Melody makers

Posted on 4 Dec 2007 at 17:14

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Your recording is almost ready to go, but before you get the perfect sound you need the final mix. Ben Pitt explains the techniques needed to make sweet music sweeter.

All you need to produce professional- quality music is your PC, some low-cost hardware, software and the relevant know-how. In Shopper 238, we considered what extra equipment is needed and last month we explained how to use this equipment to record music; you'll find PDFs of both features on this month's cover disc. In this final instalment, we'll examine the techniques used to create a final mix. We looked at mixing in Shopper 203, and you'll find a PDF of this feature on the cover disc, too.

Identifying your objectives

Once the recording process is complete, the mix is your chance to gather all the pieces of the jigsaw puzzle and present them as a coherent whole. The jigsaw analogy is apt: mixing involves finding the best way to slot lots of disparate things together. However, there is no definitive right way to mix music. Some may argue that louder or heavier or clearer is better, but your criteria will depend on the musical genre, the point of the piece of music, the role of the various instruments and your own tastes.

Just as with the recording process, you should start your mix by considering what you can do to reinforce the composition. Should it by epic or intimate, smooth or aggressive, simple or complex, cosy or bleak? Build up a character profile of the music.

Next, think about the instruments you have recorded. Which are important, and which less so? When music has a vocal, that is usually the most important instrument in the mix, to the extent that every decision you make while mixing should have the ultimate aim of making the vocal sound great. If there isn't a lead vocal, decide which instrument or instruments are the main focus and treat them with the same reverence. Try to ascertain a pecking order for the other instruments. Are the drums and bass virtuoso performances, or do they just support the rest of the band? If there are two guitars, is one more important than the other? They might be equally crucial for creating the overall feel of the track, but a rhythm guitar part doesn't need to be as conspicuous as a lead guitar solo. Of course,the focus of attention may shift at different parts of the track, something we can accommodate using automation.

Consider the musical genre in which you are working. You don't have to mix your music in the same way as your contemporaries, but when it comes to music production there's no getting away from fashion, and listeners always draw comparisons. Following standard practices makes a statement about how the music should be perceived. Rejecting these practices makes just as big a statement. Most jazz and folk and all classical recordings aim to re-create the sound of a live performance, which means simulating the acoustics of instruments in a venue and avoiding surreal effects. Nothing is set in stone, but you should be aware of what your listeners would expect to hear so you can decide whether to follow or break conventions.

By the end of this process, you should have a clear set of objectives as to how you want your mix to sound. You might want a create a cosy, intimate but slightly vulnerable mood, with the focus on the lead vocal, followed by the guitar, with drums and bass next on the list of priorities, and keyboards and backing vocals at the bottom of the pecking order. Perhaps the lyrics have a strong narrative, so you might want a simple, stripped-down approach with no fussy special effects, so the listener focuses on the lyrics.