The Basics of Starting a Mix - Setting Levels - Warren Huart: Produce Like A Pro

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  • ➡️➡️The Basics of Starting a Mix - Setting Levels: bit.ly/32pgEPc
    In this episode, we’re going to concentrate on the basics of starting a mix. This is a good thing for beginners but it’s also an amazing discussion point for anybody who’s intermediate or advanced.
    For me, the best way to start a mix is to open it up and get the balances and panning right. - So let’s get going.
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ความคิดเห็น • 442

  • @Producelikeapro
    @Producelikeapro  5 ปีที่แล้ว +143

    Now you know how I start my mixes. How do you start your mixes? Do you want to see more videos like this? Let me know below!

    • @Bloemanstudio
      @Bloemanstudio 5 ปีที่แล้ว

      Thank you so match, i need to improve my mixes to the next level!You are all invited to listen my music!

    • @devinunderwood9039
      @devinunderwood9039 5 ปีที่แล้ว +5

      Well.....I start them the exact same way...since that's what you taught me duh ;p

    • @ajadrew
      @ajadrew 5 ปีที่แล้ว

      I'm glad I watched this! I'm similar but you've presented it in a polished & professional manner from which I've learnt so cheers! And you were mixing on the phones? I didn't plug my phones in until you'd started the drums so I rewound the tape & of course, I could actually hear what was happening...;-))

    • @RogerBrenon
      @RogerBrenon 5 ปีที่แล้ว +10

      I start my mixes with "Oh crap, my recordings suck. Gotta do em over" LOL

    • @guitarfreekin
      @guitarfreekin 5 ปีที่แล้ว +4

      Yes sir more please, from here on what is your workflow, do you go to eq first or compression?? Stuff like that... Thanks a million in advance

  • @networkunplugged
    @networkunplugged 5 ปีที่แล้ว +98

    I start my mixes like this... I ruin them always later :-)

    • @Producelikeapro
      @Producelikeapro  5 ปีที่แล้ว +20

      Hi Network Unplugged haha we all do my friend!!

    • @ProducerGio
      @ProducerGio 3 ปีที่แล้ว +3

      lol it hurts so much

    • @ejaybrand
      @ejaybrand 3 ปีที่แล้ว

      @@ProducerGio l

  • @lahattec
    @lahattec 5 ปีที่แล้ว +155

    Warren, you do realize that you have raised the bar for what all other 'TH-camrs' must strive for.

    • @Producelikeapro
      @Producelikeapro  5 ปีที่แล้ว +32

      Aw shucks thanks ever so much! There will 50 like this within the next week or two my friend! Haha

    • @lahattec
      @lahattec 5 ปีที่แล้ว

      @@Producelikeapro Nice. :)

    • @marcelbr815
      @marcelbr815 3 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      True

    • @LingKai
      @LingKai 3 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      agree. he's a real professional

    • @phadrus
      @phadrus 2 ปีที่แล้ว

      No, no hasn’t. This is vague and poorly explained and generally a disappointment. Seriously, I’ve tried to watch many of his videos and he is one of the worst at explaining mixing concepts.

  • @SpedSpedding
    @SpedSpedding 4 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    If you were a musician writing and recording from home, track by track; would you encourage this kind of organic work flow as you add tracks. Or would you recommend just slamming everything in mono and 0db?

  • @gagsmedia
    @gagsmedia 5 ปีที่แล้ว +49

    Warren, Your generosity is beyond compare....You really are a diamond in the internet! Love you man G xxxxxx :)

    • @Producelikeapro
      @Producelikeapro  5 ปีที่แล้ว +6

      Hi gagsmedia you’re very kind my friend! I’m so glad to be able to help!

  • @winterjps
    @winterjps 5 ปีที่แล้ว +34

    If I get tracks to mix that I didn't record, one of the first things I do, even before volume and levels, is "track housekeeping," where I name, group, and color the tracks in a way that suits my workflow. I will also created busses and/or VCAs for the groups so that I can easily change levels on multiple tracks globally. During my second pass at volume and levels I like to place markers to identify the sections of the arrangement. Checking the overall levels is important in the beginning as well in order to leave enough headroom for mixing. If I get my kick and snare peaking at -18dBFS after processing I can be pretty confident in that regard. That's my yardstick to get everything else in the ballpark. I generally go drums, bass, lead vocal(s), guitars, keys, etc.

    • @noahofficialmusic
      @noahofficialmusic 2 ปีที่แล้ว

      Is that -18dbfs with the kick and snare combined? Do you use a VU meter set to -18dbfs?

  • @camdendebruin6667
    @camdendebruin6667 5 ปีที่แล้ว +51

    I almost always do drummers perspective when panning. As a drummer, I sometimes feel really unsettled when things like the hihat are on the right. Especially when you have a lot of toms.

