Why your mixes fall FLAT

[@BuenoLaidley]

Ear candy is what makes a mix much better. You will not necessarily hear them loud in the mix, but if they are removed from the mix, you will immediately notice that something has been taken away.

[@kiillabytez]

If you want a perfect example of adding to a mix, listen to The Sentinel by Judas Priest and you'll hear about 10-12-different guitar parts playing in that song which only has 6 sections.

[@soakedingracemusic9057]

For those of us just starting out, this advice is actually gold

[@devinb8015]

I'm fairly new to this and i love his videos for how real yet simple he explains it. He covers all he needs to, in easy to understand ways, without getting too confusing or overloading too much information

[@DerekPower]

Having sat in a few studio sessions, the “extra stuff” is definitely where a recording is brought more to life, whether it’s an additional part or even just an arrangement tweak. This also helps in “graduating from the demo”.

[@stasysstygma8862]

EDM producer here. This was SUPER helpful! One of the big differences between good and excellent EDM is also making loops and sounds that make it feel organic and making the space feel real with panning.

[@michaeltablet8577]

Thanks Joe! You are not only a great producer and mixer but a great musician, singer and songwriter!

[@BillGraper]

I think his vocals sound a lot like Daughtry.

[@AirArtStudiosOfficial]

Man that was such an awesome change! Struggled all my life to make sound sound good. Hense why I’m here🤣🤣❤🤛🏻

[@vladimirciboci1485]

I always liked your song very much. Great stuff.

[@normanlove222]

common "Ear Candy" that I use for production are Reverse cymbals for section transitions, bongos, cowbells, egg, shakers, tambourines, little high octave piano riffs, string piccattos and staccatos, bells, pads, strings, background vocals in harmony., reverb or feedback echo automation, just to name a few.

[@Alleycat2112]

It's the 80s. My friend invites me to see his band rehearse. They were going for a sound like The Cars. Every song was 8th note rhythms on the bass and guitar. I don't think they cared for my honesty. The Cars always had something interesting to listen to on top of the rhythm. Melodic keys, parts going back and forth, breaks in the droning rhythm.

[@Oeg925]

I absolutely love this Channell.. thank you for these pearls.

[@robmitchell2018]

One of your best videos! Thank you!

[@rikmcastro6884]

Amazing content. One of my favorite places to learn about audio is this channel.

[@nathanespino2200]

Yes! From my experience, since i do hip hop production, i always felt things so meh. So i noticed a lot of the producers would add more precision's, ear candies(like little noises like a key from a piano or synth) here in there , and what i love to add because some of my favorite indie rock bands do, they have a white noise like a synth of something just playing in the back ground to fill in that void. This is great advice !

[@RichieWynne]

I've been working with a friend on some worship songs that after mixing still sound "empty" and came to the conclusion that the songs need more "content". He supplies the song, the lead vocal and the acoustic guitar (plus some mandolin) and I add bass, drums and keys/synths but it sounds empty. I've added an odd bit of something here and there but fundamentally, the songs have moved out of singer/songwriter mode into something else and now they definitely need more. This video exemplifies what I've been experiencing. Inspirational stuff as always Joe. Thanks :-)

[@mortenkalland]

Back beat guitar, thank you for this, Joe! Great feel on the song. Jesus bless you

[@ivansitiaron7445]

I love adding stuff

[@ruudwagenaar8782]

🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼 so interesting to hear the reason behind the reason, thanksvJoe🙏🏼🙏🏼

[@tretadapeste]

NIce! Love the tip and love the song.

[@Maxc_]

Every video of yours is a blessing. Thank you for sharing all this knowledge.

[@Just-Tony]

I've always called those things "Incidentals"... those things you add later, to add to the "complete" tune you've already got. I started doing it years ago after listening to The Beatles "White Album"... there are things on there, a little guitar thing or a single crash or whatever, that just goes once or maybe twice but in the exact right spot to bring something extra to the song.

[@raymondspagnuolo8222]

"We love a good story". Very good way of pointing out how the production aspect is SUPER important! Thanks for posting! God Bless!

[@ostrmic]

Man, I genuinely love your videos! Not only the content is first class, but I always giggle on every single wee-wee-wee-wee and stuff like that, so does my daughter watching that with me. Keep'em coming :)

[@123wmwe6]

Option 2 is so good! Thank you for teaching things people actually need in music production! Can you maybe make a video about mastering in Studio One?

[@hidatabs]

Hey Joe, (option 1) I notice a big difference in the stereo space, your voice is very close and forward (no reverb..)while guitars seem very far and deep in the mix...

