Doc's Basement

#willmixwednesday | Compression 101

Compression tends to be a mystery for many of us when we’re starting out. You’ll find a lot of tutorial content about compression in the interwebs, but do you really understand the basics? Here’s what you need to know so you don’t get trapped in a hazy state of scrolling useless presets, rolling the parameter dice, and praying to the knob gods for the magic settings (spoiler: the magic settings don’t exist). Are you enjoying #willmixwednesday? What would you like to learn more about? I may be taking a hiatus from releasing new weekly videos, but if there’s a slightly different way l can help you, please feel free to comment or reach out directly. My objective is to connect with artists and producers, and to provide a resource that will help you with your work.

#willmixwednesday | Exploring High Pass Filters

High pass? Low cut? Let's take a look at what these filters are doing to our audio. Hit me up for a mix at https://www.docsbasement.com/mix/

#willmixwednesday | Create Pro FX Sends

This #willmixwednesday is just for Sam O'Hare Music, who is finally releasing his album on streaming. How do YOU set up a reverb or delay in Pro Tools? Hit me up for a mix at https://www.docsbasement.com/mix/

#willmixwednesday | Serial Compression

Do you ever struggle to tame a track without noticeable pumping and compression artifacts? It’s likely that your compressor is working too hard. This time-tested technique will help you achieve gentler, more natural sounding compression that doesn’t sound like compression, while still reaching significant amounts of gain reduction. No Malt-O-Meal was harmed in the making of this video. This video features a song by Sam O'Hare Music. Stream his whole album (mixed by yours truly) on September 24th! Hit me up for a mix at https://www.docsbasement.com/mix/

#willmixwednesday | Vocal Tuning Touch-Up with AudioSuite

Here's a time-saving pitch correction technique I kinda stole from Greg Wells. I'm using AutoTune EFX, but you can do this with pretty much any tuning plug-in. The key here is to use the Pro Tools AudioSuite, or otherwise render the processed clip in your DAW of choice. I find that this helps me take a near-perfect vocal to the next level without over-tuning the life out of the performance.

#willmixwednesday | Why Is EQ?

Not so much a mix tip, but hopefully something even more enlightening. No guarantees that any of the historical information in this video is accurate. https://www.docsbasement.com/mix/

#willmixwednesday | Are You Mixing for Cats and Dogs?

Are you mixing (or producing) for cats and dogs? I swear they can hear the subtlest of sounds. But can your human listeners? Click on over to https://www.docsbasement.com/mix/ when you’re ready to have your song mixed for maximum human consumption.

#willmixwednesday | Make Bass Speak in a Mix

It's not hard to record a great bass sound, but there is one common pitfall that I hear all the time. A great bass mix starts with a great bass recording! Head to https://www.docsbasement.com/mix/ today to start your next trunk-rattling mix.

"Family Photos" Now Streaming

Recently released: “Family Photos”, an instrumental track by Ill Melons. Produced/mixed at Doc’s Basement. Stream it everywhere at the link below! https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/illmelons/family-photos

#willmixwednesday | Too Much Analog?

This week we dig deep into the archives and explore one of my old mix templates. Sometimes you can have too much of a good thing. Go to www.docsbasement.com/mix for a mix quote!

Zero chill.

#willmixwednesday | Turn It Up!

Hot take: your monitors aren’t loud enough! If you’re still clipping your master fader, it’s probably because you can’t hear the mix as loudly as you’d like. It’s natural to keep pushing the faders higher and higher, but pretty soon your mix is fried to smithereens. Try my set-it-and-forget-it approach to monitor calibration, and you’ll save yourself headroom and headache. Please mix responsibly. See https://www.docsbasement.com/mix/ for a quote!

#willmixwednesday | Squeezing a Fat Cat Into a Cardboard Box

What's so great about a box? This may be my favorite Wednesday to date. Pounce on over to https://www.docsbasement.com/mix/ for a fuzzy mix.

#willmixwednesday | Too Much!

Have you ever spent an hour EQing a single track, only to listen to your mix the next day and question all of your life choices? I think we all have. If you're newer to mixing, it's likely that you're overworking your tracks. And as you do so, your ears begin to adjust to what they're hearing and tell you that it's natural. I still remember one of the first times I ever recorded a tenor sax. The mix sounded good, but I thought the sax could have a little more body, so I added 3 dB with a low shelf. It was perfect. The next day I listened to my mix, and the tenor was boomy and unnatural sounding. I bypassed the low shelf. It was perfect. Some things just don't need to be messed with. It's important to take breaks, keep perspective, listen to reference tracks, and compare your working mix with the rough mix when you have one. Are you ready to get your next song, EP, or album mixed? Get in touch at https://www.docsbasement.com/mix/ to learn more.

Mass Melodyne loading thanks to @soundflowapp and @ascheps. Can my computer handle this many tracks of pitch correction? That’s another story.

#willmixwednesday | Everything You Need to Know About Mix Buss Compression

There are no magic attack and release settings in this video. But it’s still everything you need to know. Click on over to https://www.docsbasement.com/mix/ for a mix that lives and breathes!

#willmixwednesday | Saving the Best for Last?

Have you ever spent hours building up an instrumental mix, only to find that there's no room left for the vocal? No worries. It's just the moneymaker. The one part of the song your mom came to hear. The track the label wants you to turn up louder. The finely crafted lyrics the songwriters labored over syllable by syllable. Nah, don’t sweat the vocal. Let's get started on your next mix! Head to https://www.docsbasement.com/mix for a quote.

#willmixwednesday | How Can the Real World Inform Your Mix?

Do you wish the real world would just stop hassling you? Maybe you can use it to your advantage while mixing. Here are some ways to break down the way you hear music and use that to approach panning, reverb, and EQ. Head to www.docsbasement.com/mix to learn more about getting your music professionally mixed!

#willmixwednesday | Watch This Before Buying Hardware!

I like to read manuals for gear I don't own. Does that make me weird? Head over to www.docsbasement.com/mix to get started with your next mix!

Who do you trust to give you an objective opinion of your mix? #gearshot