[PaulAds]

Hello

I struggle with mixing stuff...i only seem able to get a rough balance of instruments/vocals and leave it at that...i've been toying with the idea of using reference tracks to get a better idea of what sounds/effects/eq to use on my songs...and i stumbled upon these...

t=149

i love the clash...probably my favourite band of all time...so i downloaded these separate tracks and imported them into garageband...the aim is to try to learn from the way these are put together and hopefully use them as guidelines in some of my mixes...

i think Mick Jones was fantastic at arranging songs...there's a lot for me to learn in that regard

i thought it might be worth a try...the guy's youtube channel has quite a lot of other songs there too...the smiths as well as more clash stuff...

[Sing4me88]

Despite me being a fairly talentless and shameless pop lyricist wannabee I have to say I love The Clash too (that old chestnut about what you like 'writing' and what you like as 'music' can sometimes be very different!).

I haven't checked out the vid yet but from your description it sounds like it could be a worthwhile '101' kinda exercise. I'm always on the look out for these type vids that can show you - literally show you! - how the pros manage to get their tracks and arrangements so polished and perfect.

[MartynRich]

Mixing is a difficult art to master (no pun intended). There is so much to take into account, even when you are recording, let alone in the mix. But...it is worth spending time on learning it because it can bring a whole new dimension to your songs. I am still very much an amateur at mixing but I have noticed big improvements since learning about frequencies, EQing, panning, plugins...actually the list is endless. Depending on the DAW you use, there will be a million mixing tutorials on YouTube.

Keep at it, its worth it!

[Boydie]

Using reference tracks for mixing and mastering is VITAL and an essential part of music production that most neglect

However, I would personally advise against using isolated parts as reference tracks whilst mixing because a mix needs to be seen as a whole. Even if you perfectly replicate the vocal track whatever else is happening in your track will affect how the vocal sounds so your whole mix may still end up compromised

It is like following a cooking recipe for cooking the meat and then covering it in a different gravy - nobody will notice that the meat is perfectly cooked if the gravy tastes awful


You CAN use the reference tracks to listen for helpful hints - e.g. How much reverb is on the vocal, how compressed is the vocal, what EQ have they used an why to INFORM your mixing decisions but I personally wouldn't use them as "reference tracks" to copy

Find some good songs you like and then use these as reference tracks for your whole mix and I think you will get better results

[The S]

Using reference tracks for mixing and mastering is VITAL and an essential part of music production that most neglect

However, I would personally advise against using isolated parts as reference tracks whilst mixing because a mix needs to be seen as a whole. Even if you perfectly replicate the vocal track whatever else is happening in your track will affect how the vocal sounds so your whole mix may still end up compromised

It is like following a cooking recipe for cooking the meat and then covering it in a different gravy - nobody will notice that the meat is perfectly cooked if the gravy tastes awful


You CAN use the reference tracks to listen for helpful hints - e.g. How much reverb is on the vocal, how compressed is the vocal, what EQ have they used an why to INFORM your mixing decisions but I personally wouldn't use them as "reference tracks" to copy

Find some good songs you like and then use these as reference tracks for your whole mix and I think you will get better results

100% agree.

S

[PaulAds]

Thanks for the replies and advice.

I'd just be using them as a rough guide regarding reverb levels, eq  etc.

I was surprised at how the bass and guitar tracks sound in isolation...and how the sometimes surprisingly low-quality tracks knit together so easily and sit together so well

[shadowfax]

Paul mate..it's important to get each track out of the way of the other tracks..find a common frequency in the most important instruments and cut one a little and boost the other a little, this will give them a bit more room, then obviously pan em away from each other..and use automation..if an instrument gets a bit lost in a part of the song, use automation to either reduce some thing else or boost the lost instrument.. automation on the vocal is essential..plus it's sometimes necessary to change the EQ on a vocal if the mix gets a bit dense..

best, Kevin

[TimCurtis]

There's some interesting tips in this book.  A bit of padding and rhetoric, but worth reading if you can find a copy at your local library (don't think it's worth the price tag).

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Mixing-Engineers-Handbook-Bobby-Owsinski/dp/128542087X/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1481898968&sr=1-1&keywords=mixing+engineers+handbook