Mixing Tutorial - Part Two

[Gober]

Mixing Tutorial Part Two
Sambungan dari tutorial sebelumnya yang bisa dibaca disini :
http://www.ravelex.net/forum/index.php?topic=29185.0

Your mixing reference tools / your 2nd ear

Tentunya diluar ketidaksempurnaaan ruangan, fasilitas alat maupun diri kita diri kita sebagai SDM, tentunya ada tools tools / plugin yang bersifat sebagai "eye reference" kita untuk mengetahui karakter / detail maupun masalah yang terletak baik pada individual track maupun overall mix kita. Dari sekian banyak reference plugin yang ada, berikut 3 tools dasar yang dapat digunakan.

Level Meter
Tools paling dasar dan necessary untuk mengetahui tingkat level / kekerasan Dari masing2 maupun combined track kita dalam mixing, tentunya untuk juga mengambil jugdement akan "Dynamic" Dari track tersebut ( apabila tidak berupa waveform)

Basicnya dibelah dalam 2 standard ukuran :
DBFS / Full Scale : default set, mengukur tingakat kekerasan track secara "digitally" mengukur kekerasan Dari keseluruhan gelombang frequency secara realtime

RMS : Mengukur Base Frequency Gain Power, overall Loudness Power, biasanya hanya digunakan dalam aplikasi mastering.



( kedua pemahaman dan scope Dari meter diatas akan dibahas lebih lanjut pada Sub topic "mastering")

Spectrum Frequency
Adalah tools untuk mengukur atau memvisualisasikan range frequency keseluruhan ( 20hz – 16khz ) Dari tracks yang sedang kita kerjakan. Tentunya ini amat beguna untuk "mengenali" track tersebut dalam prose's filtering maupun EQing.



Stereo Phase Scope



ADALAH tools yang dapat digunakan untuk mengukur atau melihat dimensi stereo, biasanya digunakan pada master bus stereo untuk melihat "balance" penempatan masing track dan harmonisasinya dalam menciptakan stereo track yang menyebar merata, maupun tuntuk menghindari over panning left atau right yang tidak merata.


Tracks Priority, panning & leveling



Adalah suatu Approach yang cukup baik untuk dapat menentukan Level priority masing masing Tracks dalam suatu prose's Mixing. Tentunya karena kita mengetahui bahwa Dance track adalah typical lagu yang "Rhythm Based" maka sudah tentu "the king" atau prioritas utama dalam membangun fondasi mixing adalah KICK Drum.
Maka berikut adalah contoh pola GAIN STAGING awal Dari suatu mixing process, dengan Peak DBFS : -6db average
Lakukan pattern balancing awal hanya dengan menggunakan Volume Fader & panning saja dahulu sebagai pola eksperimen, maupun dasar untuk memulai mixing.

Drum & rhythm Pattern group
Base Kick : -8 db :  Mono
Baseline : -9 / - 10db ( hindari SUM / Intersample Peaks dengan KicK ) : Center based equally pan
Snare : -13db : 10% panning tergantung typical
Claps :  -10 / -11db ( hindari SUM / Intersample peaks dengan kick yang melebihi 2db Dari kick volume )  Center based equally pan
Hihats, rides & shakers : - 16 s/d – 13db ( tergantung sample )
Letakkan merata 20% - 30% panning left and right secara seimbang
Extra percussion : Level yang setara atau dibawah Claps, sesuai dengan prioritas / "standout"
40% up to 60% panning ( namun jangan sampai "loss" dalam mono check)

Timbre & Main Lead Group
Main Lead Synth : maksimum -2db dibawah level maksimum kick drum
Arp Rythm Synth : Setara dengan Level Baseline atau dibawahnya  apabila terjadi SUM / Intersample Peaks
Main Vocal : Setara dengan level main synth, namun perhatikan frequency atau tonal Dari synth dengan karakter / range frequency vocal, untuk menghindari tabrakan frekuansi yang "obvious"

