Just gotta say that if you are new to the UBK/HOK world and you dig the vibe of these videos, you should check out the music he releases with his band, Sneaky Little Devil. As great and helpful as his mixing wisdom is, I think it is rivaled by his songwriting. The songs have space and vibe for days, with every detail placed in the right spot.
The best thing I learned about rules was in music college. On the last day our main professor told us that we should break all the rules we've learned. He obviously knows that someone will always shout "then why learn them?" His answer (and I remember this 40 years later) - "It is better to break the rules that you know on purpose than to break them accidentally because you don't know them." Just thought that was worth sharing...
My girlfriend overheard you say "do what you need to do, try to get in and out in under a minute". She was like, "uh-huh...he already knows that technique." 😂
Red flags go up for me whenever I hear words such as: always, never, must, can't, only, avoid... I'm sure there are more I'm just not thinking of right now. I hear someone say that in a vid, my reaction is usually, "wanna bet?" Some of my favorite sounds I've reached doing the exact opposite of what you're told. Recent example, a double-mic'd guitar amp that sounded amazing, noticed it was out of phase. Fixed it; ruined it, put it back out of phase.
So many iconic guitar tones (Page, May, Lifeson etc.) were defined by their phase scoop. I've built entire productions up on drums sounds that were 'pleasingly out of phase'!
@@TheHouseofKushTV Greg, I love the organic nature of how you operate: I'm a self taught amateur mixer of a reasonable standard (my real job is musician / music teacher), I've mixed my own albums & a few other people's and other than learning basics from a book everything else I've learned almost entirely by intuition & trial & error. I recently went to a mixing school to get a certificate and I bombed out after a few weeks. I literally hear things differently to those guys. Not saying they're wrong but my mastering guy is a top pro who does big movie soundtracks and mainstream bands, he says enjoys mastering my work because I don't mix to a formula: he literally said: "you mix don't mix like a pro, you mix like a musician, it's refreshing". I mean you certainly couldn't hire me to do pro work but there's certainly a niche for guys like me & you really help us.
I used to just blindly use the phase relationships that produced to most low end. My mixes sounded too heavy as a result. When I started to use phase inversion / rotation as an eq, it has been a huge improvement.
The way the solo button "rule" has become so magnified, you'd think using it is like pressing a detonator in your console or DAW! My view has always been if the button is there it's for a reason so learn WHEN it's applicable to use it. I've come to realise that these rules seem to be "set in hard stone" more for beginners - it's so they get used to best practice. As you develop your skills you realise that these "rules" aren't really set in stone, as you learn how and when to "break" them. The most important thing I've learned in the production process as a whole is to know what to do and when to do it. The "how" is usually the easiest part because that usually requires a step-by-step process. So of instance, if you know how the components of a compressor work you can pretty much use any compressor, but knowing what it can be used for in different situations and when to use which type and when to apply that knowledge - that's where efficiency and effectiveness are realised.
For correction EQ'ing of a certain element, soloing is critical to be precise. Rules are pointless if the engineer can't distinguish when to apply and when not too. Anyone with experience will automatically know whether a ''rule'' is legit or not. Generally in the majority of mixing situations, soloing can be counterproductive and can lead to mistakes, however there are plenty of scenarios where you need to hear something in solo. I solo ALWAYS to accurately cut the boxiness of different kickdrums depending on timbre/key etc. Pulling this frequency in the mix is doable, but soloing is the difference between getting it sounding good vs perfect
Yes! Even if it's mainly for identifying the exact frequency and bandwidth that needs adjustment, and making a first pass spike/scoop that can then be fine-tuned in the mix.
Never heard about dim solo, so I went to my DAW, Reaper, and there it was, not only that, you can even adjust the level of the dim with the mouse wheel. Thank you for your insights, I learn a lot from your videos.
@@vigilant545 Apparently, it's under Options-> preferences->audio. Didn't know it existed either and there's probably an action that exists for it but I'll be trying it out myself at some point to see if it's there. Hope this helps.
@@vigilant545 No problem. As said, I didn't know about it and will try once I get the opportunity. I'll update if the option turns out to be somewhere else. Take care!
Thanks! Weirdly, the show has the same effect on me. When filming, I kinda check out and some part of me takes over and vamps, rambles. I sit down to edit a couple days later and there are always moments that surprise me, I don't remember saying the things I see me saying. And often those moments are powerful reminders of something I knew but had forgotten, and which I needed to reconnect with. It's bizarre!
@@TheHouseofKushTV It's always like that with me, when I'm exchanging mixing tips with my mixer friends. I give them tips which I haven't used for some time, yet they magically came to my mind at that moment, as if they were trying to say: : "Chris, you loved us once, but now we're forgotten". I guess that's how our brain works. When I'm watching your shows, it feels like you're my superego reminding me of the "morals" of mixing! You may not realize that, but this has a huge motivational impact on me, even though I'm 53 years old. It happened to me many times, that after watching your show at 2am, I went downstairs and turned my studio on, very, very quietly, not to wake my family up, and I tested my work with the fresh perspective you enlightened me with. I am truly thankful for that, Greg!
Someone told me "rules is there to be broken" I kind of like that. And yes, I solo in every mix without any shame at all. Thanks again Gregory, a perfect start on my day.
I just wrote an article about this sort of situation as I noticed that so many people suffer from feeling that they have to please (obey) all these pedantic rules made by people trying to prove how Pro they are (yet never have any work to show). What you are saying here is the same thing as: Have the Courage of your Conviction Have a strong sense of the Story that you are telling in this Mix and commit to that. All the technicalities are someone else describing after the fact what someone did when they were following the muse with the courage of their conviction. :-)
It's 5:25am. *Notices the notification for Greg's video. *Yeeeeeeeeeeesssssss *before watching - can't wait for the next one already Thanks Greg, for the insights you give. I could watch these videos literally for hours non stop. Wondering if you've thought about writing a book about mixing? Could be quite helpful to have advices in one readable format :)
There's exactly one channel that makes me stop what I'm doing and head straight to youtube whenever there's a new video, and this is it. Always great advice and great vibes!
I can listen to you talk like that all day, trough all that warm gear of yours. "Hello this is smote-sexy, vintage radio station, Resonating Voices, where we speak smoothly and quietly, usually close up into the mike. Our warm sounding voice is yours aunties favorite antidepressant. Every voice becomes radiophonic with Resonating Voices." ...XD
Ha! Thanks for the kind words! People are often surprised to learn I’m always 18-24” away from the mic, that’s the beauty of a dry but balanced acoustic environment 🦻😇👂
It's so funny whenever you describe the pitfalls because anyone that has been trying to mix for a Time, are all nodding their heads yes at the same time. More great advice and clearly one of the best channels on TH-cam. Well done. Now I feel like I don't have to look over my shoulder when I hit the solo button.
