EQ... pre or post compression

When engineers get together we talk about silly recording stuff. It's goofy and silly and if I pretend I'm listening in on the conversation rather than participating in it, I find myself laughing hysterically at how much of a total dork I am. But, that's what happens when you love what you do... you don't care how much of a dork you are. In fact, being a dork about your craft will make you better at it. Because you care!

In those geeky conversations we'll often talk about our techniques for EQ and COMPRESSION. One frequent topic is whether or not to EQ pre or post compression. Meaning, whether or not we choose to EQ before a compressor (pre) or after (post). Everyone has their techniques and no one is wrong. I have a very basic way of approaching this. Hopefully these guidelines will help you. Feel free to reply with your techniques for this is in no way a holistic approach. I am still developing my ear too.

WHAT COMPRESSION DOES...

We all know that compression controls dynamics but what you may not be clued into is how it affects the sound. In addition to dynamic control compression also does 2 things...

emphasizes dominant frequencies and rolls off the top end.

1) It's important to note that compression is going to overemphasize the dominant frequencies in the instrument you are compressing. The more extreme the compression the more extreme the result. This is important to know because if there is an odd frequency in your bass guitar and you're really smashing it with a limiter, you may end up with a very odd sounding instrument. You may have guessed what you should do... PRE EQ.

If the compressor is doing odd things to the sound of the instrument, do some PRE EQ carving to shape the instrument so the compressor has a more even sound to compress. (TIP, always compare what it sounded like before you tweaked it.)

2) You are almost always going to lose some top end fidelity when compressing. For this reason (and others) many people choose to EQ post compression to try and make up some of the sound lost in the high frequency range caused by compression. Some people compress post EQ almost all the time to try and make up for compression. Not a bad idea.

This topic came up when I was discussing Chris Lord Alge's techniques for mixing. He has a very over-the-top compression sound and he is also known to HEAVILY EQ things. Well, you'll notice if you have the CLA Waves SSL Bundle that all of his presets use EQ before compression. The presets boast a lot of EQ and a lot of compression.

Now, the SSL EQ's are extremely aggressive. They have a bite that is coveted by many engineers. What I've noticed is that you can use this aggressive EQ and the compressor will take off some of the bite. You would also need to add a lot of HF EQ because of how much the compressor is affecting the sound. I guess what I'm getting at... CLA can heavily EQ because he runs the EQ in PRE and then compresses so heavily (dulling the EQ and making it not so extreme). This is part of CLA's massive sound.

Now I don't subscribe to this all the time. I think I'm a bit less extreme than CLA is... and he's a freakin' beast and makes amazing music. To draw a comparison feels pretentious at the least... so I don't :) I do find it useful to use both techniques for different situations.

As you are learning, try being aggressive with compressors and EQ in order to learn the sound of your gear BUT I would encourage you that LESS is definitely more. Your more natural sounding mixes will be loved... I promise. You can slowly work your way into more aggressive mixing as you learn where "too far" is. You've gotta learn what real instruments sound like and how to finesse them into musical submission. It takes a long time. I'm still working at it!!

Hope this stuff helps!!

SHORT TIP

When recording instruments where there could be a lot of click bleed from the headphones (vocals, acoustic guitar) use the "PCM" sound for the click track. Something about the frequency of the click doesn't bleed through the cans too much :)

Organizing Files! The nightmare tamed!

There are two things I really hate... paper and cables! These things clutter my life more than anything else. It happens less now that I'm not doing so much arranging, but I still hate paper... how it piles up. Cables, how they get tangled and messy and how they never wrap up just right.

A close third on my hate list is FILES! Files are a necessary evil for us all (all of us who use computers anyway).

I've come up with a plan that seems to work well for me. I realize there's probably some loopholes in this plan but it has served me well.


MANAGING SESSION FILES -

I recommend saving a new session file whenever you do something major to your session. Your session files act as a timeline for your project. Find significant points in your production/mix to save a new session file.

It's also important to save the date and time in the session title. Yes, I know that these things are tagged automatically to the file, but I find it useful to put it in the title. For one, it organizes your session files roughly by date and time.

ex. "Get Me 2 U-061709 0554pm drums completed.ptf"

The date and time always follow the title THEN put any additional information. This keeps your files nice and organized.

OLD SESSIONS -

All session files I am not currently using go into a file I've created called "old sessions." Without exception, the only session file in plain sight within my session directory is the current one I'm working on. You can color code it too if you want.