    • @Producelikeapro
      @Producelikeapro  5 ปีที่แล้ว +7

      Interesting!

    • @cbrooks0905
      @cbrooks0905 5 ปีที่แล้ว +6

      I always had a feeling this would be the case, because I always see them (in my mind’s eye) from audience perspective, and it always throws me off, at first, when I hear it from Drummer’s perspective.
      Solution: MONO DRUMS! 🤠

    • @FakingANerve
      @FakingANerve 5 ปีที่แล้ว +5

      I have always mixed from a drummers perspective, although i'm not a drummer, when in the studio. Whenever I mix live (my day job), I mix audience perspective.
      😐

    • @rileyjordan8114
      @rileyjordan8114 5 ปีที่แล้ว +7

      IMO drummers perspective is the best because only drummers will really notice what the panning is, so you might as well pan how they would prefer

    • @Producelikeapro
      @Producelikeapro  5 ปีที่แล้ว +3

      Thanks ever so much Camden for sharing!!

  • @SkankVideosTv
    @SkankVideosTv 5 ปีที่แล้ว +86

    This is pure gold. Warren, is there a chance to have another episode with the continuation of the same mix?

    • @nichttuntun3364
      @nichttuntun3364 5 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      It's pure logic too. I am also interested in seeing the further mixing steps with track and 2 track handling. Cheers

    • @basbakker
      @basbakker 5 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      Would like that too!

    • @Producelikeapro
      @Producelikeapro  5 ปีที่แล้ว +18

      SkankTv RO Thanks ever so much my friend! Yes, I’m excited to keep going with this mix!

    • @SkankVideosTv
      @SkankVideosTv 5 ปีที่แล้ว

      @@Producelikeapro Can't hardly wait! :D

    • @project1265ffo
      @project1265ffo 5 ปีที่แล้ว

      @@Producelikeapro thank you very much Warren, hope to see the next episode about this video :)

  • @leaningtower73
    @leaningtower73 5 ปีที่แล้ว +11

    Superb explanation of how to start a mix. I am glad I do more or less the same thing in the early stages of a mix.
    Have a marvelous day sir!

  • @cortical1
    @cortical1 5 ปีที่แล้ว +11

    Thanks, Warren! Sending SoCal love up the 5 from San Diego!

  • @jasonsimmons7479
    @jasonsimmons7479 5 ปีที่แล้ว +13

    A little imperfection in the vocals! Nice. The fact that I was able to hear it and that you used it is awesome!

    • @Producelikeapro
      @Producelikeapro  5 ปีที่แล้ว +3

      Absolutely my friend! We love the imperfections!!

    • @jasonsimmons7479
      @jasonsimmons7479 5 ปีที่แล้ว

      @@Producelikeapro you're the best mate!

  • @magicdrummer411
    @magicdrummer411 5 ปีที่แล้ว +7

    Absolutley a great way to start. The best I have seen on this.
    I spent hours on a song my band recorded, I sampled drums, eq on each guitar and the even the bass. I then hated what I had.
    I done this to the same track and it is like day light and dark on the sound.
    Thanks!

  • @paulie_g_
    @paulie_g_ 2 ปีที่แล้ว +6

    I watch this video every time I'm starting a new mix. It's so valuable to be reminded of the basics.

    • @Producelikeapro
      @Producelikeapro  8 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

      Wow!! Thanks ever so much

  • @skatepark02
    @skatepark02 วันที่ผ่านมา +1

    My only gripe with these videos (and I mean all of them) is they always start with great sounding stems, as if they have been eq’d on the way in.
    My mixes never sound this good from the get go. You could argue I need to work on my recording technique, but all my instruments are either dI or superior drummer 3 etc.

    • @Producelikeapro
      @Producelikeapro  วันที่ผ่านมา +2

      I rarely ever EQ on the way in. Most of my demoes are done using our Audient iD interfaces so that it is close to everyone’s experience. Of course there are plenty of videos of us using hardware on the way in which if course colours the sound. Mic placement combined with the best sound source is of course the most important part of any recording

    • @Producelikeapro
      @Producelikeapro  วันที่ผ่านมา +1

      DI’s with great virtual instruments will give you great results!!

  • @xaosnox
    @xaosnox 5 ปีที่แล้ว +7

    Warren, you've done it again! Brilliant video. As a relative beginner, the hardest thing is getting started, but you bring your fun-loving, positive attitude to the table and give us an example of how to fly through the opening stages of a mix. This is a great thing for those of us who tend to be perfectionists and/or over-thinkers. Love it!

    • @Producelikeapro
      @Producelikeapro  5 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      Hi X S thanks ever so much my friend! That really means a lot! I am so glad to be able to help in any way I can my friend!!

  • @frankpratte8358
    @frankpratte8358 5 ปีที่แล้ว +4

    Thanks again, great video. What about normalizing all tracks to some level, say -12db as a starting point? What do you think?

