The role of music is to help people feel confident; to feel courage that tomorrow (or even this afternoon) is worth facing. People don't want Rock & Roll to make them feel less confident. If you don't approach your own music with courage, you can't expect that it will deliver the courage that people want … Continue reading Courage
Mixing
Making & Mixing Drums – everything you need to know to make drums that Groove well
Drums are the subject that get a lot of people off-track when they start making & mixing music. Drums maketh not the Mix The song is about the song. Tautological I know but it needs to keep being said when I hear track after track where all the care in the world went into the … Continue reading Making & Mixing Drums – everything you need to know to make drums that Groove well
Mixing Midsomer Variations
I was asked to show a whole track being mixed. Normally that is a tiny bit difficult for me as I have the track essentially mixed by the time I have finished composing it so there isn't a discrete process wherein I go through and Mix things. But I was disciplined as I worked on … Continue reading Mixing Midsomer Variations
Understanding Sounds for your Synth, Song Arrangement & Mix
This article is a holder for the 5-Video series on making, composing with, arranging & mixing the main categories of melodic sounds you will use when making almost any style of music. Part I: BassPart II: PolyPart III: LeadsPart IV: Pads Part V is about Layered Sounds which helps you to understand not only how … Continue reading Understanding Sounds for your Synth, Song Arrangement & Mix
Mix Engineer Advice Stems: “Handing Out Hysteria”
Advice on preparing & sending Stems to a Mix Engineer
Mixing in Mono
Have I gone crazy as I just told you all how to mix in stereo and create stereo where there was none? No not at all. If you read the article on creating stereo I give several warnings about mush and mono compatibility. Reality is that not everyone is going to hear your mix in … Continue reading Mixing in Mono
Mixing in Stere-ereo – conclusion
In part one we started to look at stereo in a mix and the idea of width and panning to create the illusion of space and depth in our imaginary song space. We finished just as the band had all pissed off to the pub to get blotto (and the girls pregnant). At this point … Continue reading Mixing in Stere-ereo – conclusion
Mixing in Stere-ereo
In my my last post in this series I talked about how mixing bass isn't always the way you think it should be at first. Tricky stuff physics. BUT never fear because Physics is actually a very logical and predictable fellow so we can fool him into doing our bidding. In this post we will … Continue reading Mixing in Stere-ereo
Blamsoft Distributor in Propellerhead Reason
Reason has always been a pretty modular environment. If you use the units just as they are results are alright but the software really comes alive when you start to put things together. The Combinator was the biggest single evolution in this respect. We have just had another big leap land on us in the … Continue reading Blamsoft Distributor in Propellerhead Reason
Mixing with Groups in Propellerhead Reason
Groups are a great way to handle parts of a mix before they go to the record pressing plant via the Master Out. As you may have noted yourself the Master is where it all comes together so if you whack a 32nd-note BPM-synced Phaser on the Master in a fit of LSD induced midnight … Continue reading Mixing with Groups in Propellerhead Reason