Apparel & FX Group
Pad / ambient Synth : -18 / -14db tergantung Gain n karakter placement dalam overall tracks
Pink Noise & Sweeps : Dalam Range Gain yang setara / unity dengan Range Hihat & Shakers drums sebagai enhancer hiss / hi-frequency
Pada tahap awal ini, untuk menghindari Intersample Peaks / SUM Dari frequency yang bertabrakan, maka boleh dilakukan adjustment seperti Sidechain compressor dan adjusting Attack ratio secukupnya.
Dengan gambaran staging seperti ini, semoga teman teman telah memiliki gambaran overall mix result dengan drum sebagai track base terkeras ( -8db ) dan ruangan terjadinya SUM / intersample Peaks adalah sebesar 2db dengan nilai : -6dbfs sebagai peak average terkeras Dari hasil mixing kita.
Dengan ini teman2 telah dapat cukup menghasilkan basic balanced mix yang memiliki dynamic yang proper untuk diproses lebih lanjut lagi

Good source : GAIN VS FADER
Waktu kita remixing, Sound selection tentunya menjadi salah satu essence atau aspek penting. Masalahnya adalah, belum tentu semua sample ( baik Dari sound bank maupun mp3 yang kita chopping ) maupun plugin instrument yang kita pilih relatif memiliki "basic gain' atau kekerasan yang sama.
Dan seringkali saya melihat adjusting / balancing Dari leveling ini adalah dilakukan dengan mengadjust LEVEL fader pada DAW. Sehingga seringkali pula teman2 pada akhirnya mem-push loudness Dari track ini dengan mengangkat fader bahkan melebihi nilai 0db.
Pun dengan alhasil bahwa sekalipun track channel yang akan diangkat telah melebihi level yang lain< suaranya tetap terdengar rendah maupun tidak solid, dan bahkan pecah.

SOLUSI
Gunakan GAIN ( plugin maupun pre channel strip ) untuk mengejar "HOTNESS" Dari source track tersebut bukan daripada fader di DAW meter kita. Fader di mixer DAW pada dasarnya di desain untuk "reduce" dan adjusting headroom pada masing masing track, bukan untuk membuatnya menjadi keras.

Cobalah bereksperimen dan mengcompare hasil antara suatu track yang diangkat secara fader maupun  dengan GAIN yang diletakkan sebelum plugin insert apapun, perhatikan perbedaannya antara Loudness di meter DBFSnya dan terutama perbedaan amplifikasi suaranya.

NB :
Adalah suatu approach yang boleh "dicoba" untuk meletakkan gain utility / plugin di setiap channel strip pada seluruh track kita sebelum mixing, dan melakukan boost semaximal mungkin ( sebelum terdengar clipping / penurunan kualitas pada suara channel tersebut) dan baru pada akhirnya menggunakan fader, hanya untuk melakukan "Pull-Down" untuk mengadjust volume, sehingga status Dari masing masing track sebelum mixing process adalah se"HOT" dan se"OPEN" mungkin, sebagai kompensasi Dari good source sample.

Bersambung ke part 3...

Ditulis oleh Marcell (Adagio) - Whitelands
Moderator Ravelex untuk forum Ableton Live Support

[Dj R'AngeL]

Superb !! thank u paman !!

[jabro]

ilmu yang benar2 berguna...gw lagi print nih part 1nya..abis ini part 2 gw print juga buat jadi 'buku wajib'...tengkyu brother

[sense]

Pertanyaaaaaan 

Kalo hihatnya segambreng mixingnya gimana yah, biar tetep jernih & gemerincingnya kedengeran?

[DJFoo]

Pertanyaaaaaan 

Kalo hihatnya segambreng mixingnya gimana yah, biar tetep jernih & gemerincingnya kedengeran?

