Studio monitors: "Choose a pair and don't look back." This guy gives so much good, solid, down-to-earth advice. That's why I enrolled on some of his courses, and have learnt so much. Thank you Graham.
This video actually came out 1 week after I'd bought the iLoud Micro Monitors - but now I totally got confirmed in that decision because I have a very small room and they fit the size, but are very powerful! 💪🏽
I got a small ass room with 5inch krk rokit speakers, and they’ve been really good to me. That’s cool to know that the mixing engineer for Kings Of Leon used 5in krk rokits too. Makes me love my speakers even more
Yeah man those look awesome! Thinking of getting a pair in the near future, though I use JBL LSR305s I'm happy with and I know them inside and out so I can achieve great mixes, but the LP6's look amazing, especially considering their price and that they're manufactured by ex jbl employees.
Totally agree with this, especially the 'real world' comparison. I always listen to my mixes on real world equipment to see how they sound like a regular hifi set and even a smartphone 'cus that's what people, especially teens, do these days: play music on their smartphone. I found it pretty challenging to create mixes that sound more-or-less acceptable on them and still sound good on 'regular' equipment.
The best video in the world. Short and simple. Right to the point. Very true advise. Fantastic presentation. Very well done. You have earned a new subscriber. Loved it man. Keep it up. May god give you all the success you want. 🙌🏼❤️🔥💪🏼
It’s all about adaptation. You make mixing a prime study with your original compositions, and the source that you have used for your ears such as headphones can lead you to an excellent mix, because you would be listening to your creation through different sources in the world. Once you recognize in the real world, what can be improved you just adapt to it by using those headphones and apply it to the mix. And let’s not forget about panning and EQ and achieving great separation in your mix instead of having everything group to close together this is all part of the process and this is how I work.
Thanks Graham. This is awesome! For anyone interested. Here’s how simple referencing can be. When you feel like your done with your mix, take a listen to your song against your reference song on the following: - iPod earbuds - over ear headphones - your TV Soundbar - your TV - the sound system in your car! - that crappy Bluetooth speaker you take to the beach - on your terrible iPhone loudspeaker - laptop speakers - turn the music up loud and listen from the other room - play it quietly while you’re typing emails - take a aux cord to your friends house and hear it on their system Reference your mix in enough ways and it could even be argued that you never needed to buy ‘studio monitors’ at all!
I agree with everything except your last point. You need a neutral reference point in order to develop any kind of stable consistent judgement about mixing.
Agreed. But I think this is so encouraging for those with a lower budget. I think there are certain principles in mixing that allow a skilled engineer to make a masterpiece with whatever tools they have at their disposal
Great tips! Also a tip I like to give is.. Buy the speakers you really like to have (even dream of maybe), I don't say the one's you can't afford but the one's you would like to purchase even if it meens you need to save a bit more for them, you would love them more and do anything to let them sound good in your room and not wan't to upgrade soon! Very important, beceause you need to know your speaker.
You really illuminated me... at the end of the day everybody listens to your music on a different system. You still need to have some good and reliable speakers for a good "universal mix." 🙌🏾
Almost a year ago I bought a pair of Edifier S2000pro near-field speakers. I originally bought them to listen to music, but it turns out they're great for monitor speakers, too, for my sound editing. Multiple ways to connect them, including XLR, RCA, optical, even Bluetooth. One-button EQ settings for Monitor, Classic, Dynamic, and Vocal settings, or use your mixer to create your own. They have a 5.5-inch woofer, and sound amazing in my second-bedroom home studio. Cost about US$400 on Amazon where they have mostly 5-star reviews.
I found that adding a sub to my Yamaha HS5s really helped to get the low end right and of course reference tracks. I test my mixes on at least 4 different systems and they seem to translate well IMO!
That combination is actually what I used for years. I still have it as an alternative set. For that setup, I would neve replace it but instead I would suggest to ADD, a pair of Avantone mixcubes. I mix mono on the Avantones 75-80%, then switch to the Yamahas. Recently I got the HS8's, but I still have my HS50M and HS8s sub. People are like...wtf, two pairs of Yamahas? So, there's that. Peace.
Grant, you put out a lot of good and relevant content. This one for me, has to be in the top five best channel and TH-cam videos. So practical and powerful. Keep it up my friend!
Well said Graham. I agree with your tips👍Especially the last one. Keeps reminding me to focus on writing great music and practice mixing it with what I have and stop reading reviews. I have everything it takes to make hits😁
Fantastic advice; this is very reassuring to hear, especially coming from blogs and communities that obsess over gear quality and specifications when practicality doesn't even have a place in those conversations. Rock on!
