How much time do you take to mix a song?
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- KVRian
- 1264 posts since 26 Feb, 2016
Depends on the song, usually between 1-3 hours.
- KVRAF
- 26033 posts since 20 Oct, 2007 from gonesville
Friend of mine related this aphorism to me: There are no finished mixes, only abandoned mixes.
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- KVRAF
- 15135 posts since 7 Sep, 2008
That's a Da Vinci quote:jancivil wrote: Fri Jun 19, 2020 2:57 pmFriend of mine related this aphorism to me: There are no finished mixes, only abandoned mixes.

"I was wondering if you'd like to try Magic Mushrooms"
"Oooh I dont know. Sounds a bit scary"
"It's not scary. You just lose a sense of who you are and all that sh!t"
"Oooh I dont know. Sounds a bit scary"
"It's not scary. You just lose a sense of who you are and all that sh!t"
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- KVRist
- 188 posts since 11 Sep, 2017
I have worked on projects with clients that used 40+ tracks that take 4-6 hours to mix.
It really also depends on what the client wants.
It really also depends on what the client wants.
- KVRAF
- 5257 posts since 16 May, 2002 from Brisbane , Australia
f**king ages. It is a hugely painful process. My studio space sucks, my ears suck. It is only by mixing a song, listening in the car, tweak the mix, listen in the car, over and over and over again. Making the smallest of adjustments like a small consonant that is sticking out or a snare that has too much attack. It's really painful. But in the end it is so worth it because I get a song that is maybe 20% of the way to a decent mix. And to really add to the joy if I post it on youtube I might get 30 people checking it out. Yep, its a long and rewarding process.
Intel Core i7 8700K, 16gb, Windows 10 Pro, Focusrite Scarlet 6i6
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- KVRian
- 597 posts since 29 Nov, 2005
These days if you're mixing your own stuff on your DAW the only real constraint is when you need to finish it. Back in the 90s to get a decent sound you needed to hire a good studio, mix engineer and tape op. That lot cost around £1k per day plus a reel of 2" Ampex. A day for the standard 3 mixes was all we had the budget for, so it had to work.
By contrast I'm sat looking at an as yet unfinished piece that has everything running simultaneously, whereas before I'd mix say the orchestral sections and add them as finished elements into the main mix. This gives massive flexibility, but also is hugely complex as there are so many variables. Until I'm given a deadline I'll keep tweaking. I too consider the mix when building the track. I expect weeks though as it's a dance track that won't be released for months, especially when there aren't any clubs open.
Its a historical issue when given unlimited resources. For example it's well know that Michael Jackson's Billy Jean was mixed 91 times, and for the release they chose mix #2.
By contrast I'm sat looking at an as yet unfinished piece that has everything running simultaneously, whereas before I'd mix say the orchestral sections and add them as finished elements into the main mix. This gives massive flexibility, but also is hugely complex as there are so many variables. Until I'm given a deadline I'll keep tweaking. I too consider the mix when building the track. I expect weeks though as it's a dance track that won't be released for months, especially when there aren't any clubs open.
Its a historical issue when given unlimited resources. For example it's well know that Michael Jackson's Billy Jean was mixed 91 times, and for the release they chose mix #2.
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thecontrolcentre thecontrolcentre https://www.kvraudio.com/forum/memberlist.php?mode=viewprofile&u=76240
- KVRAF
- 37262 posts since 27 Jul, 2005 from Scottish Borders
- addled muppet weed
- 111299 posts since 26 Jan, 2003 from through the looking glass
four foot one sir!
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thecontrolcentre thecontrolcentre https://www.kvraudio.com/forum/memberlist.php?mode=viewprofile&u=76240
- KVRAF
- 37262 posts since 27 Jul, 2005 from Scottish Borders
- KVRAF
- 5257 posts since 16 May, 2002 from Brisbane , Australia
That is, for me, so true. I am never happy with a mix but I know my abilities. And it is such a long and difficult process I always just get to a point and think, that'll do me.Mushy Mushy wrote: Fri Jun 19, 2020 3:00 pm There are no finished mixes, only abandoned mixes.That's a Da Vinci quote:
Intel Core i7 8700K, 16gb, Windows 10 Pro, Focusrite Scarlet 6i6
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- KVRist
- 299 posts since 13 Dec, 2015
As long as I need to do a song, because I mix on the fly, not a finished song. The only thing I do, when a song is done is adjusting volumes based on different monitors. I would not call it mixing so...
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- KVRAF
- 15135 posts since 7 Sep, 2008
Don’t the wings get distracting?
"I was wondering if you'd like to try Magic Mushrooms"
"Oooh I dont know. Sounds a bit scary"
"It's not scary. You just lose a sense of who you are and all that sh!t"
"Oooh I dont know. Sounds a bit scary"
"It's not scary. You just lose a sense of who you are and all that sh!t"
- addled muppet weed
- 111299 posts since 26 Jan, 2003 from through the looking glass
- addled muppet weed
- 111299 posts since 26 Jan, 2003 from through the looking glass
i have no idea what you look like, so i just had to imagine kicking steve irwin in the stones