Here’s a great mindset to keep in mind when you’re deciding whether to EQ or compress first. 1. Repair First If there are obvious frequency problems in your signal that you want to get rid of then put an EQ before the compressor. If there’s low rumble you filter it out. If there’s obvious muddiness...
EQ advice follows a fairly specific template. There are things that usually work so it’s easiest to create articles and advice around those tips. However, as you know, mixing music is really subjective so it’s hard to give “umbrella” advice that works for every single track. That’s when the whole “use your ears” advice actually does come in...
If your guitar sound is constantly drowning out the vocal sound then try out these few things next time you’re in trouble. 1. Pan them out of the way Sometimes all you need is to give the vocal its space in the center. Pan the guitar out of the way and let the vocal take...
I was giving feedback to a mix yesterday that had some low-end problems with the kick drum. More specifically, it was the lack of low-end that was the issue. I originally thought it was just a mix decision where the engineer had decided to use the bass to carry the low-end of the kick/bass interplay....
Making the vocals consistently cut through the mix without feeling glued “on top” of the arrangement seems to be a common problem for home studio producers. If that’s something you’re dealing with, I have some suggestions on how to fix it. Cut the Lows and Get Rid of Boom Sometimes the vocal sounds on top of...
Got a question about how to blend backing vocals recently. Here are a few tips you can use right away to solve that particular problem. 1. Blend Using Volume It goes without saying, but getting a good blend with volume and the right balance between the vocal tracks is the first order of business. If both...
Hello hello! You might know this already but the reason I created Audio Issues is because I want to create practical and easy to use audio production tips that you can use right away. I’m not a big fan of long-winded theory and materials that take forever to get to the point. You shouldn’t need...
Muddiness in your mixes is a frequent problem. That’s why I wrote my Six Steps to Fix Your Muddy Mixes guide. But it’s especially annoying when it comes to vocals. We all want clarity in our vocals. We want the vocal to shine through the mix without the low-end cluttering it up. It’s such an important...
Here is the final installment in the One Minute EQ Series, it’s about lifting up your drums a little bit. To get your drums to the cymbals. Simply take the overheads and boost from 10 kHz or so. Sometimes a slight shelving at 10 kHz does the trick, sometimes you have to go higher. Simply...
This week’s One Minute EQ Trick is one I do often. I like meaty snare drums so I tend to go hunting down in the low-mids for some extra power. I like using the Waves V-EQ for this purpose for some reason but in the video below I show you using the simple Logic Channel...