Filtering aj bro buat masing2 hat . .
Hehehe . . .
Sama panning kiri kanan masing2 tergantung selera . . :p

[olis]

Pertanyaaaaaan 

Kalo hihatnya segambreng mixingnya gimana yah, biar tetep jernih & gemerincingnya kedengeran?

kalau aku sih pakai teknik EQ-ing, dengan "mematikan" frekuensi yg "kosong", terus tinggal main2 dengan frekuensi yg bunyi itu sesuai selera... tapi jangkauannya ya seperti yg disebutkan di atas, biar ga berisik dan masih bisa terdengar dengan enak....

[sense]

@Foo & Olis:  langsung dicoba & kayaknya mendingan nih 
ternyata selama ini gw males jarang ngecekin freq tiap channel 

[Gober]

ini yg nulis Adagio, not me... you should thank him..

[olis]

@Foo & Olis:  langsung dicoba & kayaknya mendingan nih 
ternyata selama ini gw males jarang ngecekin freq tiap channel 

kalau gw sih kalau projek udah jadi diperiksa lagi frekuensi2nya....

[DJ Rangga_Electros]

@Foo & Olis:  langsung dicoba & kayaknya mendingan nih 
ternyata selama ini gw males jarang ngecekin freq tiap channel 

kalau gw sih kalau projek udah jadi diperiksa lagi frekuensi2nya....

Sama bro, gw juga kalo udah selesai bkin pattern lagu ampe abis baru tinggal meriksa perintilan frequency biar tambah enak di denger di kuping. tapi emang gak sebentar, perlu waktu agak lama untuk mixing lagu ampe bagus.

[AdaGio]

keep the disscussion flowing... yippie

[egha]

@ all : ini cuma sekedar masukan aja ya teman, coba skrg kalo ngoprasiin EQ jgn biasain sweeping, biarkan kuping anda bekerja ( coba langsung tebak kira2 di freq brp yg bakal diperkosa  ) soalnya emg sih sweeping mungkin lebih tepat tp ga ada salahnya kita ngetrain kuping kita . . coba2 aja, awal2 sih emg berat gw juga ampe skrg masih suka sweep sih kalo udh nyerah . CMIIW 

[DJFoo]

@egha
Susah klo g sweeping,wkwkwk . . . 
Emang hrus dibiasain sih tapi,ntar lama2 pasti bisa . .
Hehehe . . . 

[sense]

Klo gw biasanya abis bikin pattern meski cuma 1 bar lgsg gw mix (seenak kuping, gak pake analyzer). Besoknya pas didengerin jadinya amburadul, coba mix lagi, save as new version. Besoknya didengerin masih amburadul juga, ulang lagi, nyampah berhari2 sampe bosen akhirnya malah bikin baru   

*jangan ditiru

Btw, kadang2 pas dibikin bersih gitu kok jadi kurang greget yah?

[Dj R'AngeL]

klo samples ny sudah berada di EQ ny yg tepat.. ga usah di rubah lg..
yg pnting mix balance and paning nya..
biar ga numpuuk gt. hihihi...

[egha]

klo samples ny sudah berada di EQ ny yg tepat.. ga usah di rubah lg..
yg pnting mix balance and paning nya..
biar ga numpuuk gt. hihihi...

yoi sah2 aja kok . . disini mah ga ada hukum2 yg mengikat kok 

dari pd cape mixing mending sejenak refreshing sambil nonton skandal mas ariel sama mbak luna . . 

[Dj R'AngeL]

klo samples ny sudah berada di EQ ny yg tepat.. ga usah di rubah lg..
yg pnting mix balance and paning nya..
biar ga numpuuk gt. hihihi...

yoi sah2 aja kok . . disini mah ga ada hukum2 yg mengikat kok 

dari pd cape mixing mending sejenak refreshing sambil nonton skandal mas ariel sama mbak luna . . 

huuuusss.. hueuheuhe...
kudu di mastering itu mah!! hueuhe..

