High pass reverbs and backing vocals. Low cut instruments that are full range with no usefull info below 100-ish hz (guitars, vocals, etc) Both of these techniques will clean your recording up more than you can imagine and give you a much better feel of separation before you ever start adding plugins. And play dynamically. Everything shouldn't be the same volume. I often try to record basics where I don't have to move the faders much at all. If i can do that then I know I've balanced everything through playing and not through turning stuff up or down. I'll often start over if I find a part sticks out too much. This is mostly for myself as a solo recordist, but it's a good rule of thumb for anyone to consider when tracking.
Great stuff, Joe! 'KISS' indeed ... like so many of the best things in life, it's not rocket science. But we're all so easily tempted to make things unnecessarily complicated, especially in this high-tech digital world. Your clear and simple way of looking at things is a really helpful encouragement, especially to those newbies out there who are still fathoming out some much of this music production malarkey!! Keep these tutorials coming ... and may your bucket ever be full ! ;-)
Interesting approach, Joe. I guess this harks back to the days when studio boffins were, balance engineers? This appeals to my OCD tendencies. Once again, invaluable content. Cheers!
Love this just wish it was a rnb track with voices and bass hi hats and snares this just didn't bring it home for me like your other lessons big bro☹️👉💔👈☹️
So many mixes where I have a main Gtr in the middle for the verses. Then in the chorus, I pan that center guitar to one side and add a second guitar for the other side. Not so crazy, BUT, do you find it distracting to have an instrument move from center (verse) to one side (chorus) and back?
Good production is first and foremost about the song and its great arrangement. No amount of mixing tips or sound quality will save a poor arrangement. This is gold
Thanks for the lesson. Very informative. But what I really want to say, is; what a great room you have. You can't hear it, yet you know it's there. That coupled with a good mic, has given you one of the best spoken word recordings I've heard in years and years. Kudos. You found it. Don't change a thing.
Wow! I had wandered away from Recording Revolution when several changes were made - not that they were bad changes, just not resonating with me. I'm glad I checked back in. This topic is really interesting and very well presented. Nice to see you back here Joe. I haven't heard from you since the Dueling Mixes days. Can't wait to see what you do next!
Joe! I love you, brother! This is such a great topic. In my first semester of recording school, my Professor, the great Merlyn van Regenmorter, emphasised how, over the history of recorded music, engineers and producers had to fill the role of studio technicians (obvious), but also instrumentalist, composer/arranger, psychologist, pawn broker, cook, hotel manager, even [ooh] drug supplier! People really - really need to grasp the ENORMOUS skill-set required to be considered, rightly, a "Music Producer". Can you score a symphonic (horns & strings) piece for your client? Can you write the harmony parts for back-up vocalists? Can you conduct these musicians? Do you even know what a good take sounds like? I dare say, today, there aren't many that can fulfil these requirements. Joe, if you'd ever like to collaborate, I'd consider it an honor. Jon Usry. With a name like that, I'm not too hard to find.
Your videos are always helpful Joe, but this is one of your best. I remember you talking about the buckets before on hsc but this brings all that production and arrangement advice into one really well explained and memorable video with the stuff I need to keep in mind. Thanks!
I’m in the middle of recording a new song and I think the song is pretty good but I’ve been getting frustrated cause something is clearly missing. Thanks for giving me ideas and a new perspective :)
Iv'e been following you quite a while Joe so many rooms. I'm still in the same space. Thank you for teaching me Studio One I started from watching your videos. its a few years later and i think i have the best recordings of my life. and somewhat to do with a guy i don't know half way around the planet....Thank you. Danm it though i wish you didn't sing so good. hehe all the best mate.
"Mixing process starts with an arrangement." In music theory it's called "Orchestration". If arrangement is bad, mixing is going to be very hard thing to do and it can never be good. Something have to be left aside from the mix, something have to be added, and so on. You can have a great melody or great harmony (chord progression) but if surrounding stuff is badly done, it's all in vain. No mixing/mastering process can't really and decently save it. I usually record many different parts, so I have many material to work with. Something have to fall off, that's for sure, no matter how I love how it sounds in isolation (by itself). Good method is to see what is that track(s) that you can live without (don't contribute to the main idea of a song), and simply don't use them in a final mix. Joe has a great advices here, and he simplified orchestration (arrangement) process into simple terms like buckets etc. Thank you.
What about 50% L/R panning? What are your thoughts on not just L or R or center? And what about stereo instruments, e.g., organ or chorused guitars... are those thought of a as a center or L and R bucket? Thanks
KISS.......as the ole saying goes. Been around music a long time so when I started recording in my home studio in 2019, most of this was already automatically engrained, because other than panning, I also did this for a number of the bands I was in or ran myself. I think Producing also entails "Arranging", and they go more hand in hand than separate. Thanks for some reminders. I think sometimes the hardest part is to get the "Rhythm" parts right. For so many yrs, I did Solo Gigs, so a lot of times, I was also playing a bass note on the GTR to fill out the Gtr sound more. I've needed to try to cut back on doing that. I've also now found my OWN system for Recording and which tracks to start with, that has helped a lot and shortened the recording time process. I start my songs now with EZKeys, then create drums in EZDrummer3, and then move on with other instruments, Bass, AG, EG, from there. Less problems for me with Rhythm.
Thank you so much for making your topics so simple and clear ! Memorising tips is one good thing for us, but your contributions bring a better understanding of what we do. They are directly usefull and can often change the way we think of it.
We must repent of our sins (sin is Transgression of The Law YAHUAH The Father gave through Moses) And we must believe on YAHUSHA Messiah WHO Died and rose 3 days later! Much love!
