Impossible to master all 3? Beatmaking - Mixing - Mastering

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#mixing #beatmaking #mastering

[@mpchead]

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[@quietfmusic]

The timing of this video really is on point for me.

[@fade2blak91]

Man same!

[@TheCratesMotel]

I disagree mate. It can be done, but I would agree it’s rare. What I do agree with is that it takes time, experience, lots of errors and a ton of dedication. From my own personal perspective, I started as a drummer in the 70s and started crate digging, scratch DJing, programming beats and making music in the mid 80s. But I was also lucky enough to have a summer job in a studio and a mentor willing to teach me everything. So throughout the late 80s and mid 90s I was producing and mixing for clients and myself. In the late 90s I started mastering and have done that as a job ever since. Without sounding big headed, I’d consider myself in the higher echelon of all three disciplines but it has pretty much taken 40 years to get to that point. And all my time and effort. So it’s possible but you pretty much have to dedicate your life to it.

[@mpchead]

Is all good to disagree, specially when you can constructively reply like you did. Thanks 🙏🏼

[@TheCratesMotel]

@@mpchead It makes it easier to comment when I know the person I am disagreeing with will be sensible about it and not take it as a personal attack but as a healthy debate. Always a pleasure watching your videos brother. 🙏🏼

[@oakkleys]

@@mpchead Both of y’all have taught me so much in less than a year. Thank you both for your dedication and efforts to teach total beginners like me.

[@TheCratesMotel]

@@oakkleys It's a pleasure dude, just paying it forward, sharing the knowledge.

[@slice307]

He s right . Top industry producer dont mix beat. But they are very Amazing producer Like métro boomin etc

[@NyakzOTSD]

Mixing is inadvertently a part of Beat Making! For Example Sidechaining a kick to the melody is part of the beat making process! Layering your kick is part of mixing! Infact I would argue sound design is mixing! You have to EQ instruments, add effects, etc - All mixing! However he is right - You cannot be great at all of them! However you can be good enough at two ( Usually, Beat making and Mixing) that you can get a finish product! Look at Mike Dean 🤷🏿

[@mpchead]

I agree with that 100% mixing is tied to beatmaking, but still if you're like me you'll be good at mixing your sound only. Because I never mix other people's music I don't have extensive knowledge like mixing engineer has.

[@NyakzOTSD]

​@@mpchead Doesn't mean you can't. But this visual is great food for thought

[@kamikaze6295]

​@@NyakzOTSDWhat you or others do are the basics. A little arrow here and there, no problem. But that has nothing to do with real mixing or mastering. There are real specialists for every area. We are and will remain beatmakers, but that doesn't mean we can't mix, just amateurish

[@NyakzOTSD]

@@kamikaze6295 I can mix. If you beat enough, you can Mix. Mixing is all about EQs and compression. Look at Mike Dean!

[@jimmypierson1980]

@@NyakzOTSDI think you just see the tip of the iceberg, eqing, compressing, sidechaining, is really basic mixing. There is a whole complex world out there when it comes to mixing, it's an art that is difficult and lies in great technical knowledge. I guarantee you that beat producing and mixing in your bedroom doesn't give you any idea of what to do in a studio, especially if it's not for your own tracks. It helps to be humble sometimes.

[@RicochetRockNice]

If you’re good 👍 at mixing your own then you should be good to mix anything yes you need to be skilled but you can accomplish all 3 Whether it’s Rock pop hip hop or R&B it totally depends on your knowledge of what to do and how to mix these different genres of music. If you put 3 different engineers together to mix and master the same project you will get 3 different outcomes and you can determine which one of the mixes you like the most because you can hear and in this business that’s exactly what you need 2 good ears👂

[@AniBookx]

It happens to me with the production / management side of the job as an independent artist. i really aprecieted these coments on choosing and master a craft

[@aaroncazy8130]

I have never disagreed with something more.

[@manatee_flips6811]

Great Advice!! If I could afford it, I would have someone mix my songs. For now, I just have them mastered by Conan Liquid @thecratesmotel Very Happy with the end results. Cheers!!

[@rayantenna]

It takes a lot of trial and error. We’re talking years to be able to mix/master well.