  • @petervad
    @petervad 5 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    Thanks for another very informative video. I try to mix in mono at first in order to get as much clarity as possible via volume, EQ and compression, and then pan later - any thoughts on that? Another difference from your process is that I try to keep my faders at unity (0dB) since they are not linear and adjust volume via gain - any thoughts on that?

    • @Advosary
      @Advosary 2 ปีที่แล้ว

      Mixing in mono is definitely a good idea to keep up, but I like to do panning early on as well to start hearing that whole spread, and then switch between mono and stereo while listening.
      Also, I think you have the right idea with gain balancing at unity before moving faders. Warren didn't really talk about gain staging or any VU metering, which is a good thing to start with even before panning and moving faders. You'll start to get a good pre-mix even just by dialing in the gain sweet spot for each track.

  • @NacekO
    @NacekO 5 ปีที่แล้ว +6

    I start my mixes pretty much the same way but I do drummer pesrpective. I have a mix template with the most common plugins I use already loaded on the tracks but bypassed. I recommend templates for anyone who wants to save a bit of time and start a mix just a bit faster.

    • @FakingANerve
      @FakingANerve 5 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      It works wonders for live sound as well with a decent digital board.

    • @jasonsimmons7479
      @jasonsimmons7479 5 ปีที่แล้ว

      Do you use live drums?

    • @NacekO
      @NacekO 5 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      @@jasonsimmons7479 Yes and no. If there is a drummer to be recorded then yes. If a drummer wants to work with me for my songs then I also prefer live drums but if that isn't possible then I program the drums and use drum sample software. Live drums are far superior to samples I think.

  • @TallyTechandTroubleshooting
    @TallyTechandTroubleshooting 5 ปีที่แล้ว +3

    EXCELLENT explanation, Warren and MUCH appreciated! If you could, please consider Craig Sanderson request as there are quite a few of us that DO get mixes that are, well for lack of a better word, in a state of dismay. Thank you ever so much for your continued sharing of knowledge and audio mentorship (PLAPer)...

  • @stevewatts9128
    @stevewatts9128 3 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    For the life of me I can't understand why anybody would pan drums from the drummer's perspective... and I'm a former drummer! Surely your mix is just an intermediary between the band and the audience and unless you're being deliberately "creative" you would therefore want to represent the band as they would play to an audience directly. Imagine putting a track from the drummer's perspective synced to video of the band - everything is going to be panned audio-wise opposite to where it is visually which is utterly incoherent - the illusion that places the listener in an imaginary audience in front of the band is lost. To match your mix in the video the drummer would have to sit with his or her back to the audience and that's just rude!!! I'd be interested to hear arguments FOR panning from drummer's perspective.

    • @Producelikeapro
      @Producelikeapro  3 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      I prefer audience perspective as well, however, whatever anyone wants to do is ok! I hear you though haha

  • @godned74
    @godned74 3 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    I didn't always do this but now I keep all my channels at -5 db and wait until the end to add any effects like reverb or delay or what ever. Also watch out for the bass monster it will crush all sounds

  • @edgarbenjoseph3879
    @edgarbenjoseph3879 3 ปีที่แล้ว +4

    To compare, listen to before mix at 2:22 and after mix at 14:25 The difference is really impressive with just volume and panning, wow

  • @aipsong
    @aipsong 5 ปีที่แล้ว +6

    Great lesson - live music is just that - people and their instruments spread across the stage - it helps to remember that when mixing!

  • @devinunderwood9039
    @devinunderwood9039 5 ปีที่แล้ว +24

    Thank you Warren...always a good idea to revisit the basics.

  • @necrodogs
    @necrodogs 5 ปีที่แล้ว +3

    This is so great. I bought Mixbus 5 a week ago and this is exactly what I've been doing since. Adjust volume, pan stuff around, get rid of excess tracks, create groups and assign tracks to buses (and turn the drive/tape saturation UP). Bonus: I started working on this exact song last night. Now I know a bit more about what to fix and how to do it. Thank you :-)

  • @Studiossoundgarage
    @Studiossoundgarage 5 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    Thank you so much. Very useful.

  • @kenmercermusic
    @kenmercermusic ปีที่แล้ว +1

    Loving your videos Warren! I've been following your work for a number of years now. Thanks for the detail and time you put in to your content. It's a pleasure to see how you work in your music productions. All the best! Ken :-)

    • @Producelikeapro
      @Producelikeapro  ปีที่แล้ว +2

      Thanks ever so much for your great comment!

  • @gHexMusic
    @gHexMusic 3 ปีที่แล้ว +3

    Great video! Thank you!

