What audience device(s) are you mixing/mastering for?

[irpacynot]

Based on my knowledge and resources, seems I just can't do that "one size fits all" thing. When I mix on my PC, and listen back -- if it sounds good, typically there's going to be too much muffle/muddy lows-, low mids in there when I listen back on my iPhone EarPods.

So...

I am, now, tending toward reducing that stuff, which in turn, then makes the songs sound too bright/treble-heavy when listening on my PC.

Now, that's not always the case, but it's usually the case. That being said, I can't help but feel that most folks these days are listening to music through mobile devices. Heck, even when my brother listens to music in his car, he somehow (I'm not new-fangled enough to understand how it works) hooks his phone up to his car's media interface and uses the phone to listen to a library of tunes that are on it.

tldr: I'm finding myself mostly mixing for earpod-type/mobile devices.

You?

[vurt]

i am quite selfish, i mix for my own listening pleasure.
i listen on a decent quality hi fi system, so thats where it will sound best "imo", i personally dont use headphones of any kind, definitely not ear buds (not for quality reasons, im sure theyre great, i dont like the idea of things inside my ears, irrational fear maybe...) so dont care how it sounds there, sorry

[jancivil]

Nah, the music I make has vastly more range frequency-wise to be captured using tiny transducers like that. Also seriously more dynamic range, too much that's very quiet for instance (& too much lowend) for even the best laptop speakers. I don't drive a car, I'm not making music for mass consumption and it doesn't seem relevant. people seem to think my mixes are good. I used to worry about mud in the 100 to 250hz sort of area, and used to have zero to very low confidence, rightly so, in my skills so I would ask 'what is it like on your speakers'.
I already find that even the generally superior Opus codec at Youtube is deficient, and I gave up trying to mix for Soundcloud years ago. So if I operated as though to be commercial I would hire professionals to master for this or the other media. As it is, I'm okay.

[foosnark]

I do most of my "serious" music listening on good headphones (though I also listen in the car, or on a Bluetooth stereo speaker behind my head when I'm reading myself to sleep).

So, I aim for headphones. I record/mix (same process usually) with headphoones, I master on headphones. I used to always check my mixes on other systems just to make sure, but it has been a long time since I've had to make any adjustments as a result and I just don't bother with that anymore.

[Watchful]

Foosnark's is pretty much my approach, too. Extremely few people listen on decent systems or even modest computer speakers: they're almost all using pods, buds, or in-ear devices tied via Bluetooth to phones. Or in cars via Bluetooth. These are really bad listening environments, of course, but like Tony asks in his original question, ya gotta plan for that. It's not going away in my lifetime.

[Benedict]

DO NOT mix/master for a technology platform as such. TVs, iFads etc don't listen to music! They may be used to play back music, as was AM Radio with a 2" paper cone speaker in a plastic box, but you need to mix for PEOPLE.

If working to a general audience then mix as they expect. If mixing to a genre space then mix accordingly. This all depends on a) the Scene & Story of your Song and b) the common sound of that style. However, be sure not to hit formulas too rigidly or your song as such lacks individuality. As an example, Thompson Twins "Hold Me Now" may be passed off now as 80's formula schlock (by people who have no love in them) but at the time it stood out like nothing else. That song has and always will work on any playback system because the Story is so very strong.


To answer the practical Q: How does one make a mix Translate well every time? Well, start by understanding what I mean above about Scene & Story. Then Reference your system to music. This DOES NOT mean constant A-Bing DeathMoose to your choon as that is just silliness. Using your music space to learn how great music feels. You then tell your story with that feel.

Understand that not everyone who has a guitar can play like Eddie V. This means that if you don't have the feel for being a great Mix Engineer then the best thing that you can do is work with someone who is. That means that as a Mix Engineer, I would hire in Eddie to play guitar on my records as I will never get past the E string.

[? ? ?]

DO NOT mix/master for a technology platform as such. TVs, iFads etc don't listen to music! They may be used to play back music, as was AM Radio with a 2" paper cone speaker in a plastic box, but you need to mix for PEOPLE.

Music gets to people via mediums therefore one needs to mix where the music can be heard via said mediums as best as possible. The mediums change through time and we adapt.

If working to a general audience then mix as they expect.

Which is loud and clear.

be sure not to hit formulas too rigidly or your song as such lacks individuality.

Tell that to the tight assed industry moguls who believe firmly in If it ain't broke don't fix it. But I agree songs deserve character.

As an example, Thompson Twins "Hold Me Now" may be passed off now as 80's formula schlock (by people who have no love in them) but at the time it stood out like nothing else.

Wow. I completely disagree. There were WAY better artists out there who did a much better job at standing out than the Thompson Twins.
Of all their songs, Hold Me Now has to be the most bland and boring release. Actually everything the Twins did was boring. Maybe ill give them Lies but that's about it.

That song has and always will work on any playback system because the Story is so very strong.

So if i write a song with a strong story it'll playback well on any system?

Understand that not everyone who has a guitar can play like Eddie V. This means that if you don't have the feel for being a great Mix Engineer then the best thing that you can do is work with someone who is. That means that as a Mix Engineer, I would hire in Eddie to play guitar on my records as I will never get past the E string.

I'm lost. Are we talking about mixing or the recording process?

[Benedict]

Dude, you seem to be following me around and ridiculing whatever I say based on wack strawman non-arguments. This is not only not cool but really offensive to the whole concept of discussion seeing there appears to be no discussion allowed, only your put-downs and general derision of anything you choose not to understand. That can't make it easy for anyone to feel happy to join in lest they cop this kind of abuse as well.

MODS: please put a check on this fellow as next time I will be very f**king harsh and personal on him seeing this is a personal attack (for what reason I do no know or care - but I will not tolerate).

[PatchAdamz]

What audience device(s) are you mixing/mastering for?



This thingy....

[? ? ?]

MODS: please put a check on this fellow as next time I will be very f**king harsh and personal on him seeing this is a personal attack (for what reason I do no know or care - but I will not tolerate).

Oh my! You seem to be terribly upset! I think you should call a Doctor Doctor.

[irpacynot]

What audience device(s) are you mixing/mastering for?



This thingy....

Don't underestimate the power of the penguins.

[harryupbabble]

right now i'm really not too concerned about mixing
i care more about songwriting itself
i spend lots of time trying to find words to fit my melodies
it's difficult
i also spend lots of time trying to expand my music vocab
i usually only do these things when i'm not playing scrabble
scrabble is primary and songwriting is secondary
but sometimes it's the other way around,
it depends on which one i need a break from
there never is enough time for the two
i'm always busy with the two
the two are fun to do, usually

usually, the default vsti levels are okay
i don't really use lots of audio effects
but i do use realimit on tracks to prevent clipping, if necessary
i don't really care about stereo placements
mono is okay for now

later on, if my songs are good enough, and if i could afford it,
i would hire pros to do the mixing
maybe 5 different pros or more per song
that way i would have 5 or more different mixes per song,
to choose from

or maybe i would not even do that
i can just go totally low-fi
and release everything as they are
mono and crap mixing, just as long as the songcraft is good

but at the moment, my songcraft is no good
so, why should i care about mixing?