Mixing Bootcamp: Mixing Tools

Question 1

Name the 2 primary ways to decide where to set the level of an element in your track

Answer 1

1 - By Priority: how important it is in the track and in this genre
2 - Reference Professional Tracks - compare the level of the element in question in a professional track relative to it’s kick drum or loudest element

Question 2

Name 5 ways to set the panning of an element in your track

Answer 2

PFIM and Complimentary Panning
1 - Priority - Set the most important elements of the track in the centre with a strong mono focus to each
2 - Frequency - Set the lowest frequencies (eg, bass and kick) in the centre and gradually move outwards from there as you move through each element based on where it sits in the frequency spectrum
3 - Interest - Used panning creatively to grab the listeners attention in subtle or dramatic ways
4 - Movement - Use the Autopan tool and Panning Automation in the DAW to generate more movement in your track
5 - Complimentary Panning - Pan pairs of elements that sit in similar areas of the frequency spectrum to opposite sides (by roughly equal amounts), to separate the frequencies and give space for both elements in the overall mix

Question 3

Name the 2 ways in which an element/instrument contributes to the frequency spectrum, and how these can be both positive and negative forces in a mix

Answer 3

Each element/instrument generates both a Fundamental and a series of Harmonics/Overtones above and below.
Fundamentals represent the basic notes and tones of different elements in the mix and harmonics add to and define the character of a sound. However, fundamentals and harmonics/overtones competing for the same space in the frequency spectrum can suffer from muddiness, clashes and frequency masking

Question 4

Where is the Sub-Bass range located in Hz and name some instruments, fundamentals and harmonics that are located in this frequency band?

Answer 4

The Sub-Bass range is located at 20-60Hz - here you will find the lower/sub harmonics and lower fundamentals of the bass and kick

Question 5

Where is the core-Bass range located in Hz and name some instruments, fundamentals and harmonics that are located in this frequency band?

Answer 5

The core-Bass range is located at 60-200Hz - here you will find the fundamentals of the kick, bass and low toms,

Question 6

Where is the low-Midrange located in Hz and name some instruments, fundamentals and harmonics that are located in this frequency band?

Answer 6

The low-Midrange is located at 200-500hz - here you will find the and the upper harmonics of the bass and low toms and the fundamentals of lower chordal elements such as synths and guitars

Question 7

Where is the core-Midrange located in Hz and name some instruments, fundamentals and harmonics that are located in this frequency band?

Answer 7

The core-Midrange is located at 500Hz-3kHz - here you will find the fundamentals of vocals, guitars, synths and percussion

Question 8

Where is the Treble/Presence range located in Hz and name some instruments, fundamentals and harmonics that are located in this frequency band?

Answer 8

The Treble/Presence range is located at 3-8kHz - here you will find the fundamentals of high vocals, strings and cymbals and the upper harmonics of vocals, guitars, synths and percussion

Question 9

Where is the Noise/Detail range located in Hz and name some instruments, fundamentals and harmonics that are located in this frequency band?

Answer 9

The Air/Detail range is located at 8-20kHz - here you will find the highest harmonics of cymbals, high vocals, and percussion

Question 10

What tool should you use to cut the energy found above a certain frequency?

Answer 10

A Low-Pass Filter

Question 11

What tool should you use to cut the energy found below a certain frequency?

Answer 11

A High-Pass Filter

Question 12

What tool should you use to boost or attenuate the energy at and around a particular frequency?

Answer 12

A Bell Filter

Question 13

What tool should you use to boost or attenuate the energy below a certain frequency?

Answer 13

A Low-Shelf Filter

Question 14

What tool should you use to boost or attenuate the energy above a certain frequency?

Answer 14

A High-Shelf Filter

Question 15

What tool should you use to fully eliminate the energy at a certain frequency ?

Answer 15

A Notch Filter

Question 16

Which control can used to adjust the number/width of frequencies being affected when using a bell or notch filter?

Answer 16

The ‘Q’ or ‘resonance’ control

Question 17

Which control can be used to cut or boost around the cut-off frequency when using a low/high-pass filter?

