MAGIC IS IN THE MIDRANGE (mix tutorial)

[@ColtCapperrune]

Cutting EQ vs Boosting EQ. Showing the difference once and for all! kzbin.info/www/bejne/f6upaqCdaZyaaZo Every time I say “Lets see what’s happening“, what I mean is “Lets listen to what’s happening”. Poor choice of words on my part... also, the point of this video was not to prove that my my EQ moves sound better. The singular purpose of this video was to show people “how“ to focus on the mid range. Not how to EQ something. I came up on a console, and consoles don’t level match. So after thousands and thousands of songs for my career, I don’t do it either. Now if I was showing you guys the difference between two equalizers, of course I would level match. But for this application it wouldn’t have made my point any different. Hope this video helps you!

[@simonvandenheever8571]

More mixing/mastering tip videos like these please! Loving the most recent two videos.

[@ColtCapperrune]

@@simonvandenheever8571 thanks for watching!

[@vextract4662]

OK I'll get the tiny little auratones! OKAY? 😆

[@neolyth]

legend

[@triggermode2532]

Magic is in the mid range so many "Producers" dont get this

[@sounddesignmix3002]

Thank you, really, really nice video and I completely agree on all of this. Mid range is the meat! I've been a full time engineer since 1978 and would add one comment for everyone coming up. Monitors, Monitors, MONITORS! You need at least 3 sets of monitors and they should emphasis different sonic territories.. You need a pair that's relatively flat, (Focals in my case) a pair that's scooped in the midrange, (Genelec's) a pair that's PUSHED in the midrange, (KRK's) and headphones, (64 Audio A12's) don't forget to listen on headphones. Also, when you're at the point in the mix where all instruments are in and you're listening to more or less the whole song, change your monitoring on every pass. Either different monitors, or the volume, or mono, or with headphones. Every pass change how you're monitoring. When the mix is right, the relative balances should not change, just the speakers. Finally, get up and go walk the dog, or unload the dishwasher or go to Starbucks and get a latté. To make a mix that will stand the test of time, TAKES time. And clearing your ears and walking away from the mix will get you better mixes. My 2 cents from over 40 years of mixing.

[@harryelsham6607]

now I just need like 20k to buy all those monitors :(

[@sounddesignmix3002]

@@harryelsham6607 not really. I gotten great results from cheap KRK Rokit 8's. If I only had one set of monitors I'd start there. They're mid range forward and make you mix toward the edges. Next I'd get the opposite, like Adams AX77's which are pushed at the edges (top and bottom) Finally, I'd get something flat like Focal's or Barefoot, or BMC's even Genelec's. But my whole idea is to have 3 different sets of monitors and to get your mix so that the balances between instruments stays relatively the same when you switch between all 3. That's what's worked for me.

[@dodo13500]

@@sounddesignmix3002 I use Rokit 8's, had no idea they are middy. Always thought more bottom heavy. Also use Auratones and Sony phones which actually give me a good starting point. Any thoughts on Slate's VSX?

[@AngryBulldogg]

Thats hit home. Quality advice thanks

[@DVILAIN]

@@harryelsham6607 Just stick to one really good enviroment and one headphones that you know well. And if you don't know them well listen to a lot of music on them. Don't go into multiple sets of monitors right away.

[@stevekirkby6570]

I see some interesting points in this video - but the constant boosting of mids and the subsequent rise in volume means, of course, it sounds 'better'. What the video doesn't mention is selective pocketing or precision adjustments using various eq widths and curves. It seems very much a case of chuck a load of 4 or 5dB boost at it, into an area that is already quite busy. Rather than removing the clutter and adding space and air, it is just muddying up everything. All IMHO of course. But if it works for you, who am I to argue.

[@pit2ryan3]

Steve kirkby - I think midrange is OK for the vocals because our ears hear midrange frequencies but you can't put everything there, lots of clashing otherwise...

[@pseudonymlifts2]

Yeah. But in the case of THESE stems, which seem pre-processed in a very scoopy sort of way, boosting a bunch around 1k is pretty valid as long as it's only on one or two of the tracks.

[@harambo88]

@@pseudonymlifts2 idk 1-2khz are allways those i have to cut like hell on vocals. -6db in the recordingchain and i still have to fight them like they insulted my mother in the mixing phase. of course everything has to be in the context of the source, but the idea to boost 1-2khz on vocals really is exotic for me

[@clemybeatz8031]

Yep, totally agree. At least you should gainstage to prevent clipping, youll just wont be able to mix precisly, which such volumes...