Been saying this forever and now to my students: there are NO RULES to make good music. Just learning old and new techniques is always important. Especially the solo button myth, it’s one of the stupidest “rules” EVERYONE breaks.
Great video I totally did not realize the thing about spending too much time in solo and then hunting for other problems that don't exist afterwards. I've done that more times than I can count!
I agree, I solo as well, once I know what the issue is, I deal with it then finish with everything back on. I’ve always done it that way, another great video.
Hey Gregory, Good to see you again! 😎👍 I concur with the 'break the rules' idea, mostly because I don't completely understand them in the first place and I'm too old and stubborn to learn!! But I'm definitely with you no soloing vocals when mixing. I only mix my own stuff and I hate my voice and so it's a real chore for me to get me sounding good... the only way I can do it is dipping in and out of solo... if I don't then I just wind up trying to force the mix sit better with the vocal which is craziness!! Thanks again for your mellow mentoring, much appreciated!! 🙏🤘
*frantically searches for solo dim option in Logic. Thanks so much for these videos and for your podcast; constant motivations, and both packed with knowledge. I snagged the UBK-1 during the sale and am LOVING it. The presets are apply named and are helping me learn practically about compression. I'm saving up for an outboard unit. You've got my support. Cheers.
I'm always checking 400 Hz on everything (mainly in solo). It’s pretty much the first thing after the initial volume balancing. Nice to know I’m not an idiot by getting annoyed with the amount of focus I put on that specific range… 😅
Thanks I understand you easier than others passing this knowledge. And you just talking Bro. Keep em coming.. P.E.A.C.E. Positive Energy Always Corrects Errors
So I'm not the only one who sees these You Tube weenies with their "You gotta do it this way" and "you gotta do it this way"......wrrurrreruurrerur LOL. You're the best Greg. Solo is merely to isolate a channel for various things like observing noise, or understanding the content. Not EQ'ing. It will throw your perspective off of the relative mix. That said, Prior to a mix I might solo parts like drums, bass, guitar to get them in a perceived ballpark. Sort of like dressing in uniform before the big game.
Love this. I don't know how many recording tutorials I've watched where my favorite instructors are always doing something they told me a view tutorials earlier to never do. Soloing is a biggie also. I learned early on there are no rules. Just cautionary tips really. Thanks for this.
Thank’s again for another insightful talk. I’d love to hear you talk on some of the uses of distortion sometime UBK. Since it features heavily in your creations. I’d love to learn more about it. It seems to be the gift that keeps on giving.
I feel like to break the rules, you have to master them first. I’m still early on in my study of audio engineering. But I have friends that are absolutely brilliant artists and talk about mixing and mastering the same way you do. Expertise has made it elastic. I want sound to do exactly what I want it to.
Awesome tips and advice again...... the amount of times I have been asked if a student can sit in on a session to "help out" ..... and they have ended up saying things like "that's not how you do it....my lecturer says...... blah blah blah" I usually ignore it and then at the end of the session I will say "oh by the way.... don't bother coming in tomorrow" Yep kid, you blew it..... I break the rules all the time.... because I know what I want from my mix and the best way to get it ..... and I didn't learn it from some text book or lecturer... I learned it by experimenting and finding my own way to solve a problem..... might not be your way or anyone else's....but the end result speaks for itself. Bloody kids!!! :)
I apparently need to take a break from my Kush After Hours binge marathon, because I'm totally distracted by the Dennis Hopper Apocalypse Now vibe of this video and the Owen Wilson cameo at 2:36! And I say all of that with utmost respect (as a compliment). Anyhoo... onward, back to the binge. ☮
I completely agree Greg. About soloing, this is my problem (only one? 😅): it’s that every track soloed has beautiful nuances that are lost in a dense mix, like tears in the rain. I mean, you can hear those nuances if you know that those are there, but they are hidden in the mix. For example a beautiful reverb on vocals, a beautiful tone of a kick drum, a tone of a distortion on a guitar… most of what I discover in solo is blended and lost in a dense mix. I discovered once a whole amazing orchestra section hidden in a rock song, that sounded like a cheap synth in the mix. Mainly I realize that the tone of the bass completely disappears, what sticks out is just the useful frequencies, but not the tone. That’s why I’m so frustrated when I solo a beautiful sounding bass, that tone disappears. That’s why, sometimes, even an ugly bass synth “sounds” better in the mix because the needed frequencies are more consistent than an electric bass guitar. That’s why everybody thought that guitar solo on “Another brick in the wall” was played with a Fender Strato (it’s a Gibson), or everybody freaks out when they know that the bass guitar on “Enter Sandman” is a Spector, or when you solo some tracks of the album “The dark side of the moon” and some tracks sounds surprisingly ugly, but amazing in the mix. That’s because what we hear is the sound of the mix, but anyway it’s a shame that some instruments aren’t perceived as beautiful as they sound in solo. I wish we could be able to hear a song as if an imaginary solo dim button was pushed contemporaneously for every instrument 🤷🏻♂️
Another way to frame the problem is that you're noticing the mixes are too dense and competitive, and that you have to play Tetris to pack all the instruments in. Instead, why not start trimming out some of the frequencies that aren't contributing to any beautiful nuances, and see how much air you can free up?
These videos are unlike anything out there for mixing. They deal with the REAL issues I encounter (ie. stuff in my head, not stuff in the knobs) so...amazing. The problem? They ONLY deal with mixing. Very very few videos out there take this approach to TRACKING! I would LOOOOVE to see you talk about tracking in the same way you talk about mixing. Not "turn this knob to do this" but more 'headspace' issues while making crucial tracking decisions. As we all know...choices made during tracking are forever. That means its way more important to 'do no harm' at that stage. Can you talk about that? I'd love to see this spread over multiple videos (compression while tracking...eq while tracking...matching a preamp to a source while tracking....listening to mics while tracking...thinking about a room and it's reflections while tracking...blah blah blah). Thanks for everything you share in these vids...they're my touchstone for dealing with the real issues of recording, which all comes down to what's in your head more than which frequency you should cut on the drum bus.
This is excellent advice and I completely agree! Blindly following rules to a tee will hold you back, ruin workflow and stunt inspiration. As long as you have awareness, context, familiarity with and understanding of your tools, and a deliberate vision for what you're doing, you can experiment and break all manner of rules to great effect. This eventually leads to finding your own workflow and custom guidelines and habits that work for you.
Horses for courses. I agree with you. One thing I like to do is eq one instrument while paying attention to the effect that has on another. Good advice, subbed.
