The mixing process

Mixing Process for Film and TV

Okay, so I'll just speak a little bit more about the mixing process.

General Overview

The nice thing about mixing for film, and also some TV stuff, is that when dealing with orchestras and live recordings, they are usually recorded in very good studios where professional engineers work. These orchestras get recorded all the time, so generally, this material comes to me already sounding pretty great.

I don't have to do huge amounts of EQing or compressing. Like I say with the orchestra, it's pretty much what it is. Sometimes, there's a bit of compression over the bus or maybe on the double bass just to rein things in a little. But generally, it's really about:

• Finding a nice balance
• Adding a bit of reverb
• Maybe a bit of EQing over the bus

EQ and Mixing Techniques

I usually have, on each stem bus, another EQ which adds a bit of top end and takes out a little bit of the harshness and some bass for the strings. That's generally all it needs.

So, just find a nice blend and make it sound beautiful.

A lot of it is actually in the balancing and adding a nice bit of reverb.

Sequenced vs. Live Sounds

With sequenced sounds and artificial sounds, there's a lot more scope to do stuff. Again, with the EQ and compression, it really comes down to you.

That's where you have to use your own ears and ensure everything has its right place in the mix. Every sound has a distinct pocket in terms of frequency as well as panning, which is a nice way to give each sound its own individual space.

Additional Resources

I do have another course available online where I go into more detail about sound processing, compression, EQ settings, and the plugins I like using. This is all part of my pop mixing course, and a lot of it applies to film and TV mixing as well.

Key Considerations in Mixing

It's just about making sure everything works in the mix:

• The bass is nice and pumping
• The top end works
• The middle is where most of the musical action happens

The most difficult thing to teach about mixing is that you need experience. You have to experiment to find out what works for you.

Creative Decisions in Mixing

That's why you use your ears and think:

• What do I want this to sound like?
• Where am I going to place the instrument?
• How am I going to make it work as a whole?

You really have to apply your skills with EQ, compression, reverb, and delays.

Finalizing the Mix

Once your basic mix is set, that's when you start to apply your EQs and some compression and delays. The reverb is very important for film stuff because it gives depth. You can be quite generous with reverb since the music is often hidden behind other ambient sounds.

• Don't hesitate to add a little more reverb than you would normally.
• Remember, the music is usually played behind screens in cinemas with lots of padding.

So, be grand with your sound as well. Don't make it sound small.

Practical Steps

What I've done is:

1. Solo the orchestra
2. Send all the channels to RTC
3. Mute the ambient tracks because they really don't need any more reverb

Now, let's add in the reverb slowly until we're happy with it and ensure it sounds nice and epic.

Generally, it's better to put more reverb onto the spot mic. So, I'm going to bring the general reverb down a touch and increase it on the spot mics for a cleaner signal going into our reverb.

Let's check the amount. I'm quite happy with that.

Finally, it's essential to check the whole balance. This is something where you really need to use your ears and do it according to taste.