[@psk1461]

This is not a great idea. I think he has misunderstod what, ”its all in the mid-range” reslly means. No offense. But this is not the way to learn mixing.

[@MajorChangeAcademy333]

This is the video/information I have been looking for my entire mixing life. I was the guy who gave up in the car and sold all my gear to go get a J.O.B. that I hated, because I figured I just wasn't meant for this. I found myself in a rut where I would sell all my gear and give up, only to come back again later with a renewed passion and buy a bunch of gear again, only to repeat the cycle again. I'm 55 now, and after watching this video, I mixed one of my songs with a renewed confidence. It sounds amazing!! It's so nice to know "what to tweak" instead of guessing as I've done in the past. Thank you so much for this video. It's a game changer. Between you and Wayne Dyer, who encouraged me not to die with my music still in me, I can say I have found my passion for life again, and can't wait to wake up and live life. God Bless you brother, you are a good man. Much good will come your way, cause that's what you've sown. Good seed!

[@Atom_Make_Music]

Nothing I have ever tried before has improved my mixes as much as this has. It is absolutely night and day

[@davidkellymitchell4747]

Good video! It's called the Fletcher Munson Curve. The human ear doesn't hear flat. It's the perception the ear and brain receive of different frequencies at different volumes. At low volumes the ear has a midrange bump. At high volume the lows and highs sound louder and the mids fall in perception. All the hit record old time engineers told me they strived to make instruments and voices sound like bells ringing because it gets the listeners attention. They did that with a slight bell curve in the midrange of the dry signal and reverberation. That was even more important in the days when most people listened to music on 6x9" car speakers that wouldn't even reproduce the HF and LF. Times haven't changed much because people listen to music today on cellular phone speakers the size of a pencil eraser.

[@osvaldojunior633]

We have to take into account what type of monitoring each producer uses.

[@BradDollar]

Even though I've been producing & engineering most of my life, I've come back to this video a few times. Love the perspective and super enjoy seeing others deploy this knowledge. Awesome work as always!

[@Shane-zo4mg]

I've been doing my own version of this. I made this solution when I found my synths weren't hitting hard enough. Ill just put a steep bandpass on whatever I'm working on and give myself a high and low cutoff based on whatever vibe I'm going for. I'll work with that filter at the end of my chain to help focus all my modulation, etc. in that specific band. Once I'm satisfied it's like magic removing the filter. Everything sounds so refined and clear. After doing this I noticed what I had been doing wrong. I tend to keep pushing my sound design higher and higher in frequencies giving myself the impression of a louder and more intense synth but eventually lose mid range clarity. To offset this loss in midrange clarity I would always try using a multiband compressor or something like that but it never worked like I wanted. This method still helps me today keep my attention on what my end goal is from the start of my sessions. Anytime I find my sound veering off too high or low I will just turn on the filter and work from there.

[@sub-jec-tiv]

Another thing JJP says is that you should listen to your mix suuuper quiet for gain balancing and other basics. I have always done this. People will think you’re nuts for listening quiet but seriously JJP is right. Especially in the early part of a mix, check it at low volume regularly!

[@MattLeFaitMusic]

You Are The MAN! Legit man, you're really making a difference for us "newer" mixers :)

[@TheGiovannirodriguez]

Its crazy how literal this advice is, "mix as tho you are hearing from the mediums most consumers listen to their music from". This definitely has helped me alot and the difference in my mixes are immediately noticeable.🙏🏽🙏🏽

[@graverboi13]

it's as easy as checking your mixes on various devices and is the only point of the auratone. taking into account that 95% of your audience is on eabuds and car speakers will instantly improve your mix

[@SimonLloydGuitar]

a mono smartphone is a very low bar.

[@DomierTheDragon]

The Confidence in the EQ is mindblowing to me... i move with so much caution while EQ... its probably a problem

[@ngbthelabel7186]

It’s all trial and error brother , the real key is making sure you have the flattest freq response monitors or headphones and train your ear from there , currently going through that right now !!

[@yyakuza707]

I wouldn't say it's a problem bro, but it's interesting that you try to think as little as possible when mixing, after all, you don't have to finish everything at once.

[@thetoddkeith]

One of the best things about Fabfilter EQ is the GUI that’s 80% of the reason I bought it. But my ears still run the show.

[@ColtCapperrune]

It does look fantastic!!

[@SAFC8294]

Greenhorn to PT and plugins in general here. What exactly is GUI? And around the 5 minute mark, when he’s using fab filter, what’d be the difference in his additive eq’ing as opposed to subtractive in removing those harsh sounding frequencies?

