F R O M G A R A G E

T O C DIntroduction to Digital

Audio RecordingMike EdwardsWill Cleland

What We’ve Learned Thus Far…

• Analog vs. Digital Audio• Cables and Microphones• Software and Hardware• Effects

Today’s Topic

M I X I N G

About Mixing• You’ve recorded a band• Now you have a bunch of tracks, but they

aren’t put together• You need to MIX them• Mixing is a subjective process

– There is no right or wrong way to mix; different techniques yield different results

Multi-track Editing• Non-linear • Piece together a song• Room to experiment• Increased flexibility• Increased creativity?

The Mixing Process• Build the mix• Review the tracks in isolation• Refine the mix

Build the Mix• Import tracks and line them up

Review Tracks in Isolation• Listen to the drums

for panning, E.Q., and any mistakes– Fix mistakes – Adjust E.Q. for

frequency separation– Adjust panning for

stereo separation– Add effects

Review Tracks in Isolation• Listen to the bass for

panning, E.Q., and any mistakes– Fix mistakes – Adjust E.Q. for

frequency separation– Add effects

Review Tracks in Isolation• Listen to the rhythm

guitars for panning, E.Q., and any mistakes– Fix mistakes – Adjust E.Q. – Adjust panning – Add effects

(compression, delay, reverb, etc.)

Review Tracks in Isolation• Listen to the

keyboard parts for panning, E.Q., and any mistakes– Fix mistakes – Adjust E.Q. – Adjust panning – Add effects

Review Tracks in Isolation• Listen to the lead

vocals for E.Q., and pitch– Fix mistakes and

remove extra noises– Adjust E.Q.– Add effects– Add pitch correction if

necessary (it usually is)

Refine the Mix• No formula for this step• Listen and respond to the mix

– Create an image of the song

• Very subjective– Consider musical genre, personal taste, and

audience

level• The amount of signal strength; the

amplitude, especially the average amplitudeSource: http://www.recordingeq.com/glossary/glosae.htm

E.Q. (equalization)• Any time the amplitude of audio signals at

specific set of frequencies are increased or decreased more than the signals at other audio frequencies

Source: http://www.recordingeq.com/glossary/glosae.htm

panning (balance)• The relative level of two or more

instruments in a mix, or the relative level of audio signals in the channels of a stereo recording

• To make the relative levels of audio signals in the channels of a stereo recording even

Source: http://www.recordingeq.com/glossary/glosae.htm

mix• To blend audio signals together into a

composite signal• The signal made by blending individual

signals together

Source: http://www.recordingeq.com/glossary/glosae.htm

pitch correction• A software plugin that increases or

decreases the pitch of an instrument according to a user setting– Typically, the user will define the key of a

song, and the computer will automatically adjust a sour note to fit the key

Source: Will Cleland

Now…Let’s Try It