Just got my Yamaha HS8’s yesterday and I honestly can’t wait to hear the difference between my mixes.. Try Sweetwater they have a sale currently on monitors.. They have acoustic treatment on amazon for good prices as well.
I have the Yamaha HS7. Has a 6.5 inch woofer and is just the right size for my space. Has surprisingly good low bass response. Can get for $500 -600 for a pair...good value for money. I used a Mackie with 8 inch woofer for years and it was too much speaker for my space.
Yep... the Yamaha HS7s are the sweet spot imo. Very accurate and uncolored, just the right size for most medium rooms, about the avg size speaker to replicate the avg target listener imo. Love 'em!
Belive me I purchased Yamaha hs7 for almost 2 years and I have to Say that they are (for me) the “Untrue” speakers! I put my mix on different speakers( cars, hi fi sistem, etc. Sounds like crap) When I used to mix on M-audio(very cheap speakers) I had much better results!
Some very good advice in this video! One thing that I noticed is how there's so many different opinions out there on how to produce and mix music. I guess at the end a lot comes down to what you're used to working with. And I think the most important thing is using reference tracks in your production to compare your own work to. I live in an apartment and I can't just make a lot of noise all day, so I have been working almost completely on headphones so far, a pair of decent Sennheiser HD650. I still want to get an affordable set of speakers and will take your advices on that. Thanks for this video!
also another thing to consider, is using a room balancing system like sonarworks reference 4 or the like, which measure your room, it's worth it because you don't then need "the most expensive" speakers, just good enough ones that can be adjusted for a better response in your room.
I have 4 sets of “monitors” I have a set of Yamaha NS6490s that i got to listen as a “hi fi” system. I have a set of Custom monitors i built from scratch as my “bigs”. And i have 2 sets of headphones i primarily mix on from Yamaha and Audio Technica. I generally listen on all 4 sources to make sure it translates to all 4..then i finally listen in the car and earbuds from skullcandy. If it passes all those tests, it’s ready.
This is a very good video, and going back in time the most important part of recording a track was to walk out to some vehicle in the carpark to play the tune on some crapola car cassette deck before signing off on the mix. We learnt the hard way to never trust studio monitors!
Yes for sure. Typically we’d involve a joint in this car stereo mix-test. Brian Wilson mixed some early Beach Boys hits on speakers from a ‘57 Chevy…his logic being that many people would be listening to his mix on those very speakers. 👊
you make me feel better about my Tannoy's. I just got some grunge PC speakers for 2€ on ebay and built a fake Auratone with a Seas middle tone chasis. I also have Sennheiser HD540 Reference Headphones and want to treat my room some. I thought everything was ok untill I opened my youtube channel on my daughters PC....at first I thought her speakers were blown, then I listened to some professional mixes for reference. Well, my mixes sounded AWESOME on my monitors and in my room.
Referencing is the biggest thing man. You can have practically any decent monitors, but knowing how they sound by listening to your favorite songs and comparing to your own is priceless. You get use to your monitors.
Hey Graham, I am looking for a way to amplify my digital piano. I have a Yamaha P515 Digital Piano. It has nice built-ins but I want to fill my room and make it sound great. Should I be looking for monitor speakers, sub wooofers, keyboard amp? I am just looking for personal enjoyment, I am NOT recording or mixing, I just want my piano to sound full and awesome. I can spend about $200 bucks. What do you think?
It would be great to have a volume of room v driver size guide. Perhaps you could do a PDF to show which driver size is best for which room size? My room is 16x13x9 feet and I'm wondering if a 6 inch would be about right? Your channel is so good for people like me who are setting up a home studio, thanks for what you do :)
well said. i think studio monitors just help you to guess how it may sound in the outside world. if u know the comparison then u can mix using almost any speakers
Man referencing other songs on the speakers you got is a big thing that I feel like people don’t really think about. He mentioned it here and I like that he mentioned it cuz it’s something that can really help. Each pair of speakers will sound different, but if you listen to the top artists over the decades, and you hear how their songs sound on your speakers, you can reference them and get a similar sound to that. Referencing popular songs that are well mixed is an underrated tip
I use Audix Studio 3A near fields, and believe it or not a pair of Cerwin Vega VS-80 home speakers which I have had extremely great results with over the years
This video came at the perfect time for me. 😅 I’ve been using a pair of Mackie HR824 monitors and I love the sound, the dynamics and the detail they have. Unfortunately, both of them are not working properly anymore, resulting in one or both giving not enough volume or no sound at all. I was looking into getting them repaired but that is almost as expensive as getting new budget ones. The room I use them in is atrocious and they are certainly overkill for my home studio. But I love the sound. I even have the budget to get new HR824 mk II’s if I want to. So now I’m not sure what to do: get new, smaller ones but sacrifice some of the sound quality I’m used to, or make the same mistake I did fifteen years ago by getting great speakers that are too big and really can’t deliver their full potential in my crappy studio. I was thinking about getting small monitors and a subwoofer, I really like the newer Genelec sets for example, and maybe upgrade my headphones as well. What’s your take on subwoofers and smaller monitors? Worth it or am I better off spending more on just two monitors that don’t need a subwoofer?
