SoundGirls Mix45

SoundGirls Mix45 Guidelines

Get together with 3 or 4 other audio engineers and spend 45 minutes mixing multitracks. Come together in conversation about what you enjoyed, what you found difficult, what you focused your time on, and your approach to the mix. Do a final “live” run-through recording your mix, sharing the file with the group. Everyone takes turns listening, commenting, and asking questions. Note, this is not a contest, but a way to keep mixing and exploring new techniques with a community.

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Sessions Available

  • May 11 – 12 PM PST
  • May 23 – 6 PM PST
  • May 28 – 6 PM PST
  • June 6 – 12 PM PST

Necessary Equipment

  1. A mixing console or DAW  capable of receiving digital multitracks
    1. e.g. X32, Pro Tools, SQ5, Reaper
  2. A computer to play multitracks, AND record the main LR output
    1. e.g. TracksLive, Audacity
  3. Headphones or nearfield speakers
  4. An internet connection
  5. Two hours

The Order

  1. Receive multitracks
    1. If multiple microphones are used for the same instrument, you may select which tracks you want to use
  2. Setup routing
  3. Meet the group, introduce yourself, and be prepared to start your 45 minutes
  4. 45-minute mixing session
    1. This time is to include naming, grouping, and any mixing you see fit
  5. At the end of 45 minutes, the group comes back together to discuss their process
    1. e.g. “What did you spend the most time on?”, “What did you tackle first?”, “What dynamics processing, if any, did you use?”, etc.
  6. Final run-through
    1. Record your LR out and do one last complete pass through the song. This is your chance to “mix it live” just as you would at a show.
  7. Upload the mp3/wav to the video chat
  8. Take turns listening to each upload (on the same monitors/headphones you used to mix if at all possible) and having a discussion about differences they noticed between their own mix, comments about placements, asking questions about technique, etc.
    1. e.g. “I hear you used some pretty heavy delay on the background vocals, I like the sound of it. What were your parameters?”, “The drums are sitting very far back in this mix, which is not necessarily something I would do. What genre do you normally mix?”, “What EQ did you implement on the bass to get it to sound like this?”

The Rules

  1. No mixing before the 45 minutes begins
  2. Only routing the multitracks and picking tracks with multiples (it is not necessary to use every single track) can be done ahead of time
  3. Naming, grouping, bus assignments, FX, etc. must be done within the 45-minute session
  4. Your individual group must decide the limitations of outside processing (e.g. “only stock plug-ins” or “anything is game”)
  5. Be kind. This is a game of speed, priority, experience, and general mixing technique. Some boards are easier to mix on, DAWs allow quick changes, etc.

Example

  1. https://youtu.be/4o8c_qnKlR8

Multitrack Sources:

  1. The ‘Mixing Secrets’ Free Multitrack Download Librarywww.cambridge-mt.com › mtk
  2. Telefunken Season 4
  3. Telefunken Season 3
  4. Telefunken Season 2

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