Adjusting levels at the limits of your hearing

[rusto]

Do any of you ever do this? Or have tried it?

It seems to give a really nice balance. I tried it by setting the kick level as normal, then lowered the monitors till I could BARELY hear the kick. Then I started bring in the other elements until I could only just hear them. The result was a nicer balance than I was able to get previously. Obviously this only applies to main segments, you'll probably want to automate the levels a bit around it.

It probably wont always yield good results either, but its maybe worth a shot if you are struggling to balance your mix.

[fragments]

Yep. People do this all the time actually, good thinking figuring it out on your own. Great way to do your levels.

[YeahItsMe]

Ahhh, the Fletcher-Munson curve thread
At higher dB levels, particular frequencies can give a false image of power, especially with deep bass. Any good mixing engineer will tell you to mix low and listen high to make sure what you hear is true. Although acoustics can also create a false image that can destroy any chance of a good mix.

[rusto]

So unless you're in a fancy studio with damping and a high polygon count, or have really good headphones, youre doomed?!

[LilWUB]

So unless you're in a fancy studio with damping and a high polygon count, or have really good headphones, youre doomed?!

I'd say at a disadvantage. I've had a bedroom studio for 16 years - can't afford no fancy shit. I try to compensate for listening to my mixes on as many devices as possible before releasing - good headphones, ear buds, studio monitors, phone, car system, other friends car systems, etc.

[SunkLo]

Yeah I do this, pretty solid trick.

Also I set levels of things like I tune a guitar string. When you're tuning a string you should approach the note from below. If you go over, loosen the string and then tune back up to the note. I do the same thing with levels, drop the fader completely, listen to the mix for a while without it, and then bring it up to where it's just loud enough that I can't say it's too quiet. If I go over, I drop the fader and repeat the process.

And instead of paying attention to the track I'm bringing up, I pay attention to all the other tracks. Mixing requires balancing the given track with the rest of them. Paying attention to the track you're adjusting is just going to make you want to turn it up louder to hear it. Paying attention to the other tracks instead ensures you don't accidentally overpower them and skew the mix.

[AxeD]

So unless you're in a fancy studio with damping and a high polygon count, or have really good headphones, youre doomed?!

I'd say at a disadvantage. I've had a bedroom studio for 16 years - can't afford no fancy shit. I try to compensate for listening to my mixes on as many devices as possible before releasing - good headphones, ear buds, studio monitors, phone, car system, other friends car systems, etc.

So much this. Although I now have the ability to check my stuff in studios, I usually don't bother.
Mixed one of my own bits in a studio a while back, then listened on the alternative 2.1 monitoring system and I nearly
blew the door out