Project Title
The
application of a range of mixing techniques to improve an extant
mix.
Brief Description of
Project
The studies aim is to analyze mixing techniques that increase required knowledge for
studio productions. The techniques will be derived from experts in the field of
work and an extant recording multi-track will be used for the experiments to be
carried out on. Electronic and paper literature will be used for learning
different the methods and creating the different tasks. In order for this investigation to be successful the different variables
will need to be managed and reduced so that the tests of the study are fair.
An extant multi-track
recording will chosen to be mixed to the ability’s possessed before the
investigation experiments start. The track will be placed on sound cloud for
experts and peers to assess any improvements or problems which can be addressed
from the investigation and literature to be used. The commercial mix of the
extant track will also be placed on soundcloud for experts and peers to compare
against. The same extant multi-track recording
will be mixed numerous times showing the different techniques acquired from
research of literature. When all tasks have been completed a final mix will be
done to show the gained knowledge from the project.
The literature that is to be used within the investigation is by studio
experts with information on how to overcome problems with a mix such as being
muddy and understanding the sound of different genre types. Gibson (2012)
provides information on mixing and combining different instruments, the mental
attitude to mixing to the best of an engineer’s ability and using an
imaginative stereo field. Sound on Sound (SOS, 2011), a book with information
about mistakes made by mixing engineers will be in an experimental mixing session.
A book by Roey Izaki (2008) shows both corrective and creative methods of
mixing.
A
report will have information on the different stages of analysis’s,
experimental outcomes and any problems that will have to be overcome, all of
which will be included in experiments from the appendices. Additionally an
assessment of what would be done differently in the future if a similar
experiment was done again.
Motivations
The study is inspired by an interest in studio engineering for future
purposes and overcoming previous problems engaged in the past when using the
studio.
Online Project Blog & Media
Project Learning Outcomes
• Create and
regularly update an online blog using Blogger.com.
• Create a soundcloud.com
account and upload audio from all experiments and productions.
• Prioritize
techniques identified from the literature survey and devise experiments to
implement the techniques knowledge learnt..
• Analyze
extant recordings in terms of corrective and creative sound engineering, mixing.
• Prioritize
the techniques identified from the analysis of extant recordings.
• Write brief
Task Reports (as word documents or posted to the blog) for each task - using
the headings Aims, Method, Results, Conclusions - and include edited screen
shots, photos and other media.
• Implement
techniques investigated in experiments culled from the literature survey and
the analysis of extant mixing practices.
• Create
a number of mixes of the original piece, upload to soundcloud.com and
invite comments from experts and peers relating to the mixing of the original
composition.
• Create and
deliver a presentation of the final outcomes to peers.
• Produce a
cited, reflective report upon the investigation/creation and the experience of
independent study that makes reference to appended tasks and to files
accessible on soundcloud.com
(audio files, stereo, streaming) and https://drive.google.com/(for all other files such
as ProTools project files, etc.)
Evidence
• Peer
Presentation of final outcomes.
• Cited,
reflective Project Report including appendices with links to online blog
and audio storage.
• Online blog at Blogger.com.
• Audio
recordings stored for access and comment at soundcloud.com and https://drive.google.com/.
Time Plan
AUTUMN TERM 2014/2015
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TU
Week
#
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W/C
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Event
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Comment
& Deadlines
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MC
College
week
#
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Pre-Term
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Pre-Term Tutorials
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|||
0
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22-Sep
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Induction Week
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9
|
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1
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29-Sep
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Prepare Study Brief/Create
Literature Survey/Create online blog and SoundCloud account
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10
|
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2
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6-Oct
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Prepare Study Brief/Create
Literature Survey/Create online blog and SoundCloud account
|
11
|
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3
|
13-Oct
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Conduct,
report upon and upload outcomes of experiments
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Deadline
Project
Brief (including link to online blog) Deadline Friday 17th October
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12
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4
|
20-Oct
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Conduct,
report upon and upload outcomes of experiments
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13
|
|
5
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27-Oct
|
Academic
Support Week 1
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14 HT
|
|
6
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3-Nov
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Conduct,
report upon and upload outcomes of experiments
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15
|
|
7
|
10-Nov
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Conduct,
report upon and upload outcomes of experiments
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16
|
|
8
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17-Nov
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Conduct,
report upon and upload outcomes of experiments
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17
|
|
9
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24-Nov
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Conduct,
report upon and upload outcomes of experiments
|
18
|
|
10
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1-Dec
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Conduct,
report upon and upload outcomes of experiments
|
19
|
|
11
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8-Dec
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Conduct,
report upon and upload outcomes of experiments
|
20
|
|
-
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15-Dec
|
XMAS
1
XMAS
2
XMAS
3
