Very simple Mixing question!

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Member Since: Dec 23, 2005

I swear, this will be my last thread for a while. I hope I'm not getting on anyone's nerves :)

My questions are on mixing, and are so newb that it isn't even covered on some of the site tutorials.

People tell me you shouldn't add EQ or mix until everything is recorded. ... what's the point of a mixer then? How do you mix if not on that? Is mixing mainly done using software then? Or... can mixers be used to add EQ to already recorded tracks? How is this done? Is there some sort of cable you connect to your computer so that your mixers are able to deal with the EQ on recorded tracks?
And back to the actual mixers... if you aren't meant to fiddle with the EQ while recording, does that mean that you're going to have the high, mid, and low knobs all turned to 0? Or, if you are going to use them, what should, say, your guitar amp's EQ be (in order to make the amp "neutral") ?

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Freeleance Producer/Engineer/Gtr
Member
Since: Aug 11, 2002


Feb 07, 2006 06:44 am

Not a problem, but I won't assume anything here in my explaination.

First off a mixer is used for properly routing audio from mic to recording medium and back for monitoring and mixdown/summing (from multitrack to 2 channel or 5.1 etc.).

The term Mixing refers to a particular step in the process of finishing a Sound Recording. Mainly balancing of levels, shaping the audio so that it all plays well together once recorded. One typically uses EQ at this point to carve space in audio so that 2 or more signals that share a certain frequency range so they don't mask eachother or create other problems.

Some engineers choose not to use EQ to tape (when recording) and some do. If it sounds good then you shouldn't have to, but if you're after a particular sound then why not? I prefer not to use EQ to tape mainly because I'd rather use a mic combination or mic placement to capture exactly what I hear. This I think another one of those things where experience or preference rules over what is "Correct"....

I would say "If you could 'fix it in the mix' then you broke it with the mic" but that's MY opinion.

Freeleance Producer/Engineer/Gtr
Member
Since: Aug 11, 2002


Feb 07, 2006 06:46 am

oh and if you want a 'flat' recording (no eq to tape) then your EQ knobs should be at null or '0', meaning that there isn't any boost or cut.

Member
Since: Dec 23, 2005


Feb 07, 2006 10:16 am

Okay gotcha. So if the 'mixing' is done on software then (if I followed your explanation correctly) , who are considered the top dogs for doing this? Any suggested software?
I ask because I've been recording stuff just on Audacity, and whenever I use their built in EQ, it adds an extremely high pitched buzz to the track. So I'm going to assume Audacity's EQ isn't too great.
An example of that high pitch can be found on one of the clips I uploaded onto my site:
www.soundclick.com/bands/...m?bandID=481743
Look for the title: "high pitch static i was talking about in thread"

And so, you record with your mixer's EQ all null?

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