Answer 17

The ‘Q’ or ‘resonance’ control

Question 18

Which two controls/functions can be used to alter the rate of gain reduction below/above the cut-off frequency when using a low/high-pass filter?

Answer 18

The ‘Q’ or control, and selecting a more/less aggressive slope of reduction. eg: -12db reduction per octave or -48db per octave (as in Ableton’s EQ8 Plugin)

Question 19

Which types of filters are used in subtractive EQing?

Answer 19

Bell (cut), High-pass, Low-pass, Low-shelf (cut), High-shelf (cut), notch

Question 20

Which types of filters are used in additive EQing?

Answer 20

Bell (boost), Low-shelf (boost), High-shelf (boost)

Question 21

What tool is used to reduce/control the dynamic range of a signal?

Answer 21

A compressor

Question 22

How can a compressor be used to increase the overall loudness when added to the master bus ? What two steps/objectives would you take to achieve this when setting the compressor’s primary controls?

Answer 22

A compressor can be added to the master bus to increase the overall loudness by reducing overall dynamic range and then adding makeup gain. I would adjust the threshold level to reduce the peaks of the signal and then add makeup gain of a value equal to the reduction of the signals peak value post-compression

Question 23

Which view in Ableton is best for monitoring changes in a signal’s peak value post-compression?

Answer 23

Session view

Question 24

Which 3 controls on a compressor would you use to shape the way that the gain reduction is applied and how does each impact the quality of compression being applied?

Answer 24

The Attack, Release and Ratio controls shape the way the gain reduction is applied.
Attack determines how quickly the GR is applied once the signal goes above the set threshold value
Release determines the rate at which the GR decays once the signal goes below the threshold again
The Knee adjusts the aggressiveness of the gain reduction slope determined by the Attack value, making the attack harder or softer

Question 25

Name 5 reasons to use a compressor on individual elements or group/master bus channels

Answer 25

1 Reducing volume/controlling dynamic range of an individual element
2 Increasing overall perceived volume of an individual element of group/master bus track
3 Improving cohesion between multiple instruments in a group bus or in a mix overall (master bus)
4 Creative Sound Design - drastically shaping the dynamics of a sound to make it more interesting and unique
5 Adding Character - certain ‘classic’, vintage, valve and analogue compressors can add a distinct character and vibe to an element or mix as a whole

Question 26

What are the two main reasons to apply a Limiter ?

Answer 26

To catch and attenuate unwanted peaks, and to increase the overall perceived volume of the mix (master bus limiting)

Question 27

Describe what the ideal settings for the Attack and Release controls of a compressor will achieve when trying to increase perceived volume

Answer 27

An ideal attack time will be as fast as possible without losing any punch or impact
An ideal release time will not be so slow that it is always being applied and not so fast that it introduces distortion or digital artefacts or loses it’s punch and transients

Question 28

Which two controls are most important when setting a master bus limiter?

Answer 28

Threshold or Input Gain, and Release time

Question 29

What are the two main objectives to achieve to and balance when adjusting the Threshold and Release times on a master bus compressor/limiter?

Answer 29

The two main objectives when setting a master bus limiter are: to make the sound louder overall, which is achieved by setting the threshold/input gain as low as possible and aesthetically appropriate without creating distortion; and to preserve the dynamics and transients of the original signal in a way that sounds good, by adjusting the release time and threshold in conjunction with one another.

Question 30

Which tool would you use to remove or reduce the amount of noise or room ambience heard in an acoustically recorded (live) sound?

Answer 30

A Gate

Question 31

What does the Threshold control do on a Gate ?

Answer 31

The Threshold control sets the level below which the gate is applied

Question 32

What does the Floor control do on a Gate?

Answer 32

The Floor control sets the level that audio below the threshold will be brought down to eg -40db

Question 33

Describe the function of the Attack, Hold and Release controls when using a Gate

Answer 33

The attack sets the amount of time it takes for the gate to open fully once the incoming signal passes above the Threshold
The Hold sets the amount of time it takes for the gate to begin to close once the audio has dropped below the threshold
The Release sets the amount of time it takes for the signal to be attenuated down to the Floor level after Hold time is applied

Question 34

When/how would you set a Return setting when gating?

