The 4 Fundamentals of a Good Mix (with Dan Worrall)

Summary

In this insightful video, audio expert Dan Worrell distills the art of mixing into four fundamental elements: balance, EQ, dynamics, and ambience. He emphasizes that mastering these basics is crucial for a good mix, rather than relying on complex techniques. Worrell debunks common misconceptions about mixing, such as the importance of fader levels and the role of EQ in frequency balance. He also delves into the psychological aspects of how our brains process sound, advocating for a swift approach to mixing basics to lay a solid foundation for further enhancements.

Takeaways

• 🎛️ The key to a good mix lies in mastering the four essential elements: balance, EQ, dynamics, and ambience.
• 🔍 Balance is crucial for a good mix, and it's not about matching peak levels but ensuring each element has the right prominence in the mix.
• 📊 Peak meters are important for tracking to avoid clipping but are less relevant for overall mix balance, which should focus on perceived loudness.
• 🎚️ Faders are vital for controlling the front-to-back depth of a mix, determining which elements are more prominent or receded.
• 👂 Ear training is essential for recognizing different frequencies and the impact of EQ on the balance of the mix.
• 🔊 EQ is not just for fixing mistakes or creative tone shaping; it's also a fundamental tool for controlling frequency balance in a mix.
• 🌐 Frequency masking can affect the clarity of a mix, so mix engineers must ensure that important frequencies are not obscured by others.
• 📉 Macrodynamics, controlled through volume automation, can correct performance dynamics and creatively adjust the balance for different song sections.
• 🔨 Microdynamics, often managed with compression, are integral to modern music, making drums and other elements sound more explosive and present.
• 🌌 Ambience, including reverb and delay effects, is vital for creating a sense of space and depth in a mix, tricking the listener's brain into perceiving a natural environment.
• 🔧 Tweaky techniques and YouTuber tricks can enhance a good mix but should not be relied upon to achieve a good mix; mastering the fundamentals is the prerequisite.

Q & A

What are the four essential elements that every great mix has in common according to Dan Worrell?

The four essential elements are balance, EQ, dynamics, and ambience. These elements are the fundamentals that, when addressed properly, can lead to a good mix.

Why do some people believe using too many buses can degrade the sound of their mixes?

Some people might think that using too many buses can degrade the sound because they are worried about overcomplicating their mixes with too many YouTuber tricks and techniques, which can distract from the basic elements of a good mix.

What is the historical significance of Tom Dowd's invention of the linear fader in mixing consoles?

Tom Dowd invented the linear fader, which revolutionized the way volume is controlled in mixing consoles. His initial implementation was inverted compared to today's standards, but it laid the groundwork for the modern fader design.

How does the concept of 'front to back depth' in a mix relate to the use of faders?

The 'front to back depth' in a mix refers to the perceived spatial arrangement of the audio elements. Faders are used to control the balance of these elements, effectively determining their position in the mix from front to back.

Why is it a mistake to match peak levels for every channel in a mix?

Matching peak levels for every channel can result in an unnatural mix where certain elements, like drums, may be inaudible and others, like distorted guitars, may overpower the mix. It's more important to consider the overall balance and perceived loudness rather than just peak levels.

What is the purpose of EQ in the context of mixing, and how does it relate to balance?

EQ is used in mixing to control the balance of different frequency bands independently. It helps to ensure that each instrument's important frequencies are clear and not masked by other elements, contributing to the overall clarity and separation of the mix.

Can you explain the concept of macrodynamics and microdynamics in mixing?

Macrodynamics refers to the overall loudness and softness in a mix, often manipulated through volume automation. Microdynamics refers to the subtle changes in volume within a sound, such as the prominence of transients, and is primarily controlled through compression.

How does compression impact the perception of dynamics in modern pop and rock music?

Compression helps to control the microdynamics of a mix, making the transients more prominent and creating a sense of power and presence. It has become a key element in the sound of modern pop and rock music, enhancing the listening experience without being overtly noticeable.

What is the role of ambience in a mix, and why is it important?

Ambience, including reverb and delay effects, provides a sense of space and depth to a mix. It helps to create the illusion of a performance space and enhances the listener's experience by making the mix sound more natural and immersive.