[Jhone]

Pump up the Jam – A DJs guide to Mastering

You're a hardworking DJ, and have probably started to make a few edits and remixes that sound great in the studio, but in the club just don't pump like the latest releases. Why is that? What secrets do the pros know that you don't?

Well in most cases the answer lies in one word—mastering. In order to shed some light on this often misunderstood art, I caught up with John Cuniberti, one of the world's leading gurus in mastering, to shed some light on his mystic process. With a discography and client list that reads like a Who's Who of the music world (ranging from Stevie Wonder to DJ Shadow), heavy involvement in hardware and software development, and countless years of experience, perhaps he can give us a better insight...


Q&A WITH MASTERING EXPERT JOHN CUNIBERTI

Can you tell us what mastering actually is?

JC: Mastering is the last creative process in the production chain, and the final technical check before replication. Generally speaking, the goal is to make it as easy as possible for the listener to get through the CD without needing to adjust playback volume and EQ. This is accomplished with equalization, compression, and/or limiting. In the right hands, mastering can transform a collection of good mixes into a great album.

Why is this not achieved at mix-down, and why is mastering the magic ingredient?

JC: Many independent CD projects are being recorded and mixed in less than ideal environments. Compromises in room acoustics in these 'project studios' prevent the engineer from realizing the true nature (the balance) of their mix. Inconsistencies from song to song can also exist if more than one person is mixing the project in different studios using different engineers and equipment. Mastering helps create consistency within the CD, and assures the artist that their CD will fit within the accepted standards of quality found in most major label releases.

With so many single releases in EDM, has the mastering process changed?

JC: It hasn't changed, but mastering for a single doesn't include many of the steps and considerations of an album. The focus is making the single track sound as good as possible, not adjusting it to fit with the other material on the album.

So at what point should artists seek professional dedicated mastering?

JC: If the artist is unsure about the state of their mixes, it's advisable to seek advice from a trusted mastering engineer.

For professional mastering, what file type should people use for the tracks they submit?

JC: .wav or .aif in split mono or stereo interleaved. They can be delivered on a disc, hard drive, or uploaded to an FTP.

We now have an understanding of the definition of mastering and, in an ideal world, we would all send our tracks off to established, qualified mastering engineers. But, as we know, things are not that simple. More often than not we have to produce records 'on spec' and, owing to financial constraints with no guarantee of release or commercial success, we must usually attempt to make the tracks sound as good as possible ourselves. Fortunately, there are plug-ins that can help achieve this. So let's bring Sonny Wharton and Digital Impression into the fray. As regular lurkers around the top of the Beatport and dance charts, Sonny (recently famous for the international smash "Brass") and DI are far from strangers to this situation.

AND FROM THE PRO SIDE

How do you guys approach your personal mastering?

SW: I run all my channels quite low, at around the -20db to -30db kinda range, and then boost everything on the master bus through Logic's gain plug-in before routing it into T-rackS Deluxe 3. On T-rackS I run an EQ into the compressor, then into a limiter, and finally a soft clipper. Through the EQ I generally cut the bass slightly and sometimes add a little boost on the top end, but obviously this can vary depending on the track and the mix.

Here is a shot of Sonny's Screen:

Do you master after the fact, or build a song with mastering on?

SW: Personally, I generally build the track and mix it with everything already on the master bus due to time constraints and knowing where the track is going, although I do bypass it from time to time throughout the session just to reference the track.

DI: Yeah, this is a good way of working with the short time frames involved in a lot of modern dance; you just have to be careful your EQs aren't fighting, but I tend mix into a bus compressor, usually "The Glue."

Do you do all your own mastering or do you also send tracks to mastering engineers?

SW: If it's a big release or something I feel would benefit from a professional engineer then I'll send it for mastering, but for me it is generally the cost issue that prevents me from doing this with every track. The release on Size records I did with Ant & Paul called "Brass" was mastered by us in the way I described earlier.

DI: For me it simply is the cost issue. Let's not kid ourselves, a lot of tracks released aren't going to shift the units for it to make financial sense! Sure, if it looks like it's going to do well and a label commissions it, I will ALWAYS send it to an engineer to master; they can do it far more justice than we can!

