mixbustv

I have some bad habits that I need to be more mindful of. 

my engineering toxic traits:

1) Making things too complicated - sometimes I just need to turn the volume down on a track. Instead I make it more complicated by thinking I need subtractive EQ or compression to push a track back in the mix. I just end up butchering it. Or sometimes a track is harsh, needs a simple -1db EQ cut and instead I’m making this huge project out of it.

2) Some things need to be complicated- not accepting that I’m going to have to do tedious automation if I want to have a professional sound. I’ll spend longer trying to find a static EQ solution that works when I really need to automate it. Especially with synths.

3) Using only panning to place tracks in the stereo field - Delay and EQ are also part of this process. EQ’ing the lows out of one side or delay on one side is something I don’t do often enough. I watched a few of David’s older vids the other day on this topic. Went back to a mix I’m working on and this technique is SO underrated. 

4) Only using parallel processing for reverb/delay - Learning how to use parallel processing with saturation and compression is completely changing my mixes. I still have a lot to learn but parallel compression and saturation are making my mixes sound full, dynamic and professional. 

5) Not using things like modulation and envelope efx - Changing the way a sound modulates is another way to help it gel with the mix better or pop through. Same with changing the attack/decay envelope. Automating these is even better. 

6) Trying to fix everything with EQ and/or compression - This one is self explanatory. 

7) Trying to make every synth track epic - Sometimes you just need a simple, one note layer with some delay and reverb. Every layer doesn’t have to be special. If everything is special then I guess nothing is special. 

8) not committing - I used to leave my software synth tracks as midi for the full mix. Now I bounce them in place, commit to the part. Plus editing audio in Logic is easier than editing midi.