Why does our brain filter out the roominess of a live performance, and what does this imply for recording and mixing?

Our brain picks up on the acoustic characteristics of a room and filters them out to allow us to hear the sound as it 'really is'. This implies that in recording and mixing, the goal is to recreate this natural perception, using techniques like reverb and EQ to simulate the acoustic environment and enhance the listener's experience.

What is the significance of early reflections in a mix, and how do they contribute to the perception of a lead vocal?

Early reflections are the first set of sound reflections that reach the listener after the direct sound. They provide spatial cues that help the brain perceive the sound as being in a real space. In a mix, a lead vocal with just enough early reflections will sound connected to the rest of the mix, even though it's presented dry and upfront.

Outlines

00:00

🎛️ The Fundamentals of Mixing

Dan Worrell discusses the four essential elements of a great mix, emphasizing that advanced techniques are secondary to mastering the basics. He mentions his experience with audio and invites viewers to check out his channel for more in-depth content. The importance of balance, EQ, dynamics, and ambience in creating a good mix is highlighted, with a caution against overcomplicating the mixing process with too many buses or tricks.

05:01

🔊 Achieving Balance in a Mix

This section delves into the concept of balance in mixing, explaining that it's not about matching peak levels but rather about ensuring each element of the mix has the appropriate presence. Dan refutes the reliance on peak meters and instead suggests using RMS or loudness meters for better balance. He advises against setting static balances and encourages adjusting them for different song sections to guide the listener's focus.

10:02

🎚️ The Role of EQ in Mixing

EQ is explored as a tool for controlling the balance of frequency bands within a mix. Dan explains that EQ helps prevent frequency masking, allowing each instrument to be heard clearly without interference from others. He discusses the importance of ensuring that the most important frequencies of each instrument are not masked by less important frequencies from other parts of the mix, which contributes to overall mix clarity.

15:03

📉 Dynamics in Music Mixing

Dan Worrell breaks down the concepts of macrodynamics and microdynamics, explaining how they affect the perceived loudness and clarity of a mix. He discusses the use of volume automation for macrodynamics to adjust the balance for different song sections and the use of compression for microdynamics to control the peak to average ratio, which is crucial for the impact of modern pop and rock music.

20:03

🌐 The Importance of Ambience in a Mix

Ambience, including reverb and delay effects, is highlighted as a key element in creating a realistic and engaging mix. Dan explains how our brains naturally filter out room ambience, and the role of recording engineers is to recreate this effect to trick the listener's brain into perceiving the sound as if they were in the room. He touches on the challenges of recording in non-ideal rooms and the use of artificial reverb to simulate ambience.

25:06

🔨 Addressing the Basics for a Solid Mix

The final paragraph focuses on the importance of quickly addressing the basics of mixing to achieve a good foundation before applying more advanced techniques. Dan suggests that saturation and distortion could be considered as additional fundamentals but emphasizes that a clean mix is not necessarily a bad one. He advises mixers to focus on getting a good mix first, then using subtle tweaks to elevate it to greatness.

🏁 Final Thoughts on Mixing

In conclusion, Dan Worrell thanks the viewers and the host, Kyle, for the opportunity to share his insights on mixing. He reiterates the importance of focusing on the fundamentals early in the mixing process to ensure a solid mix that can be built upon with additional techniques. The summary encourages viewers to practice and develop their ears for the subtleties of mixing.

Keywords

💡Mix

A mix in audio production refers to the process of combining multiple individual tracks into a single or stereo track. It is central to the video's theme as it discusses the elements that contribute to a good mix. The script mentions that a good mix is not about using too many buses or tricks but rather about getting the basics right, such as balance, EQ, dynamics, and ambience.

💡Balance

Balance in the context of a mix refers to the relative volume levels of different elements within the track. It is one of the four essential elements discussed in the video for achieving a good mix. The script explains that a good balance is not about matching peak levels but about ensuring that no single element overpowers the others, allowing each part to be heard clearly.

💡EQ (Equalization)

EQ is the process of adjusting the balance of frequencies in an audio signal to alter the sound's tone and clarity. The script emphasizes EQ as a fundamental tool for controlling the balance of different frequency bands in a mix, preventing frequency masking, and ensuring that each instrument's important frequencies are heard clearly.

