kombainera wrote: ↑Sun Oct 29, 2023 07:06 CET
I'm really sorry that there are no songs in the song pool, but there's nothing I can do about it. I want to ask the experienced ones how do you actually approach when you start mixing gain stage wise. My way is to normalize all the files in the project to -18 true peak db, in this way I am sure that I give a suitable level first for all plugins then for summing busses and mix bus. It can be a little quiet in general but it's not a problem at least for me because I can amplify the signal in many places so that I can hear it at suitable levels. If it is mixed through a mastering chain its natural got loader when a compressor is added and saturation. If i need to send something for mastering i think its better to have a lot more headroom then to send a mix at -3. Is this the best way or are there better practices? In 64 bit float point summing gain stage is more or less not needed at all since u can adjust at the mix buss at any time but its not the same with the plugins it matters how hard i hit them at least for me.
I click into all or most tracks, to judge if they sound "normal".
Knowing, what everything is, I set up my tree bus structure.
For Rock, eg.I have snare bus for 3-4 components, kick bus similar, snare+kick bus (musically this creates a total signature with the compressors on that one), ((check out how snare and kick interact in my mix)),
tom bus, brass bus (overheads, cymbals, hihat..), room bus.
Finally, complete drum bus.
Then, bass bus (lo high frequency components..), and DR+ BASS bus which is the ideal grip on the whole rhythm section where I can limit overs and adjust subsonic finetuning.
but back to the concept. with the bus structure, it is very easy to make a rough mix, as follows, using bus solo buttons.
then I set all
track faders to -18 (which is set as default anyway, my DAW is treating a volume fader no different than any other plugin, I can have as many as I want in 1 trk),
and the bus faders to 0.
then I try a rough mix with faders and panning, while I have already a mild compression on the master bus.
I should end up with audible, palpatable levels. I can use faders and the compressor input knob on the master bus.
So, when I get out some reasonable sound already, I can also see whether the relative track volumes are a conscious hint by the producer and give me some impression about the purpose and meaning.
If that thing turns out chaotic and cacaphony, then I run it through EZ-CD, that gives me volume normalizing of every track in a few seconds, so I could set that simply to -18 (for tracks that are playing most time throughout the song, the others like short effects I must add later, when I have a soundscape already).
In this case I begin to build up some soundscape with the volumes and pans as I like it, and can see how I can use some elements or not. I need to check out, at what time in the song this instrument plays something relevant at all.
So you see, this is mainly experience, which comes from hard work.
The concept of the particular project goes before formula.
To start with -18dB is safe, when the tracks have usual recording levels. Usual plugins are supposed to handle that.
If a plugin somehow feels insulted, I look up if there are specs for operation, anyway I can adjust clip gain for this track, or put a volume fader before that plugin, and then correct the general track fader.
For me, it works with a track count between 16 and 60. That's because the drums are supposed to have a certain level anyway, no matter what else is happening.
The secret to manage many tracks is a musical concept for the bus structure, and to lower the bus faders of orchestral etc.elements that need detail work later.
If there is a demo mix, then what you hear (instruments, effects) is what is important to the artist. Never forget about that.
If it's acoustic singer-songwriter, I start with vocals and the best playing musician, eg. a great pianist.
These must serve me a reasonable output level and balance, else I adjust clip gains.
My 2 cents, everyone can develop their own concept and signature sound,
