Mixing - very BASIC questions

[Patriarch]

Hi... Im not a VSL owner, but I frequent many music forums... and here people seem kind and quite knowledgeable about mixing, so I thought I would ask a few questions based on some of the posts ive read here...

Some instrumets are supposed to by dry, some wet.. Which should be what, and what exactly is dry and wet? (reverb right? seen it in GigaStudio)

How do you mix something so it sounds like its played farther back? (an expression I heard)

How do you mix something so it sounds broad? (also an expression ive heard)

Excuse my newbie "skills" but Ive never delved into mixing....

Last question.. is there a "mixing for dummies" somewhere on the net? [:)]

[Dietz]

Hi,

I hope I'm able to answer some of your questions, allthough you may be better looking for info in a dedicated audio-engineering forum.

@Another User said:

Last question.. is there a "mixing for dummies" somewhere on the net?

www.prorec.com might be a good place to start (you may meet familiar faces from this forum over there ... hi, Bruce! ;-] ...). Of course, there are lots of places with sometimes very specific info all over the web; sites with general, but usefull overviews are rare (because this is the most difficult goal to achieve ... there's nothing like learning by doing).

HTH,

/Dietz - Vienna Symphonic Library



PS: In the end, having a professional doing the final mix might by the most satisfying solution ... ;-]

[Peter Roos]

Nice summary as usual Dietz [:)]

You also wrote:
"You emphasize the middle frequencies, tighten the stereo-image (if it's a stereo signal), add room information (reflections, delay, reverb ...) to taste, ..."

Brings me to this question (Patriarch, sorry for hijacking this discussion):

Would you EQ the farther signals before or after Send to the ambience processing? I am currently experimenting with Classical Impulses from Ernest Cholakis. I create some 4 separate submixes/stems (like front, middle, back, solo) in which I vary the hi-shelving and the pre-delay. Then I import the full wet submixes into Logic for mixing with the dry channels.

I am wondering if I should EQ these submixes before applying the processing, or if I should EQ the resulting 100% wet mixes... My guess is that the higher frequencies do "resonate" in the virtual hall, but that the summed effect looses the high frequencies on its way to the listener. Thus: post-EQ the 100% wet mixes, I'd say. Do you have any experiences?

I'm using Acoustic Mirror, and have the impression that its shelving EQ's are also not sufficient or good enough.


Thanks,

Peter

[Dietz]

Uh - "if it sounds right, it is right" (as usual ;-] ...)

I for one tend to EQ the FX-return of reverbs a lot. Apart from that, I almost never send un-EQed signals into any effect except for some exotic tasks.

But thinking about your 100% wet-scenario, it _might_ make sense to feed the room from un-EQed material and make your changes within the reverb only. At least worth the try!

All the best,

/Dietz - Vienna Symphonic Library

[Dietz]

BTW - another interesting link:

http://www.phys.tue.nl/people/etimmerman/RecordingFAQ.html


HTH,

/Dietz - Vienna Symphonic Library

[Peter Alexander]

To get started in recording you might want to consider this book that we did in cooperation with Shure:

http://www.alexanderpublishing.com/recording/index.shtml

Though our new site is still under construction, you should look at these online links:
http://www.alexanderpublishing.com/resources/auol/index.shtml

Peter Alexander

[Nick Batzdorf]

Too obnoxious. Deleted.