Category: mixing blog

For this project we decided to write something emulating early 70s folk music. Isaac wrote a fairly complex but simple sounding chord progression in an open D tuning and we all decided to build off that. We used 2 microphones, allowing us to capture different aspects of the acoustic guitar’s sound as well as widen the stereo image.

Using the stereo micing technique on the guitars greatly enhanced the overall sound providing natural width and depth to the tone, accompanied by a room mic 2 metres from the guitar creating a full natural reverberated sound without the use of external plugins. Which in turn helped with emulating the studio recordings of Nick Drake whos album ‘Pink Moon’ was one of my chosen mix references.

As the track varied in tempo, we used teamwork to change the speed of the metronome as Isaac played through the song so we could overdub instruments easily, improving our problem solving skills and increasing our collaborative creativity It helped to keep the song interesting to the listener providing a segue into a new faster upbeat section.

We didn’t do anything new with the bass, using micing techniques that we had used multiple times already in previous sessions. Why change something that works? We recorded him playing and produced a dark sound that suited the vibe of the track we were going for.

During reflection of the final rough mix we realised we weren’t overly happy with the main vocals and decided to head back to the studio once more to re-record Isaac’s main vocal using an sm7b which provided a much warmer tone that emphasised his baritone vocal range and aided in bringing the vocals to the forefront of the song as well as tightening up the quantisation of the take.

For the mixing side of the project I aimed to keep things simple, using little plugins and keeping the mix fairly dry worked well in keeping with the 70s aesthetic. I initially had more vocal takes and reverb in the mix but after listening back a few times and consulting my mix references

I cut back to better suit the tone I was going for and add a slight build to the track that would engage with the listener. Cutting and pasting Hojis vocal takes to create a seamless sound that emphasises the harmony with Isaac. Along with this i used echo and reverb sends to enhance the stereo image and depth of their mellow singing voices.

After sending a first draft to my tutor, He gave me some constructive feedback on what I could do to improve my mix. This was highly useful for me as when you’ve been working on a mix for a few hours or a couple days it can be easy to become biased to my creation. Fresh ears can provide a different perspective and identify areas that can spark new ideas and creative approaches.

I incorporated Matt’s feedback into my work accordingly and as a whole, I felt the mix was just that little bit more cohesive.

On top of my stereo mix, I also completed a 7:1 surround mix. As I had never used surround sound to mix ever, it took me a while to get used to and learn to effectively utilise it. It was like opening a whole new can of worms with mixing. I could pan tracks in a complete 360 degree image. I used this new playback system to greatly enhance the subtleties of my mix, for example I had automated the tape echo samples pan and swirl around the listeners head.

Collaborating with my peers has provided a supportive environment where I’ve been able to explore and express my musical ideas with great success, providing me with newfound knowledge on recording, mastering and most importantly, teamwork. It also helped to refine my technical skills and obtain higher levels of precision in my mixes. Learning about mew techniques such as mic placement or surround mixing will prove a great skill for me to utilise down the line, opening up new possibilities in the world of creative mixing.

Reverb is an intergral part of music production. Its roots trace back to the early days of sound recording where natural reverb was a byproduct of recording in large areas such as churches and concert halls. As technology evolved, so did the methods for creating and manipulating reverb, leading to its essential role in modern music.

In the 40s and 50s, studio engineers began to experiment with artificial reverb. The echo chambers at Abbey Road Studios are a big example. These chambers were rooms with highly reflective surfaces, where sound from a speaker would bounce around before being picked up by a microphone. This technique created a lush, natural reverb that could be added to recordings.

Later on in the 60s plate reverb was invented. A mechanical method where sound waves would reverberate across a large, suspended metal plate. The EMT 140 plate reverb (which was the first of its kind), offered a more controllable and consistent reverb effect compared to echo chambers. Plate reverb is used widely today in studios, providing the shimmering, dense wash that I personally have used on almost all of my compositions.

In the 1980s, reverb technology took another leap forward by creating digital reverb units. The Lexicon 224 allowed for precise control over various reverb parameters and introduced the ability to create entirely new reverb sounds that weren’t possible before.