[@bossdon1514]

🧢 I do all ......"D.Roulie" Never Place Limitations But To Each Is Own

[@mpchead]

I do all as well

[@Desnorteado021]

Since I've decided music would only be a hobby/therapy to me, I now feel comfortable to suck at everything, since I love to do every single step of my albums INCLUDING designing the cover for it hahaha I think focusing on less things (specially if you have to work 9-5 and have children like me) allows you to evolve quicker. If you don't mind (like I don't) being mediocre at every step, go for it then lol

[@mpchead]

That's so important, let yourself "suck" and do whatever makes you an artist.

[@Tepnomusic]

It's totally possible, I've produced mixed and mastered every release of mine and have had success.

[@mpchead]

🙏🏼

[@bogotta]

He's so chill. Thanks Marlow

[@CaldoHits]

Marlow's on point with this. I think of it like player stats in a video game. Production - 90, Mixing - 80 and Mastering - 75. You'll never master all 3. You can only integrate what you know into your workflow the best you can. I also believe making use of Smart/AI tools can reduce how much you have to think about when mixing/mastering.

[@soniccatalogrecordings1718]

Very possible, one just has to understand the separation of the disciplines, study them, practice them and over time (this part will vary from person to person) you should arrive at what you've studied and practiced, using the reference material that is out there. It realistically depends on the focus one gives each discipline. My belief is anything is possible if you want it strongly enough. Go and be great. Payce.

[@jimmypierson1980]

Which is exactly what he said.. Good at both or great at one. I don't know how old you are and how much time you have in your life but it's just not feasible to have the time needed to be a professional at both. It's not about will, just time. Unless you're working part time or are fortunate enough to depend on someone else's money for survival, there is no way to have it both ways with a full time job, family, and friends inbetween, which is the life of most of the viewers he's adressing in this video. If you're a different case good for you and enjoy your luck.

[@soniccatalogrecordings1718]

Different things to and for different peeps@@jimmypierson1980

[@Qmayb]

Prince was doing himself the lyrics, the singing, the guitar, the bass, the keys, the drums, no samples, the mixing and the master, all analog, and was one of the greatest artistically, and commercially 🤔

[@fade2blak91]

That’s an anomaly not the norm.

[@kymlittlefield4389]

And he had an amazing audio engineer setting levels before each session, she has many interviews on KZbin

[@AnthonyCodringtonTopCat]

​@@kymlittlefield4389that's not the only help he had.

[@b2466-d8x]

Half of mixing is in the composition. Pick sounds with frequencies that don't clash

[@reedrusselljr1651]

Years ago I read an article from Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis that said that once you become a producer, you will stop making music! The two cannot exist at the same time! They were right! You have to focus on one to be good at that. That’s why they had this guy named Steve Hodge. Prince was one of the few who could do it all, but that skill is a rarity.

[@OnlyDaFunk4444]

Even Prince had those female Engineers for Mix & Mastering.

[@Gabriel_Mercado]

“Once you become a producer, you will stop making music” Such a huge fact that I’ve only recently been learning. I used to write songs on my guitar all day and learning how to produce only taught me how to polish those songs. I confused the two processes into each other and I’d have dead end projects. Separating the mixing from production is a huge lesson. Now I know to do the same with separating production from songwriting.

[@SonicVibe]

Agreed but if it’s good it’s good don’t overthink it if the music is fire 🔥 it will stand on its own

[@carstenaltena]

Mixing your own music and someone else's music are 2 different things. I'd say mixing your own stuff is part of the composition process, it's not mixing in the traditional sense. Also, good thing there are plenty of great mastering engineers that aren't expensive.

[@suparickyprime]

This is a Gem ! ..really good info on this subject !

[@TheRealNativeSun]

The Trifecta of Production. I went to school for engineering just to better my production. It was totally worth it. It makes you a Swiss Army Knife in a way. Salute Bro!! Keep up the wonderful content.

[@blkgostnone4092]

No one should be “great” or a “master” of anything, if so you will slow/cease your education. Always keep a beginner’s mindset. That being said You can do all three Also don’t forget *it’s all subjective* What’s trash to one ear is a 5 course meal in another. Love your music brother This video is a “discouraging warning” 😂 #nothingventurednothingGAINED

[@TeddyRockSteady]

Thanks for taking the time to speak on this. Great subject! Like you, I have been making beats for years and recently been learning a bit more about the mixing for my own sound. Mixing is a very broad realm and there are different techniques across the genres of music.

