The Mixing Engineer’s Handbook

by Owsinski, Bobby

• ISBN13: 9781598632514
• ISBN10: 1598632515
• Edition: 2nd
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2006-04-27
• Publisher: Artistpro

Summary

Secrets of the top mixing engineers are revealed in this second edition of the bestselling Mixing Engineer?s Handbook. In this edition, you will learn about the history and evolution of mixing, various mixing styles, the six elements of a mix, the rules for arrangement and how they impact your mix, where to build your mix from, and mixing tips and tricks for every genre of music. You will also learn the secrets of EQ and the ?magic frequencies,? along with tips and tricks for adding effects, EQ?ing reverbs, effects layering, calculating the delay time, and much more. A lot has changed in the recording industry since the last edition was published seven years ago, so the new edition provides completely updated information on tips for a loud mix, hypercompression, mixing for Internet distribution, warning signs of an amateur mix, MP3 encoding, streaming audio, audio codecs, de-essing, gating, surround sound mixing, and more. There is also a completely new chapter on how to get the most from mixing inside your computer, as well as a new section on the bass/drum relationship and how to make this difficult part of the mix easy. The book wraps up with insightful interviews with the top engineers in the fi eld, including George Massenburg, Allen Sides, Bruce Swedien, Elliot Scheiner, Andy Johns, Nathanial Kunkel, and several others. Join the tens of thousands of engineers who have used this book to master the art of mixing.

