8 MISTAKES Audio Engineers Make Every Day

Stop making these mistakes BEFORE they become a habit!
☛ Learn the go-to starting points for EQ and compression in heavy mixes with my FREE Mixing Cheatsheet: mixcheatsheet.com
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Website: hardcoremusicstudio.com
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MY FAVORITE GEAR:
Computer / Interface:
Mac M1 Studio Max sweetwater.sjv.io/anOMOo
Avid Carbon sweetwater.sjv.io/ZQ6M6g
Apogee Duet 3 sweetwater.sjv.io/y2qXqb
Monitors / Headphones:
Avantone CLA-10a sweetwater.sjv.io/WqyMyZ
Audio Technica ATH-M50 sweetwater.sjv.io/PyOMON
Microphones:
Shure SM57 sweetwater.sjv.io/daOMy7
AKG D112 sweetwater.sjv.io/Kj0MBy
Sennheiser e604 sweetwater.sjv.io/DKyvWa
Shure SM7b sweetwater.sjv.io/5g5vk3
AKG C451b sweetwater.sjv.io/jre9Rv
Shure SM81 sweetwater.sjv.io/eK1LnD
Audio Technica AT4050 sweetwater.sjv.io/JzKMqr
Preamps/Outboard:
API 3124 sweetwater.sjv.io/eK1LRD
EL8 Distressor sweetwater.sjv.io/XYmMd4
Favorite Plugins:
BSA Clipper blacksaltaudio.com/clipper
Escalator blacksaltaudio.com/escalator
Low Control blacksaltaudio.com/low-control
Waves SSL Bundle waves.alzt.net/dMd4q
Waves CLA Compressors waves.alzt.net/0va0P
Waves Platinum waves.alzt.net/jxz2M
Slate Trigger 2 sweetwater.sjv.io/MmAM53
SoundToys Rack sweetwater.sjv.io/xkLgyd
Auto-tune Pro sweetwater.sjv.io/OreMYr
Vocalign Project sweetwater.sjv.io/xkLgyA
Cranesong Phoenix II sweetwater.sjv.io/PyOMrz
Instruments / Amps:
Ludwig Black Beauty Snare sweetwater.sjv.io/1r9vDR
Gibson Les Paul sweetwater.sjv.io/B0nvz1
Evertune Guitars sweetwater.sjv.io/WqyM6P
Fender Jazz Bass sweetwater.sjv.io/nLX5R6
Sansamp Bass Driver DI sweetwater.sjv.io/OreM9Q
EVH 5150 sweetwater.sjv.io/4PGvr9
Mesa 2x12 cab sweetwater.sjv.io/75avGA

[@hardcoremusicstudio]

Grab your free Mixing Cheatsheet to learn the go-to starting points for EQ and compression in heavy mixes: www.mixcheatsheet.com

[@azanemartian1471]

This is a result song from your teaching..... Nuff love and respect and am still growing and gaining more knowledge Azane - Ten Million Dalla kzbin.info/www/bejne/ap6TlIaYmZmHq7Mfeature=shared

[@govec]

Maybe a tracking cheatsheet would also be helpful :)

[@angermanagementstudios]

Mistake number 1: Working with terrible musicians who have terrible songs, arranged terribly and performed half arsed. Turd polishing will always be turd polishing. Great vid as always mate. Love this channel.

[@johnbird9997]

I've watched every single video from HCMS that I've come across. I know there hasn't been one single misleading tip or piece of advice yet. I'm the king of bad timing. I have a year until I have to go back to a day job. But we live right now on 1 income. Once I start working again, I will without a single doubt, be enrolling in the full course. If you can, do it now! I've already looked around. This genuinely seems the most legit source of information that I've seen in KZbin land.

[@ampersand64]

