Mastering your own music page 1 accurate monitoring and and an acoustically treated studio dedicated to mastering, but more importantly experience and an unbiased opinion. If you mix in mono, you eventually will come to the point when you need to do some panning and other changes to build a stereo image. Panning is not really an issue when youre creating a mono mixsuch as. For example, if producing a hard rock song, the mix will probably feature prominent electric guitars and. A visual guide to recording, engineering, and production. Mono compatibility is something that you need to take into serious consideration while mixing because this is how many of your listeners will hear your song. When mixing in mono you will find that youll trust your ears more and will be able to mix at lower levels. So there you go, the only 16 mixing tips you will ever need.
Quickly gain new perspectives that will increase your inspiration and spark your creativity. Luckily, midside processors are more common than ever, so you can strike the perfect balance between width and mono compatibility. The importance of mixing in mono despite that stereo systems were invented over half a century ago and multiple channel speakers configurations are the standard in cinemas and home theaters systems for the last twenty years or so, mixing in mono, or at least checking a mix in mono is still crucial. Feb 14, 2020 the beach boys, the beatles, pink floyd, and many more released masterpieces all mono and up the center with crystal clear clarity. After youve addressed any problematic frequencies in the vocal, its time to start adding some character. Todays is so foundational that its really worth more than one days tip. Anyway, in terms of mixing to mono, im a bit unclear on what works the best. Being able to mix at lower levels will then, in turn, reduce ear fatigue, especially when working on a mix for hours on end. However, when i listen to them, they are mono 90% of the time. In the end, it is the blend of these two approaches that is essential to effectively using reverb in a mix 2.
So what i do is, in pro tools separate the track to mono an keep on of those new tracks. The main reason for checking the derived mono from a stereo mix is to make sure it still works for mono listeners, and there can be a lot of them. Panning is not really an issue when youre creating a mono mixsuch as when youre feeding a mono. If you regularly check your mixes in mono, youll never run into stereo problems. Your mixing board, whether digital or physical, will feature a toggle button to collapse your mix from stereo to mono. One of the best tips i have ever recieved was to mix in mono. The way we combine tracks is equal parts art and science, and involves utilizing a variety of tools to bring out the most emotional. Jan 16, 2017 if mixing in mono for better stereo results sounds counterintuitive right now, watch as ryan takes you through some of the benefits on a huge multitrack production by songwriter matt tinsley. So make sure to always check your mixes in mono, fix those stereo effects to work in mono, and pan your instrument in mono for better separation. Furthermore, if you dont have any other option than wiring dissimilar panels, you should know that. I mix the entire song in mono on my behringer behritone mixcube monitor. Sep 18, 2017 in this video you will learn how to mix in mono and why mixing in mono is important. Because duocal is an unflavored and super soluble powder, it.
Im trying to figure out how to get reason to sum the tracks to mono so that i can do all of my mixing. Thank him by retweeting or checking out some of slate digitals awesome plugins. So, if you want to pick up a couple more techniques that will enhance your mixes, click the link in the description below or up there in the video to download this free pdf right now. For example, if producing a hard rock song, the mix will probably feature prominent electric guitars and drums with a punchy sound. For instance, its common to have a heavy low end when mixing hiphop vocals to add a sense of power, to boost the midrange when mixing rock vocals to help cut through a dense mix, or to boost the high end in pop vocals to add presence. Super soluble duocal is a high calorie, proteinfree nutritional supplement that can be added to foods and beverages when additional calories are required. Jan 05, 2012 anyway, in terms of mixing to mono, im a bit unclear on what works the best. Superwide mixes often sound impressive in stereo, but this isnt much good if carefullyadjusted frequency and dynamic relationships crumble over a mono playback system.
Also, the added but very important bonus of mixing in mono is that big wide effects sound great in stereo, but can distract you from the more important task of balancing the levels of the various track elements. Simply drop a plugin on your master bus that allows you to sum the left and right channels into one channel and enjoy some of the benefits of mixing in mono. Mixing different panels, whether connected in series or in parallel, always reduces the installed wattage. When youve got too many signals in the same frequency range and your mix is getting super muddy, its easy enough to just push things off to one side to solve it. If mixing completely in mono isnt for you, remember to check your mix in mono frequently. Should i merely center all my tracks on my daw this would mean any stereo effects would still be heard or do i want to add a mono plugin, essentially cutting all stereo sounds and making everything 100% center. We find this especially useful when trying to eq and get elements in the mid range to sit well together. So we try and share some of our knowledge and experience that we. One of the simpler tricks to do this is to listen to your mix in mono toward the end of the mixing process. The importance of mono in a stereo mix pro audio files.