  • @melodaddies8137
    @melodaddies8137 3 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    Moin Warren i looked so many videos about mixdown mastering from various yt channels and nothing fit to my sound.. because i got up to 5 different guitars at the same time and every technic failed.. after severals videos you said the magic sentance" thrust your ears" .. after 6 month of muddy sound i found my own mixing style and mastering... Warren huart and gregory scott are the best to find your way to produce your music. The rest at youtube show a way how to
    produce their music. Thx alot for sharing your wisdom i know this is not common!

    • @Producelikeapro
      @Producelikeapro  3 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      Wow! Thanks ever so much! I really appreciate it!

  • @homergutierrez8661
    @homergutierrez8661 5 ปีที่แล้ว +4

    Great video. I do a similar process. However, something that I've been trying to wrap my head around lately is bus master vs. Master fader. Do you send a mix of the entire song to a stereo Aux before going to the Master fader? I've read that this is where you would insert some overall compression or/and EQ and not on the Master fader. Perhaps you can do a show on that and explain the pros and cons?

    • @isaacshainblum1030
      @isaacshainblum1030 5 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      oh , no kidding!!! I am trying to wrap my head around Pro_Tools 12 and just all this in gen...its a major learning curve i guess...but i believe one day i will master it all...no pun! :)

    • @mrdenson3101
      @mrdenson3101 2 ปีที่แล้ว

      This is what I do always. The master fader is set at unity gain and only used for volume. Everything else goes to the master bus

  • @LarsTaylorMusic
    @LarsTaylorMusic 2 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    Priceless, bro!

  • @AMB666
    @AMB666 3 ปีที่แล้ว +3

    Nicely recorded! I hate when the raw tracks sound awful.

    • @frankservant5754
      @frankservant5754 3 ปีที่แล้ว

      I agree these sound great even before mixing other tracks you have to get through a lot of pain just to clean up the noise and that's even before you even start mixing

  • @b.robertson9042
    @b.robertson9042 5 ปีที่แล้ว +3

    I listen to the drum overheads to hear where everything is placed in the stereo field. Then I check the phase on the drums. Then normalize all clips to -6db peak and do a rough mix on the volumes and panning.

    • @an5683
      @an5683 4 ปีที่แล้ว

      B. Robertson do you have any advice for checking the phase?

  • @BadMotivator66
    @BadMotivator66 3 ปีที่แล้ว

    noob here- i've been starting by hard panning the OH mics left and right, and then using a graphic eq to take the highs out of the kick, and the low-lows out of the snare, cymbals and vocals. I use the bass control on amp plugins for guitar. interesting that you pan from the audience's pov as my instinct has been the opposite. i'm definitely gonna try this first thing when i next record :)

  • @palfrayguitars2916
    @palfrayguitars2916 5 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    Great advice as always Warren.....I often despair that people (mixers) dont use their ears instead of some unobtainable theoretical maths bullshit......( that might have been a bit strong....)

  • @wildcustoms
    @wildcustoms 3 ปีที่แล้ว

    very interesting video. Thank you.

  • @RETCHED-METAL
    @RETCHED-METAL 3 ปีที่แล้ว

    Thank you I'm struggling with my mix right now everything I do sucks and I'm using the Studio one 5 Professional the latest version it has a plugin called PIPELINE in stereo and mono it is supposed to hook up your hardware I have like 5,200$ in rack gear I was trying to hook up to my master bus, but it sounds horrible I have Pro tools 12 too but I like Studio one more so I'm using it instead.

  • @HeathAllyn
    @HeathAllyn 5 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    Two things I have loved as I've discovered your channel and binged many, many hours of videos: 1. Even though I've engineered, produced, and mastered hundreds of my own projects over the years, what I know is infinitesimal to what I have yet to learn and always will be. 2. It's also nice that sometimes it helps me see how much I DO know as well and that so many things that are just instinctual auto-pilot knowledge for me are the result of 20 years of experience, studying, experimenting and just doing it, even if I had no idea how to do it "right." Thanks so much for this channel!

  • @EmiCent93
    @EmiCent93 4 ปีที่แล้ว

    I thought first we need all the tracks balanced to -18dBFS, and after that start to mix them. Is it wrong way?

  • @4low395
    @4low395 5 ปีที่แล้ว

    hi and thanks again for all help....you know what would be a marvellous thing to do?...request from us, your amateur followers to submit a mix so you can hear live and comment briefly about things are wrong or right...(5-7 min vids)...not a better way to learn but to understand our own mistakes. If you consider this pls don't just scroll our posts as "mastering" is an unreal goal,i think anyway, but a balanced mix is sometimes doable. Can maybe create a platform to send audio files in a resolution you think is ok... no competition or prizes or anything.....could be fun...thanks again and cheers

  • @yvindholtan8596
    @yvindholtan8596 2 ปีที่แล้ว

    I am fairly new to the music production process. I have written and recorded 50 or so songs and they all sound like mud, no clarity or separation. I have listened to what seems like hundreds of so-called teaching tutorials but none of them have shown me the beginning basics like you have. Thank you! I look forward to learning more. Specifically adding EQ, compression, reverb, etc. And than mastering. Please tell me where to go so I can learn all there is. Thank you again for a great lesson!