SUMMARY (for those who want it): 0:11 First Mistake: not spending enough time tracking. It's more effective to get great performances and dial in good tones when tracking than trying to fix in mixdown. 1:09 Second Mistake: not setting up instruments before the session starts. Spending time to prepare a session allows you to tune instruments, place mics without pressure, and make a more relaxed vibe for players. 2:01 Third Mistake: compromising on performances Listen closely to the performance, and be picky. Persuade artists to record more takes, even if they are satisfied. 2:54 Fourth Mistake: failing to commit to sounds It's more effective to decide which tone you're going for during recording. It makes mixing easier, gives artists a clearer picture on the vision of the music. 3:50 Fifth Mistake: mixing during tracking The mixing mindset distracts from the performance. Separation allows you to concentrate on each thing. 4:36 Sixth Mistake: overprocessing Instead of using plugins or techniques you've learned without good reason, it's important to identify problems and react accordingly. 6:03 Seventh Mistake: underprocessing It's equally important to chase the sound you're going for, no matter what kind of processing it takes. Never fear big moves, but always have a justification for them. 6:33 underproceessing audio example 7:33 Eighth Mistake: mixing with your eyes. Use your ears to identify places the sound could be improved, THEN react accordingly. It's almost never beneficial to use a visualizer to decide which processing you need to add. A/B test settings. Seek out tools which give less visual feedback if you like.

[@particlejones]

I think being a recording engineer is very important in forming an engineer/ producers perspective. Need to be fast, efficient. Know the tools in the room. When it sounds good coming in, it will sound great coming out. People always ask me for mix advice " how do i fix this?"" I often say "re-record" and people are usually so lazy and scared to rerecord. But its literally as easy recording a better take. A punch in thats it! Dont be scared to print! Print print print! AND listen!!! Know the context, what you want, make logical , conscious decisions. Dont do things just because a youtube video says to doit this way, creates a box of fake rules that u will be trapped in. Dont need to slap this compressor/ with this ratio, and cut this fq every time. Everything is subjective, be conscious in your decisions, and knowledgeable of your tools.

[@mortalflower1]

Always full of great advice! Thanks!

[@Ungroovy03]

This video is just what I needed to hear. It's the stuff I think about all the time but can never get myself to do. Gonna start dividing mixing and writing stage from now on. Thank you!

[@RocketToSleep]

Dude, you are an unending wealth of knowledge and inspiration. Thank you so much for your time, energy, and sharing of knowledge in these videos.

[@JosephDanielMusic]

lighting and setting game upgraded big time. great video as always, Jordan!

[@GloveBunniesVideos]

Great video, 100% on all these. One way to keep track of one's progress is to keep notes, either within the DAW itself or on an Excel sheet. How many times have I left a project because of time restraints and, when I get back to it, I've forgotten where I left off? Since I've been keeping notes, it's helped tremendously to keep me productive AND saved a ton of time.

[@timlovegrove1097]

Completely agree on the tracking and performance quality impacting mixing. Having great players who know their tones, are well set up and can perform well makes it so much easier when it comes to miking and tracking, and all of that makes mixing easier. I did a lot of cheap & quick work in a small project studio where I didn't have the luxury of having more tracking time, and it really showed when a well-honed band came in. Going back to the session tracks 15 years later, I actually made some technically decent recordings but the performance is invariably what lets down the final product.

[@scorpioschild706]

I’d have to agree with all of these salient points. I worked on a “demo” instead of an album by the time we were done. All of the mistakes were made and when we were finished tracking (which was done hastily at best) the mixing process was more about mitigating the shortcomings which amounted to “polishing Turds!!” Thanks for your advice. Spot on!

[@zeclomal2265]

Since 2016 watching every JV’s video. At least 80% of what I know about mixing is thank to this guy! One day I’ll buy his course.

[@simonhartley228]

This channel has gone next level since easing up on the sales vibe. Just quality content every time ❤‍🔥

[@Merceauroix]

Your advice is always spot on. I'm proud to say I've improved my mixing skills a lot just by watching your videos. Of course I still have a long long way to go but man I can tell I have indeed become much better than I was a year ago.

[@odmusicman]

Excellent advice and for those of us with some experience it is critical to be REMINDED about these important axioms. BTW you are an excellent presenter.

[@ghastlyshimmer]

The quality in this one is nice. The lighting is crisp

[@ULTRAVIOLENCECHANNEL]

If you think u have to do it again, YOU HAVE TO DO IT AGAIN

[@jrdindiana]

Great advice. I made each of these mistakes on a recent project, and now I’m paying for it with ENDLESS post production mixing 😭😫. Lesson learned for the third or fourth time😂.

[@cjwallgor]

Absolutely agree on all points Jordan! PRO acts like a PRO. Period.

[@zeclomal2265]

I had a revelation when I realized how good where the tracks of the pros. I wondered for a long time why the same moves that pros like JV did on a track didn’t sound the same on my tracks. It’s seems to be something so obvious but if your track sounds great in the beginning, little mixing is needed to make it sound awesome. And the other way around, if your tracks suck, there’s no amount of mixing tricks in this world to get a pro result. At least I wasn’t able to achieve it until I learnt to do tracking right.