Such an important video. If by the end, you’ve finished a mix, everyone’s going “that sounds awesome!” it really does not matter too much the way you got there. Rules are there for general guidance not to follow like a sheep. I’m glad that he solos the same way I do! Some say “never solo, no listeners will listen in solo..” and that’s a poor argument.. because that’s only talking about listeners, not someone mixing the track! Very different listening experiences. Most listeners won’t be listening for compression, or a certain EQ.. it’s like cooking tbh. You may have such a pallet that you know each and every ingredient in a finished dish, but it’s much easier to guess if people feed you the raw ingredients one by one 🤣 “omg I’d have never have guessed celery was in there until I tasted this in solo”
A HUGE part of creating music is knowing when to throw the rules out the window and go with what works. Everything is so subjective when it comes to making music. The rule is just a good starting point. Most people blindly follow rules without knowing why the rule exist. Don't just learn the how's, also learn the why's so you can make your own rules for your sound. I have these debates with people all the time that wanna box someone else in a rule they heard and don't even understand the why behind it.
Thinking about that 300 - 500 Hz range is vital to production because there is also the separation between sub and low mids. A visual eq like pro q3 is already breaking the rules of listening solo by the awareness where that masking happening by using the analyser in the options. That group of frequencies is near to the fundamental ones which builds up quickly on lead instruments but also the proximity effect, the 'room' stuff, knowing what to change gives more power to find the sweetspot. It is not about boosts and cuts pultec style. a 20 dB difference on something like dim solo gives maybe not enough context so the workaround is listening to the sum while changing eq cuts on solo parts. That technique alone improves the mixdown already maybe to 50% chance to make it work. Or what is not in key at least could be matched by the eq mix wise. It should be done carefully because it changes the balance to the 2k - 5k sensitive range a lot. Basically taking away the muddiness leaves the sharpness. Spinning it further taking away the sharpness leaves the prominent parts, so maybe bringing back the focus back again. The important part is knowing what a certain element brings to the mix to make it really shine.
Gregory, thank you from the bottom of my heart! So many times, watching your videos, I thought: "damn, that's exactly what I do and it works for me, why everybody thinks that it's wrong". Honestly, you are the best information and motivation source in the mixing community.
I have a "NO SMOKING" sign above the door and a really big ash trey on my desk. When people ask why? I tell them "It's because I like to break the rules man".
Love it! you're defining the rules to the point that there's no room left for misunderstanding. I notice that so many music content channels just flat out leave bulk of the various boundary conditions because then the rule will become a rulebook.
Greg & his Coffee.... Beyond the Realm of Ordinary Mixing Universe - As Always.... Thanks a Ton for putting these Golden Micro detailed fairy dust on our Music Lives Greg... God Bless ya Man !!!! :)
I love that minute rule for eq in solo. Thinking about making alt solo hotkey in Reaper to automatically pop out of solo after 1 minute specifically for that
I've seen every CLA mix video in existence and he always solos the tracks first and EQ's the shit of them. Them makes adjustments once the tracks are brought together and continues adjusting throughout the mixing process.
It's inevitable, you do this long enough and you start to memorize how you like individual things to sound on their own. It makes mixing faster and easier when you can just listen to an acoustic guitar track by itself and know, without any other info, 'that's too bloated at 500Hz'.
Good video again, thx. I think the most beginners see a rule and stick with it, because it is a shure "promised" way to do a good mix. Without those rules, they drown in a sea of all the taste, motion, art of mixing. By time they all see, a better way to come to the hills is to try, try, try....yourself.
If I have trouble picking out a frequency that's a problem, often I'll find it in solo, then bring the full mix back in to reduce that problem frequency in context of the mix. It really speeds up the workflow.
I solo things all the time,...haha. I listen in context too later on,..but,...initially (especially vocals) lots of solo'ing. Great tips Gregory, thanks!
Thank you, thank you, thank you for reminding me of Solo dim. Going to try that on my next mix tomorrow. Thumbs up on the great advice. A lot of it is my experience as well. Been mixing dialogue in context to music and effects for 20 years. Once again thank you for the reminder.
That's a healthy and mature way to take them! It is also not, IME, the way a great many advocates of these rules present them, to the confusion of a lot of people (esp. younger people) learning and struggling on their own.
well said about time some one said this ,, we all work in solo . we all push . and what ur saying is right . GOD about time some one said this .engage brain.
Ah, job for the day is done, got a cold one and a pizza waiting, and Gregory just put up a new gem plus tells me about breaking the rules - what a perfect day! So, after years I was trying to get shit done by NOT soloing any channels (because baddy bad), I finally get told that solo button indeed has a meaning :) Thanks ma man!
Ha! I use to put on my busses special instance of EQ minus 10 or 20 (basically EQ operating as GAIN reduction) except the one bus where I wanted to work on. I guess that was workaround solo dim without that feature on DAW! Happy to find it is something widely used. After watching some mixers talking about not soloin I found that was the good middle ground. Good tips here, good watch, as always! Cheers!
Gotta have my dark roast while mixing. If I have to solo it is momentary while making an adjustment. Then it's right back into the mix to evaluate my adjustment. Great video Greg. All your videos are!!
Maybe everybody should start a tutorial title with "3 rules you should always be wanting to break" 😎 Another great video with great thoughts. Thank you so much 🌻 PS: Didn't know about the Solo Dim function and instantly send a feature request to the nice people of Bitwig ;)
1st: the solo button isn’t worthless. Its there for a purpose. 2nd: take page from George Castanza’s book and “do the opposite” 3rd: sometimes its freeing through out the “rules” Finally: If you seem to can’t get the sound your after, go back to the fundamentals. After, taking a break.
i feel like every effect instance should be added with a purpose. like when you add an eq for narrow cuts, cleaning up resonances, that's not something you need to hear the rest of the mix for. then, when this work is completed there might be another eq, but this time the purpose is to boost the sweet spot in the context of the mix, so you wouldn't solo on that. soloing is also good against mud. you hear muddyness in the mix but can't tell what it comes from so you try to lock your perception on that sensation and then listen to all suspicious tracks in solo to find the outlaw.
You know what I do if I can tell there's a frequency range problem is pull it out or push it up in the master eq to listen to what's affected by it. Then turn it off decide which group or groups to apply that eq choice to. Sometimes one sometimes several.
@@ianscreamsvideo or just listen REALLY LOUD. Usually by the end of the verse you know that hihat is ringing or overheads have too much hifreq content or vocal reverb is not right for the song. I think listening loud (almost concert level) helps me understand balance and every small mistake is exaggerated. But you should probably do that 3-4 times in 4 hour session. More would be to damaging. In a way its a trick to kick in some adrenaline to make you more perceptive of the sound.
