Audio Mixing Boot Camp

Song List: CHAPTER 13: THE FINAL MIX Glossary Bibliography Index Preface Welcome to the Audio Mixing Bootcamp CHAPTER 1: MONITORING The Listening Environment Determining the Listening Position Standing Waves Acoustic Quick Fixes Exercise Pod -- Improving the Listening Environment Basic Monitor Setup Exercise Pod -- Speaker Placement How to Listen Basic Listening Technique Exercise Pod -- What to Listen For How Loud (or Soft) Should I Listen? Exercise Pod -- Listening Levels Listening on Several Speaker Systems Exercise Pod -- Listening on Multiple Monitors Listening in Mono Phase Coherency Balances Exercise Pod -- Listening in Mono CHAPTER 2: SESSION SETUP Prepping Your Mix Make a Session File Copy Arrange Your Tracks Delete Empty Tracks Deactivate and Hide Unused Tracks Reorder Your Tracks Color-Code the Tracks Correctly Label the Tracks Insert Section Markers Set Up Subgroups Set Up Your Effects Assign the Channels Insert Compressors and Limiters Exercise Pod -- Prepping Your Mix Prepping Yourself Play Something You Know Take Notes Make Yourself Comfortable Exercise Pod -- Prepping Yourself CHAPTER 3: MIXING BASICS A Brief History Exercise Pod -- Identifying Different Recording Techniques and Eras What Are You Trying to Accomplish? Developing the Groove Exercise Pod -- Identifying the Groove Emphasizing the Most Important Elements Exercise Pod -- Identifying the Most Important Song Element Putting the Performers in an Environment Exercise Pod -- Identifying the Tall, Deep and Wide Dimensions What Does an Amateur Mix Sound Like? The 6 Elements of a Mix Exercise Pod -- The Elements of a Mix CHAPTER 4: BALANCE Visualize Your Mix Exercise Pod -- Visualize Your Mix The Musical Elements of an Arrangement Born This Way by Lady Gaga Power by Kanye West Grenade by Bruno Mars Exercise Pod -- Identifying Arrangement Elements Building the Mix The Drums Setting the Levels Exercise Pod -- Balancing the Drums Checking the Drum Phase Exercise Pod -- Checking the Drum Phase Assigning the Drums to a Group or Subgroup Exercise Pod -- Assigning the Drum Channels to a Subgroup The Bass Exercise Pod -- Balancing the Bass and Drums The Vocals Background Vocals Exercise Pod -- Balancing the Lead and Background Vocals Guitars Exercise Pod -- Balancing Guitars KEYBOARDS Piano Electric Piano Organ Synthesizers Exercise Pod -- Balancing the Keyboards Loops Exercise Pod -- Balancing Loops Mixing by Muting Automation CHAPTER 5: PANNING The Three Main Panning Areas Low Frequencies in the Center Panning the Drums Exercise Pod -- Panning the Drums Panning the Bass Exercise Pod -- Panning the Bass Panning Guitars Exercise Pod -- Panning Guitars Stereo Instruments Panning Keyboards Exercise Pod -- Panning the Keyboards Pseudo-Stereo Exercise Pod -- Pseudo-Stereo Panning Panning Vocals Exercise Pod -- Panning the Lead Vocals Exercise Pod -- Panning the Background Vocals CHAPTER 6: COMPRESSION Compression Basics Compressor Controls Ratio Threshold or Input Attack and Release Gain, Make-Up Gain or Output Gain Reduction Meter The Side Chain Bypass or In Compressor Operation Setting the Compressor How Much Compression Do I Need? Compression As an Effect Limiting Compressing the Various Instruments Compressing the Drums Exercise Pod -- Compressing the Drums Parallel Compression Compressing the Bass Exercise Pod -- Compressing the Bass Compressing Guitars Exercise Pod -- Compressing Electric Guitars Exercise Pod -- Compressing the Acoustic Guitar Compressing Keyboards Exercise Pod -- Compressing Keyboards Compressing Vocals Exercise Pod -- Compressing the Lead Vocal Compressing Other Instruments Compressing Loops Exercise Pod -- Compressing Loops De-essers Exercise Pod -- Using The De-esser GATES Exercise Pod -- Using a Gate CHAPTER 7: USING THE EQ Equalization Basics EQ Parameters A Description of the Audio Bands Using the Equalizer Subtractive Equalization Juggling Frequencies