Six Mix Tricks
A half-dozen handy methods for making mixes that are slick and solid sounding
Anyone who regularly records at home invariably asks the old question, “why can’t my stuff sound as good as the stuff I hear on the radio?” Well don’t be too hard on yourself—for one thing, a lot of those “classic” recordings were made using top-tier studio equipment, overseen by highly skilled professional producers, engineers and the like. However, that shouldn’t stop you from trying to make the most of your in-house gear and recording know-how. Here we review some of those techniques and tools to help you turn out a product that aims to be every bit as compelling as the polished gems we’ve worshipped for years.
Panning Perks
Choosing where to place the various parts across the stereo field is key to having a good-sounding mix. In general, you’ll want to carve out a separate path for each signal in order to keep the sounds from intruding upon one another. For instance, if you have both an electric and acoustic rhythm-guitar in the mix, try placing them “across” from each other—say around 10 o’clock for the electric, and 2 o’clock for the acoustic. Similarly, consider putting background vocals on either side of a centered lead vocal part, rather than directly behind it.
Focus on the Vocal
Folks who aren’t partial to the sound of their voice may tend to bury the vocal track, but that only makes it more difficult for the listener to follow the song, which is hardly what you want. Accordingly, be sure to give the lead vocal plenty of level so it can be easily heard above the rhythm track. Adding a touch of reverb or delay can help give the track a nice ambient sound; just go easy so that the vocal doesn’t get lost in the process.
Compress (Carefully)
There are times when a little extra help may be needed to hold the mix together and give it a bit more “lift.” Compression (or limiting) does just that, by keeping the peaks in check while subtly boosting levels where needed. Though compression can be a potent weapon, proceed cautiously—start with a reduced level of effect in order to preserve the natural dynamics of the recording (while keeping the dreaded “pumping” sound from occurring). If you’re planning on having your recording professionally mastered, it’s probably better to stay away from compression altogether, as the effect will be used during the mastering phase.
Accent on Dynamics
There’s nothing wrong with keeping all the faders on full from start to finish, but a mix that contains subtle but noticeable volume shifts tends to be more attractive to the listener. For example, after starting out with a punchy intro, you could pull back on the instrumentation for the first verse (which helps to accentuate the lead vocal), then, as the first chorus approaches, lean into the mix once again by pushing the rhythm track a little harder, then repeat the process starting with the second verse. This emphasis on dynamics may not be necessary all the time (particularly if the arrangement is a fairly simple one), but it often makes for a more interesting overall track.
Equalize It
Like panning, equalization can help keep each track in its own distinctive space. Using your channel EQs, you can carefully carve out a unique sonic footprint for the individual signals. For instance, slicing some of the low end off an acoustic guitar can help keep the instrument from clashing with the bass-guitar track; carefully trimming some highs off the percussion ensures that cymbals and tambourines are present, but not overly so.
Find a Reference Recording or Two
As mentioned at the top, it really does help to pull out a few of your favorite records and spend some time listening to the way they’re put together. How did they get that lead vocal sound? Are those guitar solos really doubled? In short, what is it about these productions that you never get tired of? You might also look for information about a particular song or album’s recording process so you can try to emulate the techniques that helped make the music sound as good as it does.
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