FRONT OF HOUSE
OF HORSE JOCKEYS AND LION TAMERS | Kent Morris
Watching a horse race with a dozen magnificent steeds hurling along a pristine track , it ’ s easy to forget how vital the jockey is to the outcome . While it is true the horse is providing the movement , it is the jockey controlling the process . Just as a small rudder turns a great ship , a deft jockey can thread the needle with a willing horse along the rail and shoot to victory . This point is driven home after the race , when the diminutive rider , typically 5 ’ 2 ” and weighing a mere 110 pounds , stands next to a 17-hand high and 1100 pound running machine that the physical difference truly comes into focus . The jockey works in conjunction with the horse to accomplish a common goal : winning the race .
In contrast , a lion tamer ( or trainer in current parlance ) uses bravado and confusion to bring the lion to a place where it behaves as the human desires . The lion is never truly tamed or even heeled ; it simply reacts to either positive or negative reinforcement in an artificial environment . This same contrast between cooperation and control is evident in our house , monitor and broadcast mixes .
When we decide to let the mix flow freely with dynamics control , effects and EQ intrusion at a minimum , we are allowing it to breathe and have a life of its own . On the other hand , when we strap everything down with compression and limiting and dial in large swaths of boosts and cuts , we are corralling the mix and bending it into compliance with our desires . The difference is enough for even a lay person to recognize the former as pleasing and the latter as unpleasant . Previous generation mixes made on analog gear with a few external devices may have lacked infinite control , but they had life and character as opposed to mixes built today with dozens of plug-ins and dynamics laid across every input and output where the detail is there , but the soul is lacking . However , there are ways to take advantage of the latest technology without robbing the mix of its vitality .
First , recognize just because we can doesn ’ t mean we should . Only control a channel if it needs controlling . Deft vocalists with excellent mic technique do not need heavy handed compression . Just dial in the gain , set a reasonable high pass filter and let it roll . Naturally , an inexperienced singer with poor mic control will need some compression , but it is better to spend a little time showing the vocalist how to work the mic than to simply lay a 10:1 comp on it and never communicate with the person on the other end of the cable .
Second , find ways to rely on your ears , not the technology . Instead of using the RTA overlay on each channel ’ s EQ display , turn it off and listen to how it sounds in the room and then adjust accordingly . During rehearsal , it is safe to boost the low mids , sweep the frequency up until something bad happens and then turn the boost into a cut followed by a tightening of the Q until only the offending frequency is removed and the others are left intact .
Third , avoid overuse of effects . While a modest plate reverb on vocals and a barely distinguishable delay make sense to use , layering ping-pong delays and reintroducing delays into reverbs can turn a mix with sheen
into a muddy mess . As a general rule , if your aural attention is drawn to the effect , you are using too much .
Fourth , mix for the end result , not the isolated section . The snare may sound fantastic by itself isolated in the cue mix , but unless it blends properly with the rest of the kit and the guitars , it will not work as intended . Instead of building a mix one input at a time , during rehearsal , allow the band to start playing and mix the snare in context with everything else , just as it will be when the concert starts .
As mix engineers , our job is to showcase the music as intended with as little add-on as necessary to provide a great experience for the audience . We are horse jockeys , not lion tamers .
Kent Morris Kent is a 40-year veteran of the AVL arena driven by passion for excellence tempered by the knowledge digital is a temporary state .