Have you ever had to mix a vocal performance that just sounded dull? Maybe the singer didn’t put enough energy or attitude into it and now you’re left with a mediocre take that doesn’t quite match the excitement of the music. Ideally, you’d get the singer to redo the take; but sometimes, it’s too late […]
Getting a perfect vocal take can sometimes be a really long process. Perhaps your singer is having an off day or they’re feeling self-conscious and just can’t seem to nail their part in one take. This is a very common issue. And the reality of it is that the more you push a singer to […]
Do you find that your vocals often sound buried in your tracks? Do you have trouble getting them to stand out so that every word is heard? Vocals are THE most important element of every mix. Every detail needs to be carefully considered so that they are heard clearly. Most engineers will spend the bulk […]
If you were to turn on the radio and listen to the top 20 songs right now, I’d guarantee that 19 out of 20 of them are loaded with drum samples that were used to enhance the overall size and tone of the drums. Are you using samples in your mixes? If not, why? There […]
Do you ever find that when you’re mixing drums, they seem to just sound too thin or like they’re lacking clarity and definition? The first thing most people do in this situation is reach for an EQ. While this may help, there’s another step you should actually be doing first that will save you so […]
Do you struggle with getting your snares to sound big and punchy in dense mixes? Maybe you’re constantly fighting to get enough volume out of your snares to make them sound like they’re right in your face. If so, you have to check out this new video I made on mixing snare for rock music. […]
One question I often get asked is: “How do you create separation between the kick and bass?” I’ve decided to make a video to show one technique that I often use to create a tighter pocket for my kicks. In this video, I’m going to show you how to use sidechain compression in order to […]
If you’re anything like me, you’ve probably had a really bad case of GAS at some point in your career. No, not THAT kind of GAS. I’m talking about Gear Acquisition Syndrome. I remember when I first started engineering, I would read all sorts of posts online and in magazines saying “you need to have […]
One of the biggest questions I get asked is “how do you know your mix is done?” This is a dilemma that every mixing engineer has encountered at some point in their lives; and depending on your workflow, it can have a major effect on your skill level, income and sanity. I remember asking a […]
I listen to a lot of recordings when I’m mastering and one of the biggest issues I see is that a lot of people have trouble getting the kick drum to be big and clear. All too often, they sound thin, too boomy, or just not audible enough in the mix. If you find yourself […]