OK... So, back to John, our mastering expert: what can you guys do that the artists can't do themselves?

JC: Nothing if they are willing develop their hearing, buy the right gear and practice the art.

Let's face it, recording artists started producing their own records in the late 60s, then by the late 80s were recording and mixing their own stuff at home. Now with just a computer, one can master a CD and send it off for replication just like the big boys. Here is the problem: in most cases by the time the mixing is done, the artist is sick of hearing the record and has lost objectivity. Handing it over to a professional mastering engineer is money well spent and will produce a better product 99% of the time. I rarely master records I mix.

SW: I agree you can lose objectivity, and sometimes I send stuff to DI to tweak, after all, he has some nice outboard gear too!

If our readers are mastering their own tracks, what are the pitfalls to watch out for?

JC: They should not overdo the processing. Both radio and, in most cases, clubs have a chain of compression and EQ already in place. I would suggest a moderate use of a digital look-ahead peak limiter to set the output ceiling to .5 dB below full scale (0) to prevent overs, and 3–4dB of peak limiting to get the material relatively "loud." Be careful of EQ unless you can really trust your speakers.

SW: Yeah! Destroying the dynamics of the track by smashing the heck out of it is probably the most obvious thing—everyone seems to be trying to get their stuff the loudest and this can often result in ruining the fundamental depth and warmth that makes electronic music so good.

Sonny, DI, has everything you guys play out to test had some form of mastering?

SW: Yes, everything. I wouldn't like to play something out unless I'd mastered it first.

DI: Exactly right! A total no go!

There isn't a single 'fix-it-up mastering magic' plug-in out there, so what individual elements from companies do you rate?

JC: This is a difficult question because the price and the platform come into play.

You need a good EQ and a good look-ahead peak limiter for sure. These should be transparent, clean and artifact-free. Then you can then get into EQs and compressors that deliver personality, if that is what the track requires. Personally, I use the Massenburg Design Works EQ and the Oxford Limiter for 75% of my mastering work.

Yeah, I agree—the Massenburg is a fantastic EQ; for me it's better than the Sonnox with the Massenburg add on—I use it as my 'power' EQ when mixing. Unfortunately this brings us to your platform statement, as it will only work on Pro Tools—and HD at that.

JC: Indeed! For color I might use the UAD-2 Pultec, Neve, Precision EQ or Massive Passive for EQ, and the UAD-2 Fairchild, SSL or Precision limiter. For deep repair work the UAD-2 Multiband limiter, WAVES Restoration bundle and their Center plug-in are a must. I also love the Massey De-Esser.

SW: It's probably not the best out there, but for the money I really like the results I get from T-rackS 3, so I've tended to use this consistently over the last 12 months.

DI: T-RackS is great, and let's not forget the obligatory Waves Ultramaximiser.

John, what would the standard signal chain for mastering tools be?

JC: Bus compression–EQ–peak limiting

Any other tips about DIY mastering?

JC: A 'how-to' on mastering would be too long to be answered within the scope of this article. There is a book available by Bob Katz [Mastering Audio - The Art and the Science] that will go a long way to keeping you out of trouble, but at the end of the day, like recording and mixing, it will take practice and a lot of bad mastering before you will figure it out—if ever.

