The following audio files demonstrate some of the mix processing used to create this month's remix. You can listen to or download these at:
www.soundonsound.com/sos/apr07/articles/mixrescueaudio.htm
originaldrumsfrontmic.mp3 and originaldrumsrearmic.mp3: These are the raw recordings from the closest thing the band had to overheads: one mic placed in front of the kit, and another mic above and behind.- automatedoverheadsmix.mp3: The remixed drum sound was based on this basic overheads mix, created by balancing the two overhead mics together under automation control. A little EQ cut at 14kHz was used to make the hi-hat sound less edgy. Notice that the snare sound changes in real time as a side-effect of the automation.
- ProcessedDrums.mp3 and ProcessedDrumsLarger.mp3: These two files solo the full remixed drums, but the first file doesn't include two of the effects I used to get more size later on in the mix process: high-pass-filtered hall reverb and parallel compression.
- OriginalLeadGuitar.mp3: The original lead guitar part was very muddy, and therefore couldn't be faded up to a suitable level without clouding the whole mix.
- ProcessedLeadGuitar.mp3: High-pass filtering cleared out the low-end rubbish from the track and I also used some moderate compression to bring up details in the line.
- ProcessedLeadGuitarWithFX.mp3: Converting the processed line into something of an '80s parody was accomplished with some heavily EQ'd tempo-sync'ed delay and a chorus effect chaining Cubase 's Mod Delay and Chorus plug-ins.
- OriginalLeadVocal.mp3: The wrong choice of mic and mic placement for this voice resulted in excessive proximity effect, inconsistent tonality, and uncontrolled plosives and sibilants.
- ProcessedLeadVocal.mp3: High-pass filtering, presence boost, de-essing and multiband compression work together here to compensate for the problems in the original recording.
- ProcessedLeadVocalsWithFX.mp3: The lead vocal and its double-track as they finally appear in the remix, complete with automated panning and the same tempo-sync'd delay and chorus effects used on the lead guitar.
- originalmix-0407.mp3: The band's own mix, as sent in to SOS.
- remix-0407.mp3: My remix from the same original tracks.