  • @Lirree88
    @Lirree88 3 หลายเดือนก่อน

    Thanks so much for this video! Quick question pls: at about @11:20 you say you're turning the verse guitar 'down less'. do you mean up less? It looks like it's at a lower level than the chorus guitar. I'm just trying to make sense of what you did here. I see -3.9 for ch guitar and -5.9 for verse guitar. Thank you so much

  • @ChrisInNashville
    @ChrisInNashville 2 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    I've been addicted to watching your videos ever since I came across your interviews w/Hugh Padgham recently. I learn something new w/every video I watch. Your videos are a goldmine of information that benefit anyone...from someone trying to learn tips and tricks to improve their own recording and mixing to someone who just may be curious as to all of the elements that go into creating a recording and finished product. Thank you for making these videos - they are 1st Class, both entertaining and high value educational tools!

    • @Producelikeapro
      @Producelikeapro  2 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      Wow! Thanks ever so much! I really appreciate your wonderful comment!

  • @stormshadow2k
    @stormshadow2k 4 ปีที่แล้ว

    No, no, no, HATE audience perspective! Screws with my air drumming! lol

  • @beeftheheat
    @beeftheheat 3 ปีที่แล้ว

    Sir. Regarding image field reproduction/analysis. i didn't check this vid-but i always saw your smaller, treblyer monitors to the centre, with bigger bassier ones to outside.
    just heard you talking about putting high hat sound to outside here. and i was taught by Prof. Christoph Both (Cello, Upstream, Paul Cram, Don Palmer, etc, etc) at his Acadia U. studio the same theme-mix bass towards centre. which i have agreed with, thinking of certain weak result tracks with this bass pulling your ears to one side and eventually becoming painful.
    so is this speaker set up done as it somehow balances the total effect on ze brainpan?
    ok-i was just thinking about how it may be-so, if you Mixed with treblyer monitors on outside, they would replicate Even More Advanced Trebles! to exterior, so reversing speakers makes trb/bz work as hard as they can for getting 'home'.
    Yeah, Baby!
    comme-ci, comme-ca?
    ppps-cannabis oil rules

  • @justonmurphythemysticcharmer
    @justonmurphythemysticcharmer 4 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    Hey Mr. Huart, I have a question. Is mixing different in each genre, for country, pop, rock, dance, etc... or is mixing the same process in every?

  • @ronchorivera
    @ronchorivera 3 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    Up until about 4 months ago I was still using a 8 track porta-studio. I never knew there was going to be more than panning and volume in a mix until today lol.

    • @Producelikeapro
      @Producelikeapro  3 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      Glad to be able to help in any way I can!

  • @MACLADILLY
    @MACLADILLY 2 หลายเดือนก่อน

    Thankyou so much for clarifying that primary mixing process. You are a very good teacher esp. "so what have we learnt". Cheers.

  • @rawkinj6609
    @rawkinj6609 5 ปีที่แล้ว

    Actually a question Warren: About mixing ( before it's mastered) If i'm referencing a track by let's say, ACDC. It's already mastered...you see where i'm going here! I'm referencing my unmastered mix to a mastered track. Please help me sleep at night! Thanks again!

  • @giorgiosale639
    @giorgiosale639 4 ปีที่แล้ว

    Hi Warren,
    What about Kick and Bass level? What do you think about the King's technique setting kick at -3dbvu? Do you think it's useful or you could have a pumping kick all the time? I'm really struggling about drums and bass levels

  • @royaldubcollective
    @royaldubcollective 3 ปีที่แล้ว

    Hey Warren, So .. kick and snare samples. Where do you source the samples, is it addictive drums? And how do you choose one for the specific song? Thx

  • @Individual22
    @Individual22 2 หลายเดือนก่อน

    Thank you, Warren!
    I can't stress enough how much this has helped improve my mixing.

  • @smokinmoose2
    @smokinmoose2 2 ปีที่แล้ว

    Ii had to stop and laugh-not at you, but…a few years ago I got some tracks done in a club from a small combo for mixing. I guess because I started out as a drummer I always ask if they want the drums mixed from the drummer’s perspective or the audience’s. In this case, because they wanted to mimic the live feel of sitting in the audience they said from the audience’s perspective. So, I did the mix (including blending in the mics they had in the crowd for that live feel) and sent the mix back for their approval. They sent me an email and stated that the mix is not what they asked for. Without going into the back and forth, they said the drums were mixed backwards. I, of course, was adamant that I had done them right and maybe their speaker cables were reversed or some such, but no, the other instruments were panned correctly. When I finally asked the right question I learned that their drummer was left handed and played on a left handed setup!
    The more you do the more you learn.