💡Macrodynamics

Macrodynamics deals with the overall loudness and softness in a piece of music, including the contrast between the loudest and softest parts. The video discusses how macrodynamics can be manipulated through volume automation to correct performance dynamics or for creative reasons, enhancing the mix by drawing attention to different parts at different times.

💡Microdynamics

Microdynamics refers to the subtle variations in volume within a sound, such as the attack and decay of a drum hit. The script explains that microdynamics are controlled using compression, which is crucial for creating a polished sound in modern music. It helps in making the transients more prominent without the listener consciously noticing the effect.

💡Compression

Compression in audio engineering is the reduction of the dynamic range of an audio signal. The video highlights the importance of compression in achieving a modern sound, making drums sound more explosive, and ensuring that all elements of the mix are well represented without overwhelming each other.

💡Ambience

Ambience in mixing refers to the use of reverb and delay effects to create a sense of space and depth. The script discusses how ambience is essential for simulating the natural acoustic environment of a performance, tricking the listener's brain into perceiving the sound as if they were physically present in the room.

💡Frequency Masking

Frequency masking occurs when a loud sound at a specific frequency makes it difficult to hear quieter elements at or near that frequency. The video explains that understanding and managing frequency masking through EQ is crucial for maintaining clarity and separation in a mix.

💡Volume Automation

Volume automation is the process of automatically adjusting the volume of an audio track over time. The script mentions it as a technique for manipulating macrodynamics, allowing for dynamic changes in the mix to emphasize certain parts or create a more engaging listening experience.

💡Loudness Metering

Loudness metering is a method of measuring the perceived loudness of an audio signal, often using units such as LUFS or RMS levels. The video discusses how loudness metering can be more representative of how we perceive volume than peak metering, helping to achieve a balanced mix.

💡Ear Training

Ear training is the practice of developing the ability to recognize and differentiate between various sounds, frequencies, and audio effects. The script emphasizes the importance of ear training for understanding and effectively using EQ, compression, and reverb in the mixing process.

💡Saturation and Distortion

Saturation and distortion refer to the non-linear effects that occur when an audio signal is pushed beyond its normal operating level, creating harmonics and altering the sound's character. The video mentions these as additional considerations for a mix, contributing to its overall warmth and character, but not as the primary focus for achieving a good mix.

Highlights

The secret to a good mix is simpler than commonly thought, focusing on four essential elements.

Dan Worrell emphasizes that advanced mixing techniques are less important than getting the basics right.

Mixing issues often stem from basic errors rather than the number of buses used.

Fundamentals of a good mix include balance, EQ, dynamics, and ambience.

Faders are crucial for determining the front-to-back depth of a mix.

Tom Dowd invented the linear fader, though his initial design was inverted.

A good balance does not mean matching peak levels but achieving a natural mix where no element is overpowering.

EQ is vital for controlling the balance of each frequency band in a mix.

Frequency masking occurs when louder elements at specific frequencies make quieter elements inaudible.

Macrodynamics and microdynamics are key concepts in mixing, manipulated through volume automation and compression.

Compression is essential in modern music for controlling microdynamics and enhancing the impact of elements like drums.

Ambience, including reverb and delay, is crucial for creating a natural mix that mimics the listener's spatial perception.

The human brain filters out room acoustics, which is why recordings need careful handling of reverb to match natural listening.

Recording in a good-sounding room or using artificial reverb are two approaches to dealing with room acoustics in a mix.

A completely dry vocal can sound disconnected; subtle reverb is needed to integrate it into the mix.

Tweaky YouTuber tricks can enhance a good mix but should not be the primary focus.

A good mix is an achievement in itself and serves as a solid foundation for further refinement.

Prioritizing the basics and making quick judgments leads to a better and more enjoyable mixing process.