It is clear, then, that there are many tools used for mastering depending on what needs doing to the track, be it EQ, compression, multi-band compression, limiting, frequency-conscious limiting, phase coherence and adjustment, stereo spread, gaining, etc. I think you get the idea—there is just too much to get into here. However, knowing that the main tools needed are compression, EQ, and limiting, after much debate, we have agreed on the following plug-ins as our top multi-platform mid-range tools which do not need extra process PCI cards or hardware. There are two winners in each category type:

Bus Compression

Waves SSL G "Buss" Compressor



Cytomic "The Glue" compresso



EQ

Sonnox EQ IK Multimedia



T-RackS 3 Equalizer



Limiting


Waves L2 Ultramaximizer



IK Multimedia T-RackS 3 limiter



I know we said two of each, but this is a gem! An extra, FANTASTIC limiter but... only for Pro Tools:


Massey L2007 mastering limiter

Many thanks to John Cuniberti, Sonny Wharton, and Digital Impression for their time. In the next edition of this article, we will provide a step-by-step guide to mastering your tracks and give you a chance to win a copy of T-RackS mastering software from IK multimedia.

www.johncuniberti.com
www.myspace.com/digitalimpression
www.myspace.com/djsonnywharton
www.beatport.com/artists/sonny+wharton

[tweet]jhone_tweet[/tweet]

[Jhone]

mastering
the last creative process in the chain

I will personally oversee every aspect of your mastering project from beginning to end. I give each project the same care and attention and only use the finest equipment available. I'm available for consultation before you summit your mixes and after your project is completed.
Mastering includes the following:

    * 15-minute phone consultation
    * Assembly, organization, and backup of your stereo mixes
    * Equalization
    * Dynamics processing
    * L & R balance adjustments and phase correction
    * Fade-ins - fade-outs and cross fades
    * Sequencing and track spacing
    * ISRC code inputting
    * CD-Text

The result is an equalized, leveled, and sequenced master for CD replication.
Other services available:

    * Editing
    * Noise and click removable
    * Analog tape layback
    * High quality AAC or MP3 files

How I Work And My Personal Guarantee

You can upload your mixes to a secure FTP site or mail them to me on a DVD or CDR. Always backup your mixes before shipping them.

When I receive your mixes I will evaluate them and make sure they are ready for mastering. All mastering projects are scheduled on a first-come, first-served basis unless a RUSH arrangement has been made in advance.

When the mastering is finished I will mail you a reference CD that will be representative of the final master. If you like what you hear and wish to continue with the process, you then notify me. At that point you will receive an invoice for the agreed upon amount. Once I receive payment I will produce a master DDP file set for replication and ship it to you or the pressing plant. That's right! You don't pay until you hear it. That's how confident I am that you will like the mastering. No other mastering studio I know of will make such an offer. This offer is for U.S. clients only. Overseas clients must pay in advance.

engineering
services offered, planning, options and fees

I see myself as a facilitator who walks the artist through the production of his/her recording project step by step. Because I have learned the process of record making by making hundreds of records, I can help avoid expensive mistakes and keep the project on track and on budget. I work best with artists or bands that have their songs written and well rehearsed but are in need of support to get their music recorded or mixed professionally. I can also help with song selection and arrangements. I will only work with artists or bands whose music I understand and appreciate. If I can't make a significant contribution to the project I will not take it on. If I do take on your project, you will have my undivided attention and over twenty years of record making experience.

    * I'm highly experienced in both analog and digital recording and can comfortably move between the two in a project.
    * I have many contacts in the recording business and can arrange for affordable studio time in both large and small studios anywhere in the world.
    * I have access to hundreds of pieces of recording gear, microphones and instruments both modern and vintage at modest rental rates.
    * I prefer to record bands live in the studio for feel but can also work one on one with an artist.
    * In most cases I will provide an assistant engineer and/or digital editor for most projects.

Commercial Studio vs Project Studio / The Advantages

 

The decision to record and/or mix a project in a home based (project studio) environment or in a more formal commercial setting needs to be explored before a project begins.

It is safe to say that most recordings made today by major label artists are recorded in some kind of combination of both studio environments. Each has its advantages and care should be taken in how time and money is spent in each. For a self contained band that is well rehearsed, a commercial studio is the best place to record because:

    * The size of the room can facilitate a live recording of acoustic drums, electric guitars, and vocals with good isolation.
    * The studio will have all the necessary equipment to produce a high quality recording of more than one person at once. This includes microphones, outboard equipment, recording console, multitrack recorders and a headphone system necessary for recording a group in one pass.
    * Some studios still offer analog recording.
    * Most commercial studios also have air conditioning, studio instruments including acoustic pianos and organs, equipment maintenance, more than one bathroom, kitchens, parking, runners to go out and fetch food, and in some cases equipment storage is available. Some studios have arrangements worked out for reasonable priced hotel rooms or onsite facilities.

