The size of things

[timmydeParticipant]

I tend to want to make soumds to big...and then i fight them in the mix...how big or small should things be.what percentage of the mix should things be.how big is the stereo master buss? What fits in it..i would like to have some type of visual idea in my head of what that looks like so as i go i don't over or under fill it..

[Cris Sabater SabaterParticipant]

Hi timmyde, really you want to be dealing with these aspects during the production process so that you are free to mix as mixing is a different stage really. Production is where you get sounds to fit with each other kind of like pieces of a jigsaw. If parts are clashing sonically they will never sound big! Every sound needs it's own space. Yes you can carve to a certain extent with EQ but remember you are taking something away each time you do that. If you are mixing someone else'e production and it is cluttered then you have two options, 1. Give them guidence on the arrangement and production techniques and get them to re-send a new version or, 2. tackle the mix and make the best of it that you can which happens sometimes too! If you are tracking yourself a word of wisdom, don't go over -12db peak on your tracks. Your will have sufficient headroom and better gain staging then. I hope this helps.

Cheers mate,

Cris

[Steve AParticipant]

I think this is an excellent suggestion, I do the same thing sometimes, even at the mixing stage, I tend to concentrate on one particular thing, and then have to de-emphasize it later on. And so back and forth and back again, very frustrating.
Again, excellent suggestion!

There's a funny part in Deep Purple's Made in Japan album where Ian G. is asking for more monitor in the mix, and he says: "Yes, can we have everything louder than everything else" Sums up the way I feel sometimes..lolz...

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