Today reverb is available in several formats from hardware units to software plugins. Modern digital audio workstations (DAWs) like Ableton or Pro Tools come stocked with reverb plugins that emulate classic hardware and offer increased parameters for customisation.

Producers often use techniques such as pre-delay to separate the reverb onset from the dry signal to enhance clarity in the signal. Additionally, using EQ on reverb tails helps avoid frequency buildup and ensures the reverb complements the mix rather than overwhelming it.

For this blog week we are tasked with researching a producer of our choice, I chose to study Nigel Godrich.

In the industry of music production, there are few names that carry such admiration as Nigel Godrich. Being a world renowned producer for his work with incredibly iconic artists such as Radiohead, Pavement, Beck and R.E.M. He has left a huge mark on the world of audio engineering.

His discography spans multiple genres and multiple generations. His collaborations with Radiohead on albums like “OK Computer” and “Kid A” have completely redefined the boundaries of experimental rock while his work with Beck on “Sea Change” and “Morning Phase” showcases his versatility and ability to capture a diverse array of sounds in music and genres.

One of his defining characteristics is his ability to create and manage immersive audio landscapes that draw listeners into a world of depth and texture. For example, when recording Radiohead’s magnum opus “OK Computer” at St. Catherines Court, many of the songs were recorded in separate areas of the house to add a certain atmosphere. The acoustic guitar part for the song ‘Exit Music’ was recorded in a stone stairwell, while Let Down’ was recorded in a ballroom at 3 o’clock in the morning with most of the overdubs being tracked live in the same room, adding to the overall open vibe of the album.

His mixes are known for their clarity, warmth, and ability to evoke emotion, whether it’s the haunting melancholy of a Radiohead ballad or the ethereal beauty of a Beck composition. Studying Nigel Godrich’s approach to mixing has provided insights that will for sure shape my future work as a music producer.

His fearless experimentation and intuitive understanding of the bridge between art and technology serves as a big inspiration to push the boundaries of my creativity. By incorporating elements of his production and mixing techniques into my own workflow, I will be able to elevate the quality of my productions and create more immersive listening experiences that will surely resonate with the listeners on a deeper level.

Hi-Fi News. (2021). Radiohead: OK Computer Production Notes. [online] Available at: https://www.hifinews.com/content/radiohead-ok-computer-production-notes [Accessed 1 May 2024].

nigelgodrichproducer (n.d.). Nigel Godrich and the Studio. [online] A blog dedicated to the work of Nigel Godrich., A blog dedicated to the work of Nigel Godrich. Available at: https://nigelgodrichproducer.tumblr.com/.

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Within last week’s blog, i went into detail about the history of surround sound, its inception, uses and its benefits. For this week I will continue my journey with research on audio immersion.

The newest of the new technology in surround sound, Dolby Atmos is a leading multichannel audio technology that was introduced in 2012. It revolutionised cinema audio by adding height channels to the mix which created a three-dimensional soundstage, unlike traditional channel based audio systems where sounds are assigned to specific speakers. With Dolby Atmos, sounds are treated as objects that can move freely around the listener. This revolutionary approach unlocks a new level of immersion for the audience as sounds can originate from above, below, and all around, creating a lifelike audio environment that mirrors real life perception.

Immersive audio like this is not just limited to cinemas, Dolby Atmos has rapidly expanded across various entertainment services. Today, it is not uncommon to find Dolby Atmos in your home cinema systems, headphones and if you are a producer, in your DAW’s which brings the experience into the comfort of our own homes.

On top of Dolby Atmos there are multiple other multichannel systems including DTS:X, Auro-3D, Sony 360 Reality Audio and THX Spatial Audio. All of these multichannel audio solutions cater to different applications, and offer varying levels of immersion and spatial accuracy. Each technology has its unique features and benefits, providing options for consumers and professionals seeking high-quality audio experiences.

As technology continues to evolve, the possibilities for immersive audio are endless. From live concerts streamed in Dolby Atmos to personalised audio experiences tailored to individual preferences, the future holds lots of opportunities to utilise this incredible sound system.

 Morrison, Geoffrey. “Surrounded by Woods all around: Dolby Atmos explained”. CNET. Archived from the original on 2020-01-21. Retrieved 2020-01-21.