@@micindir4213 I agree that listening at very different volumes-even on the same system-is extremely important for mixing, as well as soloing from time to time to get a clear picture of what's really going on. More perspective is always good; the better it sounds from all those perspectives, the better it sounds everywhere.
Another great episode Greg. Amazes me that almost every episode you post relates to something I'm working on at the time. Was checking a mix for a friend today and you were right on point talking about 400Hz mud exactly what I was hearing. All the best and thanks. 👍✌😎
The part about "there's 400 hz in everything", that's true but don't we usually cut it out A LOT since it's the muddy/cardboardy area ? I barely hear any in studio releases.
I think it's more of a relative thing. By subtracting that 400 hz it feels like you're boosting clarity or in say a kick, that nice thump. Take too much out at 400 it seems thin and not natural.
@@alexovercast3359 yeah there's a point where it gets weird for sure, but it seems there's an extra 350-500hz on every single instrument doesn't it ? voice, guitars, bass, drums...it's like the no.1 thing to keep in check.
400Hz is often a crossover point between bass and midrange speaker systems, so if both elements enhance it without listening to each other, they try to squeeze each other out of bed.
Paraphrasing: 'If someone tells You that there's a rule - BREAK IT - that's the only thing that moves things forward' - Hans Zimmer Masterclass trailer :)
This is absolutely true! a mix is audio elements in relation to each other so when you EQ youd want to do that to a sound in relation to another sound. you could solo the drum bus though but you can let the bass in there if you want to eq the kick or let the guitars or voice in there if you want to eq the snare or let the pads - strings in there if you want to eq the overheads etc. i used to eq in solo back in my youth days but guess what I ended up having 24 elements sounding PERFECT but not perfectly matching with each other. then i dived into the mysticism of mixing, the ying and the yang, and learned that to a mix there must be a bright side and a dark side. elements you hear the first time and elements that will stick out after the 5th or 10th time you hear the mix. And to do that , each element should not be perfectly EQed to perfectly match. its like carving sonics! even the compresssor attack and release times are very important to how you eq stuff. Then came the top down mixing technique and i spend very little time for EQing now... Take care Gregory!
@@micindir4213 when i started mixing i started by for example eqing the kick drum snare hihat , then sending those to the drum bus, then the same with my instruments vocals etc sending those to the instrument bus and vocal bus etc, then when i have all my busses ready i slightly adjust them maybe compress or eq them slightly and after that i might apply some eqing on the master bus along with the glue compressor. that is down to top mixing. now when i mix i start from the masterbus. after i balance my sounds only by level, then i make it sound better by applying eq on the masterbus. nothing too much. just a little enhancement here and there. then i might do some work on the busses, making each group sound a bit better, and finaly i go to individuall tracks but now i dont have to eq the crap out of everything. i just do what the masterbus and drum bus (or intrument bus etc) cannot do. after i got into top down mixing i got into brauerizing my mix where i made a template with the masterbus and sub busses already caliberated. when i throw my tracks in a project it sounds half mixed and it almost mixes itself.
Excellent video! I'll solo while I'm working as well, it's just the right decision sometimes. The "trick" with breaking the rules is, knowing why the "rules" came to exist originally, so we know when/why to break them, but also when to use them. This isn't really specific to soloing. But, say, if I'm doing something "wrong" with a compressor intentionally...it's important to know what side effects I might be introducing with that, and to be mindful of those things.
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Just gotta say that if you are new to the UBK/HOK world and you dig the vibe of these videos, you should check out the music he releases with his band, Sneaky Little Devil. As great and helpful as his mixing wisdom is, I think it is rivaled by his songwriting. The songs have space and vibe for days, with every detail placed in the right spot.
Thank you!! I'm pinning this because dammit, I want the Devil to get its due!
One more thing for me to look up. Good to know.
He is one of the few guys that talk and gets it done.
Thank u for the suggestion
@@TheHouseofKushTV 'This Game We're In' is gorgeous dude.
That idea of making your move in solo but then backing it off quite a bit...that shit is my life.
The best thing I learned about rules was in music college. On the last day our main professor told us that we should break all the rules we've learned. He obviously knows that someone will always shout "then why learn them?" His answer (and I remember this 40 years later) - "It is better to break the rules that you know on purpose than to break them accidentally because you don't know them." Just thought that was worth sharing...
My girlfriend overheard you say "do what you need to do, try to get in and out in under a minute". She was like, "uh-huh...he already knows that technique." 😂
oof!
OUCH! LMFAO!
Haha
🤣🤣🤣
Stop making up shit stories
The ability to acclimate is a wonderful/terrible human trait.
"Time's meaningless but the coffee is delicious."
When you type it out like that, I feel like it deserves to be a t-shirt!
@@TheHouseofKushTV My thought EXACTLY
@@TheHouseofKushTV Challenge accepted!
@@TheHouseofKushTV while your making that T shirt make me a Gregory Scott is my spirit animal T Shirt. 😉
Coffee is overrated :#
Red flags go up for me whenever I hear words such as: always, never, must, can't, only, avoid... I'm sure there are more I'm just not thinking of right now.
I hear someone say that in a vid, my reaction is usually, "wanna bet?"
Some of my favorite sounds I've reached doing the exact opposite of what you're told.
Recent example, a double-mic'd guitar amp that sounded amazing, noticed it was out of phase. Fixed it; ruined it, put it back out of phase.
So many iconic guitar tones (Page, May, Lifeson etc.) were defined by their phase scoop. I've built entire productions up on drums sounds that were 'pleasingly out of phase'!
@@TheHouseofKushTV Greg, I love the organic nature of how you operate: I'm a self taught amateur mixer of a reasonable standard (my real job is musician / music teacher), I've mixed my own albums & a few other people's and other than learning basics from a book everything else I've learned almost entirely by intuition & trial & error. I recently went to a mixing school to get a certificate and I bombed out after a few weeks. I literally hear things differently to those guys. Not saying they're wrong but my mastering guy is a top pro who does big movie soundtracks and mainstream bands, he says enjoys mastering my work because I don't mix to a formula: he literally said: "you mix don't mix like a pro, you mix like a musician, it's refreshing". I mean you certainly couldn't hire me to do pro work but there's certainly a niche for guys like me & you really help us.
I used to just blindly use the phase relationships that produced to most low end. My mixes sounded too heavy as a result. When I started to use phase inversion / rotation as an eq, it has been a huge improvement.
Holy shit man! This was your best episode yet. Thank you.
you and dan worrall. its all i need.
