WWMBD: What would Michael Brauer do?

[pauli]

Well... The more I read through this thread, the more deflated I feel... Considering that this was an experiment aimed not necessarily at faithfully recreating Brauer's technique, but to examine whether or not a similar strategy might help me avoid the myopic thinking I often succumb to, it was a success in that respect. There was definitely a positive takeaway for me here, even if the resultant mix isn't so great... And I think I stumbled upon a few more pitfalls to avoid. Learning what not to do is crucial...

What's bothering me is that in some ways it feels almost like you're trying to discourage me (?) when I'm making a sincere effort under what we both agree are compromised circumstances, both in terms of the source material and my monitoring system/environment. I certainly don't want to feel that way, given my admiration for your knowledge and also how hugely I Appreciate and have improved directly from your feedback... But I'm picking up on indirect references toward a possible lack of talent without any really concrete feedback as to what, in this mix, has prompted you to feel that way. It almost feels a little deliberately discouraging to make a suggestion like that without describing what qualities of my mix are lacking... While instead throwing a hazy metaphor that I'm sure took a lot more effort.

Have I plateaued and stagnated for a time? I most definitely have and I recognize that with no difficulty whatsoever. I find myself continually forced to make severe EQ and compression moves that compromise the source material to find a stable balance using my typical mix strategies... So I've Been trying a lot of alternative mixing strategies and have been forcing myself to work in very uncomfortable musical situations, such as a genre for which I have no taste... And trying to reduce the amount of processing while I'm at it.

Forgive me if I feel a slight lack of respect, especially if that's not what's intended. But allow me to say that I've been forcing myself under serious duress to make the improvements you've suggested over the past year: looking at the big picture, improving my monitoring system/environment, reducing the tendency to overprocess... All of that is present on this mix... And then I'm confronted with a lack of talent/work ethic, and the indirect suggestion that I've been dishonest about what I'm monitoring through?

I'm not offended, not upset... And I could easily get a better mix/balance with a more comfortable workflow. But I've forced myself to try a new, uncomfortable approach that might help me focus on the mix as a whole rather than myopically adjusting individual tracks until I've completely lost objectivity and creative impulse. You suggest an improvement mindset, but that's exactly what this mix was all about. Whether or not it has borne fruit on this mix in particular... Well, I've conducted better mixes. This wasn't, however, an attempt to avoid fundamentals or dazzle the forum with a new, fancy gimmick... just trying a new method that seemed consistent with mixing toward a vision for the big picture, which I acknowledge as my biggest weakness. I wasn't improving doing the same old thing, but I also can't afford top of the line equipment upgrades every time I plateau with a family to support on a crappy grocery store job... but considering that most of the classic records that most people compare favorably to modern records were mixed on aura tones and ns-10s... the latter of which is INSANELY nonlinear, both in terms of frequency distribution and resonance times across the spectrum...

So I talk and ramble a lot, but maybe that helps give a better perspective of what I'm trying to do. I've not ignored your advice, nor will I ever... But at the same time, the "advice" herein almost seems like "give up, you don't have the talent or finances to mix." If you think so, that's fine and understandable... Just don't think I'm not working my ass off, because you'd be dead wrong.