I don't mean to advertise, but the Kali LP6's are fantastic budget monitors that have delivered the clearest mixes in every shootout across multiple genres I have seen. Definitely give them a look!
Melvin Anthony I have own so much used gear & as long as you test what your buying or have a 30day policy or just buying from a respcetful place I would say yes 100% One of the best places to get gear is a Pawn shop. A lot of people are scared of Pawn shops but they have deals on used gear & generally offer 30day take back policy.
Hey I have never recorded or mixed anything. YET! But I want to start recording. I'm a drummer and I don't have a huge room. maybe 3x6 meters. Anyway I am looking at Presonus Eris. But im not sure to get the 3,5 or the 4,5. What do you think?
He is partly right but I would say your interface/conversion is the most important thing. Remember everything runs to and thru it. Secondly your monitors/headphones bc everything thing that runs to and thru your interface converter is ultimately experienced thru your monitors/ headphones. I do have one caveat though, your room goes hand and hand with your monitors in terms of importance. Your monitors can only sound as good as the room they are listened to in.
Larger cones will go deeper not so much of an issue for recording but for producing the deeper styles of dubstep and tech dnb, with sine tones down to 30hz, I need clarity at those frequencies. My room will need more treatment to deal with the extra output and also to stop the bass being muddy. Unfortunately i cant afford loads of treatment or bigger monitors, and if I did have the money I'd probably spend it on PA XD
#1 Choose monitors that fit your room #2 Buy monitors that fit your budget #3 Choose a pair and don't look back My 2 Tips are: #1 buy monitors that fit your room #2 buy the best your can afford until you can afford better
i would add: buy monitors that match your ability. if i had $2000 to spend on monitors, but i was a novice producer with three months experience, i’d buy $300 monitors
So I’m having a hard time with mixing vs mastering. I know that mixing is about the levels and mastering is about boosting everything, but I’m not sure what my songs should sound like before mastering. TH-cam hasn’t been much help since a lot of people have different opinions.
First of all, it's always about how much money you plan on spending on them. But i think the most important thing about it is, estimating your needs. For example if you're buying speakers for your bedroom/home studio, do you really need world class and much expensive monitors ? I don't think so. So you have to go with, what really does the job in your case particularly.Then you have your budget, and you pick what you like the most and think it's the best in that price range, after you do that, buy them and forget about it, that is your tool now, until let's hope you need much more expensive and quality gear and you can afford it, then change it. It is like buying a car, you choose what you like the most and what's best and affordable to you and like Graham said, don't look back. There is always going to be something better, or more expensive or just different...
I have 3" small monitors currently. And I feel the need to have something with a bit more low end for referencing. I work in small bedroom from home. I do not want to reference on headphones for low end/bass which seems to have decent low end. Feel that a monitor with low end might also help. What's your suggestion?
I'm still not sure which monitor size will fit best in a 2.8 x 4 x 3 meters (H x W x L) room. Any advice? I was looking for a HS7, but I'm not 100% If that will fit nicely in the room.
