Mixing music isn’t always considered to be a creative endeavour. It’s easy to treat the process with sterility and fall into working habitually, or taking a ‘painting by numbers’ approach. But it doesn’t have to be like that. Mixing can be one of the most creative and rewarding parts, breathing fresh perspectives into your music.
The creative process should be a journey, rather than a production line. Look at different ways you could portray the sound of a particular instrument and in doing so, how does that change how it’s perceived by the listener? Maybe even try thinking in abstract terms like light and dark, colours, or moods.
Placement of sounds is important, Should the guitar be upfront and in your face, or could it say something more complimentary by being panned to the side and given its own space with some reverb?
Even if you’re not into composing music to film/ picture, try watching a scene from a film with the sound off and just play some different sounds over the top. What can you do to compliment the visuals? Can you even create a whole new mood for what’s happening on screen? Is it possible to change the atmosphere just by adjusting the sound?
Think of what adding bright, high end EQ might do to a vocal, or adding a little distortion to a drums. How does swapping the order of your effects chain alter the sound? Could you surprise your audience by using an effect that’s unexpected, or even jarring? Try giving yourself a limited palette to work with, rather than endless possibilities.
Keep an open mind and embrace happy accidents. It’ll keep you fresh and the music exciting. What’s the worst that could happen? If it sounds awful, just remove it or hit undo!
Recent Comments