How to find that last 10-15% 'commercial' sound fully ITB?

[Shabdahbriah]

What if I use multiple computer motherboards, as that will obviously help with the problem with just having one. Like one for each type of effects device, one for EQs, one for limiters? Or would I be better with a mix of effects on each motherboard?

Wrong sort of electrons, you need outside box electrons.

Yeah, but what if Im not using a box, just the motherboard?

Who has the box then?

Not me... I just clip socks fresh from the cloths dryer, with massive amounts of static cling, to my speaker cones. (doesn't work with headphones)

[vurt]

ive got a box of transformers.
they're robots in disguise.

[Scotty]

Why would anyone provide evidence if you assume it is a conspiracy?

But it's frivolous because no one can prove that a commercial recording was completely done ITB. Even if som big wig claimed it, I would see it as nothing more than a ploy to assist consumerism (I won't go deep into the politics of why some artist or engineer would do that).

[Shabdahbriah]

Why would anyone provide evidence if you assume it is a conspiracy?

But it's frivolous because no one can prove that a commercial recording was completely done ITB. Even if som big wig claimed it, I would see it as nothing more than a ploy to assist consumerism (I won't go deep into the politics of why some artist or engineer would do that).

Hmmm... because they are (insert cognitive/emotional deficiency) enough to take the bait?

[VOODOO U]

Hmmm, interesting, inspires a lot of questions.
ie, what's the cutoff point? Is it okay just having anything outside the box, or does it have to be multiple bits of gear? If so how many?
Is there a ceiling on it, ie is it pointless beyond a certain number of devices, or does it just keep getting better as you add more separate gear?
And what about that gear, does it matter what it is, or does it just have to be 'separate' as you say. Is there perhaps a tradeoff regarding the cost of the gear, ie would 5 cheap bits of gear contribute as much as 1 expensive bit of gear, or more. Or is it the other way round, is cheaper, less precise gear better because it 'spreads' more?
I mean more devices are better than fewer, I presume. What about multifunction gear like a channel strip, where all the functionality of EQ, compressor, limiter etc might be on the PCB, is that going to be worse than separate devices?
What if I use multiple computer motherboards, as that will obviously help with the problem with just having one. Like one for each type of effects device, one for EQs, one for limiters? Or would I be better with a mix of effects on each motherboard?

Practice and experience.


And now I have questions for you. I hope this time you'll put more effort into your response than you have for the OP.
You do everything ITB and have great commerciial success with it considering you are replying to this thread.
What I'd like to know is what plugins do you use firstly for mixing? I want the names of the EQs, compressors, limiters, de-essors, channel strips, saturators, etc etc....all.of it.
Secondly, I want the names of the plugins you uae for mastering.
Thirdly, I want you to explain your whole procedure for mixing. How many plugins per track and what exact settings, ie compressor thresholds, attacks, releases efc etc, EQ frequencies....AND I want all the specs for each genre of music you produce.
So if you do Trance, I want the specs and settings for both mixing and mastering.
If you record a whole rock tune, I want the specs and settings for mixing and mastering. AND, for rock, country, pop or any genre that typically requires band instrumentation, I want all the plugins you use for each instrument.
Also tell me how you record each take ITB. For example if you use a plugin that emulates a bass, do you EQ it? Compress it? I want all the details.
Drums! What samples do you use? Or do you use a program like Addictive Drums? What fx do you use on drums?
Do you use auxiliary tracks? Parallel processing? Explaon every process from recording to mastering in great detail.
This will be great! You'll help a lot of us here.

[VOODOO U]

Why would anyone provide evidence if you assume it is a conspiracy?

But it's frivolous because no one can prove that a commercial recording was completely done ITB. Even if som big wig claimed it, I would see it as nothing more than a ploy to assist consumerism (I won't go deep into the politics of why some artist or engineer would do that).

What part of, "But it's frivolous" did you not understand?

[whyterabbyt]

And now I have questions for you.

That's nice, but you havent actually answered mine. Would you care to? Requoting me when it has no real contextual relevance is a little short of concrete information.
This will be great! You'll help a lot of us here.

[VOODOO U]

That's nice, but you havent actually answered mine. Would you care to?

Nope. I'd rather give you a taste of your own medicine.

[elxsound]

What if I use multiple computer motherboards, as that will obviously help with the problem with just having one. Like one for each type of effects device, one for EQs, one for limiters? Or would I be better with a mix of effects on each motherboard?

