Message 7/12
Date: 11-Dec-02 @ 02:54 AM -
RE: levels of different channels...?
Nah, he's right. You can listen back and think "Oh man, this kick is WAYYY too much", but as soon as you hear it on a big system, you realize that it's far from the case. The only thing I can add is that you should not make your bass too fat. I know the temptation is to make the bass tone that's just rediculously thick and full, but it'll turn the rest of your mix into a very thin wimpy, and un-compressable mess so fast, it'll make your head spin. Also realize that if this is goin on ony sort of release like vinyl, or an decent CD release with clubs in mind, and on a faily large scale, you're going to have to hire somebody else to compress and EQ your mix to perfection. Someone that just does THAT all day long. Not another composer, but a mastering engineer. Shit, it took Prince almost twenty years of the music business to realize he needed one. Don't make that same mistake. If you're serious, hire the pro. If it's just for fun, then try to find a big rig you can try it out on, and see for yourself, and then...USE YOUR FUCKING EARS!!!! It's your creation, and it sould sound like YOU want it to sound. However, I made the same mistake with a track, mixed the kick too low, and built the tune around this, so that when I presented it to a label, the label guy said, it'sa great idea, but that kick will just get lost, it had to be bigger. No matter what I tried, the tune lost its character, with other kicks, different volumes, whatever, The kick I chose and the character were just doomed to not work together to make a tune that could keep up with other dancefloor pumpers and DJ tools of a similar style. I didn't get what he was saying at first, but I do now. At first I thought he was just being a prick, but looking back, I knw he was dead nuts on. He's still at his job, and some of my tracks BUMP, so I have him in part to thank for that lesson. Now you're getting it, and you can choose to take it or not.
The levels are a guide, but I only use them to keep me from clipping, and not oversaturating on any single channel, but after that, it's my ears that guide me. Music is about sound, so use your ears, and listen to what they say. You HAVE to build a working relationship with them.
Good luck, Spank.
Ape