Me too. The David Attenborough and Bob Ross of audio.
Oh man, I would KILL for Bob Ross's hair!
lmao yo, well said. ditto!
The way the solo button "rule" has become so magnified, you'd think using it is like pressing a detonator in your console or DAW! My view has always been if the button is there it's for a reason so learn WHEN it's applicable to use it. I've come to realise that these rules seem to be "set in hard stone" more for beginners - it's so they get used to best practice. As you develop your skills you realise that these "rules" aren't really set in stone, as you learn how and when to "break" them. The most important thing I've learned in the production process as a whole is to know what to do and when to do it. The "how" is usually the easiest part because that usually requires a step-by-step process. So of instance, if you know how the components of a compressor work you can pretty much use any compressor, but knowing what it can be used for in different situations and when to use which type and when to apply that knowledge - that's where efficiency and effectiveness are realised.
"Time is meaningless, but the coffee is delicious" That is my new motto for life the universe and everything!
For correction EQ'ing of a certain element, soloing is critical to be precise. Rules are pointless if the engineer can't distinguish when to apply and when not too. Anyone with experience will automatically know whether a ''rule'' is legit or not. Generally in the majority of mixing situations, soloing can be counterproductive and can lead to mistakes, however there are plenty of scenarios where you need to hear something in solo. I solo ALWAYS to accurately cut the boxiness of different kickdrums depending on timbre/key etc. Pulling this frequency in the mix is doable, but soloing is the difference between getting it sounding good vs perfect
Yes! Even if it's mainly for identifying the exact frequency and bandwidth that needs adjustment, and making a first pass spike/scoop that can then be fine-tuned in the mix.
Never heard about dim solo, so I went to my DAW, Reaper, and there it was, not only that, you can even adjust the level of the dim with the mouse wheel. Thank you for your insights, I learn a lot from your videos.
Interesting. How did you do this?
@@vigilant545 Apparently, it's under Options-> preferences->audio. Didn't know it existed either and there's probably an action that exists for it but I'll be trying it out myself at some point to see if it's there. Hope this helps.
@@johnnymorell4974 Always learning something new. Thanks!
@@vigilant545 No problem. As said, I didn't know about it and will try once I get the opportunity. I'll update if the option turns out to be somewhere else. Take care!
@@vigilant545 first go to Actions and type Solo up front and turn it on . In preferences is where you set the amount of dim.
As one of my daughters used to say, you just got served a whole cup of groovy! Thanks Kush! Time to break some artificialities!
everytime a new video starts, the combination of the soundtrack and this guy's voice makes me feel like im watching the intro of a porn movie.
Mission accomplished!🕺
Alright I’m bout to simp
Thank you for teaching me the wonders of solo dim. Finger crossed logic has that feature built in.
If it does, I could never find it. 🤷🏻♂️
Your gesture with your hands at 5:15 changed the way I listen when I'm EQing. Such a tiny, innocent detail. Yet such an impact for my perception.
Greg, every time I listen to you, even though I know those things for years, you still make me a better mixer! Thank you so much for all this input.
Thanks! Weirdly, the show has the same effect on me. When filming, I kinda check out and some part of me takes over and vamps, rambles. I sit down to edit a couple days later and there are always moments that surprise me, I don't remember saying the things I see me saying. And often those moments are powerful reminders of something I knew but had forgotten, and which I needed to reconnect with. It's bizarre!
@@TheHouseofKushTV It's always like that with me, when I'm exchanging mixing tips with my mixer friends. I give them tips which I haven't used for some time, yet they magically came to my mind at that moment, as if they were trying to say: : "Chris, you loved us once, but now we're forgotten". I guess that's how our brain works. When I'm watching your shows, it feels like you're my superego reminding me of the "morals" of mixing! You may not realize that, but this has a huge motivational impact on me, even though I'm 53 years old. It happened to me many times, that after watching your show at 2am, I went downstairs and turned my studio on, very, very quietly, not to wake my family up, and I tested my work with the fresh perspective you enlightened me with. I am truly thankful for that, Greg!
@@TheHouseofKushTV it's almost like you are describing the same effect that comes from reading a personal journal entry a few days later.
I just want to cruise down 1972 street in Manhattan after listening to this guy talk … and it’s great info to boot 👢
I don't think my silky smooth delivery will help you when you're getting violently mugged in broad daylight 🤜🏻🕺🏻🤛🏽
Someone told me "rules is there to be broken" I kind of like that. And yes, I solo in every mix without any shame at all. Thanks again Gregory, a perfect start on my day.
Always one of my biggest pet peeves about audio advice. Thanks for another great vid.
I just wrote an article about this sort of situation as I noticed that so many people suffer from feeling that they have to please (obey) all these pedantic rules made by people trying to prove how Pro they are (yet never have any work to show). What you are saying here is the same thing as:
Have the Courage of your Conviction
Have a strong sense of the Story that you are telling in this Mix and commit to that. All the technicalities are someone else describing after the fact what someone did when they were following the muse with the courage of their conviction.
:-)
Thank You for your mind sir ☕
🎶🎼👽🎼🎶
Thank you for the appreciation!
It's 5:25am.
*Notices the notification for Greg's video.
*Yeeeeeeeeeeesssssss
*before watching - can't wait for the next one already
Thanks Greg, for the insights you give. I could watch these videos literally for hours non stop.
Wondering if you've thought about writing a book about mixing? Could be quite helpful to have advices in one readable format :)
There's exactly one channel that makes me stop what I'm doing and head straight to youtube whenever there's a new video, and this is it. Always great advice and great vibes!
I can listen to you talk like that all day, trough all that warm gear of yours.
"Hello this is smote-sexy, vintage radio station, Resonating Voices, where we speak smoothly and quietly, usually close up into the mike. Our warm sounding voice is yours aunties favorite antidepressant. Every voice becomes radiophonic with Resonating Voices." ...XD
Ha! Thanks for the kind words! People are often surprised to learn I’m always 18-24” away from the mic, that’s the beauty of a dry but balanced acoustic environment 🦻😇👂
It's so funny whenever you describe the pitfalls because anyone that has been trying to mix for a Time, are all nodding their heads yes at the same time. More great advice and clearly one of the best channels on TH-cam. Well done. Now I feel like I don't have to look over my shoulder when I hit the solo button.
Gregory Scott! Our saviour has spoken! spread the word!
Been saying this forever and now to my students: there are NO RULES to make good music. Just learning old and new techniques is always important. Especially the solo button myth, it’s one of the stupidest “rules” EVERYONE breaks.
