In this week of class, we delved into using spatial visual imagery in our mixing. This is a valuable and important technique that can be utilised to great extent. Visualising the spatial placement of the different elements in a mix can give you an insight into the arrangement of the instruments. By seeing where each sound is positioned in the stereo field I can fully understand and enhance the clarity of the track.
By visualising a mix, I’m able to hone in my critical listening skills and improve as I go. Being able to discern things such as stereo width, depth and panning through careful observation of the track I was able to create a mental construct of the stereo mix in my head before putting it down onto paper.
The track I chose to analyse was ‘Place To Be’ by the 70s folk artist Nick Drake. The track is quite simple with stereo miced guitars and vocals right up the middle. Clearly, there is only one guitar on the track but due to the multiple microphones placed near and around it the stereo width created is huge. Additionally, with panning it creates an atmosphere that really captivates you.
The decision to use only guitar and vocals on the track really emphasises each intricate detail of the recorded audio, capturing every little strum of the guitar and every breath before each vocal take. With all the open space in the mix, you can hear the natural resonance and reverb of the guitar.