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Ok...so I've got this track that I've been working on. It's basically finished, just needs a proper final mix down. Now my mixdown's are where I feel I'm lacking, so I just thought I'd start this thread to see if anyone could give me some pointers I may have overlooked.

Just to get an idea of the size of this track: It's about 70 tracks deep + about another 30 bus channels on top of that. It's a mess. But it's how I work.

I've held off using compression on the track until now because the tune was a collab and I didn't really know what the other guy was doing with it when he had it.

So anyways, here's how I'm thinking about doing it myself:

I'm going to go into the arrange and label everything properly (drm for drums ect)
Then I'm going to set all the volume faders back to 0 and bounce everything as audio tracks to a clean new arrange. (Here's where I need a bit of help in making a decision. I have a lot of tracks where I've used stereo imaging. Do I bounce the tracks wet with the imaging on? Or do I bounce them dry and lose the same spread that I've got them in right now? Same question goes for stuff like panning, delays, reverb too.)

From here I'll give everything a final once over individually and tweak the volume, adding eq and compression if I think any certain track needs it
Then I'll group them into bus channels. One for drums, bass, synths ect. Again adding eq and compression needed.
On my master channel...I just put a low pass filter at a really low setting (25hz) and a limiter so the bounced audio isn't too low in volume when I put it on Soundcloud ect. (This time I'm considering other options on the master, that's if anyone has any good ideas)

So yea....if you think I'm missing something, or you've got a better way/idea....please tell me.

Thanks in advance.

A little advice for the future. Mix and label all your tracks as you go a long. I never used to do this but it pays off so well. I personally would keep all the panning and imaging the way it is as long as it works with the mix. Focus on volume and frequencies that's how i would go about it

that sounds like a headache and a half. pretty much all my tunes wind up with around 70 channels, with percussion, overdubs, different treatments, etc.

but 30 busses? what are you doing beyond the first 12?

and 70 channels, 30 busses, and no compression? yikes.

I think you should clean your session up and start from a more efficient standpoint... AND you should read the mixing/mastering/gain structure/moneyshot thread.

Sharmaji wrote:that sounds like a headache and a half. pretty much all my tunes wind up with around 70 channels, with percussion, overdubs, different treatments, etc.

but 30 busses? what are you doing beyond the first 12?

and 70 channels, 30 busses, and no compression? yikes.

I think you should clean your session up and start from a more efficient standpoint... AND you should read the mixing/mastering/gain structure/moneyshot thread.

the busses (beyond the first 12 as you put it) are used for resampling and doing mass automation on numerous things at once. they aren't just being used as sends to some basic delay or reverb sound.

that's what i want tips with. generally cleaning up the session without ruining the tune. luckily i've made a save of every version so far.

gnome wrote:A little advice for the future. Mix and label all your tracks as you go a long. I never used to do this but it pays off so well. I personally would keep all the panning and imaging the way it is as long as it works with the mix. Focus on volume and frequencies that's how i would go about it

to be honest....i just did this and it didn't take me 5 mins anyways (even with 70 tracks).

DAMN.

What are you guys doing?

I rarely go over 30 channels. No prize for the most channels used.

If I were you I would:
1. Read the entire gain structuring /moneyshot thread
2. Simplify your busses, this sounds excessive, even for a modern pop or rock record
3. Combine some of your channels, at some point you need to make some permanent decisions. Mixdown all your kick drums and bounce them to one track, snares, crashes, etc.
4. Working w/ that many tracks is difficult to manage, I am surprised it's not straining your CPU. I bet by reducing the number of tracks you are utilizing will speed up your workflow and help w/ your mixdowns.
5. On your next tracks, per the gain structure thread, try making it so your kicks are at -8db and your sub is around -10db as you are writing, I bet you will have less adjusting to do w/ ALL the instruments at the end b/c everything is vaguely at the correct level.

One thing I have been doing that's helped me a lot:
When I am 80%+ done and getting into the home stretch, I save the song as a new version number, then I start bouncing some of my midi tracks to audio. It frees up my processor, and also my mental real estate b/c I know that particular track/instrument is done, and I don't need to do anything besides adjust in the final mix. It helps me to not feel like I can fiddle endlessly with things.

70 channels is

Wikum wrote:I just put a low pass filter at a really low setting (25hz)

you mean high pass/lowcut, right?

Sharmaji wrote:that sounds like a headache and a half. pretty much all my tunes wind up with around 70 channels, with percussion, overdubs, different treatments, etc.

but 30 busses? what are you doing beyond the first 12?

and 70 channels, 30 busses, and no compression? yikes.

I think you should clean your session up and start from a more efficient standpoint... AND you should read the mixing/mastering/gain structure/moneyshot thread.

that would be fun to mix on a console though
maybe one of those big rap names with the huge consoles in their home studios can rent out their space and let the channels beyond 1-12 get used

deadly habit wrote:

Sharmaji wrote:that sounds like a headache and a half. pretty much all my tunes wind up with around 70 channels, with percussion, overdubs, different treatments, etc.

but 30 busses? what are you doing beyond the first 12?

and 70 channels, 30 busses, and no compression? yikes.

I think you should clean your session up and start from a more efficient standpoint... AND you should read the mixing/mastering/gain structure/moneyshot thread.

that would be fun to mix on a console though
maybe one of those big rap names with the huge consoles in their home studios can rent out their space and let the channels beyond 1-12 get used

LOL

I'm usually at about 30 channels and a few busses when im finished

Never had anything that substantial! And I usually just set my kick drums to -8 right off the bat and it helps set everything else right after that

in the end, all i had to do in the end was clean up the arrangement a bit and group all the different sections together, give them a colour ect. it actually wasn't that bad at all. the results are in my sig.

i grouped the drums to their own bus and gave it a little compression. then on the master i added another compressor, just giving it a very small amount of reduction (like between 1-2 db...just so it kicks in a bit), then i added a limiter. the mix itself was nice and low on the master, so i only added the limiter just for online listening purposes.

and @ Phigure, yes i meant low cut lol.

can i get a link to the moneyshot/gain structure thread please