Advanced Mixing

How to Mix at a Mixing Session 0:00

How many people are we expecting today's? You know, I mean, this is producer centric. So we'll do like a live mixing session or a video, whatever is easiest.

VOCAL MIXING WORKFLOW AND PLUGINS 1:30

The plugins I'm about to show you are plugins that are inserted directly on the vocal tracks. This will be very helpful for you guys to go and take into your workflow.

- Importance of plugin order

- Using autotune first

- Autotune advanced features

- FabFilter Pro-Q3 as a de-esser

- Waves CLA-76 and Waves C6 compression

- Avid Pultec EQP-1A Used by Stargate for high end

Vocal Bus 3:45

All vocal bus is where all of those lead tracks and backgrounds will come be consolidated to this one bus. Then we'll get into some effects and reverbs that I like to use.

Drum Compression Settings 5:15

What kind of settings do you use on your new 33 six nine for the parallel compression on drums? Has anybody used any of these plugins before? These are in my daily flow. You guys are going to get a copy of this so you guys can refer to it anytime.

CDMA 7:00

Do you do anything with your channel faders? I've been hearing some people don't really touch them. Sometimes I will adjust those volumes with compression like the r compressor. It just depends if you're doing automation or not really.

God particle vs ozone 8:30

I don't ever really send ozone to mastering engine. If I'm going to have it mastered, I don't really use ozone. Don't mix into ozone. Put it on after you're done mixing. Think of the vocal bus as kind of just adding whatever your mix is missing.

How To EQ Vocal Bus 10:15

So just try to do EQ on your vocal bus lightly. Same with compression. It's more of a flavor thing. Everything meets to all vocal bus, even my parallel compression. And then I will do this for overall level, mainly because I'm going to do automation.

Do You Put Melodyne Before Autotune? 12:00

Most of the time I don't have to Melodyne. Usually that's done by the producer before going to mixing. But there is times where people ask me to Meldine and mixing and sometimes I'll do it on my own.

Don't Forget The Reference Track 13:30

Use reference tracks ever. I never mix without a reference. It's always good to make sure you have this reference of the song. Feel free to ask anything about any questions you have on mixing.

How To Mix Songs With Creativity 15:45

I've noticed a difference between mixing styles. Sometimes people approach mixes as an engineer, and then there's more creative mixing. What are some things that you all feel like you struggle with the most in a mix?

How To Leave Headroom On A Master Mix 17:30

The way I get headroom is I mix everything. I don't even worry about my master meter until I'm done mixing. Unless you're getting more into the Dolby Atmos. That's where it's really important.

How To Ride The Vocal 19:15

Would you gain stage a vocal so that it's relatively flat dynamically and then ride it with the fader to be more intentional with where you're taking the energy of the vocal? I find it easier to kind of stay in the groove when the track is more kind of balanced out.

How To Automate Reverb 21:00

I can also automate my reverb send as well. There's so many things you can do, it's just endless. I'm always trying new stuff. We just got to figure out how to get everybody on audio movers without taking up too much time.

How To Master a Song 23:15

If you do master a track, do you master it in the same project file, or do you go to a separate one? If you ever get a professional master, I would definitely ask for the m fit file. It'll just keep your mix true to what has always been.

E-commerce Plugins 25:30

Tom, we love to see here if you guys put any of this stuff to use. If you tried any of these plugins that I sent and then in the orders, I'm doing them in. I'm curious to see your feedback on that stuff. Well, I'll let you guys get to it and I will see you guys next week.

MIXING TERMS

- Vocal mixing workflow overview

- Importance of plugin order

- Using autotune first

- Autotune advanced features

- FabFilter Pro-Q3 as a de-esser

- Waves CLA-76 and C6 compression

- Using Stargate for high end

- Questions on individual vocal tracks

- Grouping vocals to master bus  

- UAD SSL channel and distressor plugins

- Parallel compression on drums

• Q&A on mixing workflow and plugins