Mixing

WHAT IS MIXING?

Mixing is the craft of taking multiple audio tracks and combining them together onto a final master track— be it a 2-channel stereo master, or 6+ channels in the case of surround mixing. The way we combine tracks is equal parts art and science, and involves utilizing a variety of tools to bring out the most emotional impact from the song. Mixing can be as simple as presenting great-sounding tracks in a more impactful way. Other times, mixing may require repairing tracks that sound sub-par. Each mix presents its own problems and challenges—it’s your job as the mixer to not only solve these problems, but to present the song the way it sounds in the client’s imagination. This guide will demonstrate how to utilize these tools to achieve the best possible mixes. So what are we waiting for? Let’s get started!

THE FOUR ELEMENTS OF MIXING

 Think of a mix as a sonic three-dimensional image. There are four essential elements that we use to control that image:

1. Level (Height)
2. EQ (Height)
3. Panning (Width)
4. Time-Based Effects (Depth)

LEVEL
Level seems pretty simple—when we want to hear something louder, we turn up a fader. And the louder components of the mix grab the listener’s attention more than the quieter components.

EQ
EQ is really just a more detailed level control that lets us boost and cut levels at specific frequencies. EQ is the easiest way to shape the tracks in your mix so they fit together—and provides a powerful way to add personality and character to the individual tracks.

 PANNING
If you were to think of level and EQ as the vertical (up/down) elements, panning would be the horizontal (left/right) element. Panning can be very helpful on instruments that sit in the same frequency range. By panning one to the left and the other to the right, you can separate the two instruments and reduce the chance of one instrument masking the other, and making it harder to hear.

TIME-BASED EFFECTS
Time-based effects form the element of depth (front to back). Time-based effects such as reverb and delay can make an instrument seem further away, or sometimes bigger than a dry instrument. The elements discussed above allow us to create a three-dimensional image, but there’s also a fourth dimension available to us—time. Time is the key way that music differs from static art forms like paintings and sculptures. You can stare at the Mona Lisa all day long and she’ll never change—she’s had that wry smile on her face hundreds of years. Conversely, a song can change within 30 seconds of listening to it and can go through multiple changes throughout the length of the song. So utilizing the four elements we have control over and changing them throughout a song’s structure can result in a vibrant and dynamic mix. Mixing involves a fair amount of slight of hand—you’re deciding what instruments the listener is focusing on and you can change their focus within the mix at any point. A good example of this is going from a vocal melody to another instrument soloing. You’ve now seamlessly taken the attention of the listener from the vocal to the solo.

EQUALIZATION (EQ)

Equalization, as discussed earlier in Chapter 3: The Four Elements of Mixing is the process of adjusting the  levels of particular frequencies.


WHAT IS EQ FOR?

We use equalization primarily to shape the tracks in our mix to fit well together. A mix engineer might for
example reduce the low frequencies of a bass guitar to allow the kick drum to cut through the mix a little
more clearly. But EQ can also enhance individual tracks, perhaps by boosting certain frequencies that
make a snare sound punchy (150Hz–300Hz), or a voice sound airy (15kHz–18kHz).


PRINCIPLES OF EQ

There are many different types of equalizers, and they all perform boosts and cuts in specific frequency
ranges. The frequency range can be divided into several bands, such as a low band, a high band, and so
on. This allows for unique adjustments to be made in certain areas. Equalizers usually consist of several
bands: each band of an EQ is a single filter.
To understand the basics of how equalizers work we will first discuss the parameters in detail:
Parametric equalizers provide the greatest level of control for each band. The instantly recognizable ‘bell’
shape is the most commonly used of all EQ types, allowing independent control of the three most common
variables: amplitude, center frequency and bandwidth.