[@hidatabs]

Some elements are missing too x)

[@TimOost]

Yeah this was my first take too, but then in option 2 the mix felt much fuller without the vocal getting snowed over. It seems to me that the mid range was filled up further, but I was thinking synths oops. And then obviously Joe showed what was added.

[@jaxonabraham9931]

I guess Im kinda off topic but do anybody know of a good site to watch new movies online?

[@korbynalec2543]

@Jaxon Abraham I watch on flixzone. Just search on google for it :)

[@bodietitan557]

@Jaxon Abraham i watch on FlixZone. You can find it by googling :)

[@paxetlanny]

Brilliant Joe!

[@blackiewheeler4706]

This advise is spot on. Good recordings are made of layers of bits that compliment the main instrumentation or vocal tracks. It's about simple clean strums or alternate chord voicings and perhaps subtle fills that give songs life and interest. Experiment with different things that will compliment certain tracks in a song and mix them into the song in a subtle way. Remember the song is the sum of it's parts.

[@richiev7666]

GREAT VIDEO..MADE ME THINK..THANKS JOE..

[@brendanmarr5169]

This hit's the nail on the head for where I'm at right now with my productions, thanks Joe. Love your content!

[@Vitam1nsoulbeats]

God sent information. I wasn’t receiving any answers. I’m ready to try this out

[@rhythmantic]

Option #2 there is panning and the BGVs are coming through. A more interesting mix than #1.

[@adammusic1124]

So I'm listening to them both before I go further in hearing what you speak about and I'm only new to this also, but what I think I hear in 1 is it's thinner, not compressed or eq'd, harsher on the S's and in 2 it has more energy, more thickness from the compression bringing up the lower parts into the mix and glue'ing it together more and the S's are less harsh... When you switch between 1 to 2, it sounds thicker and louder and wider, but when you flip back to 1, it kind of collapses and sounds weak and like an initial rough mix (or a bed mix, before adding more instruments to fill it out) before working on a final version finished version with different tools... So these were my initial thoughts, now I will listen to the second part and see if I was right, or if my "newbie" ears are lying to me LOL :-)... Thanks for doing this for us!

[@mrdajve]

So many times I've fallen into the trap of trying to thicken up a mix by layering on more in the bus - awesome video (and song!) - thanks

[@sseltrek1a2b]

there's a series of documentaries about how major songs were recorded (can't remember who put them out) that bears all this out...they let you listen to original tracks that made up the recordings, and you can see where they added things here and there to make something more substantial, add some color, makes things fatter, etc...

[@vaqalarxornawosk1731]

Love it, awesome video

[@SwietlanaLewicka]

After each vidéo of you I have your songs the whole day in my head 🎧

[@R.Kryshtal]

Love it! Love! Love it! Thanks a lot man. This really helps

[@TimOost]

This is such a great video for me! It got my thinking straight away about what I could add to my current projects! Love the channel and your teachings. Thanks you

[@southsidesoderlund]

Wonderful!

[@MKD371]

It's exactly the same with fine art, layers and layers of paint providing depth and texture. A skilled artist will have that in their work. I think many music producers starting or song writers get confused with the minimal approach, saying less is more. Most productions have on average around 100 - 200 tracks, with a vast amount of elements subtly blended to help form what appears to be in part a few sounds overall, condensed into bussing and groups. Film audio will easily have 500 - 700 tracks, which is not always apparent when watching the movie, yet that is partly why it sounds professional.

[@dan9558]

You're the man Joe. Thanks so much.

[@chazmechenbier]

VERY very good. Wins the internet today!

[@doofered]

Oh my GOD! This is something I haven't been able to find for years!

[@D15TR1KT]

Aha! I produce Electronic music and have been struggling to have a warm/full mix. But listening to you explain how you need elements going down the middle, left and right of the stereo field, completely made sense! Ima try it out. Thank you 🙏🏼

[@stenoff8148]

it aslo helps a lot with the global dynamic of the song; the "extra stuff" could appear gradually in the track or come at once to give a punchier effect... it leads to endless possibilities

[@bobshepard3108]

Wow ,I've made the mistake of following alot of people trying to find this very thing. I'm sticking with Joe. Now I know what's wrong with my music 👍

[@JulesCalella]

Great video, super useful information here. And the side by side really shows what a difference is made. I had an instrumental piece that was just lead, bass, drums, and rhythm power chords. Updated it with triads, strings, and brass and wow what a difference when you fill it up with more instruments. Strings, organs, electronic ambient sounds, or any instrument with a lot of delay and reverb can make a huge difference. Of course, repeating the chords with new instruments (all rhythm instruments mashing the same quarter note-spaced chords) probably won't fix it. But adding more harmonic or rhythmic complexity is what will really pushing the song to the next level.