[@frankstetka7206]

H. Lopez - I am not a pro but I tend to think of additive EQ is just naturally easier to do because you can hear what is missing and bring it up. There is a lot of information in the track and it seems that when you start subtracting it that you can easily take the life out of it unless you are trying to notch something specific as with de essing. I hope I don’t sound like an idiot here haha. In live sound we are used to Subtractive EQ to deal with problems in the room primarily to put things into perspective. In a proposed linear recording the general idea is to cleanly capture all the information possible and then go back and manipulate it to taste. In this case the vocals lacked body and had some raspy bits to smooth over; it is quick to add body and maintain the proper level with all the other tracks via an additive approach. I think in my amateur brain that one can certainly try pulling everything in a reverse phase of this example and boost the level of that channel but it’s an extra step and doesn’t seem natural when shooting from the hip ( using our ears ) I think these are some good tips overall in this video and it is important for anyone who is trying to make music sound good on crap sound systems that most consumers first hear it on. Peace ✌️

[@SAFC8294]

@@frankstetka7206 nah man, that helps a lot! I mix (or at least did pre-COVID) for live sound, so subtractive mixing was how I learned. From my experience, adding anything unless it‘s necessary will feedback the mains like it’s nobody’s business if I’m working with a bad house system, so mixing in-box is a different way of thinking about the mix.

[@blaker4807]

@@attyozt It’s okay. It’s just a basic eq though

[@TheHouseofKushTV]

Needs more Clariphonic. Kidding! Great show my man, killer production on every level. 🤜🏽🤛🏼

[@gnomogiovanna]

why isnt this guy's comment blowin up lmao

[@jvrdiez]

Oh, kidding but true! Clariphonic cleans and adds at the same time in a pleasure and effective way!! (If you know how to use) thanks Gregg/Kush!

[@bot-rf4vo]

hi dad

[@zeepster]

My man Kush is here. Now i know i'm following the right people :)

[@ColtCapperrune]

Appreciate ya!!!

[@lkentertainment8760]

Man this gave me a radical shift in perspective. I just redid a mix from earlier today and it's about 100 times better having watched this. Gave that extra polish that pushes my work into the realm of truly professional. I really appreciate it man, thanks!

[@EggsInBed]

10:27 this single-handedly changed my mixes overnight. I can’t thank you enough because now my mixes sound good everywhere because of this.

[@aclockworkbeat]

I have to say I have been making music for awhile and this video may have been one of the most important lessons that somehow missed me. I had the exact same results that Colt suggested was possible The energy in my mixes went up tenfold. This is Jedi level stuff!! Thank you for spreading the wisdom Colt!

[@SteveStockmalMusic]

Agreed, but a true a Jedi could do it without touching the board (mouse). He he

[@thebeingbecoming3596]

You've provided a great service to humanity with these easy to understand and relatively brief videos, honestly brother, thank you thank you thank you 🙏

[@Shaiyo5]

12:51 Right there, that's when the entire lesson came together for me. The difference those changes made was startling. That was amazing.

[@muhammadarifjaya4542]

You should activate the volume compensation function in the fabfilter in each channel just for the sake of tutorial and mention to always adjust the level of the channel after playing tweaking the EQ, especially if you do additive EQ-ing one like this. Love the tips, good reminder!

[@ColtCapperrune]

So I came up on a consul where obviously automatic level matching was not a thing. So I don’t do it in my mixes, which is why I didn’t do it in this video. The point of this video was not to show anyone how to EQ something, it’s sole purpose was to show people what frequency range to focus on. Thanks for watching!

[@NoQualmsTheArtist]

@@ColtCapperruneI’m the same, came up on consoles. I boost because I want it louder, I cut because I want it softer. Having the volume sound the same is weird.

[@itsfuzzface]

I love how you instantly told about where you got your "secrets". Giving credit where its due. Mad Respect.

[@guidoguidi2816]

This is the most valuable advice I ever seen on the internet. Your “why my mixes don’t sound good in the car really got me thinking about the midrange and lent an avantone mixcube from a friend. My mixes changed. Thank you for that

[@ColtCapperrune]

Thanks so much!! I’m so glad they are helping!

[@emotionamusic]

Four years later and I still use this technique on every mix. KZbin gold right here 🙏

[@seibastudio3863]

This is something I’ve been doing without realizing! So cool to see it actually fleshed out and explained. Learned QUITE a bit!

[@ColtCapperrune]

Thanks for watching!