00 BOUNCE -

I also create a folder called "00 BOUNCE" (the '00' ensures that this folder stays at the top of the directory). This is where I save all of my printed mixes.

KEEPING TRACK OF PRINTED MIXES w/SESSION FILES

It's happened to me time and time again. I print a mix, show it to the client and we move on. Later someone says, "You know, I wish we'd not made those changes. Can we just go back to the last mix you sent and start from there?" That's when I'd find myself in trouble. If I did not save a session to correspond to the printed mix, I would have no way of getting back to that point. I have your solution!!! ....

When it's time to print a mix save a new session based on the date and time but add the tag, "upld1" to the end. So your session file would read "Get Me 2 U-061709 0605pm upld1.ptf" Now print your mix and give it the same title "Get Me 2 U-061709 0605pm upld1.wav." Now once you're finished printing save a new session file and label it one minute after the print "Get Me 2 U-061709 0606pm.ptf." That leaves a session file unaltered from the way it was when your song was printed. You tracking with me?

The reason I do this is because I would often save a new session before I print a mix but I would then alter the session file without realizing it. If I needed to recall 'upld1' the session file would not sound the same. This ensures you'll be able to pull up the mix because any alteration will be made to your new file. Be sure to then put all of the unused session files in the 'old sessions' folder.

Adding the tag 'upld1' or 'upld1' allows you to track which mixes/session files have been printed and sent to the client. This is extremely helpful when referencing each mix.

FINAL MIXES -

When it's time to print the final mixes, you treat your session files the same way. Save a session file that corresponds to each printed mix. 'GET ME 2 U-M.wav' would have a session file titled 'GET ME 2 U-M.ptf.' I always put the final mixes in all caps to help me find them easily. Putting the final mixes in a unique folder also can help.

Happy organizing!!!

When the chorus gotta pop the bass gotta drop!

OK the title is pretty gay but it's just something I thought about doing (and had heard before but forgot about).

Try duplicating your bass track in order to process the low end differently on the verses and the choruses. The idea is to decrease the low end by a few db in the verses so when the chorus comes in there's an added amount of low end!

Short post but I thought you might want to try it. Also, try listening for this technique in other mixes. It happens more than you might think!

Happy mixing!!!

Keith

P.S. I just got new monitors. ProAc Studio 100's paired with a Bryston 4B (the amp is borrowed for now). I'm in mixer heaven. Up next: a summing mixer and new clock! (more on the clock soon!)

Buss Compressors and Parallel Compression

There are SOOOO many ways to use compression. I consider Michael Brauer a genius when it comes to mixing with compression. He is unbelievably innovative and has worked long and hard to develop his fantastic technique.

I remember hearing Coldplay's "Violet Hill" and being so impressed with its unique sound only to find out that Brauer mixed it (he's mixed a LOT of Coldplay stuff). I found this article where he talks about the process of mixing this fantastic song. Check it out...

http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/nov08/articles/itbrauer.htm

Also be sure to check our Michael Brauer's website and try to read through all of through and contemplate all of his Q&A stuff. WOW!

Thoughts in my head while mixing

I consider this to be my most revealing blog post yet. While mixing, I'm constantly having remind myself of fundamental mixing techniques that lead to good mixes. I have a horrible memory so I started to write many of my techniques down so that I could reference them when I was having a bad day. I may not do these things all the time, but in those times where I'm struggling with a mix, it is most likely because I forgot to do one or more of the following.

If I had to point to one thing that leads to poor mixing it's moving too fast and not LISTENING enough. You've gotta be patient. The following all relate to patient mixing.

DISCLAIMER: These are not all MY ideas. They are things I've picked up on from all kinds of engineers and mixers. I'd also add that everyone's mix style is personal. These are just things that I do and I may not do them forever. For all I know I'll check it up tomorrow :) For now... here they are.



36 TIPS/REMINDERS FROM SUCCESSFUL MIXES


* Listen a lot in mono. Panning, balance, and phase relationships are more easily adjusted when in mono.


* Listen mostly at one volume level. This allows you to judge energy levels and keeps you from getting pumped up simply by turning up the volume. Sometimes you need pumped up, but generally one volume will do.


