Strategic mixing, albeit subjective, consists of certain outlines that are quite efficient and widely common in the modern music industry. To begin with, recorded and sequenced music stages are different. For instance, stages in recorded productions begin when they get close enough to the previous stage. In contrast, those in sequenced music involve a producer that flips between features of songwriting, arranging, recording, editing, and mixing stages throughout the creation process.
Strategic Mixing: General > Individual
The overall mix is the priority, so focusing on individual elements is worthless. It’s essential for the user to take a step back and observe the whole scenario, as well as the effects and changes of the whole mix. Since human beings tend to naturally separate elements of a combination of sounds, creating a single component against others is quite as effective as treating it separately. When treating the elements in combination, there is a higher chance of achieving a good sound in the long run.
This is the formula. To begin, the user must get specific information from the producer. After analyzing the material, the user should listen to the song as a whole and each part individually. Finally, it’s important for the user to get or make a rough mix.
Technical Tasks = Creative Tasks
Technical tasks organize and optimize the workflow, so they require little sonic knowledge and they don’t affect the way the song sounds. These include normalizing the equipment, as well as renaming, ordering, coloring, and consolidating it. They also include phasing, grouping, and restoring damaged audio.
When the aim is to affect specific sounds, technical tasks transform into creative ones. In this sense, creative tasks require awareness and high concentration levels. Furthermore, they include dynamic processing, equalization, embellishment, and modulation.
Strategic Mixing: Adding Instruments
There are several approaches to add instruments to a mix. The first one is the serial approach, which involves adding a couple of tracks and continue to add some more as desired. Another one includes rhythm, harmony, and melody. Here drums, percussion, and bass are usually the first ones. Then arepads, guitars, and keys. After that, vocal and solo instruments enter the mix.
Another approach involves adding instruments in order of significance. With this method, the most important instruments grow. The parallel approach brings all faders up and sets a balance before altering specific sounds. You can do this process until the overall sound is tuned.
Strategic Mixing: Conclusions
Mixing is a correlative process, so the user will have to retouch the overall song every time s/he adds something new. You usually mix sections of a song separately, either chronologically or with the course-to-fine approach. When using the course-to-fine approach, sound engineers begin working with the most obvious and drastic changes and continue with the more specific and subtle alterations. In this, accommodation and balance are key elements.