[@MickeyNdubuka]

Great really useful video. Love all the advice. Almost as much as I love the song!

[@iamfaturrachman]

Option 1 preview 1:34 Option 2 preview 2:13

[@Vazooka]

At the beggining of the video I was like "he removed some mid frequencies" but after finished watching the video I realized that my mind was in "EQ this part" mode instead of "add sounds that fits that mid range" mode, and then when I got the idea behind the video my face was like 🤯🤯🤯, this is gold, I'll recommend this video to every producer I know!

[@brettmarlar4154]

I like to have multiple rhythm guitar parts where the chord voicings are different. Not just in the octaves they're playing, but the inversions are different. It creates an almost stacked sound to it. Or 9ne will be playing straight major/minor and the other will be playing extensions, 7ths, 9ths, 13ths, etc.

[@ScottRandall31]

Gang Vocal Harmonies and automating the choruses really help.

[@eduardosobral4599]

Great tips dude!!! Thanks

[@HEATHfromOZ]

Ahh, so good Joe! Thank you.

[@Dragens2]

Thanky you very much. I feel like I can apply that to the orchestra also.

[@codyvanhoozen275]

posted 1 minute ago??? Yeeeeeeeee fresh content for the morning! :D

[@JohnMichaelFord]

Adding more parts to a song is helpful for those mixing their own recordings. It could be said this song still needed to get it right at the arrangement/writing phase.

[@HomeStudioCorner]

Arrangement and production go hand in hand in my book.

[@johannalvarsson9299]

I agree. With both. Earcandy and added detail in the arrangement are somewhat important, but i feel the core of this is a bit flat. The guitars are not bad, but you can`t expect pure 8th-note strumming to be emotionally catchy, and then it sounds like there is no overarching momentum, no dynamics and so on. Then again, it`s easy to sit here and just spit out criticism, especially if I didn`t hear the whole song... Let me stress again I do not think this devaluates the point about production you make.

[@MKD371]

@@johannalvarsson9299 I can expect 8th note strumming to be perfect for a song depending on the context and lyric content.

[@johannalvarsson9299]

@@MKD371 absolutely, but in itself it`s dependant on the context, just as you said. Imagine a piece of pure stumming with nothing else going on. This is not an example to devaluate strumming, but to explain that it is only effective as a carrier for something else. It is not going to be effective on it`s very own.

[@MKD371]

@@johannalvarsson9299 But the example is this clip is not on its' own, so the point being made, is void in this case.

[@lawanedavis7818]

Joe is the greats . Thank you sir for all that you do.

[@dhudson0001]

What a great video!

[@robotomo4249]

Things like this are so simple, yet so many people forget about it! Definitely have opened by eyes to t he importance of this!

[@gregtapevideo1464]

I have added guitar parts that play a supporting role like this but now I realize I can do more. Thanks man!

[@dannyroe1697]

This method is a great way to truly hear "production". to hear famous songs pre production and then the final production shows just how much work goes into it after the band have packed up and gone home.

[@cabuffal0]

learnt! Thanks, Joel

[@sybillesztorm9006]

Option 1 is missing some arrangements and parts but I still think it sounds better in terms of mixing. Clearer, more focused, more forward. Option 2 has a lot more going on but is blurrier, sounds wide but hollow. Now it's all about taste so it's subjective. Interesting video. Thank you.

[@MattLeFaitMusic]

Dude! This was HUGE for me. It's legit what I've been missing!

[@ndujamz]

This is the best explanation ever. Shout out from South Africa. 👍👍

[@Mark3xtrm]

This is one of a clever video, not just another one

[@OsLapsosBandaRock]

This vídeo isn't good... IT'S BRILLIANT! 🤘🤩🤘

[@izzyizzm8761]

I left Nuendo for Studio one yesterday !! All because of the Splitter in Routing and the easy VST folder arranging..

[@SimonDavid]

option 2 has more production, more bg vocals, synth pads and stuff, it has a more glued together feeling, option1 is just too harsh overall

[@RikusStrauss]

Thanks so much for this Joe. I'm busy working on my first EP and have been struggling with this so much. It really helped so much

[@aesoundforge]

Another great video. Your becoming my favorite place for tip and technique...

[@jimhart1959]

I call those interesting extra bits ‘ear candy’! Sometimes I copy an existing element - like a very short guitar line, paste it in another track and reverse it. Seems to work well in a transition from one part to another.

[@SjaakShirly6559]

Thanks Joe!!! This is really an eye-opener for me (again!).