* Start with Kick, bringing their volume up to -10db on the meter. This gives you plenty of headroom to build a dynamic mix. Next, bring up the snare (probably close to -10db as well). After that bring up the bass (level is typically a touch lower than the K and Sn). Often times vocals are next!


* Balance is the most important part of mixing. Set general levels before adding compression and EQ.


* Set levels with one section of the song (perhaps the second chorus). Set up a loop and start pulling up faders while adjusting balance and panning.


* Try setting up the vocal ambience with just K, SN, bass and the vocal. This ensures that you're giving priority to the vocal's needed space in the mix.


* Try filtering out the low end and/or high end before reaching for the EQ pots. This could be the needed solution when your trying to get instruments to pop out in the mix


* Make things bigger and more exciting by using chorusing, harmonizers, delays and other audio enhancers


* Make small adjustments! A little goes a long way.


* Even when using many FX in a mix, try using one reverb to glue things together. I've had a lot of success with a large hall setting for "bigger than life" mixes and medium studio spaces on more intimate tracks.


* You can use more ambience if you use pre-delay. Try using a delay plugin on the bus before the reverb instead of using the pre delay on the reverb itself.


* Listen to see if compression to control dynamics is actually needed before automatically adding compression. Yes, at times you want to "color" the sound with a compressor, but many times you don't. Being conservative with compression will make your mixes bigger.


* Leave overheads, toms and room mics out of the mix until much of your levels are set, then begin adding them in as needed. This will make for a very direct sounding drum sound, but I can even get a nice roomy sound with this approach.


* Separation and clarity are the goal. Don't automatically try to dirty things up.


* Make automation changes manually rather than drawing them in. This helps the mix breathe and stay organic. It will also challenge you to use your ears more!


* EQ FX sends before the FX unit/plugin. This helps keep phase in check.


* Ride verbs and delays around the vocal to keep things clear and "in your face."


* Use different FX for different parts of the song.


* Find the most important elements of the arrangement and emphasize them! ... or de-emphasize things around them.


* Ride the master bus to add energy and dynamics. (i.e. bump the master bus by .8db during the choruses)


* Subtractive EQ is cleaner, but additive EQ can be very musical and can bring things forward in the mix.


* Ride the vocal for excitement or to gain intimacy. Particularly listen for interesting parts of the vocal that might get missed... bring these up.


* Make balance decisions at low volumes, especially vocals.


* EQ the vocal after you compress it UNLESS odd frequencies are being emphasized by compressions. If this happens then add an EQ before the compressor and notch out the bad frequencies.


* Vocalists often have a different tonality when singing high and singing low. Try automating EQ when needed OR set up separate tracks and EQ each track a little differently.


* Keep the "motor running" throughout the entire song. Be sure that the motor (hihats, ride, ghost notes on snare) are present in each section.


* Use "EQ Carving" to make space for each instrument. This is even important when instruments are panned hard left and hard right. If carve these instruments too, your mono mix will be better and so will the stereo mix.


* Do fade outs in mastering (because the master fader is pre-fader... the mix will fall apart as the master bus compressor is disengaged)


* Compress less than 3db on the master bus.


* Be conservative when limiting the master bus. Take the limiting off (or decrease it a great deal) when sending off for mastering. I try to limit less than 3db.


* Begin the mix with nothing on the master bus, 1/2 way add some buss compression, when you're close to the end add a limiter just to see what mastering might do to your mix.


* If the groove is off or everything seems unsettled, try nudging certain tracks. It may be that the guitars or bass are ahead. Nudging things back a big can make things settle down.


* Step away once every hour or so for a 5-15 minute break. If you get to the point where nothing sounds good... just stop. You're getting nowhere.


* Check balances sometimes from the bathroom or hallway. This "real world" listen will help you make good decisions.


* The vocal is most important... don't forget it.


* Even when creating a dry sounding mix, FX can still help with dimension. Just use short verbs and very short delays.

When Pro Tools gets buggy

Every computer program gets bugs, even Pro Tools (go ahead Pro Tools haters... now's your chance ;0) If you ever come to find Pro Tools is just acting a little funny or crashing often if can be helpful to clear out the preferences, clear the cache, etc. I can never remember where these folder are exactly so I always end up searching google for the answer.

A fantastic mixes and friend, Shane D. Wilson turned me on to this little application, "Pro Tools Pref and Database Helper." It's a very quick solution for deleting the cached files that could be bugging up PT.

Very handy! Thanks Shane!