  • @TheTom5150
    @TheTom5150 5 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    Hi Warren, love your tutorials man, you ROCK!!! Hey gotta question, if you were the guy who recorded that, would you have been doing any of that balancing as you were going through the recording process or do you wait til every tracks been recorded before you start moving faders and adjusting the panning?

  • @jurgenschuler8389
    @jurgenschuler8389 5 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    What a magnificent video! Awesome!

  • @coolguy4179
    @coolguy4179 ปีที่แล้ว

    I tend to apply EQ to all of my tracks, then I go to volume and panning, then I will apply any compression necessary to the tracks, then apply compression and EQ to the bus tracks. However, I think I'm going to try this method next time.

  • @TabbyCallaghan
    @TabbyCallaghan 3 ปีที่แล้ว

    Iv been working from dry out . Dry kit no room or verbs then I try to get that fat tight pocket right and bring stuff up around that and then extend out via space and effects / modulation i find myself panning at the end probably cause I’m doing it wrong 😃 anyway it always ends with paralysis from analysis and on to another mix that I cannot finish 😂 seriously though Warren you have helped me to start finishing these mixes .✌️

  • @Kineticartist
    @Kineticartist 5 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    I start very much the same way getting it leveled volume and pan wise so I can Lke you said make an informed decision on the steps I take next I love how yo break down your work flow sometimes with a more complicated song its easy to get lost in the complicated parts so starting with the basics is vital As wealso do recording here and not just mixing and my mix sessions are from the recorded sessions I add in gain staging as one of the first steps usng the HoRnEt MKIII plugin saved my butt a couple of times Rarely do I get stereo tracks so I mix mostly in mono so panning alonfg with sidechaining later in the mix session really helps out Again thank you for being so generous with your time and knowledge

  • @christianschroer1999
    @christianschroer1999 2 ปีที่แล้ว

    Great ! thanks , I set Sw in my new room now I know 1 step further how my new room sounds with good volume levels in a song ^^ panning the bv vocals so it sounds like a bunch of guys are in a room ^^. and panning the drums in from adience perspektive is good to know. ( kick snare to the middle , toms 20 percent right , cymbal 60 left ? ) whatever I look it again when I mix next time. Thanks Warren, right level setting is so important. buildig up the basic skills is so important right.

  • @paulpavely5904
    @paulpavely5904 3 ปีที่แล้ว

    Nice video Warren, what do you use for converting audio to MIDI for the drum samples? Soundreplacer?

  • @AlexanderStemkowski
    @AlexanderStemkowski 3 ปีที่แล้ว

    I guess I do something similar, but I work from the functional point of view: first of all, I mute everything and then unmute the most rhythmical part-usually the drumkit and try to enjoy.If I do, I would unmute the bass or whatever acts as glue between drums and melodic instruments, and get the balance right. And so on, adding one track at a time and fixing the levels. When everything is unmuted, I pan. When all is said and done, ABBA splits ;)

  • @michaellavender
    @michaellavender 2 ปีที่แล้ว

    Hey Warren, I gain staged all of my tracks -18 to -12 peak and every fader is at zero. I’m trying to make specific instruments in my mix be louder than the rest. will moving the faders after I gain stage mess up everything I did?

  • @Wim-Vander-VanDeuren
    @Wim-Vander-VanDeuren 4 ปีที่แล้ว

    Hi Warren
    Long time fan, first comment...
    I was wandering how you pan your drums. Do you pan from the drummers perspective (hats left, 1st tom left, 2nd tom slightly right and floor tom further right.
    I know this is a known point of discussion.
    I find that when mixing from the drummers perspective, I can mix in a way that the listener is litteraly sitting between the musicians. With the drummer in his back, the bass and vocals in front of him and everyhthing else panned to taste around the listener.
    What's your point of view?
    Best regards
    Wim

  • @stupendousmusic4190
    @stupendousmusic4190 4 ปีที่แล้ว

    For the sake of sheer neutrality, I sport my Beyerdynamic DT 880 Pro headphones, and try to balance everything in mono as best as possible, without any effects, reverb, or eq. I usually don't gain stage at this point either.

  • @MurnerJoel
    @MurnerJoel 3 ปีที่แล้ว

    Thanks !!! What about gain staging whats a healthy level per track? Or max level per track ?