Ok guys. I've been producing /mixing on shitty monitor, shitty headphones and shitty computer for 10 years. I always mastered my tracks on LANDR ( lol ) . And i can tell you ... I had success and audience even with this. My mix are. i think... terrible. Now come the best part. I made 3millions streams on my soundcloud. Been reposted on some of the biggest channel like TVG, been liked by Mr Suicid Sheep, been reposted by Sam Feldt ( thats how i got so many views lol )... Guys.. i can't even understand how some DJ were able to play my shit through festival and nightclub, cause i don't like how my musics sounds with big speaker... One more thing... i think 1/2 of my music elements were out of the FL master lol. If you are pro engineer.. so ok this comment is totaly not useful lmao :p If you are a producer that think you need so many thing to get some audience or think like that ... hmm just take what you basically need. Just be smart when you launch your tracks on internet, talk to poeple, send your music .. it will probably not pay for every one but if you have this chance.. just go further with your music and never ever stop.. cause i can tell you that i stopped producing for 1 year, and i lost a lot... A LOT. That was not so bad to take.. cause i always wanna make other projects in music.. and now i think i find the one i really like. So guys, gear is a good thing, but you can do a lot without the best gear in th world. There is so many poeple that invested 100k doll on studio and ddnt make the half i made on internet ( not talking about money, was too young and ddnt even know i can win money with this lol ) Do what you like and think about how you will spread the word !
I think mixing on smaller speakers is fine, but if you’re producing then a larger speaker is more encouraging to feel the vibe, even in a smaller room. I.e. if you want to record guitar to a drum track playing back. Low budget speakers also don’t perform well at their higher volumes, so a larger model will yield a cleaner output.
Don't know about that, the first set of monitors I ever had when I started off was the presonus eris 4.5 and those went plenty loud enough. I still have them now as another reference and they're excellent little monitors, when they where my primary pair I got used to how they sound and produced some really good mixes on them.
@@joshsmith7812 Well, there's a reason you upgraded monitors. You can play guitar via a solid state 5w modelling practise amp, but you're going to put in a better performance and feel the vibe via a decent size tube. And that's key in the production (recording) stage, the larger the speaker the better the vibe. So if recommended a suitable monitor that needs to be a consideration. As i said above, for mixing purposes i can see how smaller speakers are totally fine as you can get around lack of bass, and understand approximately how they sound or relate to other sources, but if you're recording real amps/drums etc. then the larger speaker will more correctly return the recorded sound to you. Electronic/EDM is different as the sound is artificial and the nuances you get from real drums and instruments isn't critical. There will always be a trade-off/unknown on small speakers as they cannot get down to the frequencies which is most critical when recording.
![🔴 ฟุตบอลแชมป์กีฬา 7HD แชมเปียน คัพ 2024 [รอบรองชนะเลิศ]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/zPm8ClLVhoE/mqdefault.jpg)
►► Get my personal Home Studio Gear Buying Recommendations to fit any budget → www.StudioGearGuide.com
"Don't spend forever reading reviews" Hit me in my feels. Thanks for being genuine.
Me tio
Same here. But now I just keep returning stuff and trying new things 😅
Bruh I still watch/read reviews even after already purchasing mine
I like your “less is more” approach of focusing on the “craft” first, and the equipment second. Good stuff.
Studio monitors: "Choose a pair and don't look back." This guy gives so much good, solid, down-to-earth advice. That's why I enrolled on some of his courses, and have learnt so much. Thank you Graham.
Thanks Graham. So true.
No High End gear will fix the mistakes of crappy songwriting.
not true.... Great speakers can help you to use production tricks to mask these issues
Song writing does not sound like anything. The music, voice and instruments are what you hear.
This video actually came out 1 week after I'd bought the iLoud Micro Monitors - but now I totally got confirmed in that decision because I have a very small room and they fit the size, but are very powerful! 💪🏽
I got a small ass room with 5inch krk rokit speakers, and they’ve been really good to me. That’s cool to know that the mixing engineer for Kings Of Leon used 5in krk rokits too. Makes me love my speakers even more
Mix Referencing! Finally someone said the magic words to using even humble speakers for mixing!
I just bought a pair of Kali Audio LP-6 and I love them!
Yeah man those look awesome! Thinking of getting a pair in the near future, though I use JBL LSR305s I'm happy with and I know them inside and out so I can achieve great mixes, but the LP6's look amazing, especially considering their price and that they're manufactured by ex jbl employees.
I've had monitors at different price points and got great results with all of them. The most important thing is to mix, reference and learn them! :)
Exactly, learning your monitors is the most important
Ty I’m getting a computer soon and I’m gonna use this I also like how you showed how sometimes it will crash and you weren’t fake and cut it out
100% agree with you. Mix quality depends on quality of your signal throughout the signal path.
Totally agree with this, especially the 'real world' comparison. I always listen to my mixes on real world equipment to see how they sound like a regular hifi set and even a smartphone 'cus that's what people, especially teens, do these days: play music on their smartphone. I found it pretty challenging to create mixes that sound more-or-less acceptable on them and still sound good on 'regular' equipment.
