I'm Chris and I'm looking to learn LOADS more about mixing!

[Christopher Burke]

Hi, everyone!

Right now I'm trying to get the hang of mixing piano/keyboards and pads/strings.  I look on 'keyboards'n'pads' as a kinda alien version of 'piano'n'strings'  at the moment, I write them both the same way. (I'm New Age btw!)

I just can't mix them afterwards for love nor money.  And believe you me I've tried both!  

 

Now I know I could just send them off somewhere and they'd come back as a perfect (albeit expensive!) mix. But I wanna know how to do it.  I want to see my own pieces through from beginning to being sent off somewhere with regards to being placed (I can dream!) or put on a CD or YouTube or similar.  I flatter myself I can compose the things (OK I'm NOT Mozart!) but I can't mix the pads in afterwards.  Drums/bass - passable in the mix.  Strings - I patiently try for days.  Every so often one works passably.  So I do the same things to the next one I did to the passable one - abject failure and I can never see why.  

I'd love to submit a piece - only 3 minutes of it - with abysmally mixed strings to one of the  forums just so someone could tell me firstly what I'm doing wrong with this one and secondly - could I use the advice I get for this one as general advice for ALL piano'n'strings pieces.  In other words, if I got this one right according to advice given, would I be able to use the same advice for the ton of previous ones I've written or is it all so individual you can't do that? The problem with reading books on mixing, which I have done, is that they tell you what everything DOES, but not when to use what and why.  And that's the part I'm not getting.  I know what EQ, panning, compression and everything DO, but when I try to use it, it aint happening.  

Right now I use Edirol Orchestral  because I actually understand that.  I know there's free Kontakt libraries with magnificent sounds in but I can't make simple Edirol work, I got no chance with those things currently.  Besides, I've heard New Age CDs with worse sounds than Edirol on - but the mixers knew how to make the sounds 'fit'. 

Could someone help me learn how to do that? 

Well, that's why I'm here!  

Yours respectfully

 

Chris.

 

 

[Peggy]

Hi Chris,

Welcome to Songstuff!  I am not familiar with Edirol software but mixing can be fun, frustrating and it takes time.  Start a topic on the critique board with one of your works and let's hear what you have and see if we can help.

Peggy

[Mac Wilkey]

Welcome Chris. I’m always amazed that folks can do what you can do with music. Kind of feels good that you have stuff you want to learn. There’s a lot of knowledgeable people here at songstuff. I just do words so can’t help but I’ll be rooting for you

[Cody]

I can only offer an asshole...er I mean opinion  after hearing.........I have no knowledge as far as mixing goes(turn that up, turn that down is about the extent of it  ) but I'd tend to believe that it's gonna be different for every tune...depends on what you want to convey...If you're looking for some magic formula, I'd recommend any pop/top 40 stuff for the last 15years  "it's got a groovy bass line that I can tap my foot and nod my head to, and those words rhymed, they must be clever"   I'm more attuned to a live show(and it better be different every time....than I am a set in stone recording anyway).  but welcome! seems a nice place, I'm sure you'll find some actual help  

[john]

Hey Chris, welcome to the Songstuff family! Good to have you with us!

 

go ahead and post up your song. If you use @john in your post I will get notified and will comment.

 

out of interest, how are you getting the strings? Simple string patch? Does the patch have inline effects? Loads of preset patches already have effects included. You might get an improvement switching off those effects.

 

When I can, if going for a degree of authenticity, I create separate string parts (1st and 2nd violins, Viola, cello, bass. It gives a much better sound overall imo.)

 

What type of EQ & settings are you using? Effects?
 

What sort of sound are you going for and what issues are you having?

 

If you can include all of the above In your post it would be appreciated and it might save some time.