Practicing Mixing Explained
Studio guru Thomas Cochran presents a how to practice mixing video tutorial series! Learn to identify and address problems that can occur in your mixes, and how to remedy them quickly and easily, making for a better, more professional mix. These videos are designed for new and beginner mix engineers looking to improve their mixes, and includes downloadable wav files so you can follow along and mix in your DAW.
Starting a Mix
• Introduction (02:35) - Thomas welcomes you and introduces the course and discusses what will be covered, which is aimed at giving you the tools to identify and address problems in your mix.
• Setting Levels in Mono (14:21) - This video covers how to properly set levels in mono and why using mono can be helpful to achieve a balanced mix. By summing a whole mix down to mono it enables you to hear volume leveling more clearly.
• EQ in Mono (13:10) - Learn how using EQ in mono can be helpful to find hard to hear frequencies that are creating problems in your mixes. EQ-ing in mono also has the added benefit of bringing clarity to your mixes and prevent unnecessary frequency build up.
• Have an End Goal (11:28) - See how to approach mixing as a musical process rather than a technical process. Thinking with this musical end goal in mind will also help you craft mixes that tell a musical story for the listener.
While in the Mix
• Implementing Research (10:03) - This video covers how to analyze other mix engineer's signal chains and processing so that they can be worked into your mixing process. The example used in this video is how to deconstruct the recording process from the 1960's to help you achieve a more vintage sound.
• Don't Use Too Many Plug-ins (12:47) - Learn the benefits of simplifying your effects workflow to get better sounding results. This video also covers how to go about testing multiple types of effects, like compressors, to figure out which style of compression works best for your mix.
• Distortion Instead of EQ (11:01) - When you need a track to have added brightness to cut though a mix, additive EQ may add unwanted harshness. See how distortion and saturation can be used instead of additive EQ to make elements better cut though a mix.
• Creating Space with Panning (11:12) - Sometimes after applying EQ your mixes still lack the separation heard in professional mixes. This video covers how you can creatively use panning to achieve separation between elements so that a mix sounds clean and balanced.
• Working Efficiently with Busses (11:32) - Simplify your mixing process by using busses to fix problems in the mix. This not only speeds up your workflow, but enables you to address global problems in the mix with the use of EQ and parallel processing.
Finalizing A Mix
• Creative Use of Matching EQ (09:52) - Learn how to use matching EQ and reference tracks to get different ideas of how your mixes can be improved. This method enables you to quickly try out different mix options and identify problem frequencies that you might have missed.
• Analyzing Your Mix with Mid/Side (12:43) - Explore how analyzing a mix with Mid/Side encoders enables you to get a clearer overall sound. This technique will allow you to easily identify and address problematic frequencies that you may have missed.
• Final Thoughts & Conclusion (01:32) - This video covers some next steps and final ideas on how the concepts taught in the course can be applied to your mixing process.