Table of Contents

Introduction	xiv
Part One: Mixing in Stereo	1	(109)
Some Background: The Evolution of Mixing	2	(5)
Mixing Styles: LA Versus New York Versus London	3	(4)
The New York Style	4	(1)
The LA Style	4	(1)
The London Style	4	(1)
Other Styles	5	(2)
The Mechanics of Mixing	7	(4)
Hearing the Final Product	7	(1)
The Overall Approach	8	(1)
Tall, Deep, and Wide	8	(2)
The Six Elements of a Mix	10	(1)
Element 1: Balance---The Mixing Part of Mixing	11	(8)
The Arrangement---Where It All Begins	11	(1)
Arrangement Elements	12	(2)
Bob Seger's ``Night Moves''	13	(1)
Alanis Morissette's ``Thank U''	13	(1)
Garth Brooks' ``Two Pina Coladas''	14	(1)
Rules for Arrangements	14	(1)
Limit the Number of Elements	14	(1)
Everything in Its Own Frequency Range	14	(1)
Where to Build the Mix From	15	(2)
What Type of Program Material?	17	(1)
Level-Setting Methods	17	(2)
Element 2: Panorama---Placing the Sound in the Soundfield	19	(5)
Phantom Center	20	(1)
The Three Points of Panoramic Interest	20	(1)
The Center and the Extreme Hard Left and Right	20	(1)
Big Mono	21	(1)
Panning Outside the Speakers	22	(1)
Tricks and Tips	22	(2)
Panning in Dance Music	22	(1)
Panning in Mono (Yes, That's Right!)	22	(1)
Panning for Clarity	23	(1)
Element 3: Frequency Range---Equalizing	24	(15)
What Are You Trying to Do?	24	(1)
Magic Frequencies	25	(1)
EQ Methods	26	(4)
Alternate Method	28	(2)
Easy-to-Remember Golden Rules of Equalization	30	(1)
The Relationship Between Bass and Drums	31	(2)
Tricks and Tips	33	(6)
General Tips	33	(1)
For Snare	33	(1)
For Drums	34	(1)
For Kick	34	(1)
For Bass	35	(2)
For Fatter Guitars	37	(1)
For Vocals	37	(2)
Element 4: Dimension---Adding Effects	39	(13)
EQing Reverbs	41	(1)
Sonic Layering of Effects	41	(3)
Calculating the Delay Time	44	(2)
Tape-Based Delay	46	(1)
Re-Amping	46	(1)
True Tape Flanging	46	(2)
The Vintage Method	47	(1)
The DAW Method	48	(1)
Tricks and Tips	48	(4)
For Fatter Lead or Background Vocals	48	(1)
For Out-of-Tune Vocals	48	(1)
For Electronic Keyboards	49	(1)
For Fatter Guitars	49	(1)
Tommy Lee ``Thunder Drums''	50	(1)
Robot Voice	50	(1)
Exploding Snare	51	(1)
Element 5: Dynamics---Compression and Gating	52	(17)
Dynamics Controllers	52	(1)
Compression	53	(2)
Limiting	55	(1)
De-Essing	55	(1)
Gating	56	(1)
Why Add Compression?	57	(1)
Compression to Control Dynamics	57	(1)
Compression as an Effect	58	(1)
The New York Compression Trick (Parallel Compression)	58	(1)
Compression on Individual Instruments	59	(1)
Compression on the Mix Buss	59	(2)
The SSL Mix Buss Compressor	61	(1)
Setting the Compressor	62	(1)
Amount of Compression	63	(1)
Tricks and Tips	63	(6)
For Snare	63	(1)
For Drums	64	(1)
For Piano	65	(1)
For Vocals	65	(2)
For Bass	67	(1)
For Guitar	67	(2)
Element 6: Interest---The Key to Great (As Opposed to Merely Good) Mixes	69	(3)
The Direction of the Song	70	(1)
Develop the Groove and Build It Like-a House	70	(1)
Find the Most Important Element and Emphasize It	71	(1)
Monitoring	72	(9)
Basic Monitor Setup	72	(2)
Check the Distance Between the Monitors	72	(1)
Check the Angle of the Monitors	73	(1)
Check the Mounting of the Monitors	73	(1)
Check the Setting of the Monitor Parameters	74	(1)
Check the Position of the Tweeters	74	(1)
Check the Console	74	(1)
Mixing Volume	74	(2)
Listening in Mono	76	(1)
Phase Coherency	77	(1)
Balances	77	(1)
Panning	77	(1)
Choosing a Monitor	77	(2)
Things to Listen for in a Monitor	78	(1)
Listening Tricks and Tips	79	(2)
The Master Mix	81	(23)
Competitive Level	81	(1)
Hypercompression	82	(2)
Mastering	84	(4)
Purpose of Mastering	85	(1)
Things to Remember Before Mastering	86	(2)
Mix-Down Formats	88	(8)
Analog Tape	88	(1)
Digital	89	(7)
Mixing for Internet Distribution	96	(5)
MP3 Encoding	96	(4)
Streaming Audio	100	(1)
Alternative Mixes	101	(2)
Stems	103	(1)
Mixing in the Box	104	(6)
Driving the Desk or Gain Staging	105	(1)
Headroom	106	(1)
Interview with Gannon Kashiwa, Digidesign's Professional Products Market Manager	107	(2)
DAW Controllers	109	(1)
Part Two: Mixing in Surround	110	(19)
Surround Basics	111	(5)
A Bit of History	111	(1)
Types of Surround Sound	112	(1)
The LFE Channel	112	(1)
Bass Management	113	(1)
Other Types of Surround	113	(3)
Why Is Surround Better Than Stereo?	116	(7)
Surround Mixing	117	(1)
Differences Between Surround for Picture and Surround for Music	117	(1)
Surround Mixing Schools of Thought	118	(1)
``Audience'' Versus ``Middle of the Band''	118	(1)
What Do I Put in the Center Channel?	118	(1)
No Center Channel	118	(1)
Isolated Elements in the Center Channel	118	(1)
The Center as Part of the Whole	118	(1)
What Do I Send to the LFE (Subwoofer) Channel?	119	(1)
Do I Need to Use a Bass Manager?	120	(1)
Surround to Stereo Compatibility	121	(1)
Surround Master Recorders	121	(1)
Surround Master Track Assignments	122	(1)
Data Compression Used in Surround	123	(6)
SRS Circle Surround	124	(1)
SDDS (Sony Dynamic Digital Sound)	124	(1)
Surround Encoders During Mixing	124	(1)
Dolby Digital Encoding	125	(1)
Surround Master Media Prep	126	(3)
Slate the Master	126	(1)
Print a Test Tone	126	(1)
Other Things That You Should Document	126	(3)
Part Three: The Interviews	129	(135)
Joe Chiccarelli	130	(5)
Lee DeCarlo	135	(5)
Jimmy Douglass	140	(8)
Benny Faccone	148	(4)
Jerry Finn	152	(7)
Jon Gass	159	(7)
Don Hahn	166	(4)
Ken Hahn	170	(5)
Andy Johns	175	(5)
Kevin Killen	180	(3)
Bernie Kirsh	183	(4)
Nathanial Kunkel	187	(9)
George Massenburg	196	(6)
Greg Penny	202	(10)
David Pensado	212	(6)
Elliot Scheiner	218	(11)
Ed Seay	229	(8)
Allen Sides	237	(7)
Don Smith	244	(4)
Ed Stasium	248	(4)
Bruce Swedien	252	(8)
John X	260	(4)
Appendix A Glossary	264	(7)
Appendix B Delay Chart	271	(3)
Index	274