Once the band's recording is done (basics) the band can continue to work at the commercial studio or move the project to a smaller private studio for overdubs. Moving to a smaller private studio provides the following:

    * It's much cheaper than a commercial studio.
    * Providing the private studio has a few good microphones, preamps, reasonably good digital converters and a decent speaker system you can get the same quality recording as a commercial studio.
    * If the studio is in your home you can record when you are feeling it rather than when its your time to do your track. You also have the ability to redo your parts so that you are satisfied with the results.
    * The few thousand dollars you might spend at a commercial studio could go a long way toward equipping your own studio.

Commercial Studio vs Project Studio / The Disadvantages

Commercial Studios
Time = Money. If your band is not organized or the engineer is not professional it is a huge waste of money. Even a (B) level studio will cost around $500 per day without an engineer. A commercial studio recording can attract the band's friends and become a huge distraction if a party ensues. Keeping a band focussed is the job of a good engineer and/or producer. A second-rate engineer in a frst-rate studio will produce a second-rate recording. I see this happen all the time. A band books a nice studio but doesn't hire a qualified engineer and relies on the studio's house (assistant) engineer who may be a nice guy but may only have a few years of experience. It is much better to hire a really good engineer and let him or her find a studio that they can work in and that you can afford.

Home (project) Studios
A home recording project has the ability of sucking the life out of a song. Recording one track at a time and then redoing the tracks over and over, hoping for perfection often produces a soulless, self indulgent product that people don¿t respond well to. The absence of a producer and/or engineer in the room who is monitoring the performance can lead even the most seasoned recording artist into oblivion. The artist often deletes great performances because s/he loose all sense of objectivity. This is probability the biggest problem with the "I can record as much as I like as long as I like" studio setting. Also, in most of these cases there is no engineer present so the recording quality can suffers as a result. Before indulging in months of recording at home by yourself, hire an experienced engineer to help you set up your studio. S/he can show you how to best use the gear you have as well as suggesting a few pieces that could make a huge difference in the quality of the recording. Look at it like this: would you hire a drummer to play an important gig who has never played a gig before? Of course not. The craft of great record making is learned through years of experience and problem solving.

My Fee
The fee for engineering is based on many factors such as time, location, and what level of co-production is required. As a rule, I work ten-hour days, six days a week until the project is completed. I can typically provide you with a quote on my engineering fee after hearing any previously recorded material and answering some questions.

Every project is different and there is only so much I can write about. If you would like me to explore your project further, please email me your answers to the questions in the "Project Questionnaire" (below). This will give me a good understanding of what is required before we talk in person.

Project Questionnaire

   1. Is this project for a record label or self fnanced?
   2. What is the recording budget for the entire project including mastering but not replication?
   3. By what date does the master need to be delivered for replication?
   4. How many songs will be recorded?
   5. Will someone else be doing the mixing and mastering?
   6. Is the project a self contained band or a solo artist?
   7. If it's for a solo artist, do you have musicians in mind you will be working with?
   8. Is there a producer?
   9. Who is the primary song writer?
  10. What city would you like to do the recording and/or mixing in?
  11. Do you have access to a studio or do you have your own?
  12. How much recording experience does the band or artist have?
  13. Do you need help with finding material to record?
  14. Will you require any studio musicians for any part of the project?