The best video in the world. Short and simple. Right to the point. Very true advise. Fantastic presentation. Very well done. You have earned a new subscriber. Loved it man. Keep it up. May god give you all the success you want. 🙌🏼❤️🔥💪🏼
It’s all about adaptation. You make mixing a prime study with your original compositions, and the source that you have used for your ears such as headphones can lead you to an excellent mix, because you would be listening to your creation through different sources in the world. Once you recognize in the real world, what can be improved you just adapt to it by using those headphones and apply it to the mix. And let’s not forget about panning and EQ and achieving great separation in your mix instead of having everything group to close together this is all part of the process and this is how I work.
100% agreed to that tip for changing the monitors!
Thanks Graham. This is awesome!
For anyone interested. Here’s how simple referencing can be.
When you feel like your done with your mix, take a listen to your song against your reference song on the following:
- iPod earbuds
- over ear headphones
- your TV Soundbar
- your TV
- the sound system in your car!
- that crappy Bluetooth speaker you take to the beach
- on your terrible iPhone loudspeaker
- laptop speakers
- turn the music up loud and listen from the other room
- play it quietly while you’re typing emails
- take a aux cord to your friends house and hear it on their system
Reference your mix in enough ways and it could even be argued that you never needed to buy ‘studio monitors’ at all!
I agree with everything except your last point. You need a neutral reference point in order to develop any kind of stable consistent judgement about mixing.
Agreed. But I think this is so encouraging for those with a lower budget. I think there are certain principles in mixing that allow a skilled engineer to make a masterpiece with whatever tools they have at their disposal
I agree 💯
The most honest tips, Thanks for being genuine.
Great tips! Also a tip I like to give is.. Buy the speakers you really like to have (even dream of maybe), I don't say the one's you can't afford but the one's you would like to purchase even if it meens you need to save a bit more for them, you would love them more and do anything to let them sound good in your room and not wan't to upgrade soon! Very important, beceause you need to know your speaker.
This guy is telling the straight TRUTH! I agree with everything he just said.
I agree with you 100% regarding the monitors. Buy what you can afford.
Bought a pair of Rockville APM8s used. $150 shipped. They truly sound amazing for the money I spent.
You really illuminated me... at the end of the day everybody listens to your music on a different system. You still need to have some good and reliable speakers for a good "universal mix." 🙌🏾
Almost a year ago I bought a pair of Edifier S2000pro near-field speakers. I originally bought them to listen to music, but it turns out they're great for monitor speakers, too, for my sound editing. Multiple ways to connect them, including XLR, RCA, optical, even Bluetooth. One-button EQ settings for Monitor, Classic, Dynamic, and Vocal settings, or use your mixer to create your own. They have a 5.5-inch woofer, and sound amazing in my second-bedroom home studio. Cost about US$400 on Amazon where they have mostly 5-star reviews.
I found that adding a sub to my Yamaha HS5s really helped to get the low end right and of course reference tracks. I test my mixes on at least 4 different systems and they seem to translate well IMO!
That combination is actually what I used for years. I still have it as an alternative set. For that setup, I would neve replace it but instead I would suggest to ADD, a pair of Avantone mixcubes. I mix mono on the Avantones 75-80%, then switch to the Yamahas. Recently I got the HS8's, but I still have my HS50M and HS8s sub. People are like...wtf, two pairs of Yamahas? So, there's that. Peace.
Such good advice. Thank you.
Great video as always. I really appreciate your honesty and recognition that not everyone has an unlimited budget.
SO helpful! Thank you so much for this info.
Grant, you put out a lot of good and relevant content. This one for me, has to be in the top five best channel and TH-cam videos. So practical and powerful. Keep it up my friend!
Well said Graham. I agree with your tips👍Especially the last one. Keeps reminding me to focus on writing great music and practice mixing it with what I have and stop reading reviews. I have everything it takes to make hits😁
Fantastic advice; this is very reassuring to hear, especially coming from blogs and communities that obsess over gear quality and specifications when practicality doesn't even have a place in those conversations. Rock on!
Thank you. This is the last video im listening for monitor advice. I have decided, thank you once again.
Just got my Yamaha HS8’s yesterday and I honestly can’t wait to hear the difference between my mixes.. Try Sweetwater they have a sale currently on monitors.. They have acoustic treatment on amazon for good prices as well.
I have the Yamaha HS7. Has a 6.5 inch woofer and is just the right size for my space. Has surprisingly good low bass response. Can get for $500 -600 for a pair...good value for money. I used a Mackie with 8 inch woofer for years and it was too much speaker for my space.
