2.9 Setting Levels
Once you’ve resolved all of the issues that we have discussed in this section, you’re finally ready to go about the real business of mixing.
Kind: concept (reamix-section) Chapter: 2 Pre Mix Fix: Corrective Action Source: ReaMix (October 2009)
Once you’ve resolved all of the issues that we have discussed in this section, you’re finally ready to go about the real business of mixing.
Again, this is not an area in which we can lay down hard and fast rules as to exactly which method you should use to go about this next step. However, it is important that you develop a methodology and stick with it. The suggestion here is one that works well for me. The following summary table outlines this method. The main objective is to make our project settings as neutral as possible before we begin the real job of mixing. As with many of the other tables in this book, you may wish to consider photocopying the page for easy reference.
Action Reason
Unsolo any soloed tracks
You will need to hear all of the tracks that are intended to be part of your production in order to prepare your project for mixing.
Unmute any muted tracks (unless these are muted because you think you are unlikely to need them in your mix)
Pan all of your tracks dead centre and set the Master Output to mono
In the course of recording, seeking out and correcting glitches, etc, it is possible that you may have panned certain tracks in ways that may be different from those that are appropriate for your mix. You will be wanting to start your mixing from as neutral a situation as possible.
Play your project
In this next stage you will be aiming to get the sound levels for all tracks approximately right.
You will need to take a flexible and common sense approach here. For example, it is likely that in the final mix some instruments will need to be faded up and down at certain points. Don’t concern yourself with this just yet. Right now, you are aiming to get an approximate balance.
Adjust the sound levels for individual tracks up or down until the overall balance sounds about right
Do not use the track volume faders or envelopes for this purpose. There are two reasons for this:
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The track volume fader and default volume envelope both apply Post FX. You want to get your audio signal set to the approximate required level before your FX chain, not after it.
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We are aiming to get to the position where everything is as neutral as possible before we start. You will no doubt find plenty of uses for track faders and volume envelopes later.
Instead, use the Item Properties window (seen below) for your various media items, adjusting the Normalize fader to suit. The main exception would be where a track is made up of a really large number of individual items (perhaps after applying Auto Trim/Split), in which case it would be easier to use a Pre FX Volume envelope. If you do this, the best idea is probably to display it, make the adjustment (to the whole envelope), then hide it.
Set the Master Output back to Stereo
You’d be surprised how easy it is to forget this!
Save the project file to a new name
This ensures that you will keep an accurate copy of your project in its premix state, should you need to go back to it.