When budgets are tight I can be hired on a per hour basis to consult on the engineering of a project rather that being there the entire time. That is, I can work with your engineer or one I provide to oversee the recording process. This could include some or all of the following:

   1. Finding a suitable studio for the project within your budget;
   2. Selecting microphones to use and positioning them (getting sounds on drums includes re-heading and tuning);
   3. Making recommendations on outboard processing;
   4. Assisting the engineer with problems that may come up;
   5. Overseeing the mixing and mastering process;
   6. Sourcing new equipment, rentals, or studio musicians;
   7. Help solve problems with project studio acoustics and monitoring.

[Jhone]

mixing
information on console vs. ITB mixing


Mixing is often the most challenging part of an album project for the beginner. With few exceptions, project studios are not designed well enough to produce a balanced mix. Talent aside, the acoustic design of the room and its speaker system must be accurate to produce a mix that works in the world outside your own studio. As a mastering engineer I frequently receive mixes every month that suffer from unbalanced acoustics and/or wrong speaker choices. If you have recorded the project yourself and have attempted to mix it but are unhappy with the results, it may be a good idea to have someone else mix it for you. I can offer two approaches to mixing your project.

Studio Console Mixing:



This method of mixing has the artist and engineer mix the record together on a console, typically analog with some form of automation. A 24 track rock song will take me about one day to mix depending on the complexity and the budget I'm working with. This is how I mixed for twenty plus years and how most records were mixed throughout the 70's into 2000's. The advantage is that the mixing becomes a performance of sorts, with many decisions being made on the fly. It can produce exciting results or mixes you wish you could re-do. My studio console mixing fee is $750 per day plus travel if necessary. This does not include the studio time or materials such as tape and/or hard drives.

In the Box Mixing:



This has become the most popular method of mixing for a number of reasons. The most obvious reason is the ability to recall a mix at anytime in seconds, make a small change and then move to another song. The other important factor is it doesn't require a huge console or expensive studio to work in. The processing power now available for audio production has exceeded everyone's wildest dreams of sound quality and flexibility. The old arguments about digital vs analog have been laid to rest. For people who still want "analog sound" there are many ways to deliver it without the use of a 24 track analog tape recorder. Probably the most overlooked part is the recording itself. Choosing the right mic, preamp, and tube limiter can impart enough analog "vibe" to any recording, leaving the digital domain for storage, editing, and mixing. One can also layback his/her stereo mixes to analog tape if s/he still wants more vibe. Some of the plug-in software now available models classic analog equipment and has come so far in development that people like myself can't tell the difference between that and the "real thing." In my case, I go a step further and mix through a classic Neve console buss system straight to 1/2" analog tape.

After I receive your files I will do a mix to the point that I'm happy with it and post it on my server for you to download and comment on. I will make any changes you request and repost the mix. I can work on more that one mix at a time if necessary and everything is recallable.

My fee for mixing is based on a number of factors:

   1. How many tracks each song has;
   2. How much editing is needed (timing and/or tuning);
   3. How many songs on the album;
   4. The condition of the files and/or the recording itself.

Normally I will request to see and hear the files first before making a quote. The Tools sessions or .wav files on a DVD or firewire drive. In some cases I will mix one song as a test before committing to an album project.

Once the mixing process gets started I will upload the mixes to my server for your review and comments. Changes to a mix can be made at anytime during the process. In most cases a few revisions are all that is needed. I prefer a pay as you go method: when a mix is complete and approved by you, I'm paid for that song and then I move on to the next one.

Mixing fees are between $250 to $750 per song. The price includes all studio time and materials. In most cases I will mix to 1/2" tape and you have the option of purchasing the master analog tapes. I can offer discounts on the mastering if you would like me to handle that part of the process.

[DJ Rangga_Electros]

Gw juga mastering pake T Racks 3 loohh.. 

[erwiengroovy]

^
^
^
Gw masih pake presetnya T-Rack Juga ahahahahaha,,,,,

[Jhone]

gw pake apa ya     

[AdaGio]

Translation plis... Zzzz...

[dj_junz]

Adoh...ud harus pelajari teknik nya...ditambah harus terjemahin bahasa nya satu satu.....