Can a spectrum analyzer compensate for lack of monitors?

[broadus]

Question in the title basically. Read in breakage's q and a that he didn't have monitors, and just relied on a spectrum analyzer and listening to the track on different systems. This was quite a few years ago, but his tunes still sounded great. So, is this a possible but more time consuming alternative to monitors if you can't afford them in the near future?

[sunny_b_uk]

this would take too too much time to do correctly (a lot more time than needed to be taken) and there will still be great chances of you making errors. regardless of how great it could still sound, there WILL still be errors that wont get spotted. also its too much effort and you will waste a lot of your precious production time & it would be quite frustrating sometimes. if i was you i would just focus on making loads of songs and then when you final get some good monitors, start listening to a bunch of your favourite tunes on them.. get used to the behaviour of your monitors THEN start mixing down. id also say learn everything you can about mixdowns after, no point trying to experiment with it all now (if you was) without good monitors. hope this helps!

[rudebrat]

Definitely. This and using reference tracks can be of great help when you don't have good monitors. I produce my tracks with cheap $20 sony headphones but I always get compliments on my production level because I always have 2 or 3 reference tracks at the top and use the spectrum to analyze both the track I'm working on and my reference tracks.

[broadus]

Yeah, forgot to mention using reference tracks. I've found them incredibly useful so far in learning what kind of frequencies the kick and snare for example are hitting in similar tracks to the sound I want to achieve.
So it can be done without monitors, with patience. I think i'll try and get my mix downs as good as I can without monitors so when I do get them, there will hopefully only be a bit tweaking to do, notwithstanding the fact it can only be a good thing for overall production to have experience of using spectrum analyzers and referencing for developing a greater understanding of the sounds you are making. Cheers.

[VirtualMark]

get monitors first, they should be your primary source for checking your mix. the analyzer should compliment it, as should the reference track and checking it on different systems. but monitors are important.

if you use headphones, they have 100% stereo isolation. so your mix will sound different when you come to put it on another system as the 2 channels will mix.

[mitchAUS]

Can a dildo compensate for a dick
end thread/

[Electric_Head]

as you`ve stated, multiple reference systems and a spectrum analyzer.
But I would say a good monitoring system that you trust is invaluable.
I`m not talking about high end monitors but rather a system that you trust.
That is until you can get monitors.

[wormcode]

The cross referencing will help much more, but the spectrum analyzer is useful for little things yes. Never rely on your eyes when making music imo.

[Depone]

no spectral analyzer will actually tell you how it actually sounds

psychoacoustics are a huge part of how we hear and process sound in our brains.
For example, a sub bass might be peaking as loud as those other reference tracks, but its overtones (harmonics) might give it a lesser/greater sound.

as some people above suggested, they should be used to compliment what your hearing, not replace it.