how does the mixing depth normally change during the course of a day

How do you add depth to a mix?

Like all mixing techniques, adding depth to a mix requires a plan-you need to determine which parts of the song should be placed where, and why. A pop mix will have different conventions for EQ, reverb, and delay than a dance music mix and these need to be considered as you lay on the finishing touches.

What is depth in music production?

Whereas some aspects of music production are driven by emotion or technical prowess, principles of depth draw on “real world” phenomena that deal with how sound moves through a space. In this article, we’ll look at how to add depth to a mix with practical tips related to EQ, timbre, reverb, and more.

How do you manipulate depth in music?

One of the more obvious ways to manipulate depth is with loudness. If we close our eyes in an outdoor space we can get a good idea of how near or far people are simply by how loud their footsteps and voices are. A mix where all elements are the same level will sound overstuffed and quickly tire listeners.

What does “mixing height” mean?

“Mixing Height” or “Mixing Depth” (ft or m) signifies the height above the surface throughout which a pollutant such as smoke can be dispersed. During times of surface temperature inversions (typically nighttime with clear skies), the mixing height goes to zero and smoke dispersion is minimal.

What is the starting point for adding depth to a mix and establishing tonal balance?

A mix where all elements are the same level will sound overstuffed and quickly tire listeners. Turning down some elements while letting others maintain dominance is the starting point for adding depth to a mix and establishing tonal balance.

How to manipulate depth?

One of the more obvious ways to manipulate depth is with loudness. If we close our eyes in an outdoor space we can get a good idea of how near or far people are simply by how loud their footsteps and voices are. A mix where all elements are the same level will sound overstuffed and quickly tire listeners.

What is depth in recording?

A basic sense of depth can be captured at the recording stage. For example, recording background vocals at a greater distance from the microphone than leads will have depth “built-in” to stems before they even hit the DAW. Recording some parts of a song in rooms with subtle ambiance, while capturing others in more reverberant spaces or “dead” environments brings in some natural variation in right from the start.

Why use reverb in a DAW?

In a DAW, reverb is used to simulate the sound of a space , making it a great tool for adding depth to a mix. If we bring back vocals as an example again, modern pop and rap leads usually employ minimal reverb to appear more “in your face” than, say, folk vocals, which favor a more washed out reverberant sound.

How long is a delay in reverb?

The delay time of reverb (aka “pre-delay”) allows us to determine the size of a space and is a key parameter for achieving mix depth. Short pre-delay times (0–10 ms) will keep the arrival of the dry signal and reverb close to emulating a small space, whereas longer pre-delay times (20–30 ms) will split the two up, so the reflection and tail arrives at an audible lag, connoting a much larger space.

What is dimension in mixing?

A sense of dimension is a key characteristic that separates professional mixes from amateur ones. Most engineers think of dimension in three ways: height, width, and depth. Height is frequency content and width is the stereo field. Depth is the front-to-back space in a mix and is a tricker area to navigate than the previous two.

What are the most important parts of a pop mix?

In pop mixes, the most important parts, like vocals and lead guitars or synths, need to be the loudest, with drums and keyboards following close behind, and additional bits like pads brought down even further in level. Electronic and other instrumental music usually place drums at the front of the mix with more flexibility for where everything else falls.