The biggest mixing secret you've always wondered

[el-bo (formerly ebow)]

Put "(Demo)" at the end of every track name and that makes up for any imperfections.

Ditto 'WIP'

[vurt]

that's on my birth certificate

[DJ Warmonger]

But seriously taken... Anyone ever found a chain in your DAW, that finally got you that good sound you was after?

Yes I did. I've got ready effect chains for return tracks in Ableton. When the track is ready for mix, I just slap them on tracks and tweak. They gradually evolve over time, sometimes I delete the plugins that were already duplicated earlier in the production process. But all in all, I've got it set up.

If you are tweaking then you are wasting time, hoping something good arrives.

Tweaking is only good when you're at right starting point. In engineering we call it "local optimisation". If the tracks is a total mess, tweaking will get you nowhere.

So, the best way to end in right place is to know where to start. This is called "experience"

Also, KVR is a zoo of retards.

[vurt]

Also, KVR is a zoo of retards.

can we stick to the actual topic please.

[herodotus]

Also, KVR is a zoo of retards.

can we stick to the actual topic please.

Ferrets? Ferrets are cool. Unless there are 50 of them, and they're starving and you're nailed to the floor. Then I imagine their company would be less pleasant.

[Tj Shredder]

I haven‘t found a mixing secret yet, all seems to be public... There is nothing to share for anybody...

[mitchiemasha]

I haven‘t found a mixing secret yet, all seems to be public... There is nothing to share for anybody...

In things like this the secret tends to be in the understanding through doing. As in you could be told it but unless you know the concept, the words mean nothing. And, the problem in that explanation is language itself. In the English language there isn't 2 different words for knowing, yet there are 2 separate kinds of it.

Like riding a bike, no amount of been told how to do it will enable you to. One can know how to ride it with out knowing how they do it. They do know, just not in that sense of the word. See the conflict. Same for the biggest secret of all, the secret of life. You could be told it but the word might as well be BJfnhfebvl!

One can only be guided to discover all secrets.

[vurt]

knowledge is power!
as is electricity.

[mitchiemasha]

The biggest revelation for me was putting Volume Shaper on the Master Bus. Set it to 1/4, enlarge view. Now watch this change as you solo/mute different tracks, see how the different frequencies combine, subtract, excite each other. Especially kick tails and bass notes struggling for definition, depending on note; bass tails shifting into kick transients making them dance about or how a crash has no room left to sit on top, resulting in limiting harshness, low end distortion, when really it's due to hifreq combining, the release time of the limiter, the low end coming out of compression too fast.

See how a low cut shifts the low end and how different transits (that might of been getting compressed before) now are many db louder, smashing into your headroom, limiting. A low cut can make a snap/clap totally unrelated to the low cut, much much higher. Once you see these sounds as the cycles it's a huge, OHHHHHH!

See how an EQ change is actually reducing the very cycle causing the spike in summation or how compression is allowing you to fill up the potential of speaker movement. See the relationship in volume of each sound relative to the actual way a speaker will move.

Yes, mix with your ears but this is a realising of what's actually happening, a doorway to understanding what's actually going on. Viewing it this way made so much more sense to me than that of an EQ frequency response display. I'm surprised more software hasn't included this kind of stationary drawn view, hint iZotope, I'd like to full screen this.

[mitchiemasha]

knowledge is power!
as is electricity.

Exactly, that's a perfect example of it.

[Tj Shredder]

The biggest revelation for me was putting Volume Shaper on the Master Bus.

For me it was opening my ears, had the same effect... (supported by some experience...)

[dark water]

Recently I've been wondering how producers over the age of, say, 41 still have good enough eyesight to see what they're doing with tiny automation, detailed GUI movements and such like.
Now, I guess some of them have good eyes (unlike my rapidly disintegrating vision) and decent mega-sized monitors.
But still... there must be a point here somewhere about how veteran professional producers try to protect their eyes after years in front of screens?
Personally I have to take frequent breaks (and also use "Magnifier") to try to protect my eyes and also stave off headaches

[mitchiemasha]

Ahh. Nice! I shared... you joked! I don't know why I expected anything better. I even stipulated "yes, mix with your ears". It was an experience for myself that might help others, unlike your hilarious contribution.

Frequencies and the relationship between sounds has always been a huge interest, using Volume Shaper as I specified helped me understand a lot of things I was aware of but needed more. It's what it reveals to you. You can understand why your hearing what your hearing once that revelation has been made. It's an oh f* of course moment.

It's not about creativity, it's about understanding.

Some people simply ride bikes... others want to fully understand how they're doing it!

[perpetual3]

Recently I've been wondering how producers over the age of, say, 41 still have good enough eyesight to see what they're doing with tiny automation, detailed GUI movements and such like.
Now, I guess some of them have good eyes (unlike my rapidly disintegrating vision) and decent mega-sized monitors.
But still... there must be a point here somewhere about how veteran professional producers try to protect their eyes after years in front of screens?
Personally I have to take frequent breaks (and also use "Magnifier") to try to protect my eyes and also stave off headaches

Not everyone over 41 has such bad eyesight man.

[mitchiemasha]

Not everyone over 41 has such bad eyesight man.

Aye but sarcasm gets much worse.