From: owner-loud-fans-digest@smoe.org (loud-fans-digest) To: loud-fans-digest@smoe.org Subject: loud-fans-digest V5 #79 Reply-To: loud-fans@smoe.org Sender: owner-loud-fans-digest@smoe.org Errors-To: owner-loud-fans-digest@smoe.org Precedence: bulk loud-fans-digest Monday, March 28 2005 Volume 05 : Number 079 Today's Subjects: ----------------- [loud-fans] RIP Paul Hester ["Bradley Skaught" ] [loud-fans] Mixing it up [Gil Ray ] ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Sun, 27 Mar 2005 08:41:56 -0800 From: "Bradley Skaught" Subject: [loud-fans] RIP Paul Hester This was posted on the Split Enz/Finn Brothers web site... 27 March 2005 frenz.com deeply regrets to inform you that Paul Hester of Split Enz, = Crowded House, Largest Living Things, and many other great projects, has = taken his own life. It is not a hoax or a rumour. At this point, it has = been confirmed though we have no other details at this time. very sad, B No virus found in this outgoing message. Checked by AVG Anti-Virus. Version: 7.0.300 / Virus Database: 266.8.3 - Release Date: 3/25/2005 ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 27 Mar 2005 18:16:33 -0800 (PST) From: Gil Ray Subject: [loud-fans] Mixing it up Howdy, Well, the blues song needed mixing, and this really is the most tedious part of recording. Especially since I have no monitors. I'm pretty sure I've mentioned this before, but I'll refresh your memories if anyone finds this at all interesting. I mix on the headphones, burn copies, and then listen to it on the home stereo, and my car stereo. The home system is pretty bass challenged in the carpeted living room. The car stereo is a bit treble challenged, so I try to find a balance somehow. It ain't easy. Yesterday I took about 20 passes at a mix. About 10 of them were aborted before the song ended, so that left about 10 ok mixes. It got closer each time, so that's good. The last one I did will be the lucky girl! Before I started seriously getting down to mixing, I burned a copy with a very rough mix. No fading, no punch outs, just a straight run to see were I'm at. It was surprisingly close, so when I went back to it, I just tweaked a few things that just had to change. There were 2 instances of audible click track that had to go. Punch. There was also an instance of 2 sound effects that really needed further stereo separation. Done. I also noticed that I naturally tend to lean everything a bit to the right channel, so I straightened out some of the worst offenders, which were the drum track, and the bass track. Not much tweaking, but man, it totally changed the whole sound! Not good.. Back to the drawing board. I started messing with everything. Really not good. Once I get in this zone, sliding faders, punching in and out, setting EQ's, in other words, doing what you're supposed to do, I can very easily get driven crazy by the minutia, which according to my boss, isn't a very far drive. I just get so impatient! Yoko reminded me that some folks take weeks, even months to mix. Heck, maybe even years! Thanks Yoko, thanks for reminding me that I must actually work on this shit! As usual, the biggest problems, aside from getting a decent bass sound (which I've accepted as never happening)were dealing with tracks with multiple parts on them. This is what I had: 1. lead vocal 2. lead guitar 3.-sound effect (left) -backing vocal -organ 4.-sound effect (right) -organ -clean bass 5.-dirty bass -chimes 6.-rhythm guitar (left) 7.-rhythm guitar (right) 8.-drums Yep, tracks 3 & 4 were an adventure, but I think I finally got 'em. Think I got a great mix, too. Gave it the 'ol blast it loud in the car trick and I'm happy with it. Yoko agrees. It's a take. Charted the settings, wiped the board, tore off the masking tape. Got to name this song, though. Hmmm. Well, I'll worry about that later. I've already done most of the drum programming for the next song. I've been recording thoughts and ideas onto my tiny little hand held tape recorder, which is very useful. Looking forward to working this one out. I'm channeling Scott Miller for this one. Should be...challenging. Gil __________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! Small Business - Try our new resources site! http://smallbusiness.yahoo.com/resources/ ------------------------------ End of loud-fans-digest V5 #79 ******************************