Surround sound is an audio technology that aims to enhance the width, depth, fidelity and spatialisation of sound reproduction. It achieves this by utilising multiple audio channels from speakers that have been strategically positioned around the person listening, With this these additional outputs can create the illusion of sound coming from multiple directions creating a realistic audio. environment.

The most common setup for the use of surround is the 5:1 configuration, which makes use of 6 speakers – a speaker in the middle, left/right speakers in front, left and right surround speakers positioned to the sides or behind the person listening and finally a subwoofer for the low frequency audio.

The idea of surround sound can be dated back to the early 20th century. One of the first documented uses of surround sound experimentation was in 1940 when the Walt Disney produced film “Fantasia” introduced the concept of multichannel audio through the use of what was called the ‘Fantasound’ system (Wierzbicki, 2014). Developed with the help of Bell Labs, Fantasound made use of numerous speakers strategically placed around the theatre to greatly enhance the viewer’s experience in a rich wide sound that would greatly increase the immersion of the film.

With the success of surround sound within films in the era, the usage of the technology gained headway, leading to newer systems aimed at further enhancing the cinematic experience. In 1977 the original Star Wars came out into theatres, captivating cinemagoers with its use of ‘Dolby Stereo’ a fairly new system that made use of quadrophonic surround sound. (Bordwell, Staiger, & Thompson, 1985). This innovation with sound set a new standard for audio in cinemas.

Wierzbicki, J. (2014). Fantasound. In J. Richardson & C. Gorbman (Eds.), The Oxford Handbook of New Audiovisual Aesthetics (pp. 345-362). Oxford University Press.

Bordwell, D., Staiger, J., & Thompson, K. (1985). The Classical Hollywood Cinema: Film Style and Mode of Production to 1960. Columbia University Press.

Mastering is the final step in the production process for audio, where the tracks are balanced, polished and optimised for distribution across streaming platforms and physical media. Usually mastering engineers use their keen ears, expertise and specialised hard/software to enhance the music, ensuring the best quality for the final product.

With the future of mastering and the evolving world of technology, mastering engineers utilise a blend of artistry and technical skill to hone in the mix, with the future poised to be revolutionised by the integration of AI driven tools and online services. Plugins like Ozone use machine learning algorithms and neural networks to analyse the users audio data and make intelligent decisions based on processing techniques to greatly aid the user in their workflow and guarantee more consistent results.

For example they can analyse audio data quickly and make processing decisions in real-time which reduces the amount of time spent on manual adjustments, leading to faster turnaround times for mastering projects. This includes tasks such as noise reduction, dynamic range optimization, and harmonic balancing.

Another progression in mastering is spatial audio. Spatial audio involves creating a sense of space and depth within the audio experience, allowing listeners to perceive sound as coming from various directions, heights, and distances. With the increasing rise of audio formats such as Dolby Atmos and Sony 360 Reality Audio, mastering engineers are tasked with not only preserving the artistic intent of the music but also enhancing it for multidimensional playback environments.

www.dolby.com. (n.d.). What is spatial audio? How it works and how to use it. [online] Available at: https://www.dolby.com/experience/home-entertainment/articles/what-is-spatial-audio/#whatisspatialaudio.

Anderson, N. (2024). AI can now master your music—and it does shockingly well. [online] Ars Technica. Available at: https://arstechnica.com/ai/2024/02/mastering-music-is-hard-can-one-click-ai-make-it-easy/#:~:text=AI%2Dpowered%20mastering%20systems%20allow [Accessed 15 Apr. 2024].

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The ‘loudness wars’ are an ongoing ‘battle’ within the music industry. A competition of sorts between producers and mastering engineers to make their tracks as loud as humanly possible. This trend was started in the early 00’s by the mannerism that ‘louder is better’ and fueled by advancements in technology along with new consumer listening habits, the quality of new music of the time was heavily impacted.

WIth record makers striving for loudness, dynamics have been sacrificed, leading to a huge loss in depth and fidelity in the music. As each new track tried to be the loudest on the radio, the subtleties and nuances that make music rich and engaging have been compressed and crushed, leading to listener fatigue and decreased enjoyment.

