final mixdown stage - how do you go about it

[EvezDroppin]

Hi guys,

Just wondering what your methods are?

This my usual step by step process.

1. Go through every channel and take out harsh resonant frequencies and unnecessary frequencies for maximum headroom
2. With that done, Bring in the Kick first, level the sub to the kick. Start going through every channel 1 by 1 leveling to suit the rest of the track, use subtle compression if needed on bus channels.
3. find the resonant frequency on a master EQ , usually sits somewhere between 120-200 and take a small scoop out for a little bit of extra headroom (taken this tip somewhere from the forum I think, maybe Fanu)
4. Test with Sonarworks reference on and off, just to see how it sounds in comparison (I have a rough idea of how much bass and mid my room creates)
5. Close the project and come back to it next day or in a couple of days on fresh ears, check to see how it sounds and repeat Step 5 if required.

Any other tips that may be useful anyone has?

 

[johneysvk]

i'm usually mixing as i go, which most of the time means hi/lowpassing stuff and adjusting the levels. I almost always have all the drums in one parent folder (bus) where i apply gentle processing.

When doing a more involved mixdown i start with balancing Kick and snare/clap, then subbass, then the rest of percussion and other sounds after that.

I find one thing that helps me is to bounce the track and try to mix it with something, it can help you figure out what needs more to be more or less prominent in your mixdown.

i also do a mono check at the end and that's about it.

Then i bounce it and have a separate project for selfmastering.

 

[BetaFlex]

I mix as I go. Always using other reference speakers along with reference tracks. I find it easier to mix with a Multi band compresser, analog exciter, and limiter on the master bus from the start. Squash more as I go, but always check dry signals for problems too. I add busses right away on sounds and get it ready for the final mix. I find it makes figuring out what the song needs easier as well. Hearing a 64 measure loop produced well enough in the car helps me think.

 

[Henry Drum & Bass]

I always mix as I go along. I try to start new tracks in mono to help with eq decisions.

 

[Derelicts Of Tomorrow]

What they said...

 

[xiris]

I mix as i go, then after i'm 100% happy with the track i'll leave it for at least 4-5 hours, come back to it and fine tune my levels. Usually only changes of +/- 2db at this stage.

 

[xiris]

I always mix as I go along. I try to start new tracks in mono to help with eq decisions.

this, especially when creating elements for low end things.. lower than 150hz ish

Also coupling this w watching phase meter (SPAN) I find i can fix most problems w ozone multiband stereo imager.. rare that i junk a sound because of phasing

 

[CTJake]

Same as everyone else in this thread from the sounds of it.

I'll usually mix my busses at the same levels across most projects, I'll generally add a limiter capped at -3.0db once the mix is peaking no higher, turning it on and off throughout the mix to check peaks; I think I read somewhere that up to .5db of clipping generally isn't problematic to the mix as a whole, so I've been going with that, and it may be placebo but I've been enjoying the effect a small amount of clipping is having on the snare. But if that sounds stupid as $*&@ to anyone I'd appreciate some correcting

 

[celodnb]

I might be one of the few that actually do it a little differently (but I have only started doing this recently).

After I've done the arrangement and production part of the track, and with the levels of each track roughly set, I export each channel into audio, then bring them all into a fresh new project and do the mix down. I find this actually really helps with finding the space of everything in the mix (think I got the idea for doing this from Dan Larsson somewhere on the net). Then again, I am still relatively new to production, so maybe I'll change my methods again next week lol!