Re: [linux-audio-user] mixing [was: It's music time again]

On 2/10/06, Florin Andrei <florin@email-addr-hidden> wrote:
> On Thu, 2006-02-09 at 10:54 -0800, Tim Howard wrote:
> > > Date: Thu, 9 Feb 2006 05:11:54 -0800
> > > From: Mark Knecht <markknecht@email-addr-hidden>
>
> > > You know, it probably isn't as necessary as you think. All studio
> > > monitors do (IMO) is give you a good listening environment when you're
> > > mixing. However, they are not 'required' to get a good mix.
>
> They're not required to do a passable mix, but for a good one you need a
> good reference point. Not many things, other than good monitors, can do
> that.
>
Florin,
   I certainly agree with your comment, but possibly you didn't see
the quotes around my use of the word 'required'.

   I would contend that most any set of reasonably wide range speakers
can be used to create a good mix. The real key is that the person
doing the mixing MUST know what these speakers sound like. The
engineer has to listen to LOTS of recorded music on these speakers so
that she knows what's strong and what's weak about them. By getting
very familiar with the sound of the monitors and how they create the
sound of similar music one will then be able to mixes that are similar
in nature.

   I would suggest that with even the best monitors in the world one
has to listen to how they reproduce other recorded music before one
can mix good music on them that will work on many systems.

   Granted - if the original post was suggesting that the speakers
couldn't reproduce anything below 100Hz or over 10KHz then certainly
they would not be acceptable. However, if they are able to get out to
the edges of hearing then, even if they are not flat, with careful
listening one should be able to do a reasonable job and that job can
be checked against other systems after burning a CD.

   I think then, and only then, should an engineer stick on a set of headphones.

   Just my thoughts....

Cheers,
Mark
Received on Sat Feb 11 20:15:07 2006