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By Bjorgvin Benediktsson
Lie #1 - I Don't Need Acoustic Treatment
Yes, you do. I'm sorry to break it to you, but you really do.
Do you tell yourself, "I don't need acoustic treatment
because I mix at such low levels?"
Well, lower levels help keep the reflections away to a certain extent, but
what about the times you want to crank up your mix to see how it really sounds?
Lie #2 - I'll Fix it in the Mix
No you won't. Especially if your source sounds terrible to begin with.
Lie #3 - Compression Can Fix This
If you look at compression like some miracle cure for a wimpy kick drum sound
or an un-even bass guitar, you're mistaken. Compression can't really fix anything.
It can make things sound better, punchier and more tame. It won't fix an already
broken recording. Compression can't fix it, but it can make something cool
even cooler.
Lie #4 - Nobody will notice this Edit
Yeah, they will. Especially if it's a misplaced drum hit, or an off-tempo
chord strum. Music loving people will notice when something is wrong with the
music. They'll notice your bad edits.
Lie #5 - It's Probably in Tune
Probably is not enough. You have to be absolutely sure it's in tune. Just
try recording a guitar part over a slightly out-of-tune bass guitar. It'll
sound terrible, trust me. Make sure your instruments are in tune.
Lie #6 - We Won't Go Over the Budget
You probably will. That's why budgets are estimates. They usually don't hold
in the long run. Also, if you underestimate the amount of time needed on a
specific instrument, you will most certainly run out of time, and over budget.
Lie #7 - Reverb Will Make Everything Sound Bigger
Big reverbs can certainly make things sound big, but they can also clutter
everything up. Interestingly enough, shorter reverbs or delays make things
sound bigger, not the other way around. Big reverbs have their place, but don't
think it's the only way to make your mix bigger.
Lie #8 - Louder is Better
No. Just no. If everybody is screaming at you at the same time, you won't
listen to anybody. Don't try to make the loudest record of all time. Have faith
in your audience. They will turn up your music if they want it loud.
Lie #9 - An Hour is Enough to Edit Drums
Tedious tasks like editing can take forever. Don't allocate an unrealistic
timeframe to a task you know is going to take longer. Drum editing ALWAYS takes
longer than you think.
Lie #10 - Better Gear Will Make My Recordings Better
Finally, better gear will NOT make your recordings better. Your skills make
your recordings better. Don't think a better EQ will make your EQ 'ing skills
better.
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