Just curious. Asking cause I have this tune that is never going to get mastered (and I don't plan to/properly know how to ghetto master it), I love how the mix sounds, the song peaks well over -3db. Just wondering if anyone else does this with some tunes? Any reason why I shouldn't? Should I feel stupid asking these questions?
Re: Do yall ever not mix down?
Posted: Sat Apr 23, 2011 12:17 pm
by DZA
Think ive only ever properly mixed down like 3 or 4 tracks
none of the tunes on my soundcloud are mixed expect the ones with Hackman
Re: Do yall ever not mix down?
Posted: Sat Apr 23, 2011 12:25 pm
by Basic A
Well it sounds like you have mixed down, proportionately... You said the levels sound good, the master is just a little high... put a gain on the master, and turn it down a few db... As long as you use a true gain youll have no problems, wont disturb the dynamic range m.e.'s need, wont disturb your balanced levels, your levels will still be proportionate when you lower it, you just dont want things getting rendered that close to the top of the master because oddball peaks can sneak in and clip themselves off...
I put a gain on the first master mixer slot, turn it down 50% right off the bat everytime... doesnt hurt my dynamics, its the same thing as lowering all your channels to 50%, I still get everything balanced ideally as far as levels/dynamics go, but, dynamic range and appropriate instrument-gain-relationships is whats important... the master meter just has to be out of the red.
*braces for some dsf nobody to read this, not understand what Im talking about and bitch me out. Worse then the popular press with misquotes and context manipulation.*
Re: Do yall ever not mix down?
Posted: Sat Apr 23, 2011 2:32 pm
by Prolific___
Works in some situations I guess.
This isn't mastered, or necessarily mixed down very well, and you've seen how well it's done...And this has nothing to do with electronic music, but I know a lot of indie/folk artists don't mix down or master their stuff, and often use older technology on purpose. All depends on what sound you're going for
Re: Do yall ever not mix down?
Posted: Sat Apr 23, 2011 5:04 pm
by kaiori breathe
Prolific___ wrote:Works in some situations I guess.
This isn't mastered, or necessarily mixed down very well, and you've seen how well it's done...And this has nothing to do with electronic music, but I know a lot of indie/folk artists don't mix down or master their stuff, and often use older technology on purpose. All depends on what sound you're going for
I remember hearing that and my first thought was "that's a bit lazy isn't it?" lol
Re: Do yall ever not mix down?
Posted: Sun Apr 24, 2011 3:10 am
by __________
My "mixdown" for a lot of stuff is when I put a bitcrusher on the master channel.
Just do what works for you. Some people spend months mixing down tracks for their final version, which in the end sounds no better than the original mix.
Re: Do yall ever not mix down?
Posted: Sun Apr 24, 2011 3:40 am
by jrisreal
I've never mixed down on anything...hardly even know what that means.
Re: Do yall ever not mix down?
Posted: Sun Apr 24, 2011 4:04 am
by RandoRando
£10 Bag wrote:My "mixdown" for a lot of stuff is when I put a bitcrusher on the master channel.
Just do what works for you. Some people spend months mixing down tracks for their final version, which in the end sounds no better than the original mix.
If trolling, your sarcasm is very good lol
Re: Do yall ever not mix down?
Posted: Sun Apr 24, 2011 4:20 am
by nowaysj
I've never mixed down anything
And by mixdown I mean really balance all of the levels, clean up with eq, and manage all my dynamics... just never get around to it, always onto the next beat.
Re: Do yall ever not mix down?
Posted: Sun Apr 24, 2011 4:24 am
by jrisreal
nowaysj wrote:I've never mixed down anything
And by mixdown I mean really balance all of the levels, clean up with eq, and manage all my dynamics... just never get around to it, always onto the next beat.
oh well if thats what mixing down means, then Ive done that! Do that all the time...maybe not professional quality though
Re: Do yall ever not mix down?