[@ranennowlin5583]

Shortcut tip: Shift+A bypasses all plugins on the A-E section, so if you select all your tracks and hit Shift+A you can bypass all those plugins at once without pausing the track.

[@SteveStockmalMusic]

Thanks for that !!! Love those quick key tricks. 😊🎶❤️✌️

[@mobutterbeats8646]

Never expected to pick up a nugget like this in the comments. Thank you!

[@DreTheEngineer]

GL

[@Prodbykidjake]

Goat. Ive pressed shift+s all the time and never tried shift+A lol wow what a gem

[@evanrodaniche6008]

Dude this is an insanely valuable tip. I think most of us tend to make tiny and costly cuts to the mids...when really they need bold moves like you're doing to give the mix attitude. The visual EQs actually probably make it seem too easy to NOT use our ears...great advice all around. I feel like my most aggressive/punchy mixes were done with the old Digidesign, slider-based EQ from back in the day for this reason!

[@doug941]

Still one of the best mixing tutorials on KZbin! Thank you Colt!

[@bryteofficial]

I'm fresh into a new mixing position with my wife who is an incredible writer/composer/producer. Your videos have helped me not only remember my studies, but also realise flexibility and attack challenges with personal experience. Thanks bro, I'm still out here learning from you! 💯🙌🏾💪🏾🔥

[@myleshood]

Today I was driving to the grocery store, listening to my mix and hearing my improvements that I made but a part of me said how can i bring it to the next level. You really pinpointed that situation lol Thank you for sharing!!

[@eskrimadorchris]

Very excellent topic and thank you for a fantastic presentation! Best way I can say the mix is right is when my ears "relax". If I feel tension in my ears...it's not right. When you did the individual track adjustments and the A/B comparison, I could feel my ears change from feeling tight (and eventually would experience listening fatigue), to a very relaxed sensation telling me the harsh tones and unbalanced mix had been resolved. Bravo, and thank you!

[@j-snell-callanen26]

Would be interesting to see this process on some raw recordings. These stems are already extremely EQ/compressed/processed. If anything you're just adding back in mid range that was previously scooped.

[@ignaciojauregui7423]

Also after the EQ boost, it sounds "better" or fuller because of the volume diference

[@billsny9243]

He said he was using an already finished test mix so he doesn't get copyright strikes. He should've explained that better but he did say it

[@Eric_DiRisio]

I vividly remember how eye opening that JJP interview was too. Nothing before Pensado's Place came even a fraction any close to sharing that kind of knowledge

[@ColtCapperrune]

100% man!

[@dashmatic]

Mister Colt Capperrune you are a God-Send! I am somewhat speechless at this moment. My mixes improved over-night just by watching 'Magic is in the Midrange'! Thank you, sir, for what you do!!

[@MegaDubTV844]

Stumbled on this by accident, I'm a guitar player and not a studio engineer, but I have to say this is beyond brilliant, thank you! Educating myself now..........

[@bboymac84]

Now your opinion matters....

[@jumalsam]

Ok this concept transformed my mixes so much I just had to come back and leave a positive comment. Thank you, sir.

[@kalisblack2022]

Colt, of all videos I've seen online, paid and unpaid, I think this changed my mixing game the most. This is the first video that has allowed me to get consistency across mixes, and have used this principle for all of my mixes since seeing this video. Thanks for sharing. - Kalis

[@bkvision2]

I randomly clicked on this video and didn't realize how much of a game changer it would be. Blown away by this advice and tutorial. Thank you!

[@cdmusicproductions125]

As a ProTools shortcuts freak, I couldn't help but notice this. Highlight the tracks, hold Option + Cmd + Shift, and click the row of plugins you want disabled. If you add the Control key it will make them all inactive. This allows for a more real-time A/B comparison. Otherwise, amazing video, I always scoop out too much midrange :/

[@michaeldarolfi2110]

you can also select all tracks or just the once you want to turn off the plugins and hit Shift A

[@Flashback_Jack]

Probably the singlemost useful video on mixing I've come across, and I've seen a lot.

[@d4rkblu386]

Wow, you and Produce Like a Pro are probably the best mixing channels on KZbin. Thank you for your work!!

[@marcoboz5764]

Check out the channel of Eric Valentine, it’s great

[@racoonjugglerplap5282]

PLAP is amazing, as is House Of Kush...