Yep... the Yamaha HS7s are the sweet spot imo. Very accurate and uncolored, just the right size for most medium rooms, about the avg size speaker to replicate the avg target listener imo. Love 'em!
Belive me I purchased Yamaha hs7 for almost 2 years and I have to Say that they are (for me) the “Untrue” speakers! I put my mix on different speakers( cars, hi fi sistem, etc. Sounds like crap) When I used to mix on M-audio(very cheap speakers) I had much better results!
Some very good advice in this video! One thing that I noticed is how there's so many different opinions out there on how to produce and mix music. I guess at the end a lot comes down to what you're used to working with. And I think the most important thing is using reference tracks in your production to compare your own work to. I live in an apartment and I can't just make a lot of noise all day, so I have been working almost completely on headphones so far, a pair of decent Sennheiser HD650. I still want to get an affordable set of speakers and will take your advices on that. Thanks for this video!
Gram I just got the JBL MK3 & I love em I had got the 8in & did not like them to deep for mixing they have great twiters.
also another thing to consider, is using a room balancing system like sonarworks reference 4 or the like, which measure your room, it's worth it because you don't then need "the most expensive" speakers, just good enough ones that can be adjusted for a better response in your room.
Hey Gragam, I strongly believe, the way you explain in this video. Thanks
I have 4 sets of “monitors” I have a set of Yamaha NS6490s that i got to listen as a “hi fi” system. I have a set of Custom monitors i built from scratch as my “bigs”. And i have 2 sets of headphones i primarily mix on from Yamaha and Audio Technica. I generally listen on all 4 sources to make sure it translates to all 4..then i finally listen in the car and earbuds from skullcandy. If it passes all those tests, it’s ready.
This is a very good video, and going back in time the most important part of recording a track
was to walk out to some vehicle in the carpark to play the tune on some crapola car cassette deck
before signing off on the mix. We learnt the hard way to never trust studio monitors!
Yes for sure. Typically we’d involve a joint in this car stereo mix-test. Brian Wilson mixed some early Beach Boys hits on speakers from a ‘57 Chevy…his logic being that many people would be listening to his mix on those very speakers. 👊
I'm glad I bumped in to this video.. make sense. Thanks man
Hey Graham, thanks as always for being honest and cutting through the weeds. About to take the plunge on my first studio monitor purchase! Away we go!
legendary advice.
These r not lessons for Studio gears ....these are LIFE LESSONS .... Thanks !!
Tnk u. Honesty is the best way,,,,blessings
real talk I got kali audio monitors they are the best I love em great video!
you make me feel better about my Tannoy's. I just got some grunge PC speakers for 2€ on ebay and built a fake Auratone with a Seas middle tone chasis. I also have Sennheiser HD540 Reference Headphones and want to treat my room some. I thought everything was ok untill I opened my youtube channel on my daughters PC....at first I thought her speakers were blown, then I listened to some professional mixes for reference. Well, my mixes sounded AWESOME on my monitors and in my room.
Referencing is the biggest thing man. You can have practically any decent monitors, but knowing how they sound by listening to your favorite songs and comparing to your own is priceless. You get use to your monitors.
Needed this vid right now
Hey Graham, I am looking for a way to amplify my digital piano. I have a Yamaha P515 Digital Piano. It has nice built-ins but I want to fill my room and make it sound great. Should I be looking for monitor speakers, sub wooofers, keyboard amp? I am just looking for personal enjoyment, I am NOT recording or mixing, I just want my piano to sound full and awesome. I can spend about $200 bucks. What do you think?
Straight to the point, helped me a lot :)
Thanks for this!
I love you Graham you talk so much sense x
Thanks, this seems like sound, useful advice!
It would be great to have a volume of room v driver size guide.
Perhaps you could do a PDF to show which driver size is best for which room size? My room is 16x13x9 feet and I'm wondering if a 6 inch would be about right?
Your channel is so good for people like me who are setting up a home studio, thanks for what you do :)
Thank you so much very cool tips😊
Good advise man finally someone is telling the truth about this music industry so many myth's out there.
Thanks dude! This was short and sweet.
I'm so Grateful for your channel
Another really relevant video. Thank you!
well said. i think studio monitors just help you to guess how it may sound in the outside world. if u know the comparison then u can mix using almost any speakers
Thanks for this video you've helped me a lot! ♥️
woooow the level of honesty
dude you just helped me out so much thanks
Thanks Graham for such solid advice! Real world advice.