Posted: Sun Apr 24, 2011 4:36 am
by ChadDub
to the guys saying you don't mixdown... wut.
Even from the very beginning, it was a natural process to me to mixdown my stuff. EQing, panning, leveling, that's all important shit >_>
Re: Do yall ever not mix down?
Posted: Sun Apr 24, 2011 5:01 am
by Huts
I don't take the time when I finish a track to go back and adjust stuff, I just do it as I go along
Re: Do yall ever not mix down?
Posted: Sun Apr 24, 2011 5:48 am
by Radiant
I always have mix-down as a part of my production process, I think it's necessary if you want everything to be at equal level and keep a steady flow with no weird spikes.
Re: Do yall ever not mix down?
Posted: Sun Apr 24, 2011 5:56 am
by __________
RandoRando wrote:
£10 Bag wrote:My "mixdown" for a lot of stuff is when I put a bitcrusher on the master channel.
Just do what works for you. Some people spend months mixing down tracks for their final version, which in the end sounds no better than the original mix.
If trolling, your sarcasm is very good lol
Nah not trolling. I don't make dubstep, but if I did I probably wouldn't bitcrush the master channel for that.
I make weird music, kind of like skwee-ish hip hop in 3/4, and I like the sound that a master channel bitcrusher gives
Re: Do yall ever not mix down?
Posted: Sun Apr 24, 2011 10:37 am
by Debaser1
I have q very backwards style to producing Even when it would be writing something guitar/drum/bass/piano based. I mix as I go a long. My music tech teacher would always shout at me for it, you know, just recording an intro and then mixing it all so it sounded good. For me, getting everything down and THEN mixing and mastering is counter intuitive. But I guess that's just my style. So when it comes to the tune being finished in creative terms, there's never really a lot to do cus I've done it along the way.
As for actual mastering and consideration of 'mixing down', I've never really understood it. I usually bounce export from Reason and import the file into Logic. Then a Multipressor goes on to boost the low and high end and to squash them a teeeeny bit. Maybe a general bit of EQing, say, if there is something above 10,000hz I wanna get rid of or soften. Sometimes the subtlest of reverbs to blend shit together. And also maybe an adaptive limiter just to boost me some db without peakage (that SHOULD be a fucking word!)
But I echo the above. I hate theories about music tech. If it sounds good your own way then do it!!
Re: Do yall ever not mix down?
Posted: Sun Apr 24, 2011 11:18 am
by hutyluty
nowaysj wrote:always onto the next beat.
Re: Do yall ever not mix down?
Posted: Sun Apr 24, 2011 11:24 am
by jaydot
re: the La Roux remix I always noticed the bass was distorted, just thought he was going for that effect but then realised it was probably not mastered.
Re: Do yall ever not mix down?
Posted: Sun Apr 24, 2011 12:32 pm
by paradigm_x
some horrible digital distotion on the vocals too
I love mixing, y fave bit of the process.
Re: Do yall ever not mix down?
Posted: Sun Apr 24, 2011 1:35 pm
by paravrais
paradigm x wrote:I love mixing, y fave bit of the process.
Yeah I quite enjoy mixing too. Building drum beats is my favourite part though, followed by writing melodies. Can't stand synthesis.
Re: Do yall ever not mix down?
Posted: Sun Apr 24, 2011 2:18 pm
by Debaser1
paravrais wrote:
paradigm x wrote:I love mixing, y fave bit of the process.
Yeah I quite enjoy mixing too. Building drum beats is my favourite part
+1000000000
I love every aspect of it to be honest - regardless of it being dubstep, rock, melodic piano music, garage, whatever. I love how it all starts as an idea or an improvisation or a simple loop, and it can end up being a journey over 4 minutes or so. Mixing is amazing. So many different ways to production.
I remember in an interview with Loefah he said that when he mixes, he leaves the track playing all day as he goes about his activities round the house, and after a while you start to notice stuff in the mix sticking out or whatever. Really clever idea I reckon.