[@evanburns2309]

I’m so glad you made this video I’ve tried it and already hear a major difference when I heard it in my car and on my phone, thank you so much your tutorials are always so helpful

[@yassinetalbi5884]

Nice tip, but people using EQ need to pay "close" attention to the mirror effect when boosting or cutting on a EQ. Sometimes it's a midrange boost resulting in a low end cut and vice versa.. So adjusting the trim is crucial for good EQ decisions.

[@ColtCapperrune]

Exactly right, in my newest video I go over that concept. Cutting EQ vs Boosting EQ. Showing the difference once and for all! kzbin.info/www/bejne/f6upaqCdaZyaaZo

[@daeone1514]

I’m glad somebody noticed.

[@stevewills735]

This is really shaking up my foundation of mixing. I have been cutting ALOT in the 500 hz area to clean up mud but now I am hearing a stark improvement in boosting. WOW!!!! thanks for the vid ! CHEERS!

[@cachelesssociety5187]

Funny, I don't usually agree with every move a mixing engineer on KZbin makes, but in this instance I heard what you were decided on easily. Maybe it was how you presented the sounds, or the well balanced audio of your KZbin presentation that made it easier to hear. At any rate, this made a lot of sense and I think its very useful info. Subscribing.

[@DMS3TV]

Are you using any software (sonarworks etc) to correct those M50X? They're heavily boosted (v-shaped) in the bass/treble frequency response so it's not often that I see them used in a mixing environment. That said, great results from your technique and good video!

[@AlexNiedt]

I bought the M50X to replace my M50s, and I was soooooo disappointed that they sound totally different. SO scooped.

[@isojamo4756]

I was having issues with my mixes translating across speakers, so I followed your advice. I bought Auratone 5Cs. 🤯Thank you, thank you, thank you!

[@kjgetsbetter525]

Can’t tel ya how many times I’ve watched this video. I literally come back almost every month. Truly a hidden gem

[@GooZe...]

This is incredible... So I'm not a professional se but I like making music in my little room in here, trying different DAWs like Studio One, Pro Tools, etc. and this is something very valuable for someone who's just getting into mixing, it's quite easy you just need to listen. I check my mixes with headphones and a pair of monitors, having this masterbus solution is something new for me and it really works! Thank you very much sir :)

[@HandHeldHalo]

I'm all for techniques that give greater consistency but I tend to agree with a few of the other comments. Doesn't this create a build up of energy in an already cluttered and potentially uncomfortable mid range which you run the risk of having to scoop out later during mastering. I appreciate this was a example for demonstration purposes and of course all methodologies can be refined by the individual. As always, thanks for sharing.

[@pyratellamarecordingstudio1062]

Great tips man! Another cool trick is to hpf the whole track so you only hear everything under 1k so you can clean up the low mids and lows. And then kinda the opposite and only listen to everything over 4k. It's a cool way to clean up overlapping instruments which seems to be more problematic in the low to low mids. I'll often do 1k, then under 500, then 200 etc just to see if I can clean something up that doesn't really need to be there.

[@DrSamE]

@@likeyouiam5996 This is a perfect example how subjective our hearing is, and how fast the ear adapts.

[@DrSamE]

@cloudykai Hmm, I think @LIKE YOU IAM Deleted his comment.

[@blaker4807]

How are you supposed to listen to everything under 1k if you use a high pass?

[@DrSamE]

@cloudykai He said something like, if you spend too much time on low passed music, when you take it off it sounds extremely bright and scratchy. Which is true, your ears adapts to that. Same goes for listening high passed music, put the bass back on it sound enourmous even it might not be.

[@pyratellamarecordingstudio1062]

@@blaker4807 its a tool you use for 5 minutes to tighten up the low mids

[@EdThorne]

Absolutely fantastic video, loaded with killer knowledge and experience! Thank you!

[@beatsdodomrafa]

This Pro-MB de-essing sidechain is mindblowing!

[@BassBaseBerlin]

Well ... interesting. Normally I just start "cutting" ... harsh --> reduce the harsh freq, resonances, etc. I was watching this video, because I was not happy with my mixes esp. in your focused mid-range. So there are some inspiration for me I want to experiment with. Not sure, if that works for me, but at least it sounds reasonable to check those ideas. So like and thanks for this inspiration!

[@ColtCapperrune]

Thanks for watching, and being open minded! My latest video might help as well Cutting EQ vs Boosting EQ. Showing the difference once and for all! kzbin.info/www/bejne/f6upaqCdaZyaaZo

[@paulscrevane]

this single-handedly made my mixes better. thanks dude. the EQ at the very end of the chain to mimic NS-10s…. like that alone is a killer tip.

