Your mix is muddy, 5 reasons and ways to fix!

Your mix is muddy, 5 reasons and ways to fix!
Today, we’re solving one of the most common problems that any music producer or engineer encounters - a muddy mix. Low end to mid low frequencies, are so easy to build up and once it builds it seems to mask all the other frequencies. It can also be a more general term used to describe a dull, clouded sound that makes it difficult to appreciate any particular sound in a mix, kind of like a blanket is placed over your sounds. Muddy mixes lack clarity and aren't able to showcase a balanced dynamic range . Instead, the entire mix feels somewhat lifeless, with the problematic frequencies reigning as king. In today's video @DariannaEverett is going over what mud is in a mix 5 culprits and how to fix it.
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[@RecordingArtsCanada]

Hey Guys! Please write me any video request you have 🥳🙌

[@ianlloydjones8655]

This video changed my game. I've watched lots of videos about balancing frequencies, but the first half of this one gave me something simple to try. I went to a song I'm currently working on and revisited the guitars and keyboards. I tried doing the subtractive EQ thing at 250 Hz, soloing the part to see what difference it made. On four or five tracks it didn't adversely affect the individual instrument sound at all, so I dipped as instructed. When I went back to my full mix, wow!, what a difference a dip makes! Suddenly the whole thing sounds cleaner and sharper with instruments and vocals much clearer in the mix. Mud banished! Thank you, thank you, thank you!

[@RecordingArtsCanada]

Wow! So glad this was able to help🥳🙏Thanks so much for sharing and keep it up! 🙌😎

[@tristanbayer8122]

Super-useful video-thanks so much! I saw you eventually posted a video on fundamentals and harmonics. That's next in line 🙌

[@RecordingArtsCanada]

Yay! Glad you found it and hope you enjoy🙏☺️

[@vice--envy922]

Great video. Earned a new sub! Can't wait to watch your other stuff 🙌

[@RecordingArtsCanada]

Thanks so much for the sub! Enjoy the many videos🙏 still more coming🙃

[@lukecarey613]

Thanks for explaining it so well.

[@RecordingArtsCanada]

So glad it came across clear! Hope it helps☺️✨

[@urboyaidennnn]

This was very helpful. You earned a subscriber im an up an coming artist/ producer and this is awesome to learn from. Keep it up!

[@RecordingArtsCanada]

Glad you enjoyed it! Keep it up🙏🙌

[@waliddeui6725]

my low end is the reason why I wanna quit, whatever the heck I did is either too much or not enough, fuck

[@RecordingArtsCanada]

Don’t quit! Low end management is super tricky, I’ll do a full video on tricks to manage your low end🙏 in the meantime I’ll write a few little tips that might help! When starting a mix I’ll put my kick and bass in try to make everything below 100hz in mono. Side chain compression the bass to the kick. Audition those two so that the peak is around -16dbs on your 2Bus (stereo out). Usually gives me enough headroom so that the rest of the mix comes in and then I can always boost everything so I’m hitting the meter correctly. Also do your best to eq out the low end in competing instruments. If you find your kick or bass doesn’t shine add some harmonic saturation or even parallel compression to make improve the performance, just make sure the of levels. Kicks can sounds a bit boxy around 500hz so maybe want to eq that so it gives room to the other instruments. Hope that helps! 🙏

[@matimati8556]

this helps a lot! thank you! and pleaseee make a video about fundamentals and harmonics :) 🙂

[@KalebPeters99]

Agreed!!

[@RecordingArtsCanada]

On it🙏

[@RecordingArtsCanada]

Video on fundamentals and harmonics is up! ☺️ kzbin.info/www/bejne/lWLPlGaImLBqpacfeature=shared

[@matimati8556]

@@RecordingArtsCanada 😗yessssssssss

[@supernovasoundsest23]

Love the videos.. thank you, question, would you put individual compression on every track? I always do this with the beats / drums, would you also suggest compression on the base ?? . thanks Darianna!