It's almost like implying that MORE perspectives are a bad thing
"You gotta do it this way - and you gotta do it that way... hrrhrrm hrrhrm hrm hr < > < >" 😂
Great video I totally did not realize the thing about spending too much time in solo and then hunting for other problems that don't exist afterwards. I've done that more times than I can count!
And this is reason 164 that yours is my favorite channel for tracking/mixing tips. Thank you for sharing your wisdom. Much appreciated.
I agree, I solo as well, once I know what the issue is, I deal with it then finish with everything back on. I’ve always done it that way, another great video.
Hey Gregory, Good to see you again! 😎👍 I concur with the 'break the rules' idea, mostly because I don't completely understand them in the first place and I'm too old and stubborn to learn!!
But I'm definitely with you no soloing vocals when mixing. I only mix my own stuff and I hate my voice and so it's a real chore for me to get me sounding good... the only way I can do it is dipping in and out of solo... if I don't then I just wind up trying to force the mix sit better with the vocal which is craziness!! Thanks again for your mellow mentoring, much appreciated!! 🙏🤘
Stay tuned, my next video is all about mixing the vocal last, forcing you to be completely unprecious about it!
@@TheHouseofKushTV E-X-C-E-L-L-E-N-T!! 🧐👍
*frantically searches for solo dim option in Logic. Thanks so much for these videos and for your podcast; constant motivations, and both packed with knowledge. I snagged the UBK-1 during the sale and am LOVING it. The presets are apply named and are helping me learn practically about compression. I'm saving up for an outboard unit. You've got my support. Cheers.
Did you find it in Logic?
Not yet. I did find a nice little plugin for quick stereo side swapping, mono switching which is another huge tip I've learned from Kush. The GSAT.
I'm always checking 400 Hz on everything (mainly in solo). It’s pretty much the first thing after the initial volume balancing. Nice to know I’m not an idiot by getting annoyed with the amount of focus I put on that specific range… 😅
Thanks I understand you easier than others passing this knowledge. And you just talking Bro. Keep em coming..
P.E.A.C.E.
Positive
Energy
Always
Corrects
Errors
Finally meet the legend behind Kush! Man, I use your stuff for mastering, it's so unique!
So I'm not the only one who sees these You Tube weenies with their "You gotta do it this way" and "you gotta do it this way"......wrrurrreruurrerur LOL. You're the best Greg.
Solo is merely to isolate a channel for various things like observing noise, or understanding the content. Not EQ'ing. It will throw your perspective off of the relative mix. That said, Prior to a mix I might solo parts like drums, bass, guitar to get them in a perceived ballpark. Sort of like dressing in uniform before the big game.
Love this. I don't know how many recording tutorials I've watched where my favorite instructors are always doing something they told me a view tutorials earlier to never do. Soloing is a biggie also. I learned early on there are no rules. Just cautionary tips really. Thanks for this.
Yes! It's always good to have permission to break the rules. Cheers Greg.
Man I love your videos and vibes! They calm me down. Not mentioning the great information you are sharing! Love your work! Cheers from Argentina!
Cheers from LaLaLand! 😎
@@TheHouseofKushTV jajajajaj 💫
Thank’s again for another insightful talk. I’d love to hear you talk on some of the uses of distortion sometime UBK. Since it features heavily in your creations. I’d love to learn more about it. It seems to be the gift that keeps on giving.
Great suggestion!
"at times meaningless, but the coffee is delicious" HAHA! ...and i can relate to the brain rebelling from TOO MUCH GOING ON. peace
I feel like to break the rules, you have to master them first. I’m still early on in my study of audio engineering. But I have friends that are absolutely brilliant artists and talk about mixing and mastering the same way you do. Expertise has made it elastic. I want sound to do exactly what I want it to.
Awesome tips and advice again...... the amount of times I have been asked if a student can sit in on a session to "help out" ..... and they have ended up saying things like "that's not how you do it....my lecturer says...... blah blah blah"
I usually ignore it and then at the end of the session I will say "oh by the way.... don't bother coming in tomorrow"
Yep kid, you blew it..... I break the rules all the time.... because I know what I want from my mix and the best way to get it ..... and I didn't learn it from some text book or lecturer... I learned it by experimenting and finding my own way to solve a problem..... might not be your way or anyone else's....but the end result speaks for itself.
Bloody kids!!! :)
I apparently need to take a break from my Kush After Hours binge marathon, because I'm totally distracted by the Dennis Hopper Apocalypse Now vibe of this video and the Owen Wilson cameo at 2:36! And I say all of that with utmost respect (as a compliment). Anyhoo... onward, back to the binge. ☮
I completely agree Greg. About soloing, this is my problem (only one? 😅): it’s that every track soloed has beautiful nuances that are lost in a dense mix, like tears in the rain. I mean, you can hear those nuances if you know that those are there, but they are hidden in the mix. For example a beautiful reverb on vocals, a beautiful tone of a kick drum, a tone of a distortion on a guitar… most of what I discover in solo is blended and lost in a dense mix. I discovered once a whole amazing orchestra section hidden in a rock song, that sounded like a cheap synth in the mix. Mainly I realize that the tone of the bass completely disappears, what sticks out is just the useful frequencies, but not the tone. That’s why I’m so frustrated when I solo a beautiful sounding bass, that tone disappears. That’s why, sometimes, even an ugly bass synth “sounds” better in the mix because the needed frequencies are more consistent than an electric bass guitar. That’s why everybody thought that guitar solo on “Another brick in the wall” was played with a Fender Strato (it’s a Gibson), or everybody freaks out when they know that the bass guitar on “Enter Sandman” is a Spector, or when you solo some tracks of the album “The dark side of the moon” and some tracks sounds surprisingly ugly, but amazing in the mix. That’s because what we hear is the sound of the mix, but anyway it’s a shame that some instruments aren’t perceived as beautiful as they sound in solo. I wish we could be able to hear a song as if an imaginary solo dim button was pushed contemporaneously for every instrument 🤷🏻♂️
Another way to frame the problem is that you're noticing the mixes are too dense and competitive, and that you have to play Tetris to pack all the instruments in. Instead, why not start trimming out some of the frequencies that aren't contributing to any beautiful nuances, and see how much air you can free up?
These videos are unlike anything out there for mixing. They deal with the REAL issues I encounter (ie. stuff in my head, not stuff in the knobs) so...amazing. The problem? They ONLY deal with mixing.
Very very few videos out there take this approach to TRACKING! I would LOOOOVE to see you talk about tracking in the same way you talk about mixing.
Not "turn this knob to do this" but more 'headspace' issues while making crucial tracking decisions. As we all know...choices made during tracking are forever. That means its way more important to 'do no harm' at that stage. Can you talk about that?