Answer 34

You would set a return value to your gate if you want the gate to stay fully open for a quieter sound that follows a sound that opens the gate. You would set the return value to just below the peak of the second sound.

Question 35

When/why would you set a Lookahead value when gating?

Answer 35

You would set a Lookahead value if the gate is not opening quickly enough with the attack at it’s fastest setting, to give the gate time to anticipate opening fully

Question 36

Which tool is used for adding warmth and thickness to an element?

Answer 36

Saturation

Question 37

How does saturation work and what are the main benefits of adding saturation to a track/mix?

Answer 37

Saturation adds overtones/harmonics to the signal, which makes it sound fuller and louder without increasing the peak value

Question 38

How do distortion/overdrive/fuzz/bit-reduction differ from saturation and when/why would you add them to a sound?

Answer 38

Distortion/overdrive/fuzz and bit-reduction are more aggressive in general than saturation and add their own distinct colour and tone to the sound; you would use them for more drastic shaping of a sound or to add tone and bite

Question 39

Describe 3 results you can get with a Chorus

Answer 39

A chorus can be used to add subtle richness and enhance stereo information; create characteristic vintage sounds, or for aggressive and experimental sound design

Question 40

Explain the 3 main controls on a Chorus plugin

Answer 40

Delay Time - the amount of time that the processed signal is delayed by
Amount/Depth/Intensity - How far the pitch of the processed signal moves from the original
Rate/Speed - How fast the pitch modulation occurs

Question 41

Name 4 secondary controls found on a Chorus and how they help you to refine the basic sound

Answer 41

Feedback - feeds the processed signal back in the chorus to generate subtle to aggressive metallic sounds
HPF - filters out low-end information from the processed signal to improve stereo imaging and sit better in the mix (where needed)
2nd delay - adds a second delayed signal to increase the options for crafting the sound
LFO multiplier - multiplies the pitch modulation rate to create intense gritty sounds for more interesting/creative sound design purposes.

Question 42

How do Phasers and Flangers alter the character of the sound and what is the general difference between the two in terms of sound?

Answer 42

Phasers and Flangers create swirling effects and enhance the stereo information, with Flangers being more resonant in general

Question 43

How do Phasers and Flangers work and what is the main technical difference between the two?

Answer 43

Flangers and phasers both work by creating notches in the frequency range of the signal, the main difference is that Flangers are harmonic, so the notches generated are relative to the original signal, whereas phasers are en-harmonic and generate notches relative to a set frequency

Question 44

In which way are Phasers, Chorus and Flangers all fundamentally the same?

Answer 44

Chorus, Phasers and Flangers all work by generating a copy of the signal, altering it in terms of pitch and or harmonics, and then combining the processed audio with the unprocessed audio

Question 45

What is the main difference between the wet signals of a Chorus plugin and Phaser/Flanger plugin?

Answer 45

Chorus modulates the pitch of the copied signal over time, whereas flangers and phasers create notches in the harmonics of the copied signal

Question 46

How does setting the delay time impact the effect of a Flanger?

Answer 46

A shorter delay time creates more interference with the original sound and therefore a more drastic effect; a longer time will have a more subtle effect

Question 47

Describe the function of the 2 main controls of a Flanger plugin

Answer 47

Delay Time - sets the amount of time between the dry and wet signal, creating a more or less noticeable effect
Mix - the ratio of processed to unprocessed sound

Question 48

How does a Damping control shape the sound of a Flanger?

Answer 48

By taming the high frequencies/harmonics in the wet signal

Question 49

How can a HPF control be helpful when using a Chorus, Flanger or Phaser?

Answer 49

It removes some of the low frequency information from the processed signal to improve stereo imaging (i.e. by not panning too much low-end information to the sides) to enable a cleaner blend into the rest of the mix

Question 50

What are the 3 main controls of a Phaser?