[@AP_JUJU_BANK]

Mixing and mastering is overrated

[@mpchead]

You might also have a point there

[@AP_JUJU_BANK]

@@mpchead unless you a pop artist on the radio who cares about mixing and mastering

[@dcuttermusic]

You always got solid down to earth advice with no hype, love that vibe.

[@mpchead]

🙏🏼

[@iengineer_247]

I hear people argue about they're stuff not being their own sound. You know your sound. Some people want to mix until the process of it they don't want to take time to study. You can't be taught how to listen to things you can be taught how to apply things such as dynamics with compression and eq. I'm a Freelancer Engineer/Self Taught. I mostly deal with Contemporary and Traditional Jazz recordings. I had to learn how to mix traditional type Jazz different from contemporary music. The Bass in Traditional Jazz is the kick drum lol the kick is to be heard bare minimum and the Bass is the lead of the bottom end. Contemporary same approach sometimes but it depends etc. I do mix Hip Hop sometimes and I still have to apply the do's and don'ts with mixing depending on the vibe and direction of the song. I can make loops/beats and I do but I am more of an Engineer. It's a lot to say but from the message you're sharing this can and will help people!!! Keep the bangers coming. Anybody need help with mixing can hit me up as well!!!

[@mpchead]

You gave me the tittle for a video talk that I've been wanting to do for a while. "You can't be taught how to listen" this is such a critical part of music that most beginners to not understand. Thanks for sharing 🙏🏼

[@jcp813productions]

I think u can definitely master 3 areas of the same pathway for a final track/song… back when people made beats in the 90’s - early 2g, no one really knew what a root note or the key scale was or scale/chord progressions were… but as time went on and knowledge spread because of the internet and ideas exchanged and technology got better as far as tasks got easier, we all grew more… back then for mixing no one that wasn’t a professional didn’t even use any parallel compression or side chaining for ducking, or summing stems to mix them down, because no one told us or there were limited info on the subject online because you had to go through education channels or had lots of money to buy the equipment (which wasn’t cheap back then) and experiment etc… but now “non” mix engineers are mixing… and then until recently no one really knew about mastering… that last 5% that people undermined, that in reality made up 75% of the improvement for specific listening in away, even tho the mix stage is more critical… but we didn’t know about gain staging, RMS metering, Lufs, limiting, converter clipping, phase polarity, adding saturation, and one of the most important tools, that everyone thought they were a master engineer before they gave this out to the general public… Sum and difference aka Mid/Side processing… which was an old micing technique but is very important so u don’t compress or eq over the entire 2 track, which was the biggest missing tool that only professional mastering houses only had access to for the last decades… I would encourage everyone to learn all of it, so that it sharpens u up… even if ur better in some areas because at least you’ll be very good at it all, combined and when u collab with others, u can pick up someone else’s slack and improve ur overall skills!! And have fun with ur passion!!

[@jcp813productions]

Also isrc codes and how to register ur music w/ BMI/ASCAP etc… plus services like distrokid to distribute ur music and contracts to split royalties etc… now we can be the true artist of our work that can sound amazing…

[@annawakrecords]

love this video man I went to school at Abbey Road, so I learnt sound engineering, but over time I've come to feel more of a composer than a mixer. Sometimes I do outside mixes for clients or lofi tracks that aren't mine, but the essence of my work consists of composing my own tracks.

[@mpchead]

Follow your heart ✌🏼

[@mpbangamusic9673]

Love your honesty in this video. I love making beats, but have faced up to the fact that I'm not as good with mix/mastering. Though I understand the basics. Someone told me a few years ago, send your beats to a someone who does it for a living. I met a good engineer, now everything goes to him. Never looked back!

[@mpchead]

If you find someone that mixes your beats and you like the result stay with that person 100%

[@toomuchjaw]

One thing I did in the past was look up the mixing and mastering engineers from some of my favorite records. It can really give you an insight into how they approached each project differently. Recording, mixing and mastering are separate art forms in themselves. The mixing engineers I know are adamant that "they are not mastering guys" and vice versa. It's hard to be good at everything, though it's not impossible to be proficient, mastery takes a lifetime. Spot on advice here man!

[@mpchead]

My point exactly, we can all understand the ins and outs of mix mastering and beatmaking but to Master all 3 is a bit of a stretch.