I'd love to see this spread over multiple videos (compression while tracking...eq while tracking...matching a preamp to a source while tracking....listening to mics while tracking...thinking about a room and it's reflections while tracking...blah blah blah).
Thanks for everything you share in these vids...they're my touchstone for dealing with the real issues of recording, which all comes down to what's in your head more than which frequency you should cut on the drum bus.
Love the vibe Greg. And good coffee n 'erb is essential. Peace n Love ✌😎
Bruh, you are healing my core wounds with these videos!
It's funny you're talking about this, now. I've been experiencing this lately and finding better balance and less fatigue.
Just re subbed to the Kush plugins. Can’t wait to test out the new eq.
Love this channel too. As a night owl myself, I love the late night vibes.
This is excellent advice and I completely agree!
Blindly following rules to a tee will hold you back, ruin workflow and stunt inspiration. As long as you have awareness, context, familiarity with and understanding of your tools, and a deliberate vision for what you're doing, you can experiment and break all manner of rules to great effect. This eventually leads to finding your own workflow and custom guidelines and habits that work for you.
6:38 - Squishy Compression Side Lesson. LOVE the description!
my only motto (in actually life not just music ) is "never say never, never say always". my best friend says I have commitment issues...
Horses for courses. I agree with you. One thing I like to do is eq one instrument while paying attention to the effect that has on another. Good advice, subbed.
One more thoughtful and useful discussion ... (and, according to me, your best hairdressing among your last videos :D ) Thank you Gregory.
5:30 good idea never thought of thattt
Why aren't the lights blinking anymore?
I'm using those Tweakers for mixing, and do NOT want to f*ck up my settings!
Such an important video. If by the end, you’ve finished a mix, everyone’s going “that sounds awesome!” it really does not matter too much the way you got there. Rules are there for general guidance not to follow like a sheep. I’m glad that he solos the same way I do! Some say “never solo, no listeners will listen in solo..” and that’s a poor argument.. because that’s only talking about listeners, not someone mixing the track! Very different listening experiences. Most listeners won’t be listening for compression, or a certain EQ.. it’s like cooking tbh. You may have such a pallet that you know each and every ingredient in a finished dish, but it’s much easier to guess if people feed you the raw ingredients one by one 🤣 “omg I’d have never have guessed celery was in there until I tasted this in solo”
"Solo dim" in Reaper is under Options - "Solo in front"
A HUGE part of creating music is knowing when to throw the rules out the window and go with what works. Everything is so subjective when it comes to making music. The rule is just a good starting point. Most people blindly follow rules without knowing why the rule exist. Don't just learn the how's, also learn the why's so you can make your own rules for your sound. I have these debates with people all the time that wanna box someone else in a rule they heard and don't even understand the why behind it.
Thinking about that 300 - 500 Hz range is vital to production because there is also the separation between sub and low mids. A visual eq like pro q3 is already breaking the rules of listening solo by the awareness where that masking happening by using the analyser in the options. That group of frequencies is near to the fundamental ones which builds up quickly on lead instruments but also the proximity effect, the 'room' stuff, knowing what to change gives more power to find the sweetspot.
It is not about boosts and cuts pultec style.
a 20 dB difference on something like dim solo gives maybe not enough context so the workaround is listening to the sum while changing eq cuts on solo parts. That technique alone improves the mixdown already maybe to 50% chance to make it work. Or what is not in key at least could be matched by the eq mix wise. It should be done carefully because it changes the balance to the 2k - 5k sensitive range a lot. Basically taking away the muddiness leaves the sharpness. Spinning it further taking away the sharpness leaves the prominent parts, so maybe bringing back the focus back again. The important part is knowing what a certain element brings to the mix to make it really shine.
Gregory, thank you from the bottom of my heart! So many times, watching your videos, I thought: "damn, that's exactly what I do and it works for me, why everybody thinks that it's wrong". Honestly, you are the best information and motivation source in the mixing community.
I have a "NO SMOKING" sign above the door and a really big ash trey on my desk. When people ask why? I tell them "It's because I like to break the rules man".
Ah, so you are a bit rebellious. But 'cough cough' smoking is bad.
@Wolfgang de Vries 😀
This is gold!! Forget the rules.
Love it! you're defining the rules to the point that there's no room left for misunderstanding. I notice that so many music content channels just flat out leave bulk of the various boundary conditions because then the rule will become a rulebook.
Greg & his Coffee.... Beyond the Realm of Ordinary Mixing Universe - As Always.... Thanks a Ton for putting these Golden Micro detailed fairy dust on our Music Lives Greg... God Bless ya Man !!!! :)
Youve got great sound dude, i put you on and often dont pay attention the whole way, but its just relaxing either way
Thanks my man, that happens to me when I’m editing, I zone out and lose the thread of why I’m sitting there watching myself… ultimate self-hypnosis!
Hey! I just love how you talk about such topics. Can you make a video talking about sample rates especially during recording.
So glad someone (you) had the stones to make this video, cause you're absolutely correct!
I love that minute rule for eq in solo. Thinking about making alt solo hotkey in Reaper to automatically pop out of solo after 1 minute specifically for that
I think he meant to say at the end; "Time is meaningless but the bubblegum kush is delicious"
People hear what they need to hear 😚💨🥴
I've seen every CLA mix video in existence and he always solos the tracks first and EQ's the shit of them. Them makes adjustments once the tracks are brought together and continues adjusting throughout the mixing process.
It's inevitable, you do this long enough and you start to memorize how you like individual things to sound on their own. It makes mixing faster and easier when you can just listen to an acoustic guitar track by itself and know, without any other info, 'that's too bloated at 500Hz'.
Good video again, thx. I think the most beginners see a rule and stick with it, because it is a shure "promised" way to do a good mix. Without those rules, they drown in a sea of all the taste, motion, art of mixing. By time they all see, a better way to come to the hills is to try, try, try....yourself.
If I have trouble picking out a frequency that's a problem, often I'll find it in solo, then bring the full mix back in to reduce that problem frequency in context of the mix. It really speeds up the workflow.
I solo things all the time,...haha. I listen in context too later on,..but,...initially (especially vocals) lots of solo'ing. Great tips Gregory, thanks!
Thank you, thank you, thank you for reminding me of Solo dim. Going to try that on my next mix tomorrow. Thumbs up on the great advice. A lot of it is my experience as well. Been mixing dialogue in context to music and effects for 20 years. Once again thank you for the reminder.
I always take "rules" of mixing to mean more that I shouldn't *always* do it, or they're more of a general starting point
That's a healthy and mature way to take them! It is also not, IME, the way a great many advocates of these rules present them, to the confusion of a lot of people (esp. younger people) learning and struggling on their own.
well said about time some one said this ,, we all work in solo . we all push . and what ur saying is right . GOD about time some one said this .engage brain.