Man referencing other songs on the speakers you got is a big thing that I feel like people don’t really think about. He mentioned it here and I like that he mentioned it cuz it’s something that can really help.
Each pair of speakers will sound different, but if you listen to the top artists over the decades, and you hear how their songs sound on your speakers, you can reference them and get a similar sound to that.
Referencing popular songs that are well mixed is an underrated tip
Thank you very much, great explanation
I use Audix Studio 3A near fields, and believe it or not a pair of Cerwin Vega VS-80 home speakers which I have had extremely great results with over the years
Great advice. Thanks
Thank you Sir, Really good content! I’ll used your tips
Great advice...you're right...it's not about mixing in a sterile environment (your studio), it's about mixing for the real world. Thanks Graham!
This video came at the perfect time for me. 😅 I’ve been using a pair of Mackie HR824 monitors and I love the sound, the dynamics and the detail they have. Unfortunately, both of them are not working properly anymore, resulting in one or both giving not enough volume or no sound at all. I was looking into getting them repaired but that is almost as expensive as getting new budget ones. The room I use them in is atrocious and they are certainly overkill for my home studio. But I love the sound. I even have the budget to get new HR824 mk II’s if I want to. So now I’m not sure what to do: get new, smaller ones but sacrifice some of the sound quality I’m used to, or make the same mistake I did fifteen years ago by getting great speakers that are too big and really can’t deliver their full potential in my crappy studio. I was thinking about getting small monitors and a subwoofer, I really like the newer Genelec sets for example, and maybe upgrade my headphones as well. What’s your take on subwoofers and smaller monitors? Worth it or am I better off spending more on just two monitors that don’t need a subwoofer?
I don't mean to advertise, but the Kali LP6's are fantastic budget monitors that have delivered the clearest mixes in every shootout across multiple genres I have seen. Definitely give them a look!
Can't Kill A Cowboy thanks, I’ll have a look and a listen. Just looking at them doesn’t tell the whole story... They’re actually quite affordable.
Best Author
Thanks Graham. Would you recommend buying used Studio monitors? say maybe a 4 year old one?!
Melvin Anthony I have own so much used gear & as long as you test what your buying or have a 30day policy or just buying from a respcetful place I would say yes 100% One of the best places to get gear is a Pawn shop. A lot of people are scared of Pawn shops but they have deals on used gear & generally offer 30day take back policy.
cool tips! real talk in the commercialized world of youtube.
Hy Graham,
Usefull video, as always! Thank you for sharing your experience with us 😊
Hey I have never recorded or mixed anything. YET! But I want to start recording. I'm a drummer and I don't have a huge room. maybe 3x6 meters.
Anyway
I am looking at Presonus Eris. But im not sure to get the 3,5 or the 4,5. What do you think?
Thanks for your hard work, you really make a difference in the music business. Gb.. 2020.
Would it be possible to add the year to this Guide? It would sure help this old mind know if I have the most resent version of the guide! Thank You.
He is partly right but I would say your interface/conversion is the most important thing. Remember everything runs to and thru it. Secondly your monitors/headphones bc everything thing that runs to and thru your interface converter is ultimately experienced thru your monitors/ headphones. I do have one caveat though, your room goes hand and hand with your monitors in terms of importance. Your monitors can only sound as good as the room they are listened to in.
Hi! Can you please update it on budget for less than 100-150?😊
Larger cones will go deeper
not so much of an issue for recording but for producing the deeper styles of dubstep and tech dnb, with sine tones down to 30hz, I need clarity at those frequencies. My room will need more treatment to deal with the extra output and also to stop the bass being muddy.
Unfortunately i cant afford loads of treatment or bigger monitors, and if I did have the money I'd probably spend it on PA XD
so true....its so contextual
your info makes sense, man. thanks for the enlightment
#1 Choose monitors that fit your room
#2 Buy monitors that fit your budget
#3 Choose a pair and don't look back
My 2 Tips are:
#1 buy monitors that fit your room
#2 buy the best your can afford until you can afford better
choose a pair and work with it till u step up the next level to get better pairs lol
i would add: buy monitors that match your ability. if i had $2000 to spend on monitors, but i was a novice producer with three months experience, i’d buy $300 monitors
whack
I so agree with you..... ive subscribed... great tips
So I’m having a hard time with mixing vs mastering. I know that mixing is about the levels and mastering is about boosting everything, but I’m not sure what my songs should sound like before mastering. TH-cam hasn’t been much help since a lot of people have different opinions.
