Musician on a Mission Blog - Free Tutorials and Home Studio Advice

Multiband Compressors: They Don’t Have to Be Confusing

Last updated on May 1st, 2017 Categories: Compression , Mixing

Rob Mayzes, founder of Musician on a Mission

by Rob Mayzes

The first time I used multiband compression in a mix, I completely ruined it.

I slammed the lows and highs hard on the mix buss, and thought the track sounded ‘fat’.

But I soon realized I was wrong. It didn’t sound good. It sounded awful.

I can still remember the confusion and frustration. Multiband compression seemed daunting, and complicated.

And that’s understandable. After all, a lot of people simply don’t know how to mix with this tool.

Listen…

The biggest mistake you can make when mixing with multiband compression is to use every single band at the same time (unless you have a particular reason to do so).

So, what should you do instead?

Well, there are 7 simple ways you can use multiband compression to improve your mixes.

This easy-to-follow guide will show you those 7 techniques, so you can start improving your mixes with this powerful tool today.

Sidechain Compression: 4 Easy Ways to Use Sidechaining Today

Last updated on March 27th, 2017 Categories: Compression , Mixing

by Rob Mayzes

He told me he had found “the secret to that professional EDM sound”.

This was the first time I heard about sidechain compression. It was a friend of mine, who was an aspiring dance music producer.

He had produced an energetic dance track with just a kick drum, a synth pad – and little else.

Actually, it was pretty impressive.

I’m going back a while here. Almost a decade, in fact.

As a mix engineer (not an EDM producer), I didn’t see the potential for sidechaining at first.

But since then I have discovered 4 definitive sidechain techniques that I use in most mixes. These apply to all genres – not just dance music.

Parallel Compression: The Weird Compression Technique for Better Mixes

Last updated on May 1st, 2017 Categories: Compression , Mixing

by Rob Mayzes

I can still remember the first time I came across ‘New York’ style compression.

I read about it in a book over a decade ago, and immediately it opened a new way of thinking for me.

The idea was intriguing. By duplicating the drums, compressing them hard and mixing this new signal in with the old…

The drums could sound punchier and larger than life.

All of this – without touching the drums themselves.

The foundation of this trick is parallel compression.

How to Write, Record and Mix Music (Ultimate Production Workflow)

Last updated on May 18th, 2017 Categories: Composition , Mixing

by Rob Mayzes

“My single biggest challenge is feeling overwhelmed when I sit down to start a new project. Where do I start?”

This question from a reader is one that I see often.

You might be great at writing, recording and mixing…

But if you don’t have a proven workflow that works for you, it’s hard to start and finish a track.

In this article, I’m going to share my best advice for finding your perfect production workflow. I’m also going to share mine.

sE 2200a Review: The Best Affordable Condenser Microphone

Last updated on May 18th, 2017 Categories: Gear

by Rob Mayzes

It’s not easy deciding what equipment to purchase.

You can spend hours trawling forums and reviews online – but find yourself going round in circles.

One of your first purchases should be a good condenser microphone. In fact, for most people, it will be the first.

(On a side note, I recommend having at least one large diaphragm condenser and one dynamic microphone as a starting point).

I guess this explains why so many people ask me what my favorite affordable condenser microphone is.

I have been using the sE Electronics 2200a for years. It’s by far my favorite affordable large diaphragm condenser.

I use this almost every day for recording my own voice, and find myself using it in the majority of vocal sessions.

Ear Training Exercises: How to Train Your Ears and Become a Better Mixer

Last updated on November 10th, 2016 Categories: EQ , Mixing , One Month EQ Challenge

by Rob Mayzes

Golden ears are a myth.

As long as you have never damaged your hearing, your ears are just as good as the best mixers in the world.

In fact, they probably have worse hearing than you after years of listening to music at high volume.

So what’s holding you back? Why can’t you mix like them?

The difference is that they are better at listening.

Listening and hearing are two different things…

You have the physical ability to hear the full extent of your mixes. What you’re really lacking are the listening skills that the professionals have developed.

Over time, your listening abilities will naturally improve. EQ becomes easier, you gain the ability to instantly identify frequencies, and the finer details of compression reveal themselves.

However, you can speed up that process with 3 easy steps.

This is part 8 of the One Month EQ Challenge, and I’m going to reveal what those 3 simple ear training exercises are – so you can train your ears and become a better mixer.

Home Studio Setup: How to Design & Build Your Dream Studio

Last updated on November 15th, 2016 Categories: Acoustics , Gear , Home Studio Design

by Rob Mayzes

Setting up a home studio isn’t easy.

It takes a bit of time and money to get going.

But when you get it right… wow, is it worth it.

When you have a properly setup home studio, you can produce music at home that sounds professional. You can produce music that’s worthy for the radio.

In fact, numerous musicians have produced hit singles and albums in home studios. People now choose to record at home rather than in an expensive studio.

One of my favourite low-budget albums, ‘For Emma, Forever Ago’ by Bon Iver was recorded in a cabin – with only a cheap Shure SM57 microphone.

The Black Keys produced their first two albums in Patrick Carney’s basement.

The White Stripes record ‘De Stijl’ on an eight-track in Jack White’s living room.

Foo Fighters recorded ‘Wasting Light’ in Dave Grohl’s garage.

The list goes on…

Backwards Mixing: How Mixing in Reverse Leads to Better, Faster Mixes

Last updated on May 18th, 2017 Categories: EQ , Mixing , One Month EQ Challenge

by Rob Mayzes

Have you ever considered mixing backwards?

Rather than starting with individual channels – or the fundamentals (like the kick and bass)…

You could mix in reverse, starting with the mix buss (master fader) and working backwards to the individual channels.

In fact, mixing this way has a number of benefits:

It allows you to mix faster (speed is important when mixing)
Faster mixing allows you to remain excited throughout the mix
Big wins early on increase your confidence
You can finish a mix with fewer plugins
You can focus on the bigger picture (and the music) rather than finer, less important details
Ultimately it leads to better, faster mixes

In part 7 of the One Month EQ Challenge, I’m going to break down the Backwards Mixing technique.

Simply follow the step-by-step system I reveal in the video. This new way of working could significantly improve your mixes.

The Perfect Place for EQ in Your Plugin Chain

Last updated on May 18th, 2017 Categories: EQ , Mixing , One Month EQ Challenge

by Rob Mayzes

Ah, the age old question….

Should EQ come before or after compression?

Let me tell you… it DOES NOT matter.

This is a very small detail that is completely subjective. It’s up to the mixer.

But of course, I still have my own opinion and system.

In fact, I don’t put EQ before OR after compression. I do something entirely different.

In part 6 of the One Month EQ Challenge, I’m going to show you my favorite place for EQ in the plugin chain.

Follow this system, and not only will your EQ compliment your compression…

Your use of EQ will also improve.

Range Allocation: How to Give Your Mixes Room to Breathe

Last updated on May 18th, 2017 Categories: EQ , Mixing , One Month EQ Challenge

by Rob Mayzes

There’s often a lot going on in a mix.

If you don’t keep a handle on things, it can quickly get out of control.

When you have several instruments and voices battling for the same space…

It can get pretty messy.

But it doesn’t have to be that way – I have a straightforward system that will help you to create tons of space in your mix.

And it’s seriously easy to implement.

In part 5 of the One Month EQ Challenge, I’m going to show you how a technique called Range Allocation can improve your mixes and confidence…

So you can produce better music in your home studio.