Ah, job for the day is done, got a cold one and a pizza waiting, and Gregory just put up a new gem plus tells me about breaking the rules - what a perfect day! So, after years I was trying to get shit done by NOT soloing any channels (because baddy bad), I finally get told that solo button indeed has a meaning :) Thanks ma man!
Love these vids. Didn't know people think using solo is a no-no. No-no to no-nos and nyar nyar etc.
Genius advice. Now I don't feel so bad when I hit the solo and twist an EQ !
Ha! I use to put on my busses special instance of EQ minus 10 or 20 (basically EQ operating as GAIN reduction) except the one bus where I wanted to work on. I guess that was workaround solo dim without that feature on DAW! Happy to find it is something widely used. After watching some mixers talking about not soloin I found that was the good middle ground. Good tips here, good watch, as always! Cheers!
"Do what you need to do. Try to get in and out in under a minute. I love the minute rule." - _Gregory Scott_
😉😂
Gotta have my dark roast while mixing.
If I have to solo it is momentary while making an adjustment. Then it's right back into the mix to evaluate my adjustment. Great video Greg. All your videos are!!
Maybe everybody should start a tutorial title with "3 rules you should always be wanting to break" 😎 Another great video with great thoughts. Thank you so much 🌻
PS: Didn't know about the Solo Dim function and instantly send a feature request to the nice people of Bitwig ;)
True masters of their art form break the established rules and conventions to extend the range of what is even possible.
1st: the solo button isn’t worthless. Its there for a purpose.
2nd: take page from George Castanza’s book and “do the opposite”
3rd: sometimes its freeing through out the “rules”
Finally: If you seem to can’t get the sound your after, go back to the fundamentals. After, taking a break.
OPPOSITE! That's a mantra for me at times, that episode is indelibly etched in my brain.
I guess they put that button there for a reason. Thanks for granting permission to push it. I promise to come up for air before I drown.
Do what you please! There are no rules!
Another insightful video, thank you!
i feel like every effect instance should be added with a purpose. like when you add an eq for narrow cuts, cleaning up resonances, that's not something you need to hear the rest of the mix for. then, when this work is completed there might be another eq, but this time the purpose is to boost the sweet spot in the context of the mix, so you wouldn't solo on that. soloing is also good against mud. you hear muddyness in the mix but can't tell what it comes from so you try to lock your perception on that sensation and then listen to all suspicious tracks in solo to find the outlaw.
"Listen to All Suspicious Tracks", another t-shirt winner!
You know what I do if I can tell there's a frequency range problem is pull it out or push it up in the master eq to listen to what's affected by it. Then turn it off decide which group or groups to apply that eq choice to. Sometimes one sometimes several.
@@ianscreamsvideo or just listen REALLY LOUD. Usually by the end of the verse you know that hihat is ringing or overheads have too much hifreq content or vocal reverb is not right for the song. I think listening loud (almost concert level) helps me understand balance and every small mistake is exaggerated. But you should probably do that 3-4 times in 4 hour session. More would be to damaging. In a way its a trick to kick in some adrenaline to make you more perceptive of the sound.
@@micindir4213 I agree that listening at very different volumes-even on the same system-is extremely important for mixing, as well as soloing from time to time to get a clear picture of what's really going on. More perspective is always good; the better it sounds from all those perspectives, the better it sounds everywhere.
Another great episode Greg.
Amazes me that almost every episode you post relates to something I'm working on at the time.
Was checking a mix for a friend today and you were right on point talking about 400Hz mud exactly what I was hearing.
All the best and thanks.
👍✌😎
The part about "there's 400 hz in everything", that's true but don't we usually cut it out A LOT since it's the muddy/cardboardy area ? I barely hear any in studio releases.
I think it's more of a relative thing. By subtracting that 400 hz it feels like you're boosting clarity or in say a kick, that nice thump. Take too much out at 400 it seems thin and not natural.
@@alexovercast3359 yeah there's a point where it gets weird for sure, but it seems there's an extra 350-500hz on every single instrument doesn't it ? voice, guitars, bass, drums...it's like the no.1 thing to keep in check.
400Hz is often a crossover point between bass and midrange speaker systems, so if both elements enhance it without listening to each other, they try to squeeze each other out of bed.
Paraphrasing: 'If someone tells You that there's a rule - BREAK IT - that's the only thing that moves things forward' - Hans Zimmer Masterclass trailer :)
This is absolutely true! a mix is audio elements in relation to each other so when you EQ youd want to do that to a sound in relation to another sound. you could solo the drum bus though but you can let the bass in there if you want to eq the kick or let the guitars or voice in there if you want to eq the snare or let the pads - strings in there if you want to eq the overheads etc. i used to eq in solo back in my youth days but guess what I ended up having 24 elements sounding PERFECT but not perfectly matching with each other. then i dived into the mysticism of mixing, the ying and the yang, and learned that to a mix there must be a bright side and a dark side. elements you hear the first time and elements that will stick out after the 5th or 10th time you hear the mix. And to do that , each element should not be perfectly EQed to perfectly match. its like carving sonics! even the compresssor attack and release times are very important to how you eq stuff. Then came the top down mixing technique and i spend very little time for EQing now... Take care Gregory!
What's a top-down mixing technique?
@@micindir4213 when i started mixing i started by for example eqing the kick drum snare hihat , then sending those to the drum bus, then the same with my instruments vocals etc sending those to the instrument bus and vocal bus etc, then when i have all my busses ready i slightly adjust them maybe compress or eq them slightly and after that i might apply some eqing on the master bus along with the glue compressor. that is down to top mixing. now when i mix i start from the masterbus. after i balance my sounds only by level, then i make it sound better by applying eq on the masterbus. nothing too much. just a little enhancement here and there. then i might do some work on the busses, making each group sound a bit better, and finaly i go to individuall tracks but now i dont have to eq the crap out of everything. i just do what the masterbus and drum bus (or intrument bus etc) cannot do. after i got into top down mixing i got into brauerizing my mix where i made a template with the masterbus and sub busses already caliberated. when i throw my tracks in a project it sounds half mixed and it almost mixes itself.
Excellent video! I'll solo while I'm working as well, it's just the right decision sometimes.
The "trick" with breaking the rules is, knowing why the "rules" came to exist originally, so we know when/why to break them, but also when to use them. This isn't really specific to soloing. But, say, if I'm doing something "wrong" with a compressor intentionally...it's important to know what side effects I might be introducing with that, and to be mindful of those things.