There's this:

http://www.independentrecording.net/irn/resources/freqchart/main_display.htm

But that isn't going to help much, because the real answer is no, there is no magic formula, you just have to use your ears. A handy method is to use reference CDs, i.e. songs that have the sound you want. Import the track in question alongside your own work and then switch back and forth and keep experimenting until you get close.

Thank you so much, i totally get that it wont be like perfect, but a little help is a good start.

Isnt there some thing that you can have as a plugin that shows freq you need to take out, i swear i saw my buddy using it.. where the bad spikes were, he would referance to.

Thats a good idea with the sound you want though.. im gonna try that also.

Adobe Audition along with its earlier permutation Cool Edit, has a very nice internal real-time spectrum analyzer with both linear & logarithmic displays. But I really don't know anyone who mixes by watching spectrum analyzers. Your brain along with your ears & years works much better. Don't eat any magic mushrooms.

I like sauteed preamps
Mx. Remy Ann David

There are other frequency analyzer plugins available too, plenty of free ones out there (google!). But seriously, don't mix with your eyes. The ayes have it but the eyes do not. Remy, as usual, is right: use your brain and your ears and practice practice practice. The key is learning what to listen for. That can be a big challenge at first, but it will happen eventually: listen to a lot of music (a lot!), experiment fearlessly with your mixes and the tools you have available, and use reference tracks so you can very easily switch back and forth between what you want and what you've got. You're rewiring your brain, it takes time. What's the worst that can happen, you create a crappy song or a lousy mix? Welcome to the club. The line forms behind me and about a zillion other people. Have fun!

Thanks for the help guys, im going to get at this!
While i have you, can anyone tell me about the world of going from firewire, to a pci card?
What are the advantages and dis? Do you have to spend big money to get a nice sound like an apogee for 3 grand?

And also.. Do you guys know anything about midi'ing up drums and replacing sound with ez drummer, or bfd?

If so what do i need besides the obvious drum programs.
Do i need more then my saffire pro 10/io?

Sorry for the bombardment of questions but you guys seem to be experts, help me out!

Here is my studio page btw.. http://www.myspace.com/oceansstudio

So is this a link to your studio or simply a studio you want to use?? I'm confused....you're asking very newbie questions and then you point ot a place that is charging money to record.....

If this is your studio and you wan t ot spend some money , buy great converters.

This is my studio so far.
Yes i am asking newbie questions.. Because ive done it all by myself for the last 8 months, and sent out my tracks to get mixed. I Am trying to gain knowledge and get better, because i cant stop listening to music and wonder how and why and what mic and where, just endlessly obessed with recording now. What is a converter? A midi converter, a power converter, a power tool converter, i mean i can think of lots of converters haha. :P

A bs converter?

I have one of those but the paper is not located on the web.

But I jest. Hell if you can get 25 American dollars with your recording room and your a newb, then there is hope for the economy.

I really liked the first un-pretentious replies i got.
They actually helped!
Welcome to the world of forums i guess!
I earned almost 3 thousand Dollars in the last 8 months, awesome shit! Hope to get things going even better and host my own forums like Andy Sneap one day, where people can not help other people. :]

Oh chris i love u for joining this site;)

Haha these dudes were very helpful at first, dont know where they went lol, but i dont put up with peoples shit, its like highschool jocks all over, I though i could nerd out without them anymore ;]

Naw but aside from that..

Me too!
Fun stuff!

but i dont put up with peoples shit,

There's a certain amount you are going to have to take no matter who you are or who you think you are in any job field and especially if it is any music field whether classical or pop. It's just the way it is-especially if you want to learn something. Just have a little fun with it and don't get your panties twisted up.

And really, I hope you can eat and pay gas on $400/mo because I couldn't since I was in grad school almost two decades ago. 8-)

Its good that you have a passion for this. It may be the only thing that sustains you through some times....

Let me explain the differences in the help department.

Before you posted your site link people really thought you needed the help. You were sorta thankful but in an odd way. You were kinda smart-alec about the responses.

Then you posted the link to your studio and then folks thought you might be a troll just screwing around.

You make good sounds so why do you need us? You have paying customers so why do you need us? Then you talk about not taking anyones s*%t but no one gave you any.

Look up converters in the Wiki. You already have some apparently you just dont know it. Or else you're just screwing with us.

If your serious about getting information then you need to not react to people and you need to not be all wise-ass about your posts. Just be a professional and ask other professionals for their opinions and for their experiences with all things recording.

Unless you really are a troll in which case you can look elsewhere. :wink:

You have a Neumann U87 and you don't know what a converter is? If that's a joke it isn't funny, and if it's not a joke, God have mercy on your soul.

...and your wallet.

Many of us know here that money can buy a lot of smart equipment for a lot of clueless people. Most of us have worked our butts off to afford what we have. We had experience to begin with, did our homework, researched our options, decided upon our purchases of what we really needed. Then we started to hustle for business only to find screwy musician/kids that don't understand why they can't get a good sound out of their Sound Blaster card with their stolen cracked software. And so sometimes questions here are a little misleading, such as yours. The only real key to good mixing is to listen, listen, listen to everything. Then all you need to do is imitate technically what you've heard so that it sounds the same. It doesn't sound the same? Keep at it. And know your best recordings will be made with a bag full of inexpensive Shure SM57/58's. You don't need no stinkin' Phantom whizbang Chinese condenser microphones. That's what we all use to record rock-and-roll. Sure, you can get yourself a couple of condenser microphones, but they really aren't necessary for pop music.

Loving inexpensive dynamic microphones is my passion
Mx. Remy Ann David

Thank you for your professional response Dave.
I dont really know what a troll is, but i do know that all i asked was two things. I always want to improve my sound, i therfore was asking if any of you knew about Hooking up to midi and what i need with the gear i am running.

Sorry dave if i seemed like a wise-ass with the converter comment, but i was just being comical.

I have a feeling if i type in converter in Wiki i will get various converters beyond any sort of helpful referance, is there a more less vague description.

I dont really know how i was thankful in a weird way..

And to the nirvana dude, that was my old studio i was working out of, with the pics of the Neumann.. fun mic.

Remy, i totally understand where you are coming from, i have paid in full for most of the things i have, i firmly believe in purchasing the programs i use.

I understand this whole mixing thing, thank you for clarifying things for me. I still use my 57's to get my punchy and diversly toned guitar tone, and i will always for that matter.. i love the simple primal aspects of figuring these things out, Its been tuff by myself but all i can do is ask and try ask and try.

I would like a little respect such as the way you are carrying out your replys is all i ask.

Thanks alot, and if i have anymore questions i know who to go to!

Converter
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Analog-to-digital_converter
Troll
http://www.flayme.com/troll/#What

It is hard to tell if you are for real things just don't add up. You may in fact be rather clueless to the accepted terminology and just good at gozinta gozouta or something more like this
short video

No offense meant.

"just good at gozinta gozouta or something more like this"

I'd rather be this than know names of everything. Names can be learned, curiousity & problem solving can't.

Subterranean wrote: And to the nirvana dude, that was my old studio i was working out of, with the pics of the Neumann.. fun mic.

Wait, so you are posting pics from a different studio altogether and advertising it on your studio page? I'm no lawyer, but that's gotta be illegal. The business world is one in which you gotta keep your nose clean, so in case anyone wants to sniff your entrails you don't get into a whole lot of trouble.