Some mix engineers work entirely 'in the box', while others treat Pro Tools as little more than a tape recorder. Kevin 'KD' Davis employs the best of both worlds, as his work on Ne-Yo's recent hit 'Closer' shows.
We show you that if you put enough effort into the musical arrangement and get the editing out of the way at the start, the mix itself isn't that difficult!
For our newsstand magazine buyers who do not have access to the subscribers-only eSub version of Mix Rescue, here are the URLs for the Audio files that accompany October 2008's instalment of MIX RESCUE.
The SOS 'dreamboys' (aka Paul & Hugh) paid a visit to Dean McCarthy, the lucky winner of the Dream Studio prize from this year's London International Music Show, to install and integrate all the new gear into his studio. Read all about it...
With Sara Bareilles' massive worldwide hit 'Love Song', producer Eric Rosse had to strike a delicate balance between preserving the artist's integrity and achieving mass appeal.
With no budget to hire a studio, Jacob Golden decided to record his album anywhere and any way he could. The resulting sound is a unique exercise in the use of ambience.
When different parts compete in a mix, it isn't always easy to decide what's most important. We take you through some strategies to achieve better separation of parts for a clutter-free mix.
For our newsstand magazine buyers who do not have access to the subscribers-only eSub version of Mix Rescue, here are the URLs for the Audio files that accompany September 2008's instalment of MIX RESCUE.
Whether you're acclimatising to a new room or speakers, or seeking benchmarks for your mix, a CD of good reference material is an indispensable tool — and it pays to think hard about what you put on it.
Even when you're mixing completely 'in the box', a small analogue mixer can still prove really useful in the home studio, for both recording and monitoring duties...
A track from Dutch band Awash gets the benefit of fixes for tightening up backing vocals, creating a bigger drum presence and making a DI'd guitar sound more natural.
From humble beginnings, Diane Warren has gone on to write hundreds of hit songs. Her secrets? Hard work, good titles... and no time wasted cleaning her writing room!
'4 Minutes' by Madonna, Timbaland, Marcella Araica
Madonna's popularity shows no sign of flagging, thanks in part to her ability to seek out cutting-edge production talent. Producer and mixer Demo Castellon explains how he shaped her latest chart-topper.