Interesting take on this. Thanks.
First of all, it's always about how much money you plan on spending on them. But i think the most important thing about it is, estimating your needs. For example if you're buying speakers for your bedroom/home studio, do you really need world class and much expensive monitors ? I don't think so. So you have to go with, what really does the job in your case particularly.Then you have your budget, and you pick what you like the most and think it's the best in that price range, after you do that, buy them and forget about it, that is your tool now, until let's hope you need much more expensive and quality gear and you can afford it, then change it. It is like buying a car, you choose what you like the most and what's best and affordable to you and like Graham said, don't look back. There is always going to be something better, or more expensive or just different...
What is your opinion of the vonyx smn40b? If you don't mind me asking
I have 3" small monitors currently. And I feel the need to have something with a bit more low end for referencing. I work in small bedroom from home. I do not want to reference on headphones for low end/bass which seems to have decent low end. Feel that a monitor with low end might also help. What's your suggestion?
I'm still not sure which monitor size will fit best in a 2.8 x 4 x 3 meters (H x W x L) room. Any advice? I was looking for a HS7, but I'm not 100% If that will fit nicely in the room.
I totally agree with the referencing to other music thing. It saves so much money and kills a lot of audiophile paranoia lol
Would 4" behringers be too small for a good response??
Which is best for home recording studio?
#Focusrite Scarlett Solo or #Allen & Heath ZEDI-8 Hybrid Compact Mixer / USB Interface
Great advice 👌🏿
Great video! Did your friend jakir king use a sub while mixing kings of leon with the 5 inch krk???
Someday can you tell us what is on your sound console? That gear has to come in to play in the quality of your recordings/mixes. Please!
Ok guys. I've been producing /mixing on shitty monitor, shitty headphones and shitty computer for 10 years. I always mastered my tracks on LANDR ( lol ) . And i can tell you ... I had success and audience even with this. My mix are. i think... terrible.
Now come the best part. I made 3millions streams on my soundcloud. Been reposted on some of the biggest channel like TVG, been liked by Mr Suicid Sheep, been reposted by Sam Feldt ( thats how i got so many views lol )... Guys.. i can't even understand how some DJ were able to play my shit through festival and nightclub, cause i don't like how my musics sounds with big speaker...
One more thing... i think 1/2 of my music elements were out of the FL master lol.
If you are pro engineer.. so ok this comment is totaly not useful lmao :p
If you are a producer that think you need so many thing to get some audience or think like that ... hmm just take what you basically need.
Just be smart when you launch your tracks on internet, talk to poeple, send your music .. it will probably not pay for every one but if you have
this chance.. just go further with your music and never ever stop.. cause i can tell you that i stopped producing for 1 year, and i lost a lot... A LOT.
That was not so bad to take.. cause i always wanna make other projects in music.. and now i think i find the one i really like.
So guys, gear is a good thing, but you can do a lot without the best gear in th world. There is so many poeple that invested 100k doll on studio and ddnt make the half i made on internet ( not talking about money, was too young and ddnt even know i can win money with this lol )
Do what you like and think about how you will spread the word !
Wtf only 1 like on this comment?
@@Shaeffer_ Hehe.. and if you wanna check out my oldest project : romsen music on soundcloud.
I think mixing on smaller speakers is fine, but if you’re producing then a larger speaker is more encouraging to feel the vibe, even in a smaller room. I.e. if you want to record guitar to a drum track playing back.
Low budget speakers also don’t perform well at their higher volumes, so a larger model will yield a cleaner output.
Don't know about that, the first set of monitors I ever had when I started off was the presonus eris 4.5 and those went plenty loud enough.
I still have them now as another reference and they're excellent little monitors, when they where my primary pair I got used to how they sound and produced some really good mixes on them.
@@joshsmith7812 Well, there's a reason you upgraded monitors. You can play guitar via a solid state 5w modelling practise amp, but you're going to put in a better performance and feel the vibe via a decent size tube. And that's key in the production (recording) stage, the larger the speaker the better the vibe. So if recommended a suitable monitor that needs to be a consideration.
As i said above, for mixing purposes i can see how smaller speakers are totally fine as you can get around lack of bass, and understand approximately how they sound or relate to other sources, but if you're recording real amps/drums etc. then the larger speaker will more correctly return the recorded sound to you. Electronic/EDM is different as the sound is artificial and the nuances you get from real drums and instruments isn't critical.
There will always be a trade-off/unknown on small speakers as they cannot get down to the frequencies which is most critical when recording.