Help! Should I mix myself, or hire someone?

Posted: Sat Dec 11, 2004 10:24 pm

Hi, I'm a 2nd year music technology student, and I'm writing pop/hiphop music for a vocalist. We just got a large amount of money from investors to make an album, so it has to sound very very good.

I mix and remix and remix, and just when I think it's perfect, I listen to "professional" mixes, and they blow me away. I have not yet learned how to mix well, but people think my mixes sound good; I don't - I know I could do better if I had more experience.

Should I do my best to mix everything myself, or hire someone? Do producers ever mix things themselves and then hand it over to an engineer to "finish the job?"

I feel really crappy, because people are depending on me, and this is the first project into which large amounts of money have been invested. Others are impressed by my mixes, but I'm not. Should I just stop trying to be Clearmountain, and not be so hard on myself, or should I hire someone with more experience?

Could it be a good idea to pay a pro engineer to sit over my shoulder and help me mix?

Posted: Sun Dec 12, 2004 1:10 am

That's a rough one - If in doubt, at least bring in another engineer for an opinion on a tune or two.

On the "yours vs. pro" mixes, keep in mind that all the pro mixes have been properly mastered also... Sometimes the difference is subtle, other times it's night and day.

Posted: Sun Dec 12, 2004 10:23 am

If you're mixing hip hop then compare your mixes to hip hop recordings. One of the best ways to learn is to do regular a/b comparisons to a national release. Pick a song that has a mix you admire and have it always qued and ready to play.

Also, your mixes next year are going to sound better that this year... and you can mix forever. There has to come a time when you let it go. That may be when you need another pros advice.

Posted: Sun Dec 12, 2004 11:04 am

rasputin7095 wrote:

We just got a large amount of money from investors to make an album, so it has to sound very very good.

nuff said... leave it to the pros...

Posted: Sun Dec 12, 2004 1:19 pm

Thanks for the replies, I think what I'll do now, is consult a few professional mixers after I'm done. I really want the CD to be perdominantly my work though, because if it gets big, I will be considered a pro producer/engineer myself Very Happy

I really don't even know if my mixes sound all that bad; so far everyone tells me they sound very good, and that's including people who are, and are not engineers, and I tell them to be honest with me! Maybe it's part of human nature to think that your mix sounds worse than the other guy's..

Posted: Sun Dec 12, 2004 8:43 pm

Just never believe friends and family.

Posted: Sun Dec 12, 2004 8:54 pm

You can always test your mixes out on the community here for free.

Posted: Tue Dec 14, 2004 3:37 pm

I would say take the mix as far as you can take it but if there is money there to hire someone with more experience/ more skills why would you NOT use it?

I would hire the best mixer i could afford (as long as they were open to me sitting in there with them to see how they approach it). The final result will be better (if only for having had another set of critical ears involved) and you will walk away with invaluable knowledge that you can use in your own career.

While I realize you may want to be considered big league you should always make your decision based on what is going to make the music sound the best... at least... that is what I would want a reputation for!

greg

Posted: Thu Dec 16, 2004 3:46 pm

Hey Rasputin,

This is Pete Weaver,
I've been engineering and mixing on a regional level for years.
I'm looking to make a name for myself beyond a regional level.
I would be willing to mix one song for you free of charge.
If you like it, we can arrange to mix the album.
If you dont like it, no harm done. Doesnt cost you anything.
The last album I mixed got solid airplay on 112 stations in the US
and Canada.
For an example of my mixing capabilities check this link:

http://www.halftheworld.cc/music.html

If this would be helpful to you, please feel free to email me at:

band@halftheworld.cc

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