  • @Edge_0202
    @Edge_0202 5 ปีที่แล้ว

    I do about the same thing with stacked bgvs but I'll pan them maybe 2 or 3 percent apart. For example, the high octo 100 left right, and the other high bgv 97 left right. Sometimes if theres a single low bgv in the group of the stack bgvs I'll Aux it to a doubler to kinda fill in the gaps. Sometimes that works 👌

  • @mattshannon4578
    @mattshannon4578 2 ปีที่แล้ว

    Warren. I am an avid listener to your various channels. One thing that would help add clarity to the many videos you have that evaluate “classic” or exceptionally recorded or produced songs/albums would to give some perspective to what type of equipment was used. By this I don’t mean a rundown on whether a Scully, or MCI tape machine was used, but rather was it recorded to… for instance two 4 channel machines , eight channel … ping ponging two eight channels, 24 track, etc.
    Not only would this help explain technical limitations of the recordings, but in most cases inspire us to achieve the excellence that was attained within the limitations that they worked within.
    It might give some perspective as to limitations/ effectiveness of use of stereo field, complexity of mix, etc.
    Keep up the awesome work.
    Matt Shannon

  • @miguelowls
    @miguelowls 4 ปีที่แล้ว

    hey warren did you by any chance already do clip gain on all the tracks before you did the static mix? this part is soo confusing to me...

  • @serge1643
    @serge1643 ปีที่แล้ว

    I always start the same way, except that I didn't consider the arrangement of the backing vocals on the panorama in this way.

  • @KeithHutchinsonYT
    @KeithHutchinsonYT 3 ปีที่แล้ว

    Hi Warren, I'm a Logic user and in the process of learning Protools. How did you revert to the original set up and back to your level/pan mix?

  • @mitcheltheelenmusic8858
    @mitcheltheelenmusic8858 5 ปีที่แล้ว +3

    Great video Warren, Go back to the basic's!!

  • @SkyLukewater
    @SkyLukewater 4 ปีที่แล้ว

    Question, I've started growing my sideburns but my mixes aren't any better. What am I doing wrong?
    Jokes aside, good video thanks

  • @directassault1662
    @directassault1662 5 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    My standard practice has been to first apply the low cuts that I know I'll eventually do and THEN do the volume/panning. Do you see the order of that making a difference?

  • @mrdrgonzo
    @mrdrgonzo 3 ปีที่แล้ว

    Before doing your levels is it a good idea to get all the channels to around -18db so they’re plugin ready? Then when it comes to levels maybe put a gain reduction vst at the very end of the effects chain on that channel instead of adjusting the faders to keep them all at 0db.
    Once you’ve got round to putting the overall shape of the track down with eqs, saturation, compressions etc tweak the volumes with the faders this time for more fine control as they’re all at 0db?
    I’m very new to this so have no idea if I’m just making it harder for myself.

  • @madmac66
    @madmac66 3 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    I’m still very much learning and finding my own best practices, but what I’ve learned over the last 3-4 songs is this. I’m a composer/producer so I’m always working on my own music soup to nuts, and not somebody else’s, so this is obviously a bit of a difference to yours. I start with a tracking file in Cubase. Get all the scratch vocals, guitars, bass and drum loops written. Then sequence them with the arranger track until I get a layout I’m happy with. Duplicate the file which is now my arrangement project. I’ll track the final vox in context to the full song now. Record overdub guitars where needed. Ad drum fills and other little bits and pieces. I’ll render all the stems out to WAVs and bring them into a mixing project template which has all my eq and compression plugins instantiated and control surface mapping in place. I’m really glad you mentioned baking any FX from the tracks into the stems as I’ve long hummed and hand over this. I’m going to take your advice and give that a shot on my current track. The delay and mod and verbs and even compression added during arrangement are a part of the sound design, so I can see now that they should be treated as such and baked into the mixing stems. I also export all my stems at 0db so all volume faded mixing is done in the mixing project. I don’t like having a backing synth track so quiet with the fader at 0db in the mix. Thanks for another great lesson

  • @chrisfetchkoproductions7256
    @chrisfetchkoproductions7256 ปีที่แล้ว

    What are the benchmarks you are aiming for in terms of levels in terms of peaking on the individual tracks as well as the the Master Bus at theis stage before Eq & Compression? Thanks!

  • @pullthereins
    @pullthereins 3 ปีที่แล้ว

    Can you please have Sean Beavan on an episode. Nails, Manson, Slayer, 8MM, No Doubt etc.

  • @crackdown84
    @crackdown84 3 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    needs more cowbell

  • @wade123davis
    @wade123davis 4 ปีที่แล้ว

    Do you leave your Sub group/Aux channels/Bus groups what ever you want to call them at unity gain or do you also adjust them accordingly ?

  • @danshipwaymusic8632
    @danshipwaymusic8632 2 ปีที่แล้ว

    I always struggle with the balancing process because of a few things and I dont really know how to deal with them. The first is perceived loudness. This is usually common when balancing the kick with the snare or when adding stereo guitars in as the guitars feel so much more up front than the drums do which makes them sound overpowering at even quiet levels.
    The second is when dealing with elements on different ends o the audio spectrum ( kick and snare being an example again) as they are so far apart and dont really lock into each other. Any advice would be greatly appreciated

  • @lar57jsy
    @lar57jsy 3 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    Thanks Warren, good stuff! :-) My amateur home recording mixing is much like this, but usually keep the stereo width within 60% L&R as I feel headphone wide stereo can sound synthetic and living room listeners probably are moving around going back and forth past the stereo speakers getting more L or more R at any given moment...so no titillating stereo and almost-mono will keep the integrity of the mix better in that scenario. I try to capture the tone on the recording so I tend not to use many plugins...just reverb to taste and mostly limiting to control dynamics.

