Over 50 plug-ins to make you mixing life easier - The best audio plug-ins for mixing
TopFrom the first editing click to the last automation, mixing is a passionate and arduous job. That's why we decided to write this article to discuss some tools that can make your life much easier and/…
How to tell when a mix is done? - A guide to mixing music - Part 131
LearningToday I'll try to answer a question seldom addressed on the web, but which nevertheless is crucial: how to know when to call it quits...?
Making the best of other's opinions of your mix - A guide to mixing music - Part 129
LearningLast week we saw a listening method involving someone else, whose opinion we intentionally ignored. As useful as that approach might be, it doesn't spare you from having to actually consider the rema…
A new look at your mix - A guide to mixing music - Part 128
LearningJudging a mix objectively can be one of the hardest things ever. After all those hours working with a mix, it can be really hard to take a step back and judge it rightfully. And even more so for the …
Critical listening outside your studio - A guide to mixing music - Part 127
LearningThe home studio environment is usually pretty far from the ideal conditions of a commercial studio, so it's strongly advised to check your mixes outside of your work space. With that in mind, today's…
First retouches - A guide to mixing music - Part 126
LearningAfter having gone through the critical listening sessions under your normal working conditions, the time has come for some retouches. That's why today I will show you a method that ought to make your…
Tools to make critical listening easier - A guide to mixing music - Part 125
LearningToday I'll suggest a non-exhaustive list of tools that can make your life easier during the critical listening sessions of your mixes in your home studio.
Comparative A/B listening - A guide to mixing music - Part 124
LearningThis time we will look at a very specific way of listening to your mix: comparative A/B listening. I cannot recommend you enough this method – it's hands down the most important way to listen to your…
Critical listening in a home studio - A guide to mixing music - Part 123
LearningChronologically speaking, the critical listening stage is divided into two phases for any home studio enthusiast: the first one under his/her usual working conditions and the second one outdoors. Thi…
An interview with mixing wiz Ryan West - West is Thriving in the East
Interview / PodcastSucceeding as a freelance mixing engineer in New York City is no easy feat, but Ryan West has done it—impressively. Working predominantly on the hip-hop and R&B scenes, his credit list includes such …
Things to consider during critical listening - A guide to mixing music - Part 122
LearningIn order to approach the critical listening sessions seriously, here are a couple of things you might want to ask yourself while at it. You should focus mainly on two aspects, which I recommend you t…
The hour of truth for your mix - A guide to mixing music - Part 121
LearningDear friends, I know the closer we come to the end the more impatient you get. What do we have left after the delicate automation phase? Well, quite a few things and not particularly easy ones. In th…
Last advice on automation - Part 2 - A guide to mixing music - Part 120
LearningToday I'll give you some final recommendations regarding automation.
Last advice on automation - Part 1 - A guide to mixing music - Part 119
LearningTo close the chapter on automation I'll start listing today some advice and remarks I haven't mentioned before, but which I nevertheless deem important and useful.
The traps of automation - Glitches and clicks - A guide to mixing music - Part 118
LearningToday I'll write the second part of our brief compilation of the most common mistakes and issues when dealing with automation.
The traps of automation - Part 1 - A guide to mixing music - Part 117
LearningAs we've seen in the past weeks, automation is no rocket science or black magic. However, when it comes to putting it all into practice there are some pitfalls you should try to avoid. Here's a brief…
Handling intro-verse-chorus transitions with automation - A guide to mixing music - Part 116
LearningWith this article I'll close the automation "tips and tricks" chapter by approaching it from a song structure point of view. This time we'll deal with how to put together different puzzle pieces like…
An interview with legendary producer/engineer Ed Cherney - For the Joy of It
Interview / PodcastTalk about an impressive career—Ed Cherney has produced or engineered a veritable who’s who of iconic musicians including Bonnie Raitt, Eric Clapton, Iggy Pop, The Rolling Stones, Buddy Guy, Bob Dyla…
Highlighting background instruments - A guide to mixing music - Part 115
LearningToday I invite you to join me in discovering some automation techniques that take advantage of our animal instincts to give some background life to your music.
Automation - Tips and Tricks - A guide to mixing music - Part 114
LearningIn the previous episode we saw how you can, in theory, make use of human instincts to keep the attention of the listeners throughout an entire song, simple as it may be. This week I'll reveal some tr…
Instinct and automation - A guide to mixing music - Part 113
LearningToday we'll look into a concept that's relatively simple to understand and which will be of a lot of help when you automate your mixes.
Automation - A case study, looking into the details - A guide to mixing music - Part 112
LearningLast week Yours Truly had the boldness of giving you some homework: to analyze the mix of "The Look" from an automation point of view. This week it is my turn to do the honors.
Automation - A case study - A guide to mixing music - Part 111
LearningIn my opinion, automation is at the core of a well-accomplished mix. And yet, as I have pointed out numerous times, this stage is often neglected by beginners, most certainly due to a lack of underst…
Automating the star of your mix - A guide to mixing music - Part 110
LearningToday we'll see how to automate the most important track of your mix. This is usually the vocal track, but it might as well be a solo instrument. The true star of your song deserves special attention…
A top producer/engineer on technique, gear and recordin… - Talking Shop with Dave O'Donnell
LearningWhat do Keith Richards, James Taylor, Katy Perry, John Mayer and Eric Clapton have in common? They’ve all had albums produced, mixed, or engineered by Dave O’Donnell. A native of upstate New York, Da…
