Originally posted by richg101
i would have thought you will get to sit in with the engineer and tell him what you want as far as the mixing is concerned. be aware that if you are not present during the mixing then the track will end up sounding how the engineers thinks it should sound. you can be there asking things to be more prominant and then he can get it as balanced as he can while making it sound how you want it to.
if you get a few hours sat in a decent studio, with a professional engineer, then the price is justified. and if it is within your money situation then you should go for it. but remember that it is always good to learn how to mix tracks yourself. otherwise you will need this guy for every track you wanna complete...
Thanks. Since EDM is a highly "do-it-yourself" environment, many people don't understand or necessitate having something like this done professionally. $400 in LA sounds about average. I'm sure you can probably find somebody who will do it for less. It also depends on how much work is involved. Any online joint can slap your tracks together for $25, but what are you getting for it? My guess is something that sounds like you could have done it home for cheaper.
I'm an audio engineer by trade and the mixdown is often part of the price of the engineering and mastering. For all these services, $400 is cheap. Again, it depends on the work involved and of course, the demand for the engineer. You bet your arse that somebody like Francois K is charging that just for the initial session.
So it's all a matter of perspective. Audio engineers are trained professionals to do exactly what thier name implies, engineer the audio tracks. That means, they know exactly what to do with what sounds and where. When you're mixdown is complete, you bet that if you paid for quality, you're gonna get it.
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Feb-17-2007 01:45
RickyM
*
Registered: Sep 2004
Location: Northern Ireland
quote:
Originally posted by lowski
thanks for the advice everyone. i actually just mixed down and mastered my first track that i feel good about. i had it sounding good on my computer but when i burnt it to disc and played it in the car it was alot diffrent, so i had to go back and forth like 8 times burning then listening , then changing burning and listening. but i finally got it just about perfect. but this took we almost a week to do.
maybe i just need proper monitors im using stupid computer speaker now and there way to bassy
yeah i dont think im gonna bother with this guy. he works at guitar center in LA, if any is familiar with that place.
i will check these online sites out, they look like there geared more for dance music, i dont think this guy does that type.
thanks guys
Yeah get yourself some monitors first, no wonder you can't mix properly, you can't hear what you are mixing! Save up for a while then buy a set, then your mixing will improve greatly.
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Feb-17-2007 19:43
jupiterone
housin' guide
Registered: Dec 2004
Location: los angeles
Id say save that 400$ and get some proper monitors and learn to master yourself.
As stated above, really, if youre going to send your tracks in to be mastered by a 3rd party individual, atleast be able to sit down with them and talk how you want your mix to sound. If you dont, hell most likely do it as he likes it sounding.
Feb-17-2007 20:44
lowski
Supreme tranceaddict
Registered: Feb 2006
Location:
RickyM, your right. i will get some monitors asap. im looking to spend $1000us+/- will that be enough for something good? i was looking at these mackie monitor that sounded pretty good, what do you think?
do most people do there own mixing and mastering?itseems like a lot to learn and i dont even know where to go to learn. i need set guidelines, and i am just using reason.
also how do i know the over all levels are right, even when i get monitors. i need something to compaire it to
last thing i was looking at purefocus.ca. it looks good but i need something/someone that can do a mixdown in reason and send it back to me(if anyone even does this??). i need to see how its done so i have something to go off of,to do it myself for following tracks
Mar-06-2007 09:32
flutlicht junky
in das haus
Registered: Oct 2001
Location: Bournemouth, UK
I would say most people try to do their own mixdown and probably do okay (unless they slap a compressor in the master out at this stage in which case they should give up) then try to master and ruin their song.
I dont think ppl should master their own tracks unless they really really really know what their doing and have the equipment to hear what their doing.
A well mixed trakc should be 90% of the way there anyway, mastering is more tailoring your song to suit the transmission medium e.g. CD or vinyl etc and to add 'somethng more' to your music be that loudness, brightness etc
FJ
Mar-06-2007 18:44
TwistedDUO
Senior tranceaddict
Registered: Dec 2006
Location: Las Vegas, NV
quote:
Originally posted by flutlicht junky
I would say most people try to do their own mixdown and probably do okay (unless they slap a compressor in the master out at this stage in which case they should give up) then try to master and ruin their song.
I dont think ppl should master their own tracks unless they really really really know what their doing and have the equipment to hear what their doing.
A well mixed trakc should be 90% of the way there anyway, mastering is more tailoring your song to suit the transmission medium e.g. CD or vinyl etc and to add 'somethng more' to your music be that loudness, brightness etc
FJ
To be honest. The only way I'd let another dj do this is if they plan on getting it published. But for demo purposes, save yourself some money, buy some good monitors and a decent DAW to do it at home.
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Mar-06-2007 21:57
flutlicht junky
in das haus
Registered: Oct 2001
Location: Bournemouth, UK
Do the mixdown yes but no so sure about mastering, it's not needed for demos. Unless you know what your doing becuase you should be getting it right in the mix
Mar-06-2007 22:04
DJ Shibby
Amphoteric Superbase
Registered: Jul 2004
Location: Of Earthzen and the Therethen
quote:
Originally posted by flutlicht junky
Do the mixdown yes but no so sure about mastering, it's not needed for demos. Unless you know what your doing becuase you should be getting it right in the mix
The only way an amateur will ever learn how to do it is by practice and making the mistakes that everyone else makes when they start (like slapping a compressor on the master channel ).
Though, technically, a limiter is often a form of a compressor that goes on the master channel.
).