Transcripts

the secret to a good mix is probably

much simpler than you think in this

video Dan Worrell will go through the

four essential elements that every great

mix has in common if you like audio

universities videos you'll definitely

want to check out Dan's Channel I'll

leave a link in the description below

[Music]

hi and first of all big thanks to Kyle

for inviting me to guest on his channel

my name is Dan and you might recognize

my voice from official products demos

and tutorials that I've made for various

different plugin developers over the

years

I also have my own channel where I

review plugins and talk about whatever

interests me which tends to be Advanced

Tweaky techniques like parallel

filtering or mid-side processing tricks

and I'm here to tell you now that most

of them won't help you get a good mix

my guess I should explain that

I'm going to use a question I got from a

viewer as a way into the topic

the question was about how buses differ

on Hardware consoles compared to a Daw

I answered accordingly then got a

follow-up question yes but how many

buses do you get

turns out they were worried that their

mixes sound bad because they're using

too many they have a template full of

YouTuber tricks and techniques and were

afraid that this was degrading the sound

I haven't heard any of their mixes but I

can guarantee the issue is not too many

buses in reality if a mix sounds bad

it's always because the basics are not

right those Tweaky YouTuber tricks and

techniques won't help you get a good mix

together and I'm including my own

they might when used appropriately help

to elevate a good mix to a great mix but

the good mix is a prerequisite and you

get to that by fixing the fundamentals

balance EQ Dynamics ambience

better

get the basics right for a better mix

easy let's have a little chat about each

of those

now back in my live sound days there was

a perennial question asked of Me by

punters when I was running front of

house

especially back when we were using huge

analog consoles with real pots instead

of touch screens

do you actually know what all those

knobs and buttons do

the question came up so often it was

kind of a joke among front of house

engineers and my answer would vary

depending on how stressed and harassed I

was feeling

after a difficult sound check they might

get a Curt yes that's my job

if I was feeling more relaxed it might

be having a clue mate but got away with

it so far

joking aside however there was one set

of controls that I think most people

understood

the faders are the volume controls right

push up the fader with a guitar

scribbled underneath and the guitar will

get louder

this seems so obvious and intuitive that

for most people it doesn't need

explaining it wasn't always so the first

consoles used rotary pots or switches to

control volume someone had to actually

invent the linear fader as we know it

today and that the one was Tom Dowd

but his implementation wasn't quite as

we know it it was inverted

pushing the fader up as we would call it

today would make the signal quieter not

louder

that might seem weird and

counter-intuitive to us but it's not as

mad as it initially seems consider the

precedent first organs traditionally use

drawbars to control the levels of

different partials and you pull these

out towards you to make them louder or

push them back in to make them quieter

the configuration has a particular

advantage in a broadcast context as

you're guaranteed never to accidentally

open up a channel by leaning your elbow

on the console

but the main reason Tom doubt configured

it this way around and the reason I'm

mentioning it now is because he felt

that was the more intuitive arrangement

pulling the fader towards you makes the

part louder which pulls that part

towards you in the mix

and conversely pushing the fader away

from you pushes that part further into

the background

of course it wasn't that much further

back in time when recordings would be

made using a single microphone or single

horn and the balance between Parts would

be determined by physically moving the

musicians forward or backwards to change

their relative distance from the

transducer

so perhaps it felt more natural to mimic

this relationship with the fader travel

back in those days

and perhaps we need to be reminded of

this relationship the faders determine

the front to back depth of your mix and

are the single most important factor

if you don't have a good balance you

don't have a good mix

so what do I mean by a good balance

first of all I definitely don't mean

getting all the meters to read the same

level

your Daw meters probably show Peak

levels those are important when you're

tracking to show you how close you are

to clipping but pretty much irrelevant

otherwise they tell you almost nothing

about how loud Your Parts sound if you

match Peak levels for every channel your

drums will be inaudible and the

distorted guitar will totally obliterate

everything else

[Music]