[@pacificatoris9307]

Reckon in the good old analogue days, the different aspects of making music were held by different people.

[@Jura_JS]

2:35 - 100% I agree

[@nicholasbstone]

One of the few channels that I give a thumbs up within the first 20 seconds of the video.

[@Sherlockamb]

Happy to spot @DavidPalau in one of the photos! What a nice surprise

[@AudioReplica2023]

I did the #1 for so many years to later struggle in the mix finding an spot for every almost equaly sounding instrument in the mix.

[@clintonjcovey]

Truth.

[@EddySchmidt25]

So true man 🤝🏻

[@drrodopszin]

I think underprocessing is surprisingly common with audio engineers who quickly get an analog console, the "knobheads". Folks learn to gain stage properly, substract and not boost with EQ, to "shave off a couple of dB" with the right compressor settings and then the recording sounds lifeless, because they didn't slam the room mics (if they ever record it, or only in mono), didn't brutalize the snare, didn't clip the kick etc. One of these days I realized I got a better sound for an extra guitar track when I turned off the cabinet simulation and added some "lo-fi saturation" that rolled off the tops a bit. It sounded really harsh in solo, and sounds really cool in the mix.

[@calebneff5777]

Can you do a video on how to coach clients (particularly singers) on getting the best performance while keeping their confidence high? I often find that there is a point when people (especially singers) haven't given their best performance yet but their confidence starts to wain and I know I won't be able to get that one great take. I am kind and encouraging, patient, always use an example of how it once took me over 80 takes to get a 5 second guitar riff I wrote myself. I need help!

[@Aki-pl9zj]

Is it me, or the mixing cheatsheet dropbox link doesn't work? Thanks in advance! You rock!

[@BetterMixes]

Hey, I think i took that picture at 3:15!

[@davejohnsonmusic]

GIRATS (Get It Right At The Source)... a little acronym Joe Gilder preaches quite often.

[@robert_starling]

Mix 2 to my ears

[@ErixSamson]

Makes total sense.

[@joa1232]

I think you missed one of the most common beginner mistakes: Act like there's a "mixing formula". For example instrument X needs a boost at frequency Y and applying that on every mix, regardless how it sounds like. Oh boy did I mix like that in the early days because I had no idea what I was doing and wasn't able to trust my ears.

[@LightsandMotion]

guilty of doing everything at the same time. however, I write as I record more or less, so I need the mix to sound good so that I know what needs to be done arrangement wise. works for me, but that's just the way that I like to work. I've never done a pre-production in my life :)

[@Alex.Scotti]

i agree 110%

[@ShredworthyDave]

Ive learned great tracking leads to easier mixing with guitar tracks especially. Sloppy players make anything sound terrible no matter what

[@ASDPOWER]

Talkin my language !!

[@louiegolden]

"Be a better tracking engineer!" Yes! Say it louder for the people in the back!

[@AndyA1234]

It's the "Goldilocks" principle.

[@sisyphushappyband]

I feel like that bit at 4:27 is intentional.

[@Just-gt9oo]

👍

[@NathanEllery]

"EDITINNG"?

[@thekobsta]

So, no mixing at all before tracking vocals? Singers wont love this...

[@nikdrown]

I spent years cramming so much only to figure out. Crank the knobs and use your ears. Lol. JK but it’s true. Just study what’s good and you’ll figure out

[@DonBillbosChannel]

I'm in this video and I don't like it.

[@ThinqK]

this job still exists ? not for long. A 9th Mistake is to get in the music business/industry.

[@Jazzguitar00]

Ah yes, AI is going to help musicians track their parts and perform? Ok, sure....

[@ThinqK]

@@Jazzguitar00 youtubers will still exist showing you how to do it, and everything can be done with a PC, and a few instruments. All at home. There's no need for engineers if you do it yourself, the only reason for an engineer if you need studio time to have access to the tools, but the people that give a f, will buy stuff themselves. The Engineering Business is dead already btw,, before the AI. MUSIC IS DONE.

[@ThinqK]

@@s_n_o haha, it's still over though

[@martywitzberg]

If there's even a slight feeling that you might need to record the track again, JUST DO IT. if it's not perfect its not perfect! Makes insane difference