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    Mixdown Cheat Sheet.... For Dummies 1

    Uploaded by

    jaigu
    This document provides a summary of mixing tips and techniques for various instruments and vocals. It includes recommendations for compression, EQ, and effects settings. Some key tips include: - Get recording levels between -4 to -6dB and never peak above 0dB - For lead vocals, use compression with a threshold of -2dB and ratio of 4:1-6:1 to make them stand out - For background vocals, use chorus or pitch shifting to make them fuller - For guitars, use compression with a threshold of -1dB and EQ cuts below 100Hz to reduce mudiness - Focus on drums and bass first when mixing, then add other instruments in order of importance

    Copyright:

    Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd

    Mixdown Cheat Sheet.... For Dummies 1

    Uploaded by

    jaigu
    2K views6 pages
    This document provides a summary of mixing tips and techniques for various instruments and vocals. It includes recommendations for compression, EQ, and effects settings. Some key tips include: - Get recording levels between -4 to -6dB and never peak above 0dB - For lead vocals, use compression with a threshold of -2dB and ratio of 4:1-6:1 to make them stand out - For background vocals, use chorus or pitch shifting to make them fuller - For guitars, use compression with a threshold of -1dB and EQ cuts below 100Hz to reduce mudiness - Focus on drums and bass first when mixing, then add other instruments in order of importance

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    Mixdown Cheat Sheet....for dummies 1

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    This document provides a summary of mixing tips and techniques for various instruments and vocals. It includes recommendations for compression, EQ, and effects settings. Some key tips include: - Get recording levels between -4 to -6dB and never peak above 0dB - For lead vocals, use compression with a threshold of -2dB and ratio of 4:1-6:1 to make them stand out - For background vocals, use chorus or pitch shifting to make them fuller - For guitars, use compression with a threshold of -1dB and EQ cuts below 100Hz to reduce mudiness - Focus on drums and bass first when mixing, then add other instruments in order of importance

    Copyright:

    Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    2K views6 pages

    Mixdown Cheat Sheet.... For Dummies 1

    Uploaded by

    jaigu
    This document provides a summary of mixing tips and techniques for various instruments and vocals. It includes recommendations for compression, EQ, and effects settings. Some key tips include: - Get recording levels between -4 to -6dB and never peak above 0dB - For lead vocals, use compression with a threshold of -2dB and ratio of 4:1-6:1 to make them stand out - For background vocals, use chorus or pitch shifting to make them fuller - For guitars, use compression with a threshold of -1dB and EQ cuts below 100Hz to reduce mudiness - Focus on drums and bass first when mixing, then add other instruments in order of importance

    Copyright:

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    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
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    You are on page 1of 6

    Note:

    I've compliled a very general list of Mixdown tips and tricks


    incase you are not sure what to do in a mixdown. Theses are
    tricks learned from a few books a little experience. Please
    consider this sheet to be nothing more then a general guide and
    not necesarily "THE ONLY WAY". Also some tips are personal
    preferences and may clash with other peoples view. Overall, I
    now (Not always in the past) use the less is more approach
    when it comes to applying FX.

    Enjoy and please feel free to comment and add suggestions.

    http://line6.com/community/thread/14302
    Mixdown Cheat Sheet....for dummies
    - The key to good recording levels is to get as hot (high) a signal as possible. How hot?
    Between -4 to -6dBs

    - Make sure your meter never goes past 0dBs and peak out at -4 to -6 dBs

    VOCALS
    COMPRESSION – Threshold: -8dB

    - Ratio : between 1.5:1 and 2:1

    - Attack:<1ms

    - Release: about 40 ms

    - Gain: adjust so that the output level matches the input level. You don’t need much

    Want to bring the vocals way up front in the mix then try using the following. Puts the vocals IN
    YOUR FACE

    COMPRESSION – Threshold: -2dB

    - Ratio : between 4:1 and 6:1

    - Attack:<1ms

    - Release: about 40 ms

    - Gain: adjust so that the output level matches the input level.

    EQ – add fullness add a few dBs at 150Hz

    - rid of muddiness, cut a few at 200 to 250Hz

    - add clarity, boost a little at 3kHz

    - more presence, add at 5kHz

    - add air or brighten, boost at 10 kHz

    - rid of sibilance, cut a little between 7.5 to 10kHz

    CHORUS – to fill out a track, set the rate at 2Hz and the depth about 20 to 30 and the predelay a
    10 to 20 ms.

