Mixing Tutorial: Working with Dynamics

Welcome back! This chapter of our mixing tutorial focuses on the process of working with dynamics in your track.

Vocals and Embedding

After you've polished your vocals and embedded them nicely into the track, it's time to focus on some general rides.

Importance of the Chorus

One critical aspect of mixing is ensuring that when the chorus comes in, it lifts the entire track. Here are some techniques:

• Increase Drum Levels: Many mixers or producers simply turn the drums up by 2dB during each chorus.
• Push Drums at the Beginning: Elevating the drum levels at the start of the chorus can add impact.
• Create Tension Before the Chorus: Sometimes, making the track feel smaller before the chorus helps. Techniques may include:
  • Filtering
  • Taking out the kick drum

This approach allows you to slam the track back in once the chorus kicks off.

Automation in Pro Tools

I do all my automation of levels in Pro Tools using an Avid Artist Control. This provides me with faders for precise level rides.

• You can also draw your automation directly in Pro Tools, which is another effective method.

Riding Levels

Riding levels is a vital aspect of mixing, especially for:

• Vocals
• Lead sounds

The middle eight sections often require a lot of riding as well. Always aim to incorporate light and shade for dynamics.

Key Points:

• Ensure the chorus is always slammed.
• Strings require a significant amount of riding, too.

Attention to Detail

Don't simply place your instruments in the mix thinking they will sound great without adjustments. Here's why:

• Strings in Transitions: For example, strings may play a run before the chorus, so it's important to feature those moments, especially in between vocal sections.

Since the vocal is usually the loudest element, when there's no vocal, there can be a noticeable gap. Look for nice guitar riffs or string runs that fit into that space and turn them up to maintain listener attention.

Conclusion

This is a skill that develops with practice, the more you do it, the better you'll get at using rides creatively. Remember, riding levels is essential in every mix, so go on and ride your faders!