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21
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-
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22-Dec
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22
X1
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||
-
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29-Dec
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23
X2
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||
SPRING
TERM2014/2015
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||||
TU
Week
#
|
W/C
|
Event
|
Comment
& Deadlines
|
MC
College
week
#
|
12
|
5-Jan
|
Conduct,
report upon and upload outcomes of experiments
|
Deadline: Interim Report Friday
Jan 9th
|
24
|
13
|
12-Jan
|
Conduct,
report upon and upload outcomes of experiments
|
25
|
|
14
|
19-Jan
|
Conduct,
report upon and upload outcomes of experiments
|
26
|
|
15
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26-Jan
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Conduct,
report upon and upload outcomes of experiments
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27
|
|
16
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2-Feb
|
Acquire
Peer and expert feedback
|
28
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|
17
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9-Feb
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Acquire
Peer and expert feedback
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29
|
|
18
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16-Feb
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Academic
Support Week 2
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30
HT
|
|
19
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23-Feb
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Implement
Peer and expert feedback
|
31
|
|
20
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2-Mar
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Compile
Draft Report
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32
|
|
21
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9-Mar
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Compile
Draft Report
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33
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22
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16-Mar
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Individual Tutorials
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Deadline: Draft Report: Friday,
March 16th
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34
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-
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23-Mar
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SPRING
1
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35
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-
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30-Mar
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SPRING
2
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36
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-
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6-Apr
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SPRING
3
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37
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SUMMER
TERM 2014/2015
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TU
Week
#
|
W/C
|
Event
|
Comment
& Deadlines
|
MC
College
week
#
|
23
|
13-Apr
|
Implement
draft report feedback
|
39
|
|
24
|
20-Apr
|
Implement
draft report feedback
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40
|
|
25
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27-Apr
|
Compile
Final Report/Prepare Final Presentation
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41
|
|
26
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4-May
|
Compile
Final Report
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Deadline: PRESENTATION: Tuesday
May 5th
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42
|
27
|
11-May
|
Compile
Final Report
|
Deadline:
FINAL REPORT & Artefacts:
Friday May 15th
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43
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28
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18-May
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Completion
week 1
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||
29
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25-May
|
Completion
week 2
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||
Human & Physical
Resources
• Middlesbrough
College Recording Studios
• Middlesbrough
College Music Labs
• LRC
(learning Resource Center)
• Avid ProTools (and a range of plug-in processors)
• Project
Tutor
• Expert
panel
• Peer panel
Literature Survey -
Summary of Three Main Sources
The three main
sources used for this assignment helped to carry out tasks and understandings.
The first source is a YouTube video of Gibson (2012).The video of Gibson states
the techniques used by experts of mixing. The video has been watched and has
the different techniques written down in a note book and will challenged in a
mixing session that will take place in the Middlesbrough College recording
studios. There isn’t a particular section of this video that has been used because
there are facts about everything a mix engineer needs to know. The facts spoken
about by Gibson are about the mental attitude of a mixing engineer and logical
solutions to problem scenarios. The video was chosen because Gibson is a known
figure in the mixing industry and provides the information wanted for this
investigation to be a success.
Another source
that has been chosen is information from SOS (2011), showing the ten common
mixing mistakes made by engineers learning in the industry and how to correct
them. The reason the SOS article was chosen is because SOS are known to have
the information wanted by learning sound engineers. The articles of SOS have the
factual information wanted and is written in terms that can be understood
clearly. The information wanted from the book starts on page 116 and finishes
on page 127. The information of the ten different mix corrections is split into
subdivisions through pages 116 – 127. Seven of the ten mixing solutions have
been selected and will be used as these provide the best information wanted for
undertaking experiments within this investigation.
The last of the main references is a book by Roey Izaki called Mixing
Audio (2008). The book has information split into the different sections of
mixing. Each section has different parts of information. Part one has
information regarding concepts and practices such as how to prepare for a mix.
Part two has instructions about using the correct tools for a mix. Lastly, part
three has sample mixes which help the reader to hear techniques that have been
implemented. The book was chosen because Izaki has been a well known audio
engineer 1992.
References
Gibson, David.
(2012). The Art Of Mixing (A
Arte da Mixagem) - David Gibson. Available:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TEjOdqZFvhY. Last accessed 14th Sep 2014.
Senior, Mike.
(2011). Mix Mistakes. In: White, Paul and Lockwood, Dave Sound on Sound. Cambridge:
Warner Midlands plc. p116-127.
Izaki, R (2008). Mixing Audio - Concepts, Practices
and tools. Second Edition. England: Focal Press.
