Mnsonthebeat™ Beat Merchant

Mixing with EQ properly and effectively is a dark art and precisely knowing how to use EQ properly, when, and on what instrument is one of the hardest aspects of balancing a mix to make it sound as good as possible. EQ is one of the two fundamental tools used in making a recording sound livelier and more musical, sitting alongside compression. Other things like reverb and spatial effects are also very important. Before of all of those, though, knowing how to use EQ in your mix will be your first step to the best results. Here is an in-depth guide on  types of EQ  and their individual functions so you can prepare yourself for mixing with EQ. Mixing with EQ properly has many benefits You allow instruments to balance tonally by carving spaces for them to sit alongside each other in the frequency spectrum. Imbalanced instruments will sound odd when playing together – for example, a loud synth and guitar can’t sit in exactly the same areas of the frequency spectrum...

Whilst most of us recognise that mastering and mixing are two different things, it’s often a blurred line that separates them. Although distinctly different, both are equally important and you cannot have one without the other.  Mixing  is the stage where each of the separate instruments and sounds in your song can be treated and processed individually. They are then combined together into a singular stereo mix down ready for mastering.  Mastering   is where the stereo mix down is enhanced, balanced and adjusted to ensure continuity across sound systems as well as an industry standard, release ready sound. So what is mixing in more detail? Mixing is the step that occurs once all the writing and tracking has been completed. The initial steps of mixing will include labelling and arranging all the audio clips within a session. Once the session is prepared, you can set out implementing processes such as equalisation, filtering, compression and panning to...

DON’Ts 1. Don’t get trapped by dead ideas We’ve seen it happen time and time again with record labels and management companies: pouring thousands of hours and millions of dollars into flopped albums that no one wants to listen to. The myth of easily gaining popularity and fans through the right amount of promotion and muscle is strong, but it won’t bring lasting fans and a career in the industry. It’s far more common for that road to be paved with tombstones of flash-in-the-pan bands, musicians promoted to death before their music was ready. The second you realize that anything can become popular, you also realize that you need to take the craft of writing and recording music very seriously and make sure it comes out the best it could be. Don’t promote dying songs that aren’t moving people; instead, focus first on making the songs people want to hear. The Do’s and Don’ts of Recording Your Music 2. Don’t release a demo By definition, a demo is a demonstration of what you cou...