Hello,
I'm a long time amateur music producer and I'm wondering about mixing in particular. Especially in regards to mixing your track with compression on vs off.
If you're using some kind mastering plug-in/compressor, should you usually have it on or off as your building and mixing the track? For a mastering chain plug-in (I'm using the Waves Audio mastering chain plug-in), do you want it on or off to start the mixing?
My template has all of my effects loaded on the master and each bus, with all of them turned down to zero. I usually bring in the compressors as I'm going, and then turn on the mastering plug-in at the end and start flipping through presets. But should I have that on to begin with?
I'm just confused about that aspect of mixing/mastering you own track. Obviously my master is still going to be trash in the end, because I'm me, but what is technically the best way to do it?
Thanks!
Mixing through compression?
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- addled muppet weed
- 111343 posts since 26 Jan, 2003 from through the looking glass
there are differing opinions...
viewtopic.php?t=591486
my advice, as an amateur, try it, if it works for you then use it, if not avoid it.
rules are there for college! the only thing that matters here, does it sound good? only you can decide!
viewtopic.php?t=591486
my advice, as an amateur, try it, if it works for you then use it, if not avoid it.
rules are there for college! the only thing that matters here, does it sound good? only you can decide!
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- KVRAF
- 8749 posts since 24 May, 2002 from Tutukaka, New Zealand
Personally I do all of my mixing/balancing etc without any compression or limiting on, then do dynamics etc as a final mixing stage when I think I'm done mixing. I've come across people here who do it with their full mastering chain already active on their output channels. If it works for them, it's not for me to complain. I do often throw on a comp/limiter briefly at differing stages to get me an idea of how something I'm working on fits into the final mix sort of thing. And just because it keeps the inspiration going to hear it blasting at high volume/impact every now and then. I suspect most pro mixers would say that technically it's better to do it without master buss FX, but technically means diddly shit if you're not a technical kind of person. Technically I'll be healthier without cheese, chocolate, wine, rum and crisps, but technically that would make me so miserable I'd want to top myself and suicide is not healthy. 
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- KVRian
- 1185 posts since 27 Apr, 2016
Personally I generally do not mix with a compressor on the stereo out.
Mixing is about getting the optimum balances between instruments, their tonality and working together I much prefer to sculpt each instrument individually and in 2023 we can with ease assuming you are getting a good sonic picture of the reality through your monitors and room.
Making a good mix is hard work unless you are very very good at it. So adding a dynamic process is one more complication of which to be aware.
It will influence every decision you make. Let's say on average a bus compressor is doing 1-2dB gain reduction.
Your time constants will effect each sound differently depending on their dynamics so this is something to be aware of it will be doing different things to your drums than synths pads vs leads as examples.
Many say mix into a compressor if you are using bus compression. Actually I am not so sure about this, if you wish for an overtly compressed sound I guess this is ok. Personally I am looking for clarity and openness in my mix usually. Compression often closes things down a bit.
On my last mix I added a little compression about 2/3 way through mixing.. very little 1dB.
It becomes personal but the above is my approach. I want to hear my mixing not my compressor.
Stereo mix bus compression may work better for some styles than others. Mixing rock you might want a bit of SSL/API compression over the output. It is almost a cliche.
I believe mix bus compression hides the ills of someone who is possibly having trouble mixing, it might speed things up a little softening stray sounds and bringing them together. It is something to experiment with but I am not a fan myself. Control the channels instead, that's mixing.
By all means try a little mix bus compression but be aware of how it influences you and also consider if you are using as a walking stick for imbalances and dynamic issues best addressed at source. The more mix bus compression gain reduction the more it will influence you.
If you remove stereo bus compressor and your mix sounds significantly worse there is likely a problem. The downside to over doing it is a stifled mix that sounds congested and cramped down.
Go easy with it and if unsure don't bother address your mix through channels/tracks.
Mixing is about getting the optimum balances between instruments, their tonality and working together I much prefer to sculpt each instrument individually and in 2023 we can with ease assuming you are getting a good sonic picture of the reality through your monitors and room.
Making a good mix is hard work unless you are very very good at it. So adding a dynamic process is one more complication of which to be aware.
It will influence every decision you make. Let's say on average a bus compressor is doing 1-2dB gain reduction.
Your time constants will effect each sound differently depending on their dynamics so this is something to be aware of it will be doing different things to your drums than synths pads vs leads as examples.
Many say mix into a compressor if you are using bus compression. Actually I am not so sure about this, if you wish for an overtly compressed sound I guess this is ok. Personally I am looking for clarity and openness in my mix usually. Compression often closes things down a bit.
