Originally Posted by Mixerman from Zen and the Art of Mixing
A mix that Sings is one in which everything works together to generate an undeniable energy. Sometimes I refer to this as a mix that “pops,” since the mix seemingly jumps out of the speakers. This isn’t a function of monitoring volume, as a mix that pops will get your attention and draw you in at any volume. You can use the terms “Sing” and “Pop” interchangeably. They’re the same principle as far as I’m concerned.
Getting a mix to Sing can be the most elusive part of mixing, and probably the most difficult to explain. Whether the mix Sings or not isn’t measurable in any real way, other than by how it makes you feel, but if you find yourself listening to a flat, uninspired mix, it probably has to do with a certain lack in how it gels. This usually has to do with EQ and compression.
If you get too much separation between your instruments your mix won’t gel. Separation in a mix is usually a good thing. We strive for it. Separation allows us to hear all the different parts. There’s a line, however, and if there’s too much overall separation between the instruments your mix won’t gel, which has a negative effect on how the mix Sings. If your mix has such separation that it sounds like five different players as opposed to one single band, then your mix won’t Sing. You want the listener to perceive a unified performance. If the individual parts are only serving to distract the listener, then you’re not manipulating their focus properly.
Your band (whether programmed or otherwise) is supposed to sound as if they’re working together, not as if they’re each doing their own thing. That’s the difference between a band that sounds musical and a band that sounds like they’re playing the same piece of music. With any luck the producer has done her job in this regard. Regardless, it’s part of your job is to create an apparent unity in purpose within your mix. The fact that you’re constantly dealing with individual tracks certainly doesn’t help matters. Neither does the usual recording methodology in which most parts are performed as overdubs. Typically, we’re just creating the illusion that the musicians played together, and this most certainly doesn’t make your job any easier.
How your mix gels has everything to do with how you use your planes of space. For instance, if you have a guitar/vocal production and you pan the vocal hard left and the guitar hard right, your mix isn’t going to gel. I realize I recommend that you make full use of the stereo field, but that includes filling in the middle.
Balance issues can cause gelling problems too. While you most certainly don’t want an overly proportional mix, you can’t get the track to gel if parts are popping out indiscriminately all over the place. It’s inconsistency in balances that destroy the overall integrity of a mix, especially on the bottom. If the kik level is wholly inconsistent and the bass is blowing up the speakers on some notes and virtually disappearing on others, your mix most definitely won’t sing or gel, and it definitely won’t pop. This is what makes compressors and limiters such important mix tools. They allow you to control consistency.
Now, don’t confuse the well-placed dynamic of an accented kik with that of an inconsistent one. The sixteenth pickup before the downbeat is a perfectly natural place for a drummer to put a dynamically lighter kik. This works to accentuate the downbeat and is a musical dynamic, which will only serve to make your mix sing more. Musical accents have been all but eradicated from much of our modern music, but that’s not because it doesn’t mix well. Don’t concern yourself with deliberate and musical inconsistency of a well-placed accent by the consummate professional. It’s the unmusical inconsistency of a lesser player that must be dealt with aggressively.
Compressors have a number of uses. While controlling volume dynamic is the most common purpose, compressors are often used for effect. Depending on how you set your attack and release settings you can make a part breathe. The ultra-aggressive placement of a compressor on a cymbal can completely eradicate the initial attack, allowing the listener to hear only the long slow release of the cymbal increasing in volume. Compressed room mics can create the illusion of a far greater space than might have existed during the recording by extending time of reflection. When implemented in an aggressive manner, you’re basically using compressors to shape tone as much as control dynamic. There are, however, risks involved in too much aggressive compression—you can make your mix small.
I’m not going to argue against aggressive compression techniques. Used well, even ultra-aggressively, compressors are quite handy in shaping the sound of your mix. But if you compress and limit too aggressively across the board, you will surely eradicate all dynamic from your mix, which will result in a small, lifeless mix.
The best way to make your mix sing is through the use of a 2-bus compressor. We’ll discuss this further in the Gear section of this book, but a good analog 2-bus compressor is essential for dealing with balance inconsistencies in your mix. Not only will the 2-bus compressor control the bottom of your mix, it will also serve to gel it. Be careful, though. If you hit your 2-bus compressor too hard, you once again risk making your mix small. If you hit it too lightly, your mix won’t sing due to distracting inconsistencies on the bottom. There’s a sweet spot on your 2-bus compressor, and if you can find that spot, your mix can be both tight on the bottom and big as well. This combination goes a long way towards delivering a mix that jumps out of the speakers. So if your mix isn’t singing, the first place to look is your overall compression. If that doesn’t do it, then you need to examine frequency balance.
How you fill the frequency spectrum can have great influence on how well your mix sings. If your mix is mostly high- and low-end, then you’re missing the aggressiveness that upper midrange offers, and the meat that the lower midrange offers. If your mix is light on the low-end, it won’t appear big. If your mix is too dark, it will seem flat and uninspired.
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6th July 2010