[@RecordingArtsCanada]

If you are referring to side chain compression yes would totally compress a bass. As for every track, I usually like to tailor each sound so it’s hitting just right but if I’m trying to save cpu I would group like tracks together (not just type but frequency response/position dominance) ie. pad and cello). Different instruments respond differently but ultimately your session won’t work if it’s too heavy to run. Hope that helps !

[@supernovasoundsest23]

@@RecordingArtsCanadathank you !!!!!!

[@bingbong7431]

SO information dense.

[@RecordingArtsCanada]

Well hopefully it helps with removing the density of mud in the mix🤓🙌✨

[@MindoverX]

Great content! The volume on the video is so low though. Maybe the youtube compression?? Thanks!

[@RecordingArtsCanada]

Thank you for the feedback! 🙏

[@tamasvision]

You mention managing low-end frequencies effectively to avoid muddiness. Could you explore the role of phase alignment between bass and kick drum, or other low-end elements, in achieving a clean mix? Specifically, how do phase discrepancies contribute to a muddy sound, and what techniques can be employed to ensure phase coherence in the low frequencies? new subscriber greate job

[@RecordingArtsCanada]

Fantastic comment and a great idea for an in-depth video👏!! I will get on right away so keep an eye out👀 In the meantime, a quick tip to test your phase in the low end. See if your elements, let’s say bass and kick, are great in solo but then sound dull and lifeless together. That’s a sign that there’s some phase discrepancies! You want to check and try: to nudge your waveforms over slightly/phase inversion button. You can also play around with an eq or maybe an envelope shaper. Also by sidechaining the the elements you can control the interference. Ideally you want to really dive into the waveforms first. Hope that helps! Thanks so much for the subscription🙏

[@JoshuaDanielJames]

I’m also guilty of loading up bass in lower ends. Thanks :)

[@RecordingArtsCanada]

Seems to be a collective problem😅

[@cihanthethunder]

Hello Darianna , ı totally agree about the bas part management and ı am trying to find minimum 4 different music systems for taking the right solutions for example goto car first than ı am catching my firends car which include sub bass in the car or trying to listen from everywhere .unfortunately ı have no sub bass system in my home studio.just ı have referance monitors and akg headphones can help me .this is regular procedure but at the end we are listening music in spotify or youtube or instagram and ı need to know how ı mix my music acording to social media platforms or do i need to revised acording to them

[@RecordingArtsCanada]

Great comment! Thanks so much for writing! Yeah having your mixes sound good in multiple systems is hard! I know a lot of engineers will do specific mixes for DSPs and Socials and then mixes for CD or vinyl and then maybe even another mix for radio and then live! So yeah it’s rough to figure it out for sure! I’ll see if I can come up with a helpful video on maybe some tips. Right off the bat I would say maybe try and do stem mastering (each track or like groups separated) that way you can have a version that you really like and then do some trouble shooting tests to see which aspect of the song maybe doesn’t translate well on socials. I just did a video on Low End Management that you might find helpful. I’ll link it below☺️

[@RecordingArtsCanada]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/f6nYkoduqLKfbc0feature=shared

[@HOLLASOUNDS]

Low EQ everything but the bass and kick, and use stereo pan of element's or widen certain sounds. Use EQ boosts and dips to make sure every element has its own space in frequency range.

[@drinkinslim]

Good tips, although panning and widening don't fix things for mono - widening *might* make it worse, depending.

[@HOLLASOUNDS]

@@drinkinslim Good point.

[@darkcharmrecords]

​@@drinkinslimyes panning does fix things for mono. More homework is required here.

[@drinkinslim]

@@darkcharmrecords If panning positions things left and right, and mono has no left or right, how does panning help a mono mix? The only thing I can think of is "pan law" where the level changes based on where the item is panned in the stereo field. But that doesn't really carve any space for anything, if you know what I mean.

[@RecordingArtsCanada]

Hey guys! Great thread! Good rule of thumb is to keep low end in mono and then you can have fun with spreading the rest of the mix. Totally agree with things having their own space in the frequency range that’s how they would mix disco in the 70s and my fav way to mix! I made a video on low end which might also give a few pointers 😊 I’ve linked it here kzbin.info/www/bejne/f6nYkoduqLKfbc0feature=shared

[@Fiveash-Art]

I've got mud butt. I need help with this.

