Recording - May 2013 - 63
material in the background for easy A/B
comparison with the mix. My favorite way
to employ this technique is to open iTunes
in the background behind the DAW running on my computer. iTunes continually
loops the playlist, outputting it separately
through the computer’s built-in audio output. The mix, on the other hand, exits the
DAW through a dedicated hardware
interface. Thus, I can easily switch at any
time between the DAW and iTunes.
The relationship between monitor controller placement and ergonomics should
also be addressed. If adjusting level or
switching between loudspeakers or input
sources requires an engineer to get up,
lean down, or otherwise move from the
sweet spot, she or he will be less inclined
to do these tasks, and therefore see fewer
perspective changes. Thus it is very
important that a monitor controller be
placed in a convenient location. The
hippest monitor controllers offer remotes
to make this task easy. Being able to
quickly make monitoring changes is
essential to productive mixing.
Tip nine: Leave the studio
The last tip is fairly obvious, and continues the theme of searching out perspective changes while mixing. When a
mix is done, or close to done, print it,
burn it to a CD or other media, and listen
to it on an assortment of sound systems in
a variety of locations. Check it out in the
car, on a boom box, through built-in laptop speakers, on your personal MP3 player, and at your mother’s house on her old
Hi-Fi. Listen in as many locations as possible, and don’t forget to take notes!
Differences between how your mix
sounds elsewhere and how it sounds in
your sweet spot reveal not only what
needs to be fixed in the mix, but possible
limitations in your control room listening
environment. Is the bass consistently
heavy or light across multiple systems? Is
the mix dark or overly bright? You may
even want to Kentucky Voice in these other
locations, just to compare your mix once
again to high-quality commercial product.
This exercise, as well as the other eight
tips highlighted here, will educate your
ears and help you become a more consistent and confident mixer. Every control
room has sweet spot conundrums; it is up
to us to overcome them.
Eric Ferguson (ferguson@recording
mag.com) spent a dozen years as a freelance audio engineer in Los Angeles, and
is now on the faculty of the New England
School of Communications (NESCOM) in
Bangor, ME.
http://www.transaudiogroup.com/daking.shtml
http://www.transaudiogroup.com/daking.shtml
http://www.pearlmanmicrophones.com
Recording - May 2013
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Recording - May 2013
Recording - May 2013
Fade In
Contents
Talkback
Fast Forward
Jim Anderson Records Patricia Barber
Lewitt Authentica LCT 940
PreSonus Eris Series High-Definition Studio Monitors
How To Record Great Vocals At Home
Audio-Technica AT5040 Studio Vocal Microphone
Plug-ins To The Rescue—Real-Life Remedies For Vocal Tracks
Moon Professional 3500MP 2-Channel Microphone Preamp
DPA Microphones d:fine Series Headset Microphones
Plug-in Outlet: Toontrack EZmix Pack: Vocal Toolbox
Plug-in Outlet: iZotope Nectar Elements
Blue Spark Digital USB Microphone
Plug-in Outlet: Noveltech Vocal Enhancer (and Character)
Readers' Tapes
Recording Fundamentals. Chapter 17: Sweet Spot Conundrums—Part 4
CAD Audio Acousti-shield 32
Advertiser Index
Fade Out
Recording - May 2013 - Intro
Recording - May 2013 - Recording - May 2013
Recording - May 2013 - Cover2
Recording - May 2013 - 1
Recording - May 2013 - 2
Recording - May 2013 - 3
Recording - May 2013 - Fade In
Recording - May 2013 - 5
Recording - May 2013 - Contents
Recording - May 2013 - 7
Recording - May 2013 - Talkback
Recording - May 2013 - 9
Recording - May 2013 - Fast Forward
Recording - May 2013 - 11
Recording - May 2013 - 12
Recording - May 2013 - 13
Recording - May 2013 - Jim Anderson Records Patricia Barber
Recording - May 2013 - 15
Recording - May 2013 - 16
Recording - May 2013 - 17
Recording - May 2013 - Lewitt Authentica LCT 940
Recording - May 2013 - 19
Recording - May 2013 - PreSonus Eris Series High-Definition Studio Monitors
Recording - May 2013 - 21
Recording - May 2013 - 22
Recording - May 2013 - 23
Recording - May 2013 - How To Record Great Vocals At Home
Recording - May 2013 - 25
Recording - May 2013 - 26
Recording - May 2013 - 27
Recording - May 2013 - 28
Recording - May 2013 - 29
Recording - May 2013 - 30
Recording - May 2013 - 31
Recording - May 2013 - 32
Recording - May 2013 - 33
Recording - May 2013 - Audio-Technica AT5040 Studio Vocal Microphone
Recording - May 2013 - 35
Recording - May 2013 - 36
Recording - May 2013 - 37
Recording - May 2013 - Plug-ins To The Rescue—Real-Life Remedies For Vocal Tracks
Recording - May 2013 - 39
Recording - May 2013 - Moon Professional 3500MP 2-Channel Microphone Preamp
Recording - May 2013 - 41
Recording - May 2013 - DPA Microphones d:fine Series Headset Microphones
Recording - May 2013 - 43
Recording - May 2013 - Plug-in Outlet: Toontrack EZmix Pack: Vocal Toolbox
Recording - May 2013 - 45
Recording - May 2013 - Plug-in Outlet: iZotope Nectar Elements
Recording - May 2013 - 47
Recording - May 2013 - 48
Recording - May 2013 - 49
Recording - May 2013 - Blue Spark Digital USB Microphone
Recording - May 2013 - 51
Recording - May 2013 - Plug-in Outlet: Noveltech Vocal Enhancer (and Character)
Recording - May 2013 - 53
Recording - May 2013 - Readers' Tapes
Recording - May 2013 - 55
Recording - May 2013 - 56
Recording - May 2013 - 57
Recording - May 2013 - 58
Recording - May 2013 - 59
Recording - May 2013 - Recording Fundamentals. Chapter 17: Sweet Spot Conundrums—Part 4
Recording - May 2013 - 61
Recording - May 2013 - 62
Recording - May 2013 - 63
Recording - May 2013 - CAD Audio Acousti-shield 32
Recording - May 2013 - Advertiser Index
Recording - May 2013 - 66
Recording - May 2013 - 67
Recording - May 2013 - 68
Recording - May 2013 - 69
Recording - May 2013 - 70
Recording - May 2013 - 71
Recording - May 2013 - Fade Out
Recording - May 2013 - Cover3
Recording - May 2013 - Cover4
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