30-01-2014, 04:46 AM
Take a Listen, I feel like some AUX FX sends are to loud at this time but would like to hear from others in the field what they think.
There is also a full in-depth explanation of the Process I followed and Tips and Tricks that I have learned over the years. You can read it if you are looking to fix problems. You May also Private message me/comment here I'll be checking back in to look around.
Thank you for all your time, and comments.
-Eric Smith
-Eric Smith Productions (ESP)
Artist: North To Alaska
Song: A-Side Single- All The Same
Organization
The process I personally do with Mixing/Mastering a Song. Usually consists of
organization of Files, Tracks, Aux Chanels and I set the bus sends up as I go
through the mix. I like to color code to my personal standards to keep a better
attention to what I am working on at the time. After Color coding and track naming
I started to map our the song to the best of my knowledge. This song consists of
several riffs and sections such as. Intro, Verse I and II, Repeating Pre Chorus,
Chorus and Post chorus. There were two Transition points and a Bridge into the
Outro of the song.
Stereo Imaging, Levels and Bus Sends- (Mix Methods Explained Later)
Before I started mixing I gave the song a few listens and duplicated any tracks I
needed to duplicate and added layers of intruments and did any time
editing/correction before Mixing. I then start the mixing process and during the
mix I set up all my bus sends into several types of AUX channels: Reverb,
Slaps/FX, Polish and Pre-Master AUX chanels. I started this Mix with the Drums;
which consists of 1 Kick, 3 Stereo Snare (1 and 2), 2 Stereo Overheads/Room mics
labed as OH and AMB.I also set up the Stereo imaging as I go through the mix
(while watching my Stereo Width meters to watch for Phase issues. I then move to
Rhythem Guitars which consisted of about 6 layers of Overdriven and 4 layers of
Realitvely clean tones. (which I used Amp Simulation to make them more of a
Pushed/Tweed tones to layer with the Overdriven tones to blend nicely) I then
moved to Lead guitars. I leveled and Panned them out acordingly. I then moved to
the Bass guitar (which was a Clean DI channel) I used Amp simulation to give it a
smooth distortion/rattle tone to blend with the guitars. After this I moved onto
the Vocals which had SIngle vocal tracks for Both Verses and Bridge and 4 Layers
for the chorus.
Mixing/Mastering with Signal Processing
The way I go around doing Signal processing durring the Mix and Mastering phases.
(yes I mix and Pre-master as I go through each intrumental layers through out the
process)
As I Mix I keep my output levels around -10/-7dB to leave enough over headroom for
Pre mastering phase at the end of each instrumental layer. (leaving about -5/-3dB
for headroom before I go to do the Final master)
The plug-ins I used are made by Izotope, Mainly sticking to Alloy 2 and Ozone 5
for Inline for my mix houses for each track. I also throw on BF-76 on several
tracks for tone/timbre. I also use the EQ-single bands for High Pass Filter (HPF)
and Low Pass Filters (LPF) I usually Lo-Cut (HPF) around 50 to 200 and High-Cut
(LPF) anywhere around 8.5k-15k depending on what instrument layers I am currently
working on at the time. The way I do my Bus sends is. I change the Dry singles
outputs to the bus associated to the Polish Send. While I use other sends into FX
AUX sends such as Reverbs, Slaps and Delays (I then send the FX aux into the
Polish) I then take all the polishes into seperate AUX tracks for a Pre-Master AUX
which will go more into detail later on.
Order of In-line Processing and Side-Chains.
In-line Processing is when you put Digital Sound Processing (DSP) directly on the
track versus sending to an AUX which is Side Chain Processing.
I use the Izotope Alloy 2 as my Mix Engine. A mix engin a a type of Plug-in that
will Pre-EQ, Broadband/Multi-Band Compress, Harmonics. and I do a Soft limiting to
prevent overloads (Clip/Red-lights) on the Plug-ins outputs.I then will do Post
EQ's where I will Filter, Cut/boost mids to leave a scoop for the vocals to sit
in. (this helps make vocals pop out more and sit level with the mix versus ontop
of the mix.) When Side-Chains these are your FX sends: Reverb/Slaps(very shot
delays around 55-85ms)/Delays/Phasers and what ever else you want to 'layer' into
the mix. I Use usually a seperate AUX send for Slaps and Reverb and send the
desired tracks into both and change the output of the Slap into the reverb. (this
helps blends the slaps into the mix better so they don't pop out to much and make
it sound scattered/offtime) I then take all FX aux sends and send it to my Polish
Bus. This is where I polish the whole intrument layer with Izotope Alloy again to
just get that last little bit of pop, sparkle, punch ect... I then send that
output to the Pre-Master. (this is a short hand to save time from BOuncing down
each layer to STEM master. (Stem Mastering is where you master each instrumental
layer seperatly versus the whole song at the same time)
I then Bounced the whole song with a quick very light HARD limiter (threshold at
-.1) and Ceiling at -3.0 for head room to master it in a seperate project using
Izotope Ozone 5 and made sure I could set all the low end equal to the high end
and make sure the MIX is Mono capable. (You want to double check your mix by
summing to Mono to check for phase issues.) I did not have any phase issues which
surprized me at how wide the song came out to be which was very pleasing.