[@b.r.buchanan]

Very stoked I stumbled upon this. You're a great teacher. Thank you for this. Definitely subscribing. Definitely going to try this technique.

[@jenspyck]

this video helped me finish a mix I had been working on for 2 straight days! Life changing advice! Thank you so much for this one!

[@f_c_r_]

Damn dude this is a great video. I've come to a lot of these conclusions on my own and watching somebody else do them better than I do is both validating and SUPER helpful. Thanks for doing these!

[@LytestheDJ]

Thank you so much for emphasizing these principles. I'm turning into a huge fan of yours! Love your common sense approach. I've also been doing this for years and no serious formal training and using my ears and mental library of sound tips and advise gathered over the years!

[@elliotthowes6417]

I’ve been a fan of your videos for a while, love how you get straight to the point and with information i can really use in my mixes!

[@ColtCapperrune]

Really appreciate that!

[@Fredo_Viola]

LOVE your de-essing technique!! I obviously need to go deeper with the Fab MB plug-in! I had no idea you could do that!

[@f8accompli238]

Man!!!!! Perhaps it’s me but this is the first time I’ve watched one of these tutorials and could hear drastically what your were doing. The changes were phenomenal. I need to develop my hearing so I can know which frequencies to adjust and know what’s lacking or sticking out. Any pointers you can offer will be appreciated.

[@MJZ7703]

I verbally yelled WOOOOOOOOOOOOW when you compared the mix with and without the EQ, amazing.

[@briancase6180]

Great video! The midrange of course has the potential to be "magic:" it's because that's where our hearing is the most sensitive. For evolutionary reasons, we need to hear and understand others voices and sounds that preditors make.

[@vojtechkuchta6070]

Today finally arrived my new Auratone 5C which I bought according to your recommendations. My mix translation is instantly improved, it is somehow smoother, more comfortable to the listening. Thank you Colt!

[@ColtCapperrune]

That’s awesome!! So glad to hear it!!

[@chawk_]

you have incredible ears sir... obviously lol... but seriously those tiny chnages showcased at 8 min were amazing. gave so much energy to the track made it feel so alive!!!

[@connollytunes]

It's funny, I have been doing this sort of mid thang since I started. People always said there was too much mid and not enough hi end. I didn't really change things much. Now suddenly everyone loves my mixes, because mid range is coming back in fashion. I love what you say, what you do and how you do it.

[@smpiggystudio]

Now I know why and how midrange is important in mixing, thank you for these great tricks. Great channel, true expert!

[@ColtCapperrune]

Thanks!

[@brianjones3584]

Using your ears is sooo key in this! I noticed you were boosting what A LOT of people tell us to cut all the time! What a great lesson

[@Zarvy]

Did you notice.. he turned on auto gain match in pro q3

[@brianjones3584]

@@Zarvy no, I don't use that plugin so I am not familiar with it. What does that do then?

[@Skykingsound]

I remember something we used to always say was "Magic in the Mids". It's also a double edged sword because if you don't notch and use low and high passes, you can muddy your song with too many frequencies in the mids.

[@JohnnyReading]

This.

[@nomandad2000]

Was just about to ask about this very concept. So with that, Should you knotch first, before you start boosting those mids?

[@Skykingsound]

@@nomandad2000 Everyone's approach is different. You can throw an eq on the track to high pass and/or low pass if needed, then another eq to tweak the sound such as boosting where needed. A lot of the times, I just throw a 1073 or a 550 the track and use it's hpf and adjust the eq to taste and call it a day. Another thing, and something I'd suggest more, is try to EQ when setting up your mics. Good In, Good Out. You can basically EQ just setting your mics up correctly and you'll find you barely have to touch the eq.

[@timflatus]

You won me over about ten mins in. Well done. 2 mins before you cut to the chase is a bit long but you present well and importantly you didn't hurt my ears with your voice like may YTers do. This is a good tip, I'm gonna try it. Thanks

[@DSPplug]

This is an interesting idea. I like how you explain the mids and while that's meaningful; this is relevant to mostly post processing. But in either regard I''ll point out something interesting (coming from the perspective of an audio engineer) If you are using a processor like an EQ that does not employ parallel processing (each band processed at the same time) then the order of processing becomes relevant. Why I mention this is you can bring the mids out and the bass with less dBFS by applying this method: (in the case of 8 band eq) put band 1 at 700, 400, 2000 whatever you choose and then grab band 8 and set that to the bass you wish to boost. In either case you will need to apply less gain; due to the fact that you are utilizing linear processing. It's a trick because those sounds are processed in the order that mimics the physical way of hearing sound. Bass is heard meaningfully last due to the fact that it moves so quickly, its compression breakpoints are few and spread out, its rarefaction almost negligible and measuring a linear degrade in the space of a small room would be counter productive. However, in the higher mid ranges the wave length is quite short and the waves are at the optimal wave length to be perceived due to rarefaction and proximity and travel through the ear's canal. It's a way of making a sound more ideal to human hearing. Enjoy the trick - DSPplug

[@ggperes]

Man, what a great video. I love that you addressed the mid range like it has to be.