Answer 50

Stages/Poles - The number/amount of notches generated in the wet signal
Frequency - The frequency from which the notches are generated
Mix - the ratio of unprocessed to processed audio

Question 51

Name 3 secondary controls common to both Flangers and Phasers, and describe how they shape the sound

Answer 51

LFO (w. Amount and Rate) - adds pitch oscillation to the wet sound and sets the distance the pitch deviates from the original audio and the speed at which it does so
Feedback - feeds the processed sound back through the Phaser/Flanger creating more resonant, metallic sounds
Phase - enhances stereo information by offsetting the processed signal from the centre of the stereo field

Question 52

Name three reasons that you might add a Chorus/Phaser/Flanger

Answer 52

Changing the tone/feel - emulating the feel of analogue tape recording hardware adding richness and pitch flutter; adding tone, colour and filtering
Generating Movement - the way that Ch/Ph/Fl shapes the tone over time can keep the sound interesting- especially with more repetitive elements
Adding Stereo Width - to push the element more to the back and to the sides so it sits better in context

Question 53

How does delay work and what are some common reasons to use it?

Answer 53

A delay repeats the signal over time. It can be used to add space, movement and interest, and also to add vintage character to the sound with certain settings

Question 54

What are the 3 core controls on a Delay plugin and what do they do?

Answer 54

Mix - Determines the volume of the delayed signal relative to the original.
Time - Sets the amount of time between the original signal and subsequent delays; either locked to the grid and expressed as a rhythmic value, or as a fixed time value in milliseconds
Feedback - Set the number of repeats. Repeats usually diminish in volume over time

Question 55

What are the 2 most common modes of stereo delay and how do they differ ?

Answer 55

Stereo - repeats are sent equally to the L and R stereo channel
Ping-Pong - Repeats alternate between the L and R stereo channels creating a more interesting and obvious effect

Question 56

How can HPFs/LPFs be useful when added to a Delay?

Answer 56

A LPF can be useful for making the delay less obvious in the mix and a HPF can add brightness and interest to the sound

Question 57

Name the 3 most common acoustic reverb types (spaces) and how they differ sonically

Answer 57

Room- suited to short decy times being more present and up-front
Hall - A medium-long reverb best suited to creating a more washed-out character
Chamber - A medium reverb that works best at 2-3s decay time, like a hall in size but with a more direct character more similar to a room

Question 58

Name the 2 most common mechanical reverb types and describe their sound/application

Answer 58

Plate - creates a lush, dark and rich reverb similar to a chamber but more harmonically dense
Spring - gives a distinct ‘wobble’ and echo-like tone, commonly used for guitars

Question 59

Name 5 Primary controls on a Reverb and describe how they affect the sound/space

Answer 59

Pre-delay- the time before the onset of the reverb. When setting pre-delay you should balance distance and clarity; pre-delay can make the space seem bigger, but will sound artificial if set too long, and if set too short the reverb signal will interfere with and mask transients in the original signal
Decay Time - gives the length of the reverb trail, longer times will wash-out and push the sound back in the mix; shorter times will be more present
Size - Size of the virtual space; larger sizes can be richer, but small sizes will sit more cleanly in the mix
EQ (HPF, LPF) - Applies filters to the wet sound; using a LPF is importan to reduce some of the energy in the 0- 500hz range where muddiness is likely to occur; adding a HPF can reduce harshness and make the reverb less present in the mix
Dry/wet (Mix) -the ratio of the dry signal to the reverb signal

Question 60

Name 5 secondary parameters to experiment with when shaping Reverb and describe what they do

Answer 60

Stereo - sets the stereo width of the reverb from mono to occupying the full stereo field
Early and late reflections - early reflections help to define the size of the room and late reflections define its tone e.g the shape and material of the artificial space. Many controls in a reverb plugin will alter the ERs and LRs but some will give specific controls to shape and shift the emphasis between the two.
Damping - attenuates selected frequencies over time eg. making high frequencies decay faster than low frequencies
Diffusion (echo density) - high diffusion values will ‘diffuse’ the transients from the original signal more whereas low settings will give a more metallic, echo-like quality
Modulation - adds frequency modulation over time to the reflections, giving a richer, chorus-like tone