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Hi,
I'm a producer of electronic music from Canada, a newbie on this forum.
I have somewhat of a problem when trying to balance individual elements during mixing of a song.
Trance genre requires specific things like a present and strong backbeat with a pronounced kick that doesn't interfere with the rest of the mix.
But after finishing mixing my latest track, I noticed that the kick was little more pronounced compared to the rest of elemets in my mix. It's sometimes hard for me to judge the levels when mixing in a studio.
Does the proper balance setting come with experience or is it some other factor interfering with my judgement (monitor calibration, monitoring levels, room characteristics...)?
Also, pro-productions seem to have a very strong backbeat but at the same time not overpowering. How is this achieved?
I'm using Dynaudios BM-6A for monitoring and try to mix at relatively low levels.
Thanks

Comments

anonymous Mon, 04/10/2006 - 09:11

the only thing that can teach you those things is experience. no one can tell you how to mix or how loud x element should be in a mix. that is the artistic side of mixing. the side that we all get our rocks off in.

i would suggest you post your mixes in the critique forum here and other places on the web and see if you can get any input from other experienced engineers.

steve

MadTiger3000 Tue, 04/11/2006 - 06:13

TheRealShotgun wrote: And furthermore, if you have to ask that question you're a newbie, not a "producer". It's good that you asked, but don't get ahead of yourself there.

~S

You are right, but he is using the term as in Chemical Brothers, Moby, etc., not Phil Spector or Brian Eno.

It's an annoying thing that came out in the mid-80s.

Us older peeps have to get used to it.

anonymous Tue, 04/11/2006 - 09:37

Thanks for all the replies...
JWL, I don't have any bass traps in my studio, I will look into how to set that up and what kind of traps I need (need to learn first...). This could be a problem since I have a hard time hearing the low end properly.
And...yes... TheRealShotgun, I guess I'm still a newbie, even though I try to produce. I realize that experience is one of the biggest parts of the art of mixing.
Cheers
Effero

saemskin Tue, 04/11/2006 - 10:39

Effero wrote:
And...yes... TheRealShotgun, I guess I'm still a newbie, even though I try to produce. I realize that experience is one of the biggest parts of the art of mixing.
Cheers
Effero

Then what bands are you "trying to produce"?

Because thats what a producer does, they work with other talent to get what they need, get things done, help out with ideas/gear/drugs, etc.... IE PRODUCE and album, much the same as a movie producer helps with the production of a movie.
No one who has been around for only a few years is at all capable of being that well rounded!
This ignorance may have come out of the 80's but it hits a brick wall here, and the hip-hop community is much more to blame than any electronic community for this inanity. I got an MPC so now I'm a produca'

anonymous Tue, 04/11/2006 - 15:25

Then what bands are you "trying to produce"?

Because thats what a producer does, they work with other talent to get what they need, get things done, help out with ideas/gear/drugs, etc.... IE PRODUCE and album, much the same as a movie producer helps with the production of a movie.
No one who has been around for only a few years is at all capable of being that well rounded!
This ignorance may have come out of the 80's but it hits a brick wall here, and the hip-hop community is much more to blame than any electronic community for this inanity. I got an MPC so now I'm a produca'

Oh my god, I feel like I have to tiptoe aroud you guys so that nobody's feelings are hurt.....there was just a simple question at the beggining of this topic and thank you for answering it...whoever actually helped...
I said producer because I produce my own mixes and remixes, and also mix and master (I know, mastering should be left to the professionals, but the budget is tight for now).
If that's not the right term then I don't know what is....or maybe you want to tell me :wink:
Effero