Welcome to Sage Audio.
Today let’s cover How to Mix Instruments.
But first, If you have a mix that you need mastered, send it to us to receive a free
mastered sample of it with the link in the description.
Create Natural Sounding EQ Curves
For this video, let’s focus more on mid-frequency instruments like keys, guitar, violins or
strings, and so on.
Also, the chapters are in no particular order.
When equalizing instruments in a mix, I find that natural-sounding settings work the best
- by this I mean using slopes of roughly 6dB per octave.
This is especially true for my high-pass filters, which I set to act almost like a high pass
and bell on the fundamental.
Let’s take a listen to these filters and notice how they improve the clarity of the
instruments in a natural way.
Use Sample Delay for Placement
Although typically panning can be useful when mixing, I find that delay-based panning works
really well for particular instruments.
With a sample delay, I’ll delay one channel by a few milliseconds, and cause it to be
placed in the far left and right image.
I wouldn’t use this on the main instrumentation but more for parts that only occur occasionally.
Let’s take
a listen.
If you’re enjoying the video, hit the like button and subscribe if you haven’t already;
it’s free and helps us bring you more videos.
Try Binaural Panning on Pads
Speaking of panning, binaural panning is a great way to create a full and complex sound,
as well as separate instruments.
If your mix has a pad or similar droning sound used for filling the spectrum, try binaural
panning and place the signal near the back and have it spread.
This really helps the pad fill the mix and keeps it from interfering with other instrumentation.
High-Frequency Saturation for Clarity
Saturation, although often associated with the distortion is causes, is a great way to
add some clarity to an instrument, especially if it lacks high frequencies.
I’ll use Arturia’s Tape Mello-Fi and saturate my key lead to increase high frequencies,
and alter the transient.
I also introduced some of the preamp emulations to distort the mids and give the sound more
character.
Let’s take a listen to how saturation can increase the perception of high frequencies.
Collective Instrument Bus Reverb
At some point during a mix session, it’s a good idea to send similar instruments to
buses where they can be collectively processed.
For mid-frequency instruments I’d highly recommend collectively processing them with
mild room emulation reverb - be it studio emulation, general room emulation, or IRs
of studios.
Giving the instrumentation collective timing helps create a cohesive and natural sound.
Let’s take a listen to the subtle effect this reverb has.
Compression Settings for Instrument Bus
How you compress your instruments is also incredibly important - especially when using
bus compression to affect their dynamics and timings collectively.
I’ll use the PSP impresser for my bus compression, and try a Fairchild emulation but lower the
mix dial in the bottom, while also introducing oversampling and saturation.
I found the moderate release, medium knee shape, and combination of feedback and feedforward
compression worked really well at gluing my instruments together and creating a powerful
sound.
Let’s take a listen to the effect this compressor has on the instrument bus.
Ensure Room for Drums with Gullfoss EQ
Although I want to focus on mid-frequency instruments like guitars and synths, it’s
important to consider how they interact with other signals like the drums.
I’ll use the Gullfoss eq on the instrument bus and side-chain my drum bus to adjust the
response around the drums.
Let’s listen to the EQ being used without a side-chain, and then how sidechaining the
drums creates a more balanced response amongst the 2 buses.
If you're enjoying the channel, use the search box to watch more of our videos.
Try Side Image Expansion
Using my instrument bus, I’ll create a send and parallel track on which I’ll use the
plugin MSED to mute my mid image.
At this point I have my instruments’ side image isolated - I’ll then introduce a transient
expander to generate transients on my instruments’ side image.
Then I’ll blend the effect in with the channel fader.
The side image rarely has these types of transients, so including them on our instruments has a
really unique but pleasant effect.
EQ Instruments Around Vocal
Sometimes we can EQ particular signals by equalizing related signals - for example,
if my vocal is harsh, I could amplify some of 6-8kHz on my instruments to mask sibilance
in the vocal.
Or if I want the vocal to have more presence, I could attenuate 2kHz on my instruments.
I find using the instruments’ EQ to affect the vocal often has a more natural sound than
affecting the vocal directly.
Let’s listen to this EQ being introduced and consider how the vocal subtly changes
as a result.
Using Width to Blend Instruments & Bass
If our instruments reach lower frequencies, in particular ones that compete with the bass
we can use stereo width to remedy this.
The bass will typically need to stay centered or mono, but the instruments’ lows to low-mids
can sound great on the side image.
I’ll use a mid-side EQ on the instrument bus and attenuate lows on the mid or mono
image - but then I’ll amplify the lows on the side.
Although this seems like it wouldn’t work, we achieve room for both the bass lows and
instrument lows, as well as keep the sound focused.
Let’s take a listen.
Introduce Parallel Instrument Air
If we want our instruments to have an airline quality, we can set up a parallel send from
any instrument or our instrument bus, and first, insert a linear phase EQ that isolates
the highest frequencies.
Then we’ll use reverb with bright reflections before blending in the effect.
The effect is very subtle but definitely adds something valuable to a mix.
Let’s take a listen.
If you have a mix that you need mastered, send it to us to receive a free mastered sample
of it with the link in the description.
Thank you so much for watching.