[@TheNextExit]

Completely agree 110%

[@chriskringle5191]

[@ruzvstheworld]

I took a break from creating for a reset and took mixing clients for a year and when I went back to creating it changed how I picked sounds in a positive way. Great video

[@mpchead]

That's nice, I also believe we need breaks to reset ideas, is good to take a break sometimes.

[@Johnnyfivekicks]

Really great points. Appreciate you dropping knowledge!

[@mpchead]

Thanks for tuning in 🙏🏼

[@uxisar]

I'm so glad I discovered this channel 💚

[@uxisar]

For me, I produce and mix my own beats. Sometimes it can be a burden, specially when you have some special love for some of the sounds you have produced but have to kinda get rid of them during mixing for the good being of the overall beat and so on. Great video!

[@mpchead]

Yes I agree 100% sometimes you have to get rid of some stuff to improve the overall quality and sound of the music.

[@digitalsynthwave]

Great video info

[@gutaninblanco]

Some people can, like Appollo Brown.

[@mpchead]

Yup some people can

[@turntable700]

I think it can be done with todays tech, however I think that in the past (before home studios) it was defiantly a case of one person per job. Mainly because of the expense of the equipment. Good topic Marlow ❤

[@jimmypierson1980]

To some extent yes, like preparing a clear plate for the engineer to work on when you send your tracks, but mixing is a complex art, you sure can decently set up your own tracks because you have habits and you know how to use basic tools. But mixing is about the puzzling subtle decision-making that no amount of youtubing will teach. If you send your tracks to a professional mixing engineer we'll do hundreds of tweaks you wouldn't even think about because it's just dedicated experience to solely mixing for thousands of diverse clients that you don't have, and gear you can't afford. It's good to be humble sometimes. Mixing engineer is a job, a complex one you learn with mentors and countless hours in a real studio with expensive machines. I'm just a bit tired to see bedroom beatmakers here thinking they can do my job because they've been youtubing and "mixing" their own tracks.

[@turntable700]

@@jimmypierson1980 I agree with most points that you say. You cover the traditional mixing engineer well. Having said that (and agree with you btw). I think that this generation coupled with the advances in technology can mix, master their own creations. Depending on the capability of the individual of course (which varies massively). I think that as always in this culture the user/world will decide the outcome and the rest will follow. Nice topic though.

[@Rewd_Boy]

Nice coverage on this!

[@freshxmart]

Hermano. Always great info. Thanks for what you do brotha.

[@mpchead]

I appreciate that bro 🙏🏼

[@ceciliafbrown373]

Great topic Marco! 😊

[@TheLo31]

MCEE / Producer.

[@Sample_Props_Official]

Turn the celling on. -6dB. Use some limiter but bypassed dynamics

[@alchemistrpm82]

There was a foreign proverb that always stuck with me. Roughly translated: “He who wants to be everything is destined to be nothing.” Or, jack of all trades, master of none.

[@wiggesobk]

Well said!

[@daniel_dumile]

Did you remove my comment or did youtube?

[@ricardomilice2470]

😂, If I had to guess KZbin probably did, I’m glad I’m not the only one that goes through this.

[@mpchead]

Im just checking the comments now, I haven't deleted anything nor do I delete comments for no reason. Let me see if it is up for approval or something like that.

[@mpchead]

No other comments from you, maybe youtube did delete 🤷🏽

[@sebarbe7499]

thx bro. all clear.

[@Prodbysuavv]

Great video marlow. Could you do a video on sampling on a daw vs using hardware equipment

[@mpchead]

Yes I can, I was thinking about using logic for that.

[@Prodbysuavv]

@@mpchead ok sir, that would be awesome.

[@Reggi_Sample]

That backdrop out the window looks European. You over here?

[@kymlittlefield4389]

He Portuguese in pretty sure

[@mpchead]

Yeah Portugal

[@G.GordonMidi]

Total tangent but, I like your glasses- mind if I ask where you got them?

[@daanbaas2962]

That’s why I like this channel: there are thousands of channels about mixing mediocre music, but only a few about making great music itself.

[@mpchead]

🙏🏼

[@GrabThoseKeys]

As a big fan of the music you make and being new to beat making myself I could understand why someone would want to pick your brain about your thoughts on mixing and mastering because the sounds you're able to achieve are so amazing that people might assume you have extensive knowledge of mixing and mastering. Great video and break down I can always get some quality gems from your conversation videos.