The beach boys, the beatles, pink floyd, and many more released masterpieces all mono and up the center with crystal clear clarity. Below you will find some good mixing tips on how to get width and depth in your mix. If you feel overwhelmed right now and you are not really sure where you are going wrong, keep watching, because in this video, you are going to learn the only 16 mixing tips that youll ever need. Audio mixing tips mastering tips recording techniques.
Achieve commercial sounding recordings using only vst plugins and mixing in the box, welcome to the best home recording studio blog tips on the net. Stems in mastering are not meant to be a substitute for a bad mix, nor a mix fixer, but they can be used in the mastering process to polish or aid a very good mix with less compromise than a full mix. I want to mix on a behringer behritone auratone imitation which only has one input and when you only plug in the left channel trs cable, any sounds from the right channel like reverbs or delays in a patch disappear. Aug 24, 2017 in the end, it is the blend of these two approaches that is essential to effectively using reverb in a mix 2. These gold nuggets of mixing audio production wisdom are insights into doing something small to make a huge impact. If mixing in mono for better stereo results sounds counterintuitive right now, watch as ryan takes you through some of the benefits on a huge multitrack production by songwriter matt tinsley. Simply drop a plugin on your master bus that allows you to sum the left and right channels into one channel.
Steven slate has been dropping knowledge on twitter for a long time, so i thought id round up all his mixing tips and put them on one page for you to read. Effects are digital processes that take an original, or odry,o signal and turn it into something else. In this context you may find that some instruments fight for space. Mixing in mono is a fantastic way to learn to clean up your mix without relying on things like panning. Thats why i think you shouldnt sacrifice your stereo mix for mono compatibility as long as it doesnt collapse in mono. Mixing in mono isnt for everyone, but there can be some great advantages in doing so. Mono is your friend mixing in mono lets you avoid stereo problems. Try listening to your mix in mono to deal with masking. Mixing tip number 11 is to mix in mono for the majority of your mix. Mixing in mono is more than a gimmick, it is an opportunity to simplify, limit your options, and focus your ears on the tracks.
Width and depth in an audio mix will create the illusion of three dimensions on a stereo field. Have i read the soundcraft guide to mixing from cover to cover. Ive read a lot of articles about the benefits of mixing in mono. There certainly are some advantages to mixing in mono. Anything that helps you evaluate your mix decisions in this way is a good thing in my book.
In this video you will learn how to mix in mono and why mixing in mono is important. Simply add a utility plugin on your master bus that allows you to sum your mix to mono. To check how your mix sounds in mono, you could use the ozone stereo. A highquality mix is 80% the recording and 20% the mix. Add some chorus or stereo delay to a part to make it seem wider. If youve not tried it before, we suggest you give it a go on your next mix. There are a couple of easy effects and tricks we can use to create different stereo.
Dec 02, 2014 keep reading with importance of mono in a stereo mix part 2. Friday tips why mono matters for mixing presonus blog. Headphones, laptop speakers, hifi systems and car speakers are all commonly used stereo systems. Tracks are blended using various processes such as eq, compression and reverb. So is pressing the mono button on your daws stereo output and turning off one of your stereo monitors the way to go. Connect your processor to the relevant mixer insert jack. I went from doubting if i could ever do this audio mixing thing, to proving to my self that i could. The idea is that if your mix already sounds good in mono, it will inevitably sound good when the stereo field is introduced. General idea of mixing, mono mixing and stereo mixing sound. A great mixing technique that is used by some of the worlds leading engineers is to mix in mono. Aug 02, 2019 friday tips why mono matters for mixing august 2, 2019 by craig anderton with the ideal mix, the balance among instruments is perfect, and you can hear every instrument or instrument section clearly and distinctly. This way youre not going to get surprised by phasing or huge volume changes at the end of your mixing process.
Use eq to adjust the instrument that is causing the problem. Basics of mixing 5 panning is not really an issue when youore creating a mono mixnsuch as when youore feeding a mono pansince the same sound comes out of all of your speakers. Let me give you some mixing tips for starting your mix. When learning how to mix music, mixing in mono is one of the most important tools you need to learn first. However, panned elements of a mix can still cause masking if converted to mono. Fwiw after there are 100 tips, i plan to update them, categorize them, and publish them as an ebook that you can print out at a kinkos or whatever. I have a really nice big synth sound that sounds absolutely amazing in stereo but when i put it in mono it sounds quite bad. A mono mix however, will sound just as great on a stereo system. Voco has stood for particularly reliable brand quality in the field of restorative materials among others for a long time now. But if you just want to learn about vocals specifically, keep reading. If the guitars panned out to the edges of your stereo image disappear on a mono bluetooth speaker, it. The continuous positive development is reflected not only in the expansion of the site, but also in the expanded product range. As a rule of thumb i would say just make sure that the fundamentals of your mix kick and bass are working in both, mono and stereo.