[@michaelpal7641]

Loved Option 2-having Guitars, Bass Drums and vocals and then "thickening" the vocals with like an additional 8 tracks-I've learned to add millesecond delay and then tune. Yes..my original tracks were "verb" heavy-No longer. What I thought was finished with 5,6, 7 or even 8 tracks is now just the beginning. I think in layers, tones and overall timbre. Thank you Joe! best regards to you!

[@EriksonRudy]

Awesome perspective. Thanks Joe. 👏

[@padraig88]

I come from an extreme metal background, but these are some good tips. Thanks Joe.

[@sirwanmusic]

Man this stuff is important for edm music sooo much. You’re genius thankssss

[@HomeStudioCorner]

Good to hear! Sometimes people think certain topics only apply if you’re doing the exact same genre as the example, but if you can open your mind a little bit, you can pick up great ideas from any style of music, and you start to see the similarities.

[@stephenfell4338]

Great stuff can you go through how to set up option 1 &​2 for comparison

[@pacman_pol_pl_polska]

This is the big part of studio magic. Great ideas

[@tanukibrahma]

Excellent advice!

[@PFDarkside]

Great video and example. It goes from a demo track to a fully arranged track.

[@HomeStudioCorner]

Yessss

[@PatrickBradshaw215]

Great stuff Joe!!!

[@MichealClair]

nice work Joe! just wanted to say hello old friend...keep it up

[@svengali5862]

I listened on earbuds but it's obvious option two has a lot more low mids , and that's where the loudness and dynamics are coming from.

[@paulstefanowicz3669]

I like backward sounds to change from sections; maybe a backward cymbal or a pair of backward guitar chords. BVs, also, definitely a big spicer. Maybe bongos or other percussive instruments. Get an idea, try it. Most I keep, some don’t make it. It’s like wearing a different hat. For that job, I’m the background guy.

[@ROQSTAR]

Max Martin was huge at adding small things to make a mix big.

[@timball8429]

Conversely idon’r be afraid to take things away.

[@michaelstubbings8677]

Thanks! This is exactly where I am in my learning process... It's hard to find tips on the creative & production side. Also a bit lonely as a drums, bass, guitar guy and this type of music is not addressed very often in videos.

[@coreyroberts47]

Dude this is awesome. Thank you

[@ginster31]

Night and day, even listening on my iPhone. Great content Joe 👍

[@markoshun]

This is an excellent exercise/demonstration. Option 2 so much better. In our own pared-down acoustic genre though, we limit ourselves to record only what a group would/could be playing on a stage. There’s the same 3-4 people, but they’re going to have to add the interest during the actual performance. So for us, there’s one more step needed. How can we add some of the interest/movement in option 2.. but without adding people/overdubs? Thanks for this video, very clear.

[@57RickH]

Great advice! I did a song a couple days ago where I manually added a cowbell to the rhythm that was already there and it really made that part of the song pop. (Totally serious, not a cowbell joke!) That extra touch of production as Joe talks about here can make a major difference.

[@sekritskworl-sekrit_studios]

The background vocals I didn't hear until you di the A/B back and forth toward the end... I was so disappointed in myself. But i'm only at @5:52 in the the video and have only been into audio since July 2020 and I have to say that when you raised the point about "Production" just now... I thought to myself: Hooooo-ly $#!* How have I not thought about that before now?! It's SO SIMPLE and makes SO MUCH sense! But, while i've been running around buy up plugins like an idiot... I overlooked this. THANK YOU for your INCREDIBLE classes, Joe!

[@motafov]

man, was about to take my mixes for mastering and now this video entered my life, rude awakening, gotta go back to recording (which i love) but the realization that i have to hear my songs another kazillion times during mixing stage II is making me projectile vomit

[@northxstudioplayroom7805]

this is a big help

[@marionmusictv]

you always teach something difrent in everry video , congrats bro youre a great teacher

[@bernebk]

Good day Mr Gilder and commenters. I've learned a lot from you. So nice to watch someone that explain things simple and easy. Im currently using, wait for it, adobe audition 1.5. Im new to the producing game but long time in the music making scene. You enabled me to use AA 1.5(🤣) to do some real magic. Im upgrading to a new DAW soon, but the info you give make it possible to do a lot with minimal resources. Old saying " not the tool, but how you use it" Love you work. Thanx.

[@colleenvarlow8764]

Hi Joe. Can you do vid on recording guitarist/singer and what you do in recording?

[@HomeStudioCorner]

Recording Acoustic Guitar and Vocals at the Same Time kzbin.info/www/bejne/equqgYp8h7eYnZo

[@xsdexbutze333]

I was like: lack of production!!!! Say it!!! Thank you all those Videos!!!

[@Everblessj]

thanks bro you really help me hear 👍👍👍👍😎