Mixing Technique: Mixing In Reverse...?

[MeTheAudioPhile]

Hello, all.

I'm currently a student at a recording tech school, and last night as I was waiting to get into a lab, I overheard a lab instructor talking about a mixing technique he's been experimenting with. He was explaining how he will flip the tape so that the song plays in reverse, which pshychoacoustically makes his brain focus on the envelope of the sounds, rather than the transients. Then, he said, once he's got the mix sounding great in reverse, he'll flip the tape again, leaving him with a nice punchy mix.

Obviously, this technique could be very Dangerous and I'm sure it's not an easy thing to listen to for hours, but I was just curious if anyone else here has ever tried this technique and if so, what are your thoughts on it.

[Bhennies]

Well, i can say this. I am an artist, and I remember in art school (my first drawing class), we were drawing from photos upside down. My teacher said that by forcing your brain to disregard the object and just to draw shapes and blocks of color, you would be able to pick up on subleties that you would otherwise miss. It really worked.

[Kurt Foster]

Hello, all.

I overheard a lab instructor talking about a mixing technique he's been experimenting with. He was explaining how he will flip the tape so that the song plays in reverse, which pshychoacoustically makes his brain focus on the envelope of the sounds, rather than the transients. Then, he said, once he's got the mix sounding great in reverse, he'll flip the tape again, leaving him with a nice punchy mix.

I think your instructor has spent one too many days at "Red Man". Too many 'shrooms ... Stories like this only reinforce my feelings that there are too many recording schools with too many recording instructors who really don't know wtf they are doing ... this sh*t is not rocket science. It's really not as difficult as some seem to think ... talent, good gear, good listening envornment ... get it in performance and capture with chops, mic and pre choice and placment.

If you are resorting to things like the technique discribed, you are already in deep crap ... Do as little to the audio as possible ... none of this gear (even the best of it) really makes audio sound better ... it only makes it different and each step of processing (digital or analog) will degrade the quality a bit ...

I used to take interns from 3 or 4 different recording programs and out of well over a dozen, I can only think of two that actually were prepared to come in and run a session. The rest I had to try to teach myself .. (and I'm wondering why I didn't get the $10K check)

A couple were just plain horrible and I had to send them away...

Kurt Foster

[djui5]

Hello, all.

I'm currently a student at a recording tech school, and last night as I was waiting to get into a lab, I overheard a lab instructor talking about a mixing technique he's been experimenting with. He was explaining how he will flip the tape so that the song plays in reverse, which pshychoacoustically makes his brain focus on the envelope of the sounds, rather than the transients. Then, he said, once he's got the mix sounding great in reverse, he'll flip the tape again, leaving him with a nice punchy mix.

He was saying that knowing some of the students were listening......instructors do that sometimes. It's rather humerous if you think about it. Like messing with interns....

What school, Full Sail Or Artie?

[MeTheAudioPhile]

Full Sail.

I don't think that he was out to get any of us. He may have been an idiot, who knows, but I heard what I heard and it intrigued me. I just wanted to post what I had heard to see if there was anyone else who knew anything about it. That's all.

Cedar - As for there being too many recording schools with too many instructors who don't know what they're doing, I tend to agree with you. In my opinion, I've been a bit disappointed with many things at this school, which I could talk about now, but I'll save that discussion for later. This is the way I see it, though: I'm twenty years old, and I've known since I was in grade school that I loved audio, and that I'd never be happy doing anything else for a career. After a year of treading water at a University, I made the descision to make the move to a recording school. I looked at many different schools and chose the one that was right for me. I knew coming here that I was going to be putting up with a good deal of crap, but I knew that the resources that would be available to me far outweighed the negative things I'd have to deal with.

Honestly, I know that I've got a lot to learn. That's why I'm here, and don't get me wrong, I'm learning a TON. There's a lot of really knowledgable people here. But, I also know that I'm not going to learn everything while I'm here. The real learning isn't going to begin until I get out in the industry. And I can't wait. I'm laying a foundation, upon which I'll continue to build each day, forever.

[Kurt Foster]

Well at least you chose a good school with a good reputation. Full Sail is one of the bests there is ... now it's really up to you what you do with it, as it is with most recording schools. I have seen people do very well in that type of learning environment. I actually attended a recording school myself once, just to formalize my education and to have a chance to ask questions and get the answers to a list of specific questions.

If you love what you are doing and you pay attention, you will do well. Good luck. BTW, the more I think about it, the more I think the instructor may have been seeing who was paying attention and who wasn't. I can see him in the teachers lounge, laughing and saying to his colleagues, "Guess what what I told them today ..... " tee hee hee hee hee

[djui5]

Full Sail.

I don't think that he was out to get any of us. He may have been an idiot, who knows, but I heard what I heard and it intrigued me. I just wanted to post what I had heard to see if there was anyone else who knew anything about it. That's all.

Full Sail's a great school. I went there and don't regret a min of it. Do you remember which instructor it was?

Cedar gave some great advice.....keep up the good work...it's worth it.

[Sen]

Hello, all.

I'm currently a student at a recording tech school, and last night as I was waiting to get into a lab, I overheard a lab instructor talking about a mixing technique he's been experimenting with. He was explaining how he will flip the tape so that the song plays in reverse, which pshychoacoustically makes his brain focus on the envelope of the sounds, rather than the transients. Then, he said, once he's got the mix sounding great in reverse, he'll flip the tape again, leaving him with a nice punchy mix.

Obviously, this technique could be very dangerous and I'm sure it's not an easy thing to listen to for hours, but I was just curious if anyone else here has ever tried this technique and if so, what are your thoughts on it.

I think your lab instructor has recently read the "Mixing With Your Mind" book by Mick Stavrou. Please if you see him, ask him if he has and post the answer here

[MeTheAudioPhile]

Randy- unfortunately, I do not know his name. He's an instructor for another lab that takes place pretty close to were mine does. I just happened to overhear what he was the saying the other night. But, when I get to his class, I'll be sure to find out - ha. Also, I appreciate your encouraging words about Full Sail.

[maintiger]

so many times college instructors are so full of themselves and will say asinine things to impress their students... on the other hand, the man could be absolutely brilliant and we are missing something... naw, I don't think so- I am definitely not mixing in reverse!