[@Nocode98]

This video is fantastic. I finally feel like I understand EQ now and the frequency ranges and what to look for. I can’t wait to go back and remix all my songs!

[@tysonely]

I heard instant improvement on my current mix by doing this. This is one the most helpful mixing tips videos I've come across.

[@psychrockvinyl]

very clear and concise video man! easy to follow! i’ve been making music forever but just now looking into doing more of my own mixing and i can def follow along with your teaching methods

[@billypunos1]

It’s a great approach to get the mid range playing nice with each other, and setting the tone (literally) before corrective eq. This approach is typically done on the front end of a console or with outboard eq prior to mixing. Most home setups don’t focus on shaping sound on the way in, so the typical eq moves that are found on the internet actually suck life out of mixes. Then to compensate, lows and highs are boosted at the end to achieve the power and clarity needed when the whole time the mid range tracks were just masking one another and using up valuable headroom.

[@Willifordwav]

Best mixing channel on KZbin hands down. I would pay high dollar for some full courses if you ever decide to make any! Please never stop making these videos

[@robertoj.fernandez2189]

Great Video, back on 1990 at Full Sail my mixing Teacher was Gary Platt ( King Crimson, Adrian Belew ) was always encourage us to work on mid while eqing because the 85% of the content that matters reside in that realm. An also to use crapy speakers within that range.

[@manofwill2468]

My biggest challenge personally with my mixes is the translation between my trucks stereo and my home studio. It's a balance I have yet to find but one day I will find it!

[@SteveStockmalMusic]

Me too !! I made a “mix tape” (with about 40 second clips) of several songs. After listening to that for a while I’ve started to get a better idea... but it’s still THE challenge for me.

[@ricksalt6860]

Great Vid . A producer forced me to get NS-10M's . I realized that mixing on nice beefy speakers hid a whole lotta tuning issues , groove issues and the NS-10's have excellent 200 - 350HZ for vocals. I always start a mix on NS-10's , it's a wise thing to do , ends up translating well in real world .

[@TomWilkowske]

One thing I've heard about EQ -- if you want to make things clearer, cut. If you want to make it sound different, boost. Think it's a Bobby Owsinski saying. What say you?

[@chrislendzion382]

Dude... thank you. I’ve always struggled cleaning up the midrange junk. So hard to know what to listen for when it’s the full audio spectrum. I slapped the bandpass on the master and made a couple of intuitive eq moves, cutting and boosting a few of the main instruments. Basically I tried making it sound less bad in that narrow window. I then took the bandpass off and BANG was immediately amazed how clear the mix was. Not thin, but clear. Love it.

[@MattDxstined]

that's exactly what ns10s or avantone mixcubes are good for

[@JohnnyReading]

I feel like this is bad advice. No range allocation or pocket eq? Just boost, boost, boost in the traffic jam zone of mid range?

[@kronik907]

This was my immediate thought as well. Not to mention the fact that it immediately makes it louder which sounds "Better" because we can hear it better. However its always good to note that boosting can be as effective as cutting and can be a good strategy if you are trying to bring out a drive or other extra harmonics in a given track.

[@RogueBeatsARG]

also he is making the track louder that obviously sounds "Better" but might work in some cases

[@cholkymilkmirage4984]

it isnt tho, we think cutting is the best thing to do cause when we started we were told to cut cut and cut instead of boost, but back then it was boost boost boost on boards im pretty sure. Either ay they both have their positive and negatived, it all depends. I was watching mike deans stream and he lowers the gain on al his tracks to make head room to just boost the shit out of frequencies. Rarely say him cut unless it needed the clean up. If anything this video is a great activity to do and homework to help train

[@BrunodeSouzaLino]

The range he talks about is pretty much where the human ears are most sensitive, as that's where speaking sits. Best thing if you're not sure is a technique Dan Works describes using Voxengo SPAN in MS mode.