okay then you might respond I saw a

video about gain staging using Vu meters

so I'll just use those instead right

wrong first of all there's nothing magic

about Vu meters yes they average out

signal levels to some degree and they

represent loudness a bit better than

Peak meters but they still kind of suck

and won't help you with your balance

so RMS metering then is that the answer

well it's an improvement in the sense

that RMS levels do track perceived

loudness quite well if you set every

channel to have the same RMS levels they

should be reasonably well matched in

terms of loudness and sound roughly the

same volume

likewise if you use the modern loudness

meter and measured lufs instead of RMS

but this is not what I mean by a good

balance at least not necessarily perhaps

sometimes you'll need every element of a

mix to be equally present and

significant but usually you don't let's

remember that most people are not

musicians and certainly not audio

Engineers even if you're early and

you're producing an engineering Journey

your ears will likely be much better

trained and refined than the average

fan who I believe perceives music as

singing with some exciting stuff behind

it

perhaps in your case the focal point is

not a vocal but some other part instead

that's fine but that part should

probably be mixed firmly up front and

prominent just as they would probably be

up front and center stage for the live

show

if your listeners clear signposts as to

what they should be focusing on by

controlling the front to back depths of

your mix with the faders it's important

to note that as simple as it seems

setting a good balance is a skill that

needs to be learned and will improve

with practice

typical beginner mistakes include vocal

too quiet

remember that it's easier to reduce the

front to back depth of a mix with

compression than to do the opposite so

probably better to ER on the side of too

much lead vocal than the other way

around

drums too quiet I wonder if people are

misled by the peak meters into thinking

the drums are too loud and turn them

down despite what they're hearing

get those beats nice and loud and make

your listeners want to shake their

booties and finally bass part too loud

yes I know you want to hear a really

solid deep bass

but you don't achieve that by cranking

the bass part up loud rather by making

sure that nothing is competing with it

in those solid deep bass frequency

ranges

and that brings me to the second basic

building block of a good mix EQ

yes EQ can be used to mitigate or

correct mistakes made when recording

that's perfectly valid

EQ can also be used creatively to shape

the tone of a part to your liking

without regard to what is correct

also perfectly valid

but there's a much more fundamental and

vital application when it comes to

mixing which we can think of as simply

an extension of the First Fundamental

EQ lets us control the balance of each

different frequency band of the mix

independently

we can ensure that around 50 or 60 hertz

the balance is dominated by the kick

drum with the low fundamental of the

bass guitar sitting behind it

but we can reverse that up at 100 Hertz

and sit the base in front of the kick

for that frequency range and in doing so

we can stop those parts interfering with

one another and keep them both clearly

audible at the same time

there are two important points to grasp

to understand why we need to do this

first of all all the different elements

we're mixing together end up as one

stereo waveform all the separation

between Parts is an illusion created

inside the listener's head and second if

there's something loud happening at a

specific frequency you won't be able to

hear quieter elements at or near that

frequency this is known as frequency

masking so as mix Engineers we need to

make it easy for The Listener to decode

as the waveform and separate it into its

component parts if the most important

frequencies of each instrument are mixed

in front of the other elements while the

less important frequencies are tapped

behind the mix will have Clarity and

separate which will be easy to

distinguish each different part it'll be

a pleasure to listen to

but if the important frequencies of sum

or all the parts are masked by the less

important frequencies of other parts

your mix will be cluttered and Confused

your listener will strain to try to

separate the parts and make sense of

what they're hearing and might not

succeed at all I like to think of it as

weaving Parts together

for a part to be clearly audible it

needs to poke through the mix in at

least one place if your bass guitar part

for example is the loudest element at

say 100 Hertz

you'll be able to hear it clearly and it

