What are some of the techniques (which you use often) that have come about due to 21st Century software / ITB mixing?

[dark water]

Hello everyone,

I was just watching a YT video by a pretty entertaining, experienced and knowledgable mastering engineer called Streaky (whom I sure some of you will also know):


In the video, he states that dynamic EQ has come about solely due to in the box software mixing.
As such, it got me thinking about some of the techniques that we now also use for music production that have arisen during the last 20 or so years due to software and ITB processing opportunities.

Please note, this genuinely isn't a chance to debate the old chestnut about hardware vs software (OTB vs ITB) advantages and disadvantages (and tbh I use a hybrid setup, as I'm sure that many of you do as well).

I'm just curious to find out more about the variety of techniques that we now have at out fingertips due to software / ITB mixing that producers around 30 years ago did not have.

And it might also be interesting to find out which of these newer techniques do you find the most invaluable or use the most on mixes?

Many thanks
DW

[vurt]

dont know about 30 years ago, as their where computer sequencers back then... (trackers and such).

but personally had only previously used tape, so something as simple as cutting and editing out bits, let alone copy and pasting

[trewq]

These days I only use a mouse at my fingertips.

I still play guitar for fun though -

A bygone traditional novelty



To be honest I am not a good example for anyone since most of my time with it is spent in testing and development. But I would just say that the new tech opens up a world of new ways to explore and experiment with music. And it takes as much, if not more, of a trained ear to make whole music with it. How much the new production tech can help towards that end depends, cause it's just like using tools. it'd be foolish to think it'd hinder it however.

[kovacs]

Well, for me it’s definitely the ability to have completely digital effects chains, including amps and cabinets. I plug my guitar into my audio interface and everything else happens on my Mac.

[Brickwall]

I think automation is one of the biggest steps we made the last few years. Be able to have an unlimited amount of virtual hands to control almost every parameter in a session is god‘s gift to an audio engineer. In the past, a well-rehearsed team and a few attempts were necessary to mix a song properly in real time. The idea that 3 people sequentially performed certain tasks on an ~50-channel mixer is hardly imaginable these days.

[lwj]

-I know a lot of producers use software the opposite way, but I'm doing much less mixing and technical fuckery to get something sounding right so more time is spent doing actual music.
-performance capture
-we've reached a point where basically everybody can get a "pro-sound" (whatever that is to them), but that also makes that polished perfect radio sound really boring. So I see it as 'everything is open now'.
-Loudness as a creative choice, not necessarily the goal. Can be lots of fun though.
-audience is more used and open to weird and even jarring stuff..
-kids with a laptop and zero knowledge score more hits than 'veteran so and so'.. the opinion of experienced pro's is becoming less valuable every day (that's why they're all hawking plugins)

anarchy basically!

[dark water]

Thank you for the thoughtful and insightful replies so far
It's always interesting to get other people's perspectives on these matters.

(I thought that I'd better reply to say that I haven't abandoned this topic).

If anyone else has some ideas or insights, those would be great to learn from as well.
Cheers

[feralsystems]

Granular synthesis. I may be wrong, but I'm pretty sure this was only even remotely achievable OTB by manipulating tape, or some other recorded media. ITB capabilities have really opened this up as a viable sound production technique.

[melvinloewe]

Well, for me it’s definitely the ability to have completely digital effects chains, including amps and cabinets. I plug my guitar into my audio interface and everything else happens on my Mac.

Same for me. The idea of not being (relatively) chained to a guitar tone once it has been recorded was pretty game changing. Of course re-amping was always an option, but being able to flip through amps, cabs, pedals, and effects rapidly really offers a massive amount of flexibility.

[Kinh]

wha-are-yo pweeple ramblin' on about?

[kitkonis]

Acustica Audio PLugins, MEQ5, I divide the bands of the tracks and use tape machine only on the highest 3-4 bands , Sonarworks Reference makes my system godly.

[thecontrolcentre]

The ability to quickly cut n paste, instant recall and complex, saveable FX chains mainly.

[naveedejaz]

the ability to use something like equilibrium to apply a smooth parallel pultec-like smiley face curve to the 2bus, without passing through the tube saturation stage, which might not be a great fit for the song. Or even to pair the pultec smiley face curve with tube output stage emulation from another unit (I personally love radiator from soundtoys)