Wrong sort of electrons, you need outside box electrons.

Yeah, but what if Im not using a box, just the motherboard?

Who has the box then?

[whyterabbyt]

That's nice, but you havent actually answered mine. Would you care to?

Nope. I'd rather give you a taste of your own medicine.

Well, between you and me, then, you were a bit of a massive failure at that then, since I was intrinsically asking you to expand upon and validate something you'd actually asserted.

I realise now you probably didnt understand that so my apologies for overestimating your comprehension skills. So, consider me very abashed about that, and the painstaking effort it obviously cost you to do your little strawman wibble in return.

[Uncle E]

thank you all - appreciate the comments and much food for thought. and I agree with the whole sentiment 'theres no magic bullet' (sometimes theres just a different path to take to get to the same destination; ) Im also finding that mixing other peoples material is dfeintely helping get that different persoective and experience that im seeking.

Install Luna (free), turn on all the extensions (free for 30 days), and drop all of your audio into it. Every track should default to being in API Console mode, with API Vision, API Summing, and Studer tape instantiated on every track, and API 2500 and Ampex tape instantiated on the master bus (let me know if this doesn't happen automatically). It probably won't get you all the way there but it's as close to a magic bullet as I've found.

[elxsound]

thank you all - appreciate the comments and much food for thought. and I agree with the whole sentiment 'theres no magic bullet' (sometimes theres just a different path to take to get to the same destination; ) Im also finding that mixing other peoples material is dfeintely helping get that different persoective and experience that im seeking.

Install Luna (free), turn on all the extensions (free for 30 days), and drop all of your audio into it. Every track should default to being in API Console mode, with API Vision, API Summing, and Studer tape instantiated on every track, and API 2500 and Ampex tape instantiated on the master bus (let me know if this doesn't happen automatically). It probably won't get you all the way there but it's as close to a magic bullet as I've found.

I think the OP checked out 2 months ago

But just in case, I always suggest to find someone with videos that will share their start to end process for mixing or mastering.

There are videos on YouTube. There’s Mixing With The Masters, which might by too much depending on someone’s starting level, but there’s also PureMix which seams to partner with UA & Luna - I don’t know that, but they cover lots of UA tools in addition to hardware.

They also have full projects to practice on (same for MWTM) with the added benefit of knowing the commercial release is available to compare against.

[Uncle E]

I think the OP checked out 2 months ago

[VOODOO U]

That's nice, but you havent actually answered mine. Would you care to?

Nope. I'd rather give you a taste of your own medicine.

Well, between you and me, then, you were a bit of a massive failure at that then, since I was intrinsically asking you to expand upon and validate something you'd actually asserted.

I realise now you probably didnt understand that so my apologies for overestimating your comprehension skills. So, consider me very abashed about that, and the painstaking effort it obviously cost you to do your little strawman wibble in return.

You're right. I am a disappointment. Ill be happy to discuss ourboard gear with you. But first do tell us all your expert knowledge in creating pro commercial tracks all in the box.
I'm a rock n roll guy so I do the whole band thing. Ill need advice on bass, drums, guitar, vocals and synthesis. Ill need info on the recording process as well as mixing and mastering.
I feel we can work well together.

[elxsound]

That's nice, but you havent actually answered mine. Would you care to?

Nope. I'd rather give you a taste of your own medicine.

Well, between you and me, then, you were a bit of a massive failure at that then, since I was intrinsically asking you to expand upon and validate something you'd actually asserted.

I realise now you probably didnt understand that so my apologies for overestimating your comprehension skills. So, consider me very abashed about that, and the painstaking effort it obviously cost you to do your little strawman wibble in return.

You're right. I am a disappointment. Ill be happy to discuss ourboard gear with you. But first do tell us all your expert knowledge in creating pro commercial tracks all in the box.
I'm a rock n roll guy so I do the whole band thing. Ill need advice on bass, drums, guitar, vocals and synthesis. Ill need info on the recording process as well as mixing and mastering.
I feel we can work well together.

Just stop.

WR, feel free to correct me, but I believe is compensated for his knowledge.

If you make assertions about outboard gear over ITB tools, he'll likely hold you to it, for I'm guessing morbid curiosity?

Anyway, analog/digital has been done to death everywhere. If someone cant make something sound good or professional, its not the tools.

Mixing With The Masters showcases lots of mixes that have basically defined modern commercial music (for better or worse). Tons, and tons of completely ITB award winning mixes in case that matters to anyone.