Some questions for Mastering engineers !

[ClassicTrance]

Answering a PM:

As I am creating my own sounds, I may put too much high end on a sound. Let say I create a supersaw, if I put too much high end on the sound, could the mixing engineer correct it ?

I mean, if there is some inconsistencies on some sounds, can the engineer make it good as long as it is a dry record (I mean unprocessed)

You are again asking for an approval, confirmation of something you know the answer to if you use a tiny bit of common sense.

Just for fun I tell you the answer is no

So a mixing engineer can't correct any EQ mistake ?

I am screwed if I can't even produce and hire a mixing engineer...

[ClassicTrance]

You said I know already the answer.

So for me the answer is yes a mixing engineer can TWEAK a Sound to correct any inconsistency/tonal balance issue.

But if not, I should make something other than music...

[Unaspected]

Put concisely:

A mix engineer will balance sounds so that they cohesively mix down to a format with X number of channels - usually 2 channels for stereo but could be more for surround sound.

A mastering engineer will prepare mixed material for distribution/broadcast - traditionally bringing cohesion to a number of sequential tracks.


Yes. Some mastering engineers will work with stems - which are bounces from group busses.

Can the mastering engineer address the cymbals when given stems? Not as easily as the mix engineer can without also altering the tone of the whole drum mix. Processing and adjusting individual sounds is part of the job performed by the mix engineer.

[ClassicTrance]

Put concisely:

A mix engineer will balance sounds so that they cohesively mix down to a format with X number of channels - usually 2 channels for stereo but could be more for surround sound.

A mastering engineer will prepare mixed material for distribution/broadcast - traditionally bringing cohesion to a number of sequential tracks.


Yes. Some mastering engineers will work with stems - which are bounces from group busses.

Can the mastering engineer address the cymbals when given stems? Not as easily as the mix engineer can without also altering the tone of the whole drum mix. Processing and adjusting individual sounds is part of the job performed by the mix engineer.

Okay ! I want to hire a mixing engineer to mix my music. But Bertkoor said that even a mixin engineer can't correct a hyped sound if there is too much treble for example...

[BertKoor]

No, I said you cannot polish a turd! And I said "no, just for fun" (which means I was not serious)
Ask stupid questions, then expect stupid answers. i thought you understood in your second answer.

Anyway, there are sooo many reasons amateur tracks sound so, ehrm... amateurish:

* Composition so simple it makes "Au Claire De La Lune" sound like a proper symphony
* Inability to play the keyboard - cannot hit the correct notes at the correct time
* Picking cheezy sounds. You'd be surprised how easy it is to make an expensive synth sound really cheap. But a good musician can make even a cheap synth sound really good.
* Picking a cheezy style - I cannot explain further without hurting anybody's feelings
* Not enough experience with production & mixing to judge your own work and hear what must be improved
* No talent at all for anything

There's so much that needs to be done for a track to sound really good, it's near impossible for a single person that has to learn it all to carry it out. So I wonder why aim for such a high level? I think you're right to ask for help doing things you're not able or willing to do. But for the mixing I think you're in the wrong. You really should do that yourself.

It was only 20 years ago, if you wanted to start making music you'd have to buy a real instrument and take lessons. Then there's the divide: some pupils are really talented, but some others not. After 6 years they are at the same level as others with talent are after just 6 months. And what's worse: they won't improve ever. But is that wrong? Should they stop playing piano? Ofcourse not! Because their motivation is not to be amongst the best, but only to have fun. You see this in sports also. A lot. And that's alright. Nobdy gets hurt, it's just a hobby, to pass time, nothing better to do with time & money. No goal other than to have FUN and enjoy what you're doing!

So - those super saws. You know what their original spectrum looks like? Let me google it for you:
http://radkon.eu/projects/other/supersaw.php
By nature it does not really pierce your ears, unless you brutalize it with wrong processing. Do not boost the highs and you should be alright. Watch the spectrums, make sure that higher freqs are softer than lower freqs and that should be it.

Something wrong with your hearing above 14kHz? Then you still hear 90% of what everybody else hears. 78 rpm records, AM radio and low-bitrate MP3 files are worse.

No, this is just another excuse. An excuse for what? For being afraid to fail! And maybe not even because of your hearing, but there's those other thousand things that have to be right in order to produce a good track. Well f#ck all that, nobody expects you to produce a good track. KvrAudio has maybe 500.000 members. You know how many have ever produced a track you'd like to listen to until the end, and then again and again? I say less than one percent. You do not have to be in that elite club to have fun and do your hobby. And for many amateur producer (even with talent) it might take some years before they are any good. It's not that different from learning to play the violin. It sounds awful at the beginning. But you must continue.

JUST DO IT !!!

[CrystalWizard]

........

Anyway, there are sooo many reasons amateur tracks sound so, ehrm... amateurish:

* Composition so simple it makes "Au Claire De La Lune" sound like a proper symphony

Check

* Inability to play the keyboard - cannot hit the correct notes at the correct time

Check

* Picking cheezy sounds. You'd be surprised how easy it is to make an expensive synth sound really cheap. But a good musician can make even a cheap synth sound really good.

* Picking a cheezy style - I cannot explain further without hurting anybody's feelings

* Not enough experience with production & mixing to judge your own work and hear what must be improved

Maybe

* No talent at all for anything

Check

I’m screwed, hahaha.