    - augmenting one lead vocal track with 2 supporting tracks mixed 3dB to 6dB below the main
    track.

    BACKGOUND VOCALS
    COMPRESSION – Threshold: -4dB

    - Ratio : between 2:1 and 3:1


    - Attack:<1ms

    - Release: about 40 ms

    - Gain: adjust so that the output level matches the input level.

    EQ – cut a little low end(below 250Hz) and at the 2.5 to 3.5 kHz

    - add clarity boost a little around 10 kHz

    REVERB – a slapback echo fattens up the sound

    CHORUS – to make them sound fuller

    MAKING BVs BIGGER – add pitch shift 2 up and 2 down to the original take

    Most common BG arrangement is double of the melody and one harmony a 3rd above. You can
    even double or triple track each individual take for a bigger sound

    GUITARS
    Bring it forward and give it some punch

    COMPRESSION – Threshold: -1dB

    - Ratio : between 2:1 and 3:1

    - Attack:25ms to 30ms

    - Release: about 200 ms

    - Gain: adjust so that the output level matches the input level.

    EQ – cut a little below 100Hz to get rid of muddiness

    - warmth, boost between 120 to 250Hz

    - attack, boost 2.5 to 4 kHz

    - bite, add 5kHz

    - when adding stero chorus or flanging to fatten up the tone, pan the effected guitar and the dry
    guitar on opposite sides.

    BASS
    COMPRESSION – Threshold: -4dB

    - Ratio : between 2.5:1 and 3:1

    - Attack:between 40ms to 50ms

    - Release: about 180 ms


    - Gain: adjust so that the output level matches the input level.

    ACOUSTIC GUITAR
    COMPRESSION – Threshold: -6dB

    - Ratio : between 3:1 and 4:1

    - Attack: around 150ms

    - Release: about 400 ms

    - Gain: adjust so that the output level matches the input level

    EQ – a little cut below 80 Hz and 800 to 1kHz

    - warmer, boost 150 to 250 Hz

    - attack, add 3 to 5 kHz

    - brightness, add 7kHz.

    KICK DRUMS
    COMPRESSION – Threshold: -6dB

    - Ratio : between 4:1 and 6:1

    - Attack: between 40and 50ms

    - Release: between 200 and 300ms

    - Gain: adjust so that the output level matches the input level.

    SNARE – tight and punchy sound


    COMPRESSION – Threshold: -4dB

    - Ratio : between 4:1 and 6:1

    - Attack: between 5 to 10ms

    - Release: between 12 and 175ms

    - Gain: adjust so that the output level matches the input level.

    TOMS
    COMPRESSION – Threshold: -4dB

    - Ratio : between 4:1 and 6:1

    - Attack: between 5 to 10ms

    - Release: between 125 and 175ms


    Gain: adjust so that the output level matches the input level

    PERCUSSION
    COMPRESSION – Threshold: -10dB

    - Ratio : between 3:1 and 6:1

    - Attack: between 10 to 20ms

    - Release: about 50ms

    Gain: adjust so that the output level matches the input level

    - Reversing a phase. Good for subliminal messages or reversing a drumbeat

    REVERB
    To keep vocals up front use a short reverb setting.

    *Each time you adjust one variable, you’ll probably affect one of the other variables.

    *There should always be one focal point that stand out to the listener at each point of the mix.

    MIX APPROACH
    - Focus on drums and bass 1st.

    - Next lead vocals with the drums and bass

    - Then start adding ingredients in order of imporatance.

    - Add all the miscellaneous percussion and some sound effects after everything else is up.

    - Determine what the most important thing is at each point in the song and highlight it in the
    mix.

    *7 to 15 sec is a standard amount of time to fade out a song

    *4 secs is the standard amount of time inbetween songs

    *One way to make an instrument fall back or recede in the mix is to cut its high frequency content.

    * A percussion part way off to the side with a slapback echo or reverb of the part in the same
    location on the other side. Offers a nice balance plus an enlarged sense of space in the
    recording.

    *Vocal with no “dry” signal, consisting of reverb only. Perhaps slowly panned around a mix, it can
    create an ethereal, detached sound that seems to be coming from another dimension.

    *An Octaver is great at beefing up sounds that might be too thin, like a but underneath a guitar
    solo.

    PITCH SHIFTING
    Want a party sound with people shouting a word or phrase, select a pitch shift 2 semitones up
    and two down on your track then blend the 5 tones together. Do this several times on differeing
    takes and you have a crowd.

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