[@billypunos1]

It’s a great approach to get the mid range playing nice with each other, and setting the tone (literally) before corrective eq. This approach is typically done on the front end of a console or with outboard eq prior to mixing. Most home setups don’t focus on shaping sound on the way in, so the typical eq moves that are found on the internet actually suck life out of mixes. Then to compensate, lows and highs are boosted at the end to achieve the power and clarity needed when the whole time the mid range tracks were just masking one another and using up valuable headroom.

[@rickiejacobs248]

Very Nice!! I could definitely hear the enabled difference.

[@rome8180]

Colt: Let me play this rough mix to demonstrate to you what I mean. [Plays the most incredibly polished, professional sounding thing I've heard in my life.] Colt: The vocals sound too sizzly. Me: Yeah, that's what I was thinking!

[@smokinghighnotes]

😂😂😂

[@dragon-id5uj]

yes! this is one of the biggest things i've picked up from Pensado's Place as well; thank you for the breakdown!

[@brianrobinmusic]

Another approach is to use a de-esser unforgivingly to reduce the harshness leaving the midrange to shine

[@hypnoticmirage]

Awesome vid. thanks for making these. I have a new weapon now, can't wait to try it out. Cheers!

[@billyr9162]

Yeah, young buck learns from old dog. Every one of us engineers in the 70s and 80s had to know that cuz we didn't have machines to tell us what to do. Our machines were stupid. 😛

[@tonez2732]

I come back to this video as often as possible. Such valuable information, my friend. Thank you so much for this.

[@mookymookymooo]

you're the second producer I've watched today who has the same headphones as me. This makes me feel good about myself and so I subscribe

[@tancenemy]

very easy to understand, simple explanation and very helpful, hope i can manage getting my tracks accepted on licensing platforms soon with applying this lesson to my eq approach. Many thanks brother.

[@Tfkproductions00]

11:32 - 11:57 just changed the way I'll mix forever.

[@Tacitade]

I don't understand what's mean. Can you explain whay he say easliy;;

[@cheshire9384]

I'm so glad I saw this video so early into my production career

[@JeffDaytonMusic]

Perfect timing for me to find this video. I'm cutting an album that I'll be mixing soon. As a self-taught artist/engineer who never went to audio school, your tips are REALLY helpful.

[@tigerscientist4941]

This was enlightening on many levels, thank you, the tip about de-essing with fabfilter mb is gold!

[@Zarvy]

Absolutely game changing tutorial!

[@ScottBrio]

Dude this is awesome. I make electronic music and we tend to over-fixate on the highs and the bass. Gonna shift my approach to attacking the midrange first and hopefully it'll help my mixes translate a bit better to my car. Cheers!

[@wouterwouterwouterso]

Question: aren't you just boosting almost everything? I mean, it does sound better, but isn't it just because it's all louder? thanks!

[@alexcarpov9516]

is it

[@jamiemclardy]

Was thinking something similar myself, but after a wee think I don't think it's so simple. Additive EQ isn't quite the same as just pushing the fader up, so what he's doing is making specific frequency bands louder - yes each constituent group will end up louder, but he's not giving all frequencies the same treatment - only the regions of frequencies that he believes will make each part sound better. If he were to turn this on its head and start using subtractive EQ to lower the volume of everything other than the bands he wanted to hear more of, then the result would be largely the same - just that everything would be quieter (at which point you could just turn your speaker volume up to compensate). The true test of quality would be to gain stage the A/B versions so they were the same rough volume (dBFS), that way both versions (without EQ and with EQ) could be compared on the merit of their prominent frequencies instead of the loudness of each version! which isn't something I think he did here.

[@youtubeishere3997]

This tip is not the case in all mixes, it just happened to need som mids in this example

[@ColtCapperrune]

There’s an argument for that, but the point of this video was not to teach you what EQ moves to make, It’s just meant to show an example of how you should go about focusing on the mid range. The moves you make or entirely up to your program material, and your tastes. Thanks for watching!

[@billypunos1]

It’s a great approach to get the mid range playing nice with each other, and setting the tone (literally) before corrective eq. This approach is typically done on the front end of a console or with outboard eq prior to mixing. Most home setups don’t focus on shaping sound on the way in, so the typical eq moves that are found on the internet actually suck life out of mixes. Then to compensate, lows and highs are boosted at the end to achieve the power and clarity needed when the whole time the mid range tracks were just masking one another and using up valuable headroom.

[@decarlosmith6264]

@Colt C. ONLY QUESTION I HAVE IS : how can you tel the moves your making are actually BETTER if your not level matching after all the EQ boosts ??