will provide a solid low fundamental for

the mix

if that's the only place it pokes

through the mix however it'll seem very

warm and soft because all the aggressive

frequencies are higher than that

and if you want a part to seem big it

will probably need to poke through the

mix in more than one place

for an aggressive flea style slap bass

part you'll probably need to make sure

that the bass weaves back to the front

of the mix around for 2K or 2K5 region

for the kick drum you might want this to

dominate down at 50 hertz

but then thread it behind the other

elements for most of the mid-range

and bring it back to the front for the

clicky region around 405k

if our brain hears the Deep 50 hertz

thump clearly and the aggressive 5K

click clearly it will link those two and

perceive it as a huge powerful kick

occupying all the region in between

important to note that while I'm saying

those two frequencies are the important

ones for the kick that doesn't mean you

should totally remove everything else

doing that is likely to break the

illusion and just sound weird

rather use the EQ to gently push those

less important frequencies behind the

other elements but allow The Listener to

still get little glimpses of that thread

in the background so they understand

that it's all one big kick drum

and a quick disclaimer the numbers I

quote here are just examples while they

are fairly typical the important

frequencies might be different for your

mix I'm definitely not saying that 50

hertz and 5 kilohertz will always be the

most important kick frequencies

final point about EQ again it takes

practice

more specifically you need to train your

ears to recognize different frequencies

I've talked about that recently on my

own channel however so I won't repeat

myself

instead let's move on to Dynamics I want

to split them into two separate Concepts

macrodynamics and microdynamics

acrodynamics are what classical

musicians mean when they use the term

Dynamics the difference between loud and

quiet

a very Dynamic piece would be something

that has very quiet pianissimo sections

and also very loud fortissimo sections

in a mixed context the main way we

manipulate macrodynamics is through

volume automation

and there are two main reasons to do

this

first of all you might just need to

correct excessive Dynamics in the

performance especially something like a

vocal part

but second we can change the balance for

different parts of the mix for Creative

reasons

we can think of this as simply an

extension of the first principle once

again rather than setting one static

balance for the whole song we can

optimize the balance for each section

rather than just sign posting what's

important you can give your listeners a

guided tour

perhaps a part needs to be a little

louder the first time it comes in to

grab the listener's attention and

establish itself clearly what can then

sit back a little later on in the song

When some other part needs to be the

focus

thank you

foreign

of course a good arrangement will

address most of those issues in other

ways for example the first time that

part comes in you can simply ensure

there's nothing else going on that

competes

put some sympathetic volume automation

can greatly enhance a good arrangement

and can make a song much more engaging

and easy to listen to especially for the

first time

alright so what about microdynamics

this is what mix or mastering Engineers

might be referring to when discussing

Dynamics depending on the context

if a mastering engineer refers to a mix

as very dynamic they might mean it has a

high peak to average ratio that the

transients are very prominent

acoustic drums naturally have a very

high peak to average ratio

so our natural and minimally processed

recording of a drum kit will tend to be

very dynamic in microdynamic terms

but if the drummer pounds away with the

same energy for the whole song that

recording could simultaneously have very

little in the way of macrodynamics

anyway the main tool we use to control

microdynamics is compression and this is

hugely important to modern pop and rock

music

obviously Distortion and distorted

guitar amps in particular had a huge

impact on modern music my now musical

landscape would be radically different

without it

I would say that compression and

compressed drums in particular have had

an equally large impact

but unlike Distortion which is pretty

easy to hear compression is subliminal

most people don't notice it consciously

and this is probably part of the reason

it's so effective your listener doesn't

know why they just know those drummed

sound like they're exploding from the

speakers and they like it

[Applause]

[Music]

[Applause]

[Music]

thank you

[Music]