[@Beemerboy324]

Needed some examples...

[@RecordingArtsCanada]

Totally fair🙏

[@pnutbuttajellee1394]

The irony is that your voice and it's fundamental freq is 200Hz...right in the "MUD"! 😆

[@RecordingArtsCanada]

🤓😅

[@vewilli]

Well, from this video I know you’re a complete expert on these things, but I don’t know how to solve the problems. I‘d like to know what dynamic EQ you‘re talking about and if you could give an example with the steps how you solve this low and problem or give a link to a solution I‘d be happy. Thanks for the video which lets me know what frequencies are affected … 👏🏻👍🏻🙏🏻

[@GetSongsDone]

Dynamic eqs are not as common, but there are still many. They act like a compressor for specific frequencies only. The Kirchoff EQ is my current fave and TDR makes a free version of NOVA that could get you started. GL

[@vewilli]

@@GetSongsDone Thanks very much! Is „Soothe 2“ also a dynamic eq? Or do you know one that finds and corrects bad frequencies with the help of AI, or as we Austrians say: KI?

[@GetSongsDone]

@@vewilli yeah, I like the way TB Audio's DSEQ sounds better than soothe. Also, more affordable. Recently just been plucking visually with the Kirchoff to find more general resonances.

[@RecordingArtsCanada]

Awesome thread guys! Well I have two things that might help! Here is a video I did on low end management kzbin.info/www/bejne/f6nYkoduqLKfbc0feature=shared

[@RecordingArtsCanada]

Also here’s a good little article list going over dynamic EQs and some good plugin options! Including some mentioned in the thread🙌 love this community we’re creating☺️🙏 integraudio.com/10-best-dynamic-eq-plugin/

[@drinkinslim]

Pro video tip: frame yourself so your head is near the top of the frame. Otherwise you have wasted space above your head that can be distracting or shift the focus to what's behind you. Having your head near the top is also akin to a good portrait shot. Carry on! 8)

[@RecordingArtsCanada]

Always good to have feedback🙏

[@G_ROBINSON89]

How can you get distracted?

[@patrick5301]

24dB of headroom

[@michellkanhai7957]

I find it hard to follow you , what is a good Mic ?

[@RecordingArtsCanada]

Hey! Thanks for the feedback! We have a whole video on how to choose the best mic for you. I’ve linked it below :) kzbin.info/www/bejne/d3rHm2WEedGKnKMfeature=shared

[@jasoncabral8732]

Mud mask?

[@kcsnuggles8542]

came for the information, ended up simping halfway through ngl

[@OfficialSiriusmusic]

ha "A mud mask"

[@RecordingArtsCanada]

🤓🙏😬

[@RecordingArtsCanada]

🤓🙏😬

[@pacoserpico]

*Affected

[@RecordingArtsCanada]

👍🙏

[@Aotearolla]

I wish I could talk audio production with my gf

[@theinfamousarmyof1band481]

I wouldn't know what to do If I weren't perpetually stuck in the mud.

[@DWHarper62]

150hz cut in master buss EQ... You're welcome...

[@RecordingArtsCanada]

Ideally we’re tackling all the mud problems in the mix before the master bus, that way it comes in smooth, ready to polish and boost💪

[@jangroenendaal5069]

sorry but again a video with to much talking - i wanne hear all the things you're talking about - music is not to talk to much -but to hear about

[@pimplepanda1932]

Bro can't even use the right too

[@RecordingArtsCanada]

Fair! Tried to get a lot of info out in a short time. Will definitely be doing more demo videos 🙏☺️

[@rubenrast383]

A lot of mansplaining going on here 😂

[@sonofmyfatheralive]

Do you have a boyfriend?❤

[@musicproductioncentral4540]

Is that a Fethead on your Sm7, or are you just happy to see me?

[@RecordingArtsCanada]

Not that we’re not thrilled you’re here.. but yes it is a fethead😂