  • @oinkooink
    @oinkooink 3 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    What happens to things like the acoustic guitars in a mono listening situation when they are hard panned L and R like in this song?

    • @Producelikeapro
      @Producelikeapro  3 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      They will still great, there will be no phase issues

    • @oinkooink
      @oinkooink 3 ปีที่แล้ว

      @@Producelikeapro Sweet as bro

  • @Seror125
    @Seror125 5 ปีที่แล้ว

    I’ve Recorded at -18 dbfs. In the mix shoud i keep this level on MIX BUS ?

  • @MarcBecker_Music
    @MarcBecker_Music 5 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    Awesome video. Thank you ever so much, Warren. I guess I tend to do too much too soon.I use to apply EQ and compression to e.g the drums as soon as I balanced them and move then on to the bass and other instruments. This video is an eye opener for me. I try to have the discipline to get a good overall balance and panning at my next mix before I start to do anything else. I'm curious how it will work for me. I think it's a very good approach to follow your example, especially when there's no rough mix available to listen to to get a first impression,

  • @PhiLikeFlying
    @PhiLikeFlying 5 ปีที่แล้ว

    Hi warren. I have the same Audient interface as you, but when i want to play the guitar and just practice, i have to turn on my PC for the sound to come out? this is so annoying. My Apollo twin never had this problem. Any ideas why this is? Many thanks.

  • @NathanBrown-dk5wh
    @NathanBrown-dk5wh 4 ปีที่แล้ว

    Hey Worrent I hope you're ok. I was wondering is the headphone youre using specialised for mixing and if so what are they I'm looking for a mixing headphone as I dont have any acoustic treatment at my home studio any suggestions?

  • @renesupersonic
    @renesupersonic 5 ปีที่แล้ว

    what DB do you bring up the kick when you start your mix? I usually bring it when it reads 6 DB on the meter.

  • @EcBaPr
    @EcBaPr 2 ปีที่แล้ว

    or what about how to end a mix ? for me i slave away for hours, A/B against a Clearmountain record and then contemplate throwing in the towel.. :)

  • @lumpumgoolawsh7605
    @lumpumgoolawsh7605 3 ปีที่แล้ว

    Amazingly helpful video exactly what I needed!!

  • @jawadmbadinga252
    @jawadmbadinga252 ปีที่แล้ว

    Hey bro, thanks for that video, im going to apply it now, im working on my 1st client , I've been sent a song to mix, so ill will apply that right now.

  • @johngallaghermusic9777
    @johngallaghermusic9777 3 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    Hi, Warren, thank you for the very informative video. I've been recording a few years now but have only just started being more diligent with the mixing process. I,m now doing them very similar to this. very good to have it reiterated by someone who knows what they're doing.I've got a lot to learn but I'm enjoying the process . Many thanks

  • @aidasbui2386
    @aidasbui2386 4 ปีที่แล้ว

    I'm completely with you in respect to these tips, but, if we're talking about starting a mix, at least mention phase alignment/issues.

  • @manicmurph
    @manicmurph 5 ปีที่แล้ว

    Hey Warren, i notice i get a lot less latency when I record with a 88.2k sample rate. Is this okay and will it harm anything later on down the line?

  • @patkelly3966
    @patkelly3966 5 ปีที่แล้ว

    did you say people actually send you audio with the plug-ins still loaded? That's weird. It'll be midi next.

  • @davidbradleytv8126
    @davidbradleytv8126 5 ปีที่แล้ว

    Very good very basic very important for the New Guy !!! Me, ha ha

  • @ryancrarymusic
    @ryancrarymusic 8 หลายเดือนก่อน

    Samples are common huh? What/ where do you find these samples? Are they all the same??

  • @the-matrix-has-you
    @the-matrix-has-you 5 ปีที่แล้ว

    Warren could you please share which open Type mixing headphone is your go to Mixing Headphones?

  • @quickturnmusic
    @quickturnmusic 4 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    these videos provide so much information and confidence in my personal mixes. Thank you

  • @TheFeelButton
    @TheFeelButton 5 ปีที่แล้ว

    Love this! I start with the basics every time because it's all I know. Good stuff Warren!

  • @the-matrix-has-you
    @the-matrix-has-you 5 ปีที่แล้ว

    For me its Best Method too Warren. It is so logical to first make tracks sit on their own space in spectrum. Then I do filtering and eq correction. After that I start to add spices to tracks by sending them to my fx buses. If there is any eq correction needed after fx sends I correct eq again. Thats how I do it