The Art of Mixing

A Visual Guide to Recording, Engineering, and Production

by David Gibson

Technical edit by George Petersen

236 Georgia Street, Suite 100 Vallejo, CA 94590

©1997 David Gibson Published under license exclusively to MixBooks, an imprint of artispro.com, LLC All rights reserved. No portion of this book may be reproduced, copied, transmitted or stored in any mechanical or electronic form without the written permission of the publisher. Library of Congress Catalog Card Number: 97-071643 Book design and layout: Linda Gough Production staff: Mike Lawson: publisher; Lisa Duran: editor; Randy Antin: editorial assistant; Teresa Poss: administrative assistant; Ellen Richman: production director; Sherry Bloom: production assistant Technical Editor: George Petersen Front Cover Design: Gary Carpenter

236 Georgia Street, Suite 100 Vallejo, CA 94590 (707) 554-1935

Also from MixBooks: 500 Songwriting Ideas (For Brave and Passionate People) Music Publishing: The Real Road to Music Business Success How to Run a Recording Session The Songwriters Guide to Collaboration, Rev. and Exp. 2nd Ed. Critical Listening and Auditory Perception The AudioPro Home Recording Course Vol. 's I-III Modular Digital Multitracks: The Power User's Guide Rev. Ed. Sound for Picture Music Producers 2nd Ed. Live Sound Reinforcement Also from EMBooks: Making the Ultimate Demo Making Music With Your Computer Anatomy of a Home Studio

MixBooks is an imprint of artistpro.com LLC. Printed in Auburn Hills, Michigan ISBN 0-918371-17-1

DEDICATION

This book is dedicated to all those who just want to know how to make it sound better.

Contents vi LIST OF VISUALS

1

x

CHAPTER 1 All Aspects of a Recorded Piece of Music Aspect #1: Concept or Theme Aspect #2: Melody Aspect #3: Rhythm Aspect #4: Harmony Aspect #5: Lyrics Aspect #6: Arrangement Aspect #7: Instrumentation Aspect #8: Song Structure Aspect #9: Performance Aspect #10: Quality of the Equipment and the Recording Aspect #11: The Mix

PREFACE

xiii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

xiv INTRODUCTION

8 CHAPTER 2 Visual Representations of "Imaging" Section A: Physical Sound Waves vs. the Imagined Placement of Sounds Between the Speakers Section B: The Space Between the Speakers Section C: Visual Representations of Sounds

CHAPTER 3 Guides to a Great Mix (Reasons for Creating One Style of Mix or Another) Section A: The Style of Music Section B: The Song and All of Its Details Section C: The People Involved

iv

28 CHAPTER 4 Functions of Studio Equipment and Visual Representations of All Parameters Section A: Volume Controls Faders Compressor/Limiters Noise Gates Section B: Equalizers Frequency (Pitch) Using Equalizers Section C: Panpots and Stereo Placement Section D: Time-Based Effects Delays Flangers, Choruses, and Phase Shifters Reverb Harmony Processors, Pitch Transposers, Octavers

CHAPTER 7 The Relationship of Musical Dynamics Created by Equipment to the Musical Dynamics Found in Music and Songs

76

121

CHAPTER 5 Traditions and Common "Musical Dynamics" Created With Studio Equipment The Dynamics in Music and Songs The Dynamics Created by the Equipment Section A: Volume Control Dynamics Fader Volume Levels Compressor/Limiters Noise Gates Section B: Equalization Dynamics Section C: Panning Dynamics Section D: Time-Based Effects Dynamics

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

119

122 APPENDIX A

123

116

APPENDIX B

CHAPTER 6 Styles of Mixes Using Combinations of Multiple Settings to Create High-Level Dynamics Creating a Context or Style of Mix Changing the Style of Mix in the Middle of the Song

126 INDEX

v

Visuals Visual 1. Visual 2. Visual 3. Visual 4. Visual 5. Visual 6. Visual 7. Visual 8. Visual 9. Visual 10. Visual 11. Visual 12. Visual 13. Visual 14. Visual 15. Visual 16. Visual 17. Visual 18. Visual 19. Visual 20. Visual 21. Visual 22. Visual 23. Visual 24. Visual 25. Visual 26. Visual 27. Visual 28. Visual 29. Visual 30. Visual 31. Visual 32. Visual 33. Visual 34. Visual 35.

Visual 36.

Sound Imaging (see color Visual) Structuring Mix (see color Visual) 11 Aspects of Recorded Piece of Music (see color Visual) Sound Waves: Traveling Compressed and Spaced Out Air Imaging in Head Brain in Head Dynamics Created With Studio Equipment Sound to Visuals: X, Y, Z Axes Panning: Left to Right Placement Volume: Front to Back Placement Frequency: Low to High Placement Frequencies in Us Song With Highs and Lows Highlighted Left and Right Boundaries of Imaging Imaging Limits Around Boom Box Imaging Limits Around Large PA Imaging Front and Back Boundaries Imaging Top and Bottom Boundaries Only Place Mix Occurs Large Orchestra Crowded Between Speakers (see color Visual) 3 Violins With Plenty of Space in Between (see color Visual) Movement of Sounds With Volume, Panning, EQ Solar Eclipse: Natural Masking Mud City 10 Bells Playing at Same Time Loud Bass Guitar Masking Rest of Mix Delay Longer Than 30ms Close to 1ms Delay Time Per Foot Fattening: