Need a jump start on how to mix screaming vocals for metal and hardcore? EQ and compression are going to give you 90% of a good scream vocal sound… but you can’t be shy! See where to EQ and how to compress heavily to add energy and character to the vocal.
It’s definitely important to reference other tracks with our own mixes… But sometimes referencing can actually hurt your mixes more than it helps. Ever find yourself starting to compare endlessly back and forth and getting nowhere in your mix? This used to happen to me all the time, until I figured out that there are… Read More »How to Use Reference Tracks for Mixing
Do you think your room is holding you back? Is it keeping you from hearing issues in your mix and making the right decisions? At the very least, do you ever question your mixing setup and wonder how much better you’d be if you were in a pro studio with top-notch gear? Hmmm. A little… Read More »How I’m getting my BEST mixes in the WORST room
Here’s a walkthrough of my acoustic piano chain for a rock track. Main lesson: don’t be shy with your EQ and compression! It often takes a healthy dose of each to anchor the piano in a dense mix.
Here’s a rundown of my mix setup at home. Gear list: Rig 1 (For recalling old mixes): Pro Tools 8 HD2 Accel 192i/o Rig 2: Pro Tools 12 Apogee Duet (recommended alternative: Apogee Quartet*) NS-10 monitors (recommended alternative: CLA-10*) EL Distressor* Presonus Central Station (recommended alternative: Presonus Faderport 8*) Faderport / PT Control App *affiliate… Read More »Home Studio Tour 2016 – My mixing setup
The SSL Channel is one of my favorite plugins, but not just because of the way it sounds. The other big benefit of a plugin like this is that it forces you to use your EARS more than your eyes. This video gives you an example of what a typical EQ on the SSL Channel… Read More »How to Stop Mixing With Your Eyes
One of the keys to sustaining & growing any business is having repeat customers. If you want to have a career in the studio, then you need to make sure artists come back time and time again to work with you. I’ve talked to many bands over the years and I often ask about their… Read More »Why You (Desperately) Need a Mixing System
Here’s another peek inside the mix for “Let You Down” by River Oaks (Shane Told of Silverstein). In the first video, I walked through my EQ techniques for the acoustic guitars. In this video, I show you the rest of the chain – the compressors. Counterparts Counterparts – 10 Years Later Forevermore Intervals River Oaks… Read More »Inside the Mix – RIVER OAKS Part 2: Compressing acoustic guitars
Here’s an in-depth tutorial on how to get a tight, punchy kick drum with tons of attack and presence for metal and heavy rock. This video walks through how to EQ, compress and use saturation on a live kick track to give it a modern metal sound.
I use this short stereo delay to add a touch of excitement and width to a lead vocal, and to help it sit in the mix. I typically prefer this approach over a short reverb. Note that since my FX are set up as sends and returns, the mix is at 100%. Having the left… Read More »Plugin Preset: Stereo Delay for Vocals