so learning to use compression is

another huge part of learning to mix

modern music styles

and learning to hear a compression

consciously is a big part of that

but there's a recent video on my own

channel in which I talk about ear

training strategies both for EQ and

compression

and there's a load of resources on this

channel in my own covering specific

compression techniques

I'm trying to keep this video more

conceptual and philosophical so I'll

leave compression there and move on to

my final fundamental

ambience

by which I mean all types of Reverb And

Delay effects but especially the

subliminal ones that you don't notice

unless they're missing

this is the first of my basic principles

that isn't just really some extension of

balance

and it's also going to require the

biggest insight into the workings of our

own brains

imagine this scenario

you make a video recording of a musical

performance

it turns out well except the sound from

the camera mic is much too roomy and

ambient

of course it is right for professional

results you're going to need a separate

multi-track recording and mix down which

could then replace the camera audio in

post

but why is that

the camera mic was right near your head

while you were recording

it didn't sound too roomy to you at the

time it sounded great

why is the microphone picking up so much

of the room when your ears didn't

the answer is kind of shocking and

surprising

your ears do pick up all that excess

roominess just like the microphone did

but your brain filters it out before you

get to actually hear it

as soon as you enter a room your brain

starts to pick up subtle acoustic Clues

and figures out what that room's Reverb

characteristics are

and it then subtracts those Reverb

characteristics from whatever your ears

pick up so you can as far as possible

hear the sound as it really is

the process is kind of similar to the

way we see color

we don't just perceive the raw data from

our eyes our brain first makes a

judgment about the ambient light then

corrects for it and only then decides

what color it's going to show you

that's why under the right circumstances

some people can see address as blue and

black when it's actually golden White

or was it the other way around

anyway this Cuts right to the heart of

why we need recording engineers and

Studios at all we're not trying to

accurately capture the sound in the room

your camera mic probably did that quite

well in fact

we're trying to trick The Listener into

hearing the sound as they would have if

they were in the room

there are basically two different ways

to deal with the issue

first of all we can record in glorious

sounding rooms

and that doesn't necessarily mean long

and Lush sounding Reverb Tales

because in fact the smaller the room the

less the effect of the Acoustics is

Reverb as we would normally think of it

and the more it becomes a type of EQ

I'm planning at some point a video for

my own channel called what's the

difference between Reverb and EQ and the

answer to that question isn't as simple

as you might expect

meanwhile though consider the Acoustics

of an old-school telephone booth

you're probably imagining boxy

resonances rather than any obvious

Reverb Tale

now consider the body of an acoustic

guitar

it's a trapped volume of air just like a

room only smaller

but its effect on the sound of the

guitar is much more like that of an EQ

than that of a Reverb so a great

sounding room could mean one that

doesn't skew the frequency response too

much but keeps the sound relatively flat

or shapes it in gently flattering ways

this approach is problematic in a couple

of different ways

few of us have easy access to Glorious

sounding rooms for a start

I'm guessing the majority of you are

working in some kind of home or project

Studio

and even fewer of us have access to a

range of different glorious sounding

rooms

because the Acoustics that are

flattering for a grand piano might not

be so ideal for rock drums

the other problem with this approach is

recording the right amount of room

the most obvious way to control the

ratio between direct and reflected sound

is to move the microphone closer to or

further from the source

but it can be very difficult to gauge

this correctly on the day especially if

you're tracking up parts one by one and

you don't have the full context yet

so the obvious solution there is to use

multiple microphones

Place one close to the source to pick up

predominantly direct sound then Place

ambient microphones to pick up

predominantly reflected sound and blend

them to taste later

those of us that lack access to Glorious

rooms are forced to take a different

approach we use a close mic again to

pick up mostly direct signal and then we

use some kind of artificial Reverb

instead of the ambient mics

this is a very powerful and flexible

approach

but in what is becoming a theme in this

video it also requires some ear training

you need to become more consciously

aware of Reverb especially the very

short small room kind so that you can

recognize when you need to add more of

it to your mix

it's a strange contradiction that while

having Reverb burnt into a recording

kind of breaks the brain's ability to

remove that Reverb as it would if you

were in the room having no Reflections

at all in a recording usually doesn't

sound good either

with none of the usual spatial cues the

sound seems to float in a void it seems

small and lost

foreign

[Music]

thank you

[Music]

foreign

pop music the lead vocal is often

presented very dry and upfront with no

obvious Reverb but it's never actually

dry a completely dry vocal will sound

like it's stuck on top and disconnected

from the rest of the mix

in fact there will be just enough early

Reflections to satisfy your brain that

yes indeed that vocal is right up in

your face unlike everything else it

takes practice and ear training before

you can nail that every time

now of course there are other

considerations when mixing as well as

those four fundamentals I listed if I

were to add a fifth it would probably be

saturation and distortion

but while it is certainly possible for a

mix to be too clean if that's the only

problem with the mix it's probably

already a good mix just maybe not great

yet

but that's okay a good mix is already a

great achievement and a great foundation

on which to build a great mix this is

the stage at which the Tweaky YouTuber

tricks might start to make a positive

difference

and my final tip get to that stage as

fast as you can

take care of the basics first thing in

your mix work quickly and don't

overthink your moves they're all

provisional anyway at that stage because

you don't have the context of a good mix

in which to judge them once you have a

good mix and the basics are in place you

can then make good judgments about the

subtle tweaks and embellishments that

might take it up another level

getting to that stage quickly is not

only more fun but will also invariably

result in a better mix

okay that's all thanks for watching and

thanks again to Kyle for having me

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