The main example for this which was discussed in class is the heavy metal band ‘Metallica’s’ “Death Magnetic” album which is infamous for its heavily compressed and distorted sound. The album received widespread criticism from both fans and audio engineers for its poor sound quality and absence of dynamics.

In the book “Mastering Audio: The Art And The Science” by the engineer ‘Bob Katz’, he highlights the degrading effects of excessive loudness on the quality of music. He mentions how the hyper compression can lead to a diminished emotional connection to the music.

With my new found knowledge of mastering, I can make sure to not make the same mistakes previous mix engineers have made, keeping dynamics rather than selling out and brickwalling my efforts to get attention,

Hiatt, B. (2008). Death Magnetic. [online] Rolling Stone. Available at: https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-album-reviews/death-magnetic-250620/ [Accessed 11 Apr. 2024].

Wikipedia. (2020). Loudness war. [online] Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loudness_war.

Katz, B. (2013). Mastering audio : the art and the science. New York: Focal Press.

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The history of EQ began in the early 20th century alongside the rise of audio technology. It was mostly utilised in recording and broadcasting studios back then to adjust the audio signals’ frequency response. Bass and treble frequencies were adjusted using basic passive circuitry, like as filters and tone controls, in the early days of EQ.

With the advancement of technology over time, EQ gained sophistication and was able to provide more accurate and adjustable settings. The development of parametric equalisation in the 1950s and 60s gave engineers the ability to modify the filters’ bandwidth, or “Q,” as well as their frequency and amplitude. This made it possible to produce audio with more accurate tweaks and fine tweaking.

Since then, EQ has emerged as a vital instrument in a variety of audio fields, including live sound, post-production for films, and music creation. EQ capabilities increased even further with the introduction of digital audio technology, providing a wide range of filter types, adjustable curves, and real-time analysis tools.

One of the more recent advancements in EQ technology is Dynamic EQ, which marries dynamic processing with traditional EQ principles. This dynamic adaptation to audio characteristics provides enhanced control over frequency balance, particularly beneficial in scenarios involving dynamic audio content such as music recordings or live performances.

Eargle, John M., and Chris Foreman. “The Microphone Book.” Focal Press, 2004.
Rumsey, Francis, and Tim McCormick. “Sound and Recording: Applications and Theory.” Focal Press, 2014.
Katz, Bob. “Mastering Audio: The Art and the Science.” Focal Press, 2014.

In this week of class, we looked into the history of stereo sound. Stereo recording was invented by Alan Blumlein in the early 1930’s. The first ever stereo music production was recorded at Abbey Road studios, though the technology was too ahead of its time for commercial use as there was no way for any consumer to hear the stereo playback. All media at that point in time was mono.

Alan came about this while at the cinema with his wife he became frustrated when a character on screen wasn’t following around with the audio. This inspired him to create what he described as “binaural sound”. He managed to create a system that could read two grooves on a record simultaneously to produce a stereo sound that was also able to work with previously produced mono records.

By the 1960s there was a rapid growth in technological advances, promoting experimentation and pushing equipment to their extremes. With the introduction of the 4 track tape recorder. The original idea for the equipment was to record an orchestra onto tracks 1 and 2 while leaving the others for vocal overdubs.

With the introduction of pop music these producers began utilising brand new techniques such as overdubbing sound effects, additional instruments and even double tracking, completely changing the sound of the music in that era.

In the early 70’s there was an increase with experimentation of additional speakers with what was called “quad format” or “surround sound” which added 2 more speakers to the rear of the listener. Sadly due to lack of public sales it had a very short lifespan. Pink Floyd used this technique on their album “Dark Side Of The Moon”.

Abbey Road. (n.d.). The History of Recorded Music has its roots firmly planted at No. 3 Abbey Road. [online] Available at: https://www.abbeyroad.com/news/the-history-of-recorded-music-has-its-roots-firmly-planted-at-no-3-abbey-road-2596#:~:text=years%20to%20follow.- [Accessed 8 Mar. 2024].

EMI Archive Trust (2019). Alan Blumlein and the invention of Stereo | EMI Archive Trust. [online] Emiarchivetrust.org. Available at: https://www.emiarchivetrust.org/alan-blumlein-and-the-invention-of-stereo/.

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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.