On my last mix I added a little compression about 2/3 way through mixing.. very little 1dB.
It becomes personal but the above is my approach. I want to hear my mixing not my compressor.
Stereo mix bus compression may work better for some styles than others. Mixing rock you might want a bit of SSL/API compression over the output. It is almost a cliche.
I believe mix bus compression hides the ills of someone who is possibly having trouble mixing, it might speed things up a little softening stray sounds and bringing them together. It is something to experiment with but I am not a fan myself. Control the channels instead, that's mixing.
By all means try a little mix bus compression but be aware of how it influences you and also consider if you are using as a walking stick for imbalances and dynamic issues best addressed at source. The more mix bus compression gain reduction the more it will influence you.
If you remove stereo bus compressor and your mix sounds significantly worse there is likely a problem. The downside to over doing it is a stifled mix that sounds congested and cramped down.
Go easy with it and if unsure don't bother address your mix through channels/tracks.
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- KVRian
- 1185 posts since 27 Apr, 2016
If you know what you are doing a little mix bus compression can add a little density, enhance transients a little, add a little tone and punch, a little euphony. There are compressors that will also do the opposite and make the mix sound subjectively worse.
I will be a little bit hard on people here, most people are just not going to hear this difference with a dB or so. When you start getting to 3-5dB of compression across a mix that is really starting to influence how you mix. At that stage you need to really know what it is doing to your mix. What compressor are you going to use out of 50 options and why ? Are you even sure it is better or are you sure it makes it sound worse ?
Are you using an SSL cause X uses it ? Or an API cause Y uses it ? That's not a good enough reason. These are the pertinent questions to investigate.
If you don't know how to navigate this don't bother, just mix ! That is more than enough of a problem for a lot of people without complicating it by having something that alters mixing dynamics and decisions depending on a sum of audio components going into it.
You need to have a very rock solid confidence of using compressors on a stereo mix output to make sure they are actually an improvement. I know when and when it is not better and still choose not to bother most of the time... let it breathe !
I will be a little bit hard on people here, most people are just not going to hear this difference with a dB or so. When you start getting to 3-5dB of compression across a mix that is really starting to influence how you mix. At that stage you need to really know what it is doing to your mix. What compressor are you going to use out of 50 options and why ? Are you even sure it is better or are you sure it makes it sound worse ?
Are you using an SSL cause X uses it ? Or an API cause Y uses it ? That's not a good enough reason. These are the pertinent questions to investigate.
If you don't know how to navigate this don't bother, just mix ! That is more than enough of a problem for a lot of people without complicating it by having something that alters mixing dynamics and decisions depending on a sum of audio components going into it.
You need to have a very rock solid confidence of using compressors on a stereo mix output to make sure they are actually an improvement. I know when and when it is not better and still choose not to bother most of the time... let it breathe !
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- KVRAF
- 7858 posts since 2 Sep, 2019
“Top-down mixing” starts with a buss compressor and everything mixes into that. It’s said the mix comes together quicker that way, with less processing.
If you mix in a more standard bottom-up fashion, where buss compression doesn’t happen until the end, as a sort of pseudo-mastering, you can end up really changing the sound, which could undo all your work and require going back in to rebalance the mix.
On the other hand, the down side to mixing through a buss comp is you are limiting the dynamic palette you have available, and your track faders may not respond the way you expect. Turning up a fader may result in more saturation and focus on that channel, instead of more volume. In the end, you could find you’ve got everything turned up too loud and smashed, if you’re not mindful.
Personally, I always mix into light buss compression, followed by a true peak limiter at -0.1 to catch ISPs. By keeping it light, it doesn’t really affect the sound of the mix much, but it keeps the output level where I want it.
If you mix in a more standard bottom-up fashion, where buss compression doesn’t happen until the end, as a sort of pseudo-mastering, you can end up really changing the sound, which could undo all your work and require going back in to rebalance the mix.
On the other hand, the down side to mixing through a buss comp is you are limiting the dynamic palette you have available, and your track faders may not respond the way you expect. Turning up a fader may result in more saturation and focus on that channel, instead of more volume. In the end, you could find you’ve got everything turned up too loud and smashed, if you’re not mindful.
Personally, I always mix into light buss compression, followed by a true peak limiter at -0.1 to catch ISPs. By keeping it light, it doesn’t really affect the sound of the mix much, but it keeps the output level where I want it.
THIS MUSIC HAS BEEN MIXED TO BE PLAYED LOUD SO TURN IT UP