what is really bad and some info on how to fix it. So what runs through the noggin is "no, I don't like that, ah........that's better......no, that's not quite right..........dammit, why can't I get this to gel

I don't think about much else.

[zappa]

Originally Posted by jonespnice

That's I nice way of thinking.

Perhaps, but I can't see a question in there?

One of the most underrated skills when mixing is general appreciation of mixes, particularly in music you listen to. So the two questions I ask at various junctures:

1. Using a related genre exemplar, how is my work stacking up?
2. If it isn't, give your ears a break ie. go listen to something else (preferably another genre / mix style altogether), or some silence. Get some distance. Then listen again, pay attention to what you hear and ask, "why?"

Ears are the single most important instrument in the production process.

One more,

3. When you change something, say a track or particular instrument, pay attention not only to how that instrument/track is changing, but how that change affects everything else. Make a point of it; you'll start to understand your own mix better. Taking out some of the low-mid unpleasantness of a particular sound (synths are a good one for this) can really open up the top end of cymbals and the stereo space for instance.

z.

[ObiK]

Does this benefit the song?

Does this sound like what I want my reputation based on.

[Artbay]

Originally Posted by sillyrobin

+1

What you need is a default approach to what can typically happen. Not all things within your checklist will need to be applied. But questions have to be asked so that you don’t overlook anything. This is the checklist I have. I use Geist and it most likely does not pertain to you. It’s a drum machine if you do not know.

1.
2. Basic arrangement
3. Task = Add vocals
4. Task = Add chorus
5. Task = Add back up vocals
6. Task = Add Ad-lives
7. !!Vocals!! finished !!
8. Add markers
9. Task = Add supporting sounds in vs
10. Task = Add supporting sounds in chorus
11. Task = Add bridges
12. Task = Create key change ( middle 8 )
13. Task = Frequency Rise
14. Task = Finish Geist basic drum lay out
15. Task = Drag & Drop percussion
16. Task = Riff Change on All 4th bars
17. Task = Bass change on each vs
18. Task = Drum kit changes
19. Task = Drum fills
20. Task = Render existing vst's
21. !! No more creation!! (mixing starts here)
22. Task = Remove vocal s-sounds
23. Task = Remove bad vocal peaks
24. Task = Line up backing vocals
25. Task = Line up chorus backing vocals
26. Task = level all vocals.
27. Task = Render vocals
28. Task = Fine tune vocal levels
35. Task = EQ Cuts
36. EQ cuts complete
37. Task = Duck bass
38. Task = Duck Pads
39. Task = Duck conflicting sounds with vocals
40. Ducking complete
41. Task = pan outline. !!Use Goniomitor!!
42. Task = pan !!kick,bass,snare,vocals= centered. !!Use Goniomitor!!
43. Task = Pan instruments left & right. !!Use Goniomitor!!
44. Task = Gell drum group
45. Task = Gell instrument group
46. Task = Gell " Every Bar"


I save to new project files after the task is complete. This is what my project files looked like. And the best way to save your project files is wrap them in a winrar file. Move onto the next task and once it’s complete, move onto the next task. This list may not work for you and I suggest you make your own.

impressive and interesting

if i had a list like that, those steps 1&2 of basic creation would keep spilling out over every other step, and all the drum stuff would be earlier...

p.s. what's "Goniomitor" ? googling that spelling only links here, and a "Goniometer" is for geometry...?

[jonespnice]

Originally Posted by zappa

1. Using a related genre example, how is my work stacking up?

Originally Posted by ObiK

Does this benefit the song?

Does this sound like what I want my reputation based on.

Those are very good questions to ask.

[karbomusic]

Originally Posted by Artbay

p.s. what's "Goniomitor" ? googling that spelling only links here, and a "Goniometer" is for geometry...?

It's that meter that shows phase and stereo field etc.. I think there is a JS version. Actually, do your google search again and add the word VST to it.

[Artbay]

Originally Posted by karbomusic

It's that meter that shows phase and stereo field etc.. I think there is a JS version. Actually, do your google search again and add the word VST to it.

HOFA 4U Goniometer & Korrelator V1.0.3hofa-plugins plugins vst

http://hofa-plugins.de/pages/start_en/4u_en.php

?

(p.s. i went to regional spelling bee twice )

[karbomusic]

Originally Posted by Artbay

HOFA 4U Goniometer & Korrelator V1.0.3hofa-plugins plugins vst

http://hofa-plugins.de/pages/start_en/4u_en.php

?

(p.s. i went to regional spelling bee twice )

Well I only made it to the regionals once (obviously).

[zappa]

Originally Posted by Artbay

p.s. what's "Goniomitor" ? googling that spelling only links here, and a "Goniometer" is for geometry...?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goniometer_(audio)

z.

[Artbay]

spelling bee, win; audio engineering, fail.

[camerondye]

Why didn't I listen in school?

In all honestly as it pertains to this thread:
I ask myself am I helping or hurting this guys music by doing this. It's a good idea to always go back and check your work and see if what you did pertains to the music you are mixing.

[James HE]

Since everything I mix is pretty much self-produced these days I am asking;

Are these vocals good enough?
Is this drum part humanly playable?
Should I just re-track the vocals?
My God, it been what, 7 years working on this thing? When will I be done?
When can I have the house to myself to re-track these vocals again?
How awesome is this!!!!

[dea-man]

Was it recorded with care, to the best present abilities?

Are the performances the best that can be done, in the circumstance?

Are there certain instruments, or performances that stand above others in this piece, demanding to "shine" in the mix?

After mixing, then listening for several days, what needs to change?

After changing them to the best mix possible. Listen again and make more changes if necessary.

Does it feel right, have spirit, give me chills?

And finally....

If I walk away and let go of this project, would I be absolutely, 100%, proud to play it for anybody, anywhere, on any kind of player?

I am done.

[Europanaut]

"What is the song asking for?"

"What is the client asking for?"

"What am I asking for from this mix, sonically"

"How do I address the previous three questions, simultaneously in my mix?"

[Sigilus]

what output format (# channels) and configuration is required?

1: is this tweak an improvement
->no: go to 1
->yes: go to next tweak

[Smurf]

For mine

Is the song worth mixing, or do I need to go back & re-arrange it?

For others

Do I like-feel-identify with the tune?

IF not, don't waste my time.

If i do, then do the best I can that day to make it sound great.

[pixeltarian]

I think I only ask two questions...

Does the way this sounds make me feel good? Could I feel better than this?

[Razor]

I'm pretty simple, the only questions I ask myself are usually:

Is x too loud? Can I hear y clearly enough?

etc

I've never really thought about things like the style or genre of the music, I just turn things up or down until it sounds right.

[rhythmtech]

why am i still doing this? the money is crap.