Why is it so difficult to achieve amazing sound? Mixing, causing an explosion of emotions, music, which becomes a real work of art? Both professionals and beginners are wishing to improve the sound, to get the right sounding, to create the heart touching recording.
However, in some cases, in order to obtain the desired audio an engineer should not simply do the right things ─ he must avoid any mistakes. It will significantly make one's life easier.
Imperfect Equipment
It is a sort of a favorite whipping boy in essence. Usually, if something is heard wrong in the recording, many beginners primarily point at an studio imperfect equipment.
Nevertheless, let us be honest: first-class instruments give perfect sounding, they simply cannot do otherwise, but only if you know what to do with them. Often surprising quality of some recordings is made at the primitive or cheap equipment, but here the main role has played by sound engineer, but not equipment itself.
However, you need a good understanding of your system and search for "weak links" periodically. Have you bought a new mixing console, but used the moldy monitors simultaneously? Do you have a distinctive microphone and an old noisy mic preamp?
Nothing works separately, so you should consider that it is more advisable to upgrade the overall quality. Do not be obsessed on one sphere (the best cabinet in the world without a corresponding amplifier ─ just this case).
Curse Adaptable Hearing
Our ears quickly adapt to changes in the equalization even in the perfect room with a good monitors ─ so the sounding of our favorite song equally well for us when playing both from the cheap TV speaker, and the high-class audio system.
At the different levels of sound reproduction audible frequencies peaks’ are differently perceived by our ears, the most flat frequency’s response is in the sound pressure level about 85 dB.
In addition, long listening causes fatigue of our ears, especially in the dangerous volume levels. Therefore, EQ settings, with which you've been mixing for 10 hours at a volume level of 105 dB, when the sound seemed good last night, in the next morning it will not seem as good.
You need to have a sample, which can be guided in the case where the equalization’s change causes confusion and hinders the return to reality. It is also important to control the volume level in order to know exactly when it is already enough for your ears for today and then to stop. That's the key of how to get successful as the mixing and mastering dubstep.
Poor Acoustics
Fortunately, more and more people are becoming aware of the importance of this parameter both for mixing and for monitoring the recording track. Therefore, we will not consider this issue in detail too.
However, some budding engineers tremble and say something like: "My cabinet is not designed for that, so everything is hopeless”. Moreover, I answer that this is not so. To change the situation for the better you can place multiple bass traps and diffusers correctly, as well as listen to records at lower levels using near-field monitors.
In this way, you reduce the impact of room acoustics on what you hear, and therefore increase accuracy. Of course, you can adjust to the characteristics of your system to some extent, which undoubtedly will bring a certain effect, but it is worth nothing about the improving acoustics, if you have not yet assumed any measures thereby.
Insufficient skills
To place the microphones at random and spin the knob to get the desired result are quite interesting. Perhaps you are lucky, but your chances to create a fantastic mix will increase many times, if you will understand the basics at least of how it works and what it is intended for one, or the other equipment.
This means that more time should be given to the study the technical aspects and various techniques of modern recording and to make acquaintance with the instructions of hardware and software, to analyze the works of predecessors and contemporaries, to experiment and to listen to your own works and projects made by another mixing service.
If we discuss the influence of other musicians’ works, you should not copy your own heroes completely, but combine different mixing and mastering trap songs techniques and apply them to your sound creating an original style.
Diffidence
Overconfidence is not an option. Nevertheless, a little bit of self-control and understanding of your own deficiencies does not hurt anyone yet, so a little confidence will stand you in good stead.
Excessive criticism and doubts about the hard lessons of acquired experience and skills simply will destroy you; whereas you are in fear that your actions will fail that was what would happen.
Believe in yourself. If you like a particular sound, then do not worries that it does not fit into the modern trends, so be it. If you like what you hear, and all those here present nodding to the beat, join in a song, pretending to play the guitars, beat the devil's tattoo or do all of the above, it is quite possible that you are moving in the right direction.
We are living for the sake of these moments, and the dependence on them is much stronger than any drug. If you constantly doubt yourself, these moments will be to seek.
The best mixing engineers and producers whether personally known to me ─ not selfish people, but they are still confident in themselves, and most of them are happy to share their knowledge with concerned people. I believe that these qualities worthy of emulation.
Importance of a Sound Source
Bad drum kit + punched plastics + cracked hats = substandard drums in recording and a long battle for their adequate mixing. The opposite derivation of this equation is easy too.
To simplify obtaining an excellent acoustic guitar record, select a good instrument first.
If you are recording an unrecognized genius, whose performance sounds splendidly with the cheapest instrument either, then you will achieve the better result by using more qualitative instruments. Moreover, if the musicians, with whom you are cooperating, have not them, then think about the renting or purchasing high-quality instruments for your studio.
Rejecting the using of kitch, you will increase the recording quality by times which will transform futher into best sound mixing.