[@mpchead]

Yup I understand it why someone would want that too but I feel like if you want mixing lessons then I am definitely not the guy. 🙏🏼

[@GrabThoseKeys]

Nothing wrong with that. The gem I took from this was, you don't have to be a wizard at mixing and mastering to make dope music so don't stress out it when making beating... Keep doing what you're doing cause we enjoy it!!

[@RoomAtTheTopStudio]

This is a great topic Marlow Digs. I understand where you are coming from when it comes to being great at one thing but not being able to be great at everything. To learn to mix back in the days, you would have to be in the studio sessions and watch, listen and learn. Get friendly with the engineer and ask intelligent questions after watching and listening then figuring out what's going on. Same with mastering. My friend started in a band called Black Slate. He went into mastering and owned the mastering studio where Reggae sound systems, labels, and the whole Jungle/DnB genre cut their dub plates and did their mastering and stamper cutting. You can be great at more than one thing in music, but I've yet to meet someone who is great at everything. In doing one thing in music we can learn to do another. I'm a vocalist/songwriter by trade but I'm also a successful producer and label owner for three decades next month. I learned to produce like a real producer because that was how I was produced as an artist so I learned from it. My producer also started my journey as a beat maker by showing me how to make a beat on the MPC, years after I've already produced number one records in the Reggae Charts. Producing isn't beat making or engineering. It's putting the team together to complete a project that the producer has in their mind. I don't subscribe to the "An apple is an orange if I believe it is," philosophy of the woke. A producer might be able to engineer, compose, song write, but that is the producer playing a different role instead of bringing in a specialist. That's all. For the best results a producer will bring in tried, tested, and experienced professionals to do a great job in their own specialist field. Nowadays a producer is now the artist, and the artist is just a feature. I don't agree with it but that's the European model that has evolved. I like your mixes. I think that they are great. The masters are good. A top mastering engineer may make them sound even better but yours are good quality. Your mixes showcase your style. Maybe a professional mixing engineer who knows how to mix your style might be able to do better but it would then take on a life that isn't really you, and my personal preference is to hear the mix that is you. The mastering engineer can then polish it to sound amazing. Respect as always MPC Head

[@mpchead]

Thanks for sharing. Congrats on all your work and success. Words take on different meanings and I was a bit skeptical to use Producer, should have said beatmaker perhaps. I think what I do works for me but I don't know if it would work with other artists. Thanks✌🏼

[@RoomAtTheTopStudio]

@@mpchead No you used the right words. Everyone has individual talents and potential. Some things are linked. As an artist I learned to produce by being produced by a real producer. Your style is inspirational. You have a signature sound. It might not be for everyone, but no style is. You have your niche and it's a great one. You can take your productions up to the level where they are ready to be mastered. To learn to master we can sit in on our mastering sessions with a pro in an analogue room and watch and listen to the advice they give and keep on practicing. It's expensive but worthwhile as we are learning from someone who does this every day on various genres and has experience. When we get feedback from our releases we put these experiences together. I'm not good at mastering and I'm pretty average at best in mixing but a great mastering engineer can make my mix sound like it was done in a top studio on two inch tape and not a digital eight track in my front room, which was my first studio back in the days. Keep up the great work King. Respect to you as always

[@carbonvibes]

Thanks for sharing Marlow, it’s not an easy task to tackle but the more you think about it the more it makes sense. I’ve never gone through the process of having a mixing / mastering engineer polish the track. But in the future I’m looking forward to paying to have it done professionally. 🙏🏼🫡

[@mpchead]

I've tried and didn't like it, funny enough I prefer my mixes on my beats.

[@daymanfighterofthenightman]

I think things like the mastering assistant in Logic Pro will help beat makers or rappers dodge the mastering learning curve, but i wouldn't put it off forever. Mixing is just polishing up the sound whether you're behind a board in a studio or FOH. Once you get good at it, it'll make your music production process more fluid. However I will say this, i don't focus as much on rapping as i did before I started making beats and mixing. But I'm being experimental with my workflow, I have ten beats lined up for myself and am in the process of writing lyrics for recording. Im wondering if I should have written lyrics before moving onto the next beat, but what is done is done I suppose. But I i think (personally) you would save more money working on mixing and then jumping on some like the Mastering Assistant plugin on Logic. However thats just my opinion, awesome video man 🙏