Mixing Part 2

In our last article, MIXING, we laid the groundwork for what mixing is and how to get started. I hope you re-read and absorb all that is in that article, whether you are a beginner or have lots of experience. Even though I already know it all, I still learn something new or gain new insight whenever I hear from other professionals who might have a different take on a subject (wait – how is that possible?)...The craft of mixing is a  blending of art and science, whose outcome can have a profound effect on the listeners’ experience, either good or bad. People a lot smarter than me who have spent their entire life mixing are still saying that they are learning more about it every day. It is something that even the MASTERS are still learning about. So for those just starting out, just take it one step at a time and know that understanding and ability to mix come with experience.

You know how fond I am of saying that if it sounds good, it IS good, so any mix you get that allows you hear what is being said, sung, and played in a way that let’s the feeling of the song and the meaning of the spoken word come through is OK. But if you want to take that mix to a higher level of excellence, then begin to study sounds and how they combine to bring a mix to life. Listen to recordings that you like and see how the engineer placed the different instruments and vocals at certain levels to create the correct balance, with the most important things up front in the mix. Listen to the use of effects like delay and reverb and how they affect the mood. Listen to the blending of instruments and voices to create a blend of frequencies to cover the spectrum with a balanced spectrum: Deep, solid lows that are not boomey, gentle and defined midranges, and clear crisp highs, all in balance. There will be times when the high frequencies will dominate, same for lows and mids, but generally we like to hear a balance of frequencies.  

Reading as much as you can on mixing is a good idea. Blogs and internet forums CAN be a good source of information, IF you go to the right source. Unfortunately, just because someone has a blogsite does NOT mean that they have much good information. I have seen many ”pros” spew out terrible advise and misinformation. And just because someone has toured with a band does not mean they have a handle on sound and acoustics, especially as it applies to churches. I will not rate them here, but two sites are worthy of your time. One is SYN-AUD-CON, http://www.synaudcon.com/site/ , who offer training programs for the operators as well as technical training, and ChurchSoundCheck, http://www.churchsoundcheck.com/.

ChurchSoundCheck is a free forum and both of these are populated with the industry’s finest and most knowledgeable professionals who freely give advise and technical expertise along with other Church sound operators (video and lighting are also widely discussed).

In fact, a recent post on SAC forum is so full of good information, I have included it here with the kind permission of the author, Michael Fay of Sound Image, www.sound-image.com.

“Like many of the sage voices that contribute to the SAC list, I too have several decades of experience working in and around pro sound.

The overview of my career looks like this: classically trained music student, professional musician, studio engineer, studio owner, studio designer, technical writer, studio trade magazine editor, acoustician, fixed install systems designer, systems sales, systems installer, live sound mixer, live sound mixing trainer, and contracting management. 

Those are the big and obvious hats I've been paid to wear over the years.

One of the challenges I regularly face these days is "training" sound operators on their new sound systems. A few years ago I came to the following conclusions and have been using these conclusions to successfully teach the novice, and some not so novice, sound ops on how to think about sound and mixing. Ok, here goes:

Step one: Most people are passive listeners. Sound happens to them, and they pay little or no attention to it other than to maybe notice that it is there, or that it is too loud or soft. To become a good mix "artist" 

(yep, there is a healthy dose of artistry that comes into play) you need to immediately become an "active" listener. Active listening means that, whenever possible, you pay attention to all sound that you come in contact with.

Movie sound tracks, TV sound, music and voice on the radio, environmental sound, concert sound, and all other every-day sound that you are exposed to. Be curious. Be critical. Put it into context relative to the surrounding activities and environment. If you are at a sporting venue, is the intelligibility good? Why or why not? In the beginning, you won't be able to figure out the why of everything, but you've got to start somewhere. This needs to become a life long habit.

Step two: The best sound mixers in the world have a huge "library of sound" in their heads. You need to begin to capture this concept by building your own library. During our training sessions, I ask the class to raise their hand if they can "hear" a real common musical sound in their mind's ear.

I usually start with a trumpet. Then I'll move to a few more common instrument sounds like a saxophone, or piano. This is really just a warm up, because I'll then start to drill deeper into the library. "Can you hear a French horn? An oboe? How about an oboe vs an English horn? How about an acoustic guitar with nylon strings vs steel strings? A steel string acoustic with heavy gauge strings vs light gauge stings? A stiff pick vs a light pick on said guitar? A Martin vs a Taylor." We could go on for hours. I think the concept is established. The collected and archived, personal sound library is the mental gateway to the audio mixing craft.

Step three: So what do we do with this library? Well, over time, the library will contain the really good, the not so good, and the ugly. The best mixers are constantly comparing what they are hearing in real time to the desired or required sounds in their library. Then, assuming they have a sound system that is functioning reasonably well, they begin to use their experience and available electronic tools to adjust the sound that is coming through the mix console, so it matches the library sounds that they think are appropriate for the gig. When fully developed, this library concept works on individual instruments as well as for the overall mix, and it happens semi- or subconsciously. In the beginning there is a lot of trial and error.

This overall process is not unlike that which a chef or painter will use to create their work. The chef has a selection of raw ingredients, and a pantry full of spices and condiments that may be used and blend to create an excellent recipe (mix). Even if he has never made the recipe, he can taste the end result and the influence that each ingredient has on the overall flavor and texture of the recipe. The painter does the same with their color pallet; knowing what colors to combine and what colors to lay down first in order to build the foundation of color (tonality) that will eventually lead to the finished picture. The chef and painter can consistently taste and visualize in their minds the end result that all the individual parts play in the finished product.

Step four: I know this is running long, and I could go on for many pages or chapters, but there is one more key ingredient I try to leave the classes with; that is that they should begin collecting reference recordings. These should be relevant to the type of presentations or performances that they are being asked to work on. This collection should contain the very best recordings they can find. I have searched through tens of thousands of recordings to find my collection, which currently numbers about 35 tracks of varying musical styles. I suggest that they listen to these track over and over on the best, flattest, playback speakers or headphones (no ear buds) they can get access to. (Selecting reference monitors is a whole 'nother chapter.) If it's a contemporary band track, they need to carefully study the mix to understand where the engineer placed each and every drum track, vs the bass and guitars, vs the keys and horns, vs the background vocals, vs the lead vocals, etc. Be critical. Try to capture in your mind what is working and what is not. What is the tonal relationship of every instrument and voice? What sounds or instruments are conflicting? Why? What are the panning and volume relationships? When you start finding recordings that you wished you had your name on, you are on the right track.

After all is said and done, sound mixing is highly subjective. In my opinion you need to mix to meet your own personal tastes and expectations; which must be aligned with your library; which must also have common ground with the masses and the paying customer. Simple, no? If you are consistently getting praise and thanks for the work you are doing, you are doing many things right. If you are consistently getting complaints, you aren't.”

Michael Fay
GM - Contracting Division
Sound Image

Take this advise to heart and begin building your own sound library, and pay attention to what other mix engineers do on thier recordings. Determine what works for you and what doesn’t. Modern recordings, especially contemporary Christian, tend to be too overproduced for my tastes; too many layers of distorted electric guitars and to much going on all the time. I prefer to let the music stand on its own legs, some want to throw everything but the kitchen sink into it. There is plenty of room for personal tastes to have their expression, and that’s one great thing about this business, there’s no right way or wrong way. Experiment as much as you can with different sounds and different mixes. Over time, your ears will develop greater discernment and your mixes will improve.

Until next time, Be Soundly Blessed!