Good Mix, Great Master
Although mastering is a crucial step in any professional release, there is always a limit to how much any recording can be enhanced during the mastering process. A bad mix will always be a bad mix; that is a very important fact to remember. A bad mix can certainly be improved during mastering, often producing excellent results, but don’t expect miracles! The same also applies to mixing, if you spend time choosing the best microphones / microphone positions, and manage to get a great sound before mixing has even begun, then you are already on to a winner.
Equalization
Equalization should always be a last step; so for example. If you record an acoustic track but feel that it doesn’t have the brightness that you hoped for, don’t assume a high-shelf boost during the mix will correct the issue. A boost will not only raise the level of the audio you recorded, but also the noise within the signal. Lowering the noise/signal ratio in such a way can have disastrous effects on a mix, especially if techniques like this are carried out on several tracks. Of course, the best way to correct this problem is to re-record it, with a revised mic position or a different microphone.
If re-recording is not an option and alterations such as in the acoustic example above are needed, then always try to fix the issue with an EQ cut, rather than a boost. So instead of boosting the high end, try applying a high-pass filter to the signal – this approach can clear up a mix tremendously, especially in the case of an acoustic guitar; you may feel that when you solo the acoustic track it sounds too weak, but listen to it with the whole mix, you may be pleasantly surprised.
Loudness
One of the most common mistake during the mixing process is trying to achieve loudness. One of the worst things you can do to a mix is maximize every track, then compress the whole mix, and then send it to a mastering engineer who may compress, limit and maximize it all over again.. Dynamic processing is a very important part of recording to create more ‘punch’ and achieve consistency throughout the track, but don’t over abuse your tracks with dynamic alterations. A common misconception is that people confuse recording with mixing; getting a strong level during recording is desirable to increase the signal/noise ratio, but during mixing its best to get a ’safe’ level and leave plenty of headroom for mastering. I have received many tracks which are too loud, but almost never a track that is too quiet, so bear that in mind before exporting/rendering your mixes.
Stem Mixes
If you are unsure about a mix and would like to keep a few options open, create stem mixes. For example, mix the drums exactly as you would like them and render them to a single stereo track. If you do this for each section you feel appropriate (i.e. Vocals, strings, brass), the mastering engineer can create several mixes for you to choose from, and alterations such as ‘vocals up’ will become a much easier process.
Many people would agree that this article could go on forever; there are many tips and tricks to help you get a good mix, but in the end it all boils down to using your ears. Getting a good sound is not entirely something you can learn out of a textbook. Experimentation will go a long way, but remember more often than not, less is more – if it doesn’t make it sound better, take it off.