You can help it a little for sure, but id first be concerned about making it acceptable stereo rather than focus for mono compatibility. Stereo width and depth mixing tips and techniques width and depth in an audio mix will create the illusion of three dimensions on a stereo field. Oct 20, 2010 mixing in mono is more than a gimmick, it is an opportunity to simplify, limit your options, and focus your ears on the tracks. I go in depth on each matter and explain how you can achieve huge wide mixes that will sound massive when. Mixing solar panels dos and donts solar panel secrets.
I heard mono first mixing is quite a solid technique. If you dont know anything about mixing or mixing software, this guide is a great. However, dont worry too much about how your mix sound in mono as you need that stereo depth and wideness in your mixes as well and after all. The only 16 mixing tips youll ever need tip 1 get it right at the source if you are recording and mixing the same track, spend more time and effort on the recording phase. Most daws or mixing boards have a button to test your mix out in mono. One hack you can use to make sure this does not happen is to mix in mono. So here are three of the many reasons why you should be mixing in mono. The goal of mixing is to bring out the best in your multitrack recording by adjusting levels, panning, and timebased audio effects chorus, reverb, delay. If you want more mono and stereo mixing tricks, check out mixing strategies.
For example, the first nanohybrid composite, grandio, was released on the market in 2003. Sometimes mixing is a matter of hearing your music in a few different ways, to bring out any changes that need to be made. Making sound is available now, a new ebook filled with 15 chapters of practical techniques for sound design, production, mixing and more. And what this helps you to do is really create separation with volume balancing and eq and automation, rather than relying on panning. Ive had a quick go from one speaker and mono switch, but it was a bit of a mess, to be. Mixing is frequently the first thing we associate with the recording studio. If the guitars panned out to the edges of your stereo image disappear on a mono bluetooth speaker, it could vastly change the way they experience the track. The mixing engineer and producer usually have several goals with the mixing process. The most common problem i hear from people is that their mixes dont translate into real world listening environments. Copy vox, push wide 4khz bell, compress extremely hard w fast release, mix in subtly for extra pop. My notebook is filled with audio mixing tips and tricks from the gurus of tech 20 conference.
We try to anticipate questions you may have about audio recording, audio mixing and music production techniques. May 27, 20 these gold nuggets of mixing audio production wisdom are insights into doing something small to make a huge impact. In addition to the ten installments above, the supplemental video package goes into greater depths about the nature of all these mistakes. Sure, its a good thing to check, and good mono is usually healthy stereo, too but in all honesty theres pretty little a mastering engineer can do to a mix that falls apart in mono. I go in depth on each matter and explain how you can achieve huge wide mixes that. Checking your mix in mono is a great way to make sure all your stereo delays and processors wont sabotage your mix. You can help it a little for sure, but id first be concerned about making it acceptable stereo rather than focus for. But the mixing in low is something i have never heard of before. But before we dive in, i also put together a free pdf with five more of my favorite mixing techniques just like mixing in mono. Mixing in mono while occasionally checking your mix in mono is crucial, a better option is to start in mono from the very beginning. Mixing your track in mono allows you to avoid these problems. Inserting a reverb plugin directly to an audio track is the quickest way to add a reverb effect, but greatly limits your ability to process the source audio and reverb effect independently.
Ive come to find out that it can help you discover some real gremlins that like to hide in mixes. I receive a lot of tracks for mixing from artists who have their vocal tracks in stereo. Keep reading with importance of mono in a stereo mix part 2. Audio mixing is the process of taking recorded tracks and blending them together. Jan 5, 2012 5 minutes to a better mix, audio example, mixing, plugins, pro tools, tips, video 35 comments. Because duocal is an unflavored and super soluble powder, it can be added to. Jan 21, 2020 spent hours learning about mixing but feel like you are not getting anywhere. Mixing in mono is usually a reference technique to make sure the song sounds good for playback on mono systems like some clubs, radiobroadcasting stations, stores, etc. General idea of mixing, mono mixing and stereo mixing.