Building a kick drum sound that relies on the attack component , more than the sub-bass frequencies , supports a full and round bass sound in a way that emphasizes the groove without clouding the low-end power . Some of the biggest mix problems are caused by shaping the kick drum and bass instrument sounds so they have excessive low frequencies in the same ranges . Each sound might be powerful when heard alone , but in the mix they ’ ll cause multiple problems :
• Artificially hot levels because the low frequencies have strong amplitude that accumulate when layered together in the mix .
• An incredible amount of thick muddiness in the overall mix that masks many of the other sounds in the mix
Creating equalization in the low instruments that fit together , instead of accumulating in the low frequencies , provides a solid foundation for the rest of the mix while avoiding excessive levels and muddiness .
It ’ s important to note that I ’ m providing the EQ curves that follow as an example of the ways sounds can be structured to work together . The better we get at mic techniques that capture the sounds necessary to build a great mix , the less EQ we need during the mix . The iconic engineers , past and present , know just what tonal balance they ’ ll need in the mix , so that ’ s what they find with mic choice and technique . The reason that the all-time greats , such as Al Schmitt , Bruce Swedien , Elliot Scheiner , George Massenburg , and so on , can legitimately say they use little to no EQ and compression during the mix or during tracking is because they know , form the on-set , what they need the kick drum , bass guitar , and the rest of the instruments to sound like in the mix . Therefore , they use everything they ’ ve learned about sound engineering to capture those specific sounds .
Amateur engineers are much more random and imprecise with sound and recording technique , expecting to work hard during the mix to shape the sounds they need . So , they always get what they expect . When I was much younger , I was chief engineer at a 24-track studio in Seattle and we were getting a lot of work ; however , one mixing project came along that was recorded at Muscle Shoals studio in their heyday , using the Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section , including Roger Hawkins on drums and Jimmy Johnson on bass . That was my first exposure to iconic musicians and world-class recording on 2-inch 24-track tape . The tracks required next to no work to setup a great-sounding mix . Three key factors were at play : 1 . The musicians had played on hundreds of hit recordings together and they were some of the best-respected experts at creating musical parts that supported the song .
2 . Each of the musicians had been developing their sound and musical touch over the course of countless sessions , so they knew exactly how to create the sounds that would support each musical idea .
3 . The recording engineer , who had mixed hundreds of hits knew exactly how to capture sounds that would fit together in the mix .
THE HIGH-PASS FILTER IS YOUR FRIEND It ’ s amazing how many mix channels have ample low-frequency content , especially when
Each of these EQ curves represent how sounds can be shaped to conserve mix energy while creating a powerful mix . The actual EQ content of the tracks can either be shaped during tracking by using great musicians along with informed mic choice , mic technique , and acoustical support or , if the tracks are recorded flat and full-range , the sounds can be molded using EQ , dynamics , and effect during mixdown .