There is also a full in-depth explanation of the Process I followed and Tips and Tricks that I have learned over the years. You can read it if you are looking to fix problems. You May also Private message me/comment here I'll be checking back in to look around.
Thank you for all your time, and comments.
-Eric Smith
-Eric Smith Productions (ESP)
Artist: North To Alaska
Song: A-Side Single- All The Same
Organization
The process I personally do with Mixing/Mastering a Song. Usually consists of
organization of Files, Tracks, Aux Chanels and I set the bus sends up as I go
through the mix. I like to color code to my personal standards to keep a better
attention to what I am working on at the time. After Color coding and track naming
I started to map our the song to the best of my knowledge. This song consists of
several riffs and sections such as. Intro, Verse I and II, Repeating Pre Chorus,
Chorus and Post chorus. There were two Transition points and a Bridge into the
Outro of the song.
Stereo Imaging, Levels and Bus Sends- (Mix Methods Explained Later)
Before I started mixing I gave the song a few listens and duplicated any tracks I
needed to duplicate and added layers of intruments and did any time
editing/correction before Mixing. I then start the mixing process and during the
mix I set up all my bus sends into several types of AUX channels: Reverb,
Slaps/FX, Polish and Pre-Master AUX chanels. I started this Mix with the Drums;
which consists of 1 Kick, 3 Stereo Snare (1 and 2), 2 Stereo Overheads/Room mics
labed as OH and AMB.I also set up the Stereo imaging as I go through the mix
(while watching my Stereo Width meters to watch for Phase issues. I then move to
Rhythem Guitars which consisted of about 6 layers of Overdriven and 4 layers of
Realitvely clean tones. (which I used Amp Simulation to make them more of a
Pushed/Tweed tones to layer with the Overdriven tones to blend nicely) I then
moved to Lead guitars. I leveled and Panned them out acordingly. I then moved to
the Bass guitar (which was a Clean DI channel) I used Amp simulation to give it a
smooth distortion/rattle tone to blend with the guitars. After this I moved onto
the Vocals which had SIngle vocal tracks for Both Verses and Bridge and 4 Layers
for the chorus.
Mixing/Mastering with Signal Processing
The way I go around doing Signal processing durring the Mix and Mastering phases.
(yes I mix and Pre-master as I go through each intrumental layers through out the
process)
As I Mix I keep my output levels around -10/-7dB to leave enough over headroom for
Pre mastering phase at the end of each instrumental layer. (leaving about -5/-3dB
for headroom before I go to do the Final master)
The plug-ins I used are made by Izotope, Mainly sticking to Alloy 2 and Ozone 5
for Inline for my mix houses for each track. I also throw on BF-76 on several
tracks for tone/timbre. I also use the EQ-single bands for High Pass Filter (HPF)
and Low Pass Filters (LPF) I usually Lo-Cut (HPF) around 50 to 200 and High-Cut
(LPF) anywhere around 8.5k-15k depending on what instrument layers I am currently
working on at the time. The way I do my Bus sends is. I change the Dry singles
outputs to the bus associated to the Polish Send. While I use other sends into FX
AUX sends such as Reverbs, Slaps and Delays (I then send the FX aux into the
Polish) I then take all the polishes into seperate AUX tracks for a Pre-Master AUX
which will go more into detail later on.
Order of In-line Processing and Side-Chains.
In-line Processing is when you put Digital Sound Processing (DSP) directly on the
track versus sending to an AUX which is Side Chain Processing.
I use the Izotope Alloy 2 as my Mix Engine. A mix engin a a type of Plug-in that
will Pre-EQ, Broadband/Multi-Band Compress, Harmonics. and I do a Soft limiting to
prevent overloads (Clip/Red-lights) on the Plug-ins outputs.I then will do Post
EQ's where I will Filter, Cut/boost mids to leave a scoop for the vocals to sit
in. (this helps make vocals pop out more and sit level with the mix versus ontop
of the mix.) When Side-Chains these are your FX sends: Reverb/Slaps(very shot
delays around 55-85ms)/Delays/Phasers and what ever else you want to 'layer' into
the mix. I Use usually a seperate AUX send for Slaps and Reverb and send the
desired tracks into both and change the output of the Slap into the reverb. (this
helps blends the slaps into the mix better so they don't pop out to much and make
it sound scattered/offtime) I then take all FX aux sends and send it to my Polish
Bus. This is where I polish the whole intrument layer with Izotope Alloy again to
just get that last little bit of pop, sparkle, punch ect... I then send that
output to the Pre-Master. (this is a short hand to save time from BOuncing down
each layer to STEM master. (Stem Mastering is where you master each instrumental
layer seperatly versus the whole song at the same time)
I then Bounced the whole song with a quick very light HARD limiter (threshold at
-.1) and Ceiling at -3.0 for head room to master it in a seperate project using
Izotope Ozone 5 and made sure I could set all the low end equal to the high end
and make sure the MIX is Mono capable. (You want to double check your mix by
summing to Mono to check for phase issues.) I did not have any phase issues which
surprized me at how wide the song came out to be which was very pleasing.