The Magic High-Pass Filter EQing Various Instruments Equalizing the Drums Exercise Pod -- EQing the Drums Equalizing the Bass Exercise Pod -- EQing the Bass Equalizing the Vocal Exercise Pod -- EQing the Vocal Exercise Pod -- EQing the Background Vocals Equalizing the Electric Guitar Exercise Pod -- EQing the Electric Guitar Equalizing the Acoustic Guitar Exercise Pod -- EQing the Acoustic Guitar Equalizing the Piano Exercise Pod -- EQing the Piano Equalizing the Organ Exercise Pod -- EQing the Organ Equalizing Strings Exercise Pod -- EQing the String Section Equalizing Horns Exercise Pod -- EQing Horns Equalizing Percussion Exercise Pod -- EQing Bongos and Congas Exercise Pod -- EQing Shakers and Triangle CHAPTER 8: ADDING REVERB Reverb Basics Typical Reverb Parameters The Major Parameter Controls Timing a Reverb to the Track Timing the Decay Exercise Pod -- Timing Reverb Decay Timing the Pre-Delay Exercise Pod -- Timing Reverb Pre-Delay Reverb Setup The Two-Reverb Quick-Setup Method The Three-Reverb Full-Setup Method Adding Reverb to Instruments Adding Reverb to the Drum Kit Exercise Pod -- Adding Reverb to the Drum Kit Adding Reverb to the Bass Exercise Pod -- Adding Reverb to the Bass Adding Reverb to the Vocal Exercise Pod -- Adding Reverb to the Lead Vocal Exercise Pod -- Adding Reverb to the Background Vocals Adding Reverb to Guitars Exercise Pod -- Adding Reverb to the Guitar Adding Reverb to Keyboards Exercise Pod -- Adding Reverb to the Piano Exercise Pod -- Adding Reverb to the Organ Exercise Pod -- Adding Reverb to Synthesizers Adding Reverb to Strings Exercise Pod -- Adding Reverb to the String Section Adding Reverb to Horns Exercise Pod -- Adding Reverb to Horns Adding Reverb to Percussion Exercise Pod -- Adding Reverb to Bongos and Congas Exercise Pod -- Adding Reverb to Shakers and Triangles Layering the Mix Exercise Pod -- Layering the Mix CHAPTER 9: ADDING DELAY Delay Basics Typical Delay Parameters The Haas Effect Timing the Delay to the Track Other Note Divisions Exercise Pod -- Timing the Delay Delay Setup The Single-Delay Quick-Setup Method The Three-Delay Full-Setup Method Adding Delay to Instruments Adding Delay to the Vocals Exercise Pod -- Adding Delay to the Vocals Adding Delay to the Guitar Exercise Pod -- Adding Delay to the Guitar Adding Delay to Keyboards Exercise Pod -- Adding Delay to Keyboards Adding Delay to the Drum Kit Exercise Pod -- Adding Delay to the Drum Kit Adding Delay to Other Instruments CHAPTER 10: MODULATION EFFECTS Modulation Basics Types of Modulation Flangers and Phasers Chorus Tremolo and Vibrato Parameter Settings Tremolo / Vibrato Modulation Setup Modulation on Instruments Modulation on Guitars Exercise Pod -- Modulation on Guitars Modulation on Keyboards Exercise Pod -- Modulation on Keyboards Modulation on Vocals Exercise Pod -- Modulation on Lead Vocal Exercise Pod -- Modulation on Background Vocals Modulation on Strings Exercise Pod -- Modulation on Strings Modulation on Other Instruments Exercise Pod -- Modulation on Drums CHAPTER 11: INTEREST Finding the Groove Exercise Pod -- Finding the Groove Establishing the Groove Exercise Pod -- Establishing the Groove Emphasizing the Most Important Element Finding the Most Important Element Exercise Pod -- Finding the Most Important Element Exercise Pod -- Emphasizing the Most Important Element Making a Mix Element Interesting Exercise Pod -- Making an Element Interesting CHAPTER 12: THE MASTER MIX Mixing with Subgroups Exercise Pod -- Mixing with Subgroups The Master Level Meters Types of Meters The VU Meter The Peak Meter Mix Bus Levels Exercise Pod -- Setting the Mix-Bus Levels Mix-Bus Compression Mix-Bus Compressor Settings Exercise Pod -- Setting Up the Mix-Bus Compressor Stay Away from Hypercompression! Exercise Pod -- The Evils of Hypercompression How Long Should My Mix Take? How to Know When Your Mix Is Finished Exercise Pod -- Am I Finished Yet?