Mixing, or as post production guys call it re-recording, is the art of taking recorded instruments and creating a sort of soundscape. Now by soundscape I mean using the tools you have to “paint with sound.” Think of it like a photograph… You have some things that are right up by the camera, some things that are farther away, off to one side, etc. Now all of these objects have a place in the “mix,” and can be brought forward or backward as the song progresses and develops with time. As a mixing artist your job is to paint this picture as well as you can, so that all of the images are as clear and well defined as possible. You can accomplish this kind of clarity by manipulating different aspect of sound. These aspects include such fundamentals as: Particular frequencies that each of the instruments are restricted to and how those frequencies compliment each other, the dynamic ranges of the instruments and what is more or less present at each point in the mix. Another crucial part of mixing all of these elements together includes the physical space of each instrument and how it can compliment or conflict with the overall space by feeling dense or sparse, creating different moods or “feels” for each part of the song, as well as the removing or adding of sounds or textures to enhance the listening experience. All of these components are substantial to guide the mixer through his or her creative process so that the true motive of the song can be conveyed. Now go out there use these tools as a guide and enjoy painting with sound!
Hey everyone! Today I’d like to talk about a cool new feature I found the other day using final cut pro! I learned about mattes. Mattes are used to cover up parts of a video in a variety of ways. There are many types of mattes and each one can be controlled differently. I’ve been using a shape matte to spice up a recent video I worked on for the StaxAphones… in this video I used keyframes to animate the mask and do all kinds of sweet special effects! Check out the StaxAphones coming soon to you tube and Lennonbus.org!
Hey guys! Ryan here with a music history blast for ya… Today we’re in Memphis, TN at Stax Music Academy! Now for those of you who have never heard of stax before, you may have heard names like Booker T & the MG’s, Issac Hayes, and Otis Reading… These artists have inspired generations of jazz, funk,soul, and Gospel, just to name a few. Stax records was the driving force that brought these artists to the mainstream. The site where these artists created countless ground breaking records, has now become Stax Museum where the public can get a first hand experience of what these artists may have seen. Today we are working with eight super talented students from the Stax Music Academy, who are putting together a track that I’m certain their predecessors would be proud of. Look out for all the cool photos and the music video, coming soon to lennonbus.org.
Hey guys, I’m working on mixing some great guitar stuff right now and noticed that one of the guitar players was wearing a ring. I realized this because every time she went to do a palm mute it made a really sharp sound as the ring hit the body of the guitar. How do you fix something like that? You may be asking yourself…. Well, it’s a tedious task but you simply look at each transient where her ring hit the guitar and attenuate the transient only. With Pro Tools I recommend using the SMART tool and selecting the transient with the selector tool and bringing it down with the trimmer tool. In Logic I would suggest using the Marquee tool to select the transient and using the arrow tool to attenuate. Finally take the outgoing control point in either scenario and put a little upward slope in it by dragging the point to the right a little. This will ensure that the transient is smoothened out to avoid any obvious edits. Other tricks to try are D-esser’s and Notch Filters that can help with frequency specific pests… That’s all for now! Good luck with this useful tip, from the Lennon Bus.
The ever talented Frank Bell joined Tennman artist Matt Morris in the studio at HATCHfest in Asheville, NC to record this awesome single, Something Real. Check it out!
Yesterday was an off day for the tour. The band spent most of the day working hard in the studio. Drummer Keith Harris and musical director Printz Board, burned the midnight oil, pumping out some great tracks with guitar player George Pajon. Tonight the band will perform at the Nassau Coliseum in Uniondale, NY to round out another exciting day on the Black Eyed Peas tour.
This is a behind the scenes look at the production of the song and music video “Oh, My Love” by the Rooftop Romantix, a group of students from Yukon, Oklahoma.
The Lennon Bus crew gets extreme, with another crazy Lennon Bus adventure. Our explorers today, check out the unique mountainess terrain outside of Flagstaff, Arizona. Look out for more exciting adventures with the bus crew at http://www.lennonbus.org
HEY GUYS IT’S RYAN! CHECK OUT MY FIRST OF MANY FOOD REVIEWS AS I TRAVEL COAST TO COAST!
Posts By Ryan L'Esperance
The Art and Soul of Mixing
Mixing, or as post production guys call it re-recording, is the art of taking recorded instruments and creating a sort of soundscape. Now by soundscape I mean using the tools you have to “paint with sound.” Think of it like a photograph… You have some things that are right up …
A little video tabasco
Hey everyone! Today I’d like to talk about a cool new feature I found the other day using final cut pro! I learned about mattes. Mattes are used to cover up parts of a video in a variety of ways. There are many types of mattes and each one can …
How it all Stax up
Hey guys! Ryan here with a music history blast for ya… Today we’re in Memphis, TN at Stax Music Academy! Now for those of you who have never heard of stax before, you may have heard names like Booker T & the MG’s, Issac Hayes, and Otis Reading… These artists …
Mixing A Percussive Guitar
Hey guys, I’m working on mixing some great guitar stuff right now and noticed that one of the guitar players was wearing a ring. I realized this because every time she went to do a palm mute it made a really sharp sound as the ring hit the body of …
Frank Bell “Something Real”
The ever talented Frank Bell joined Tennman artist Matt Morris in the studio at HATCHfest in Asheville, NC to record this awesome single, Something Real. Check it out! read more
Black Eyed Peas Tour Report
BEP Tour Report - 2/28 Yesterday was an off day for the tour. The band spent most of the day working hard in the studio. Drummer Keith Harris and musical director Printz Board, burned the midnight oil, pumping out some great tracks with guitar player George Pajon. Tonight the band …
Behind the Scenes with the Rooftop Romantix (Part 1)
This is a behind the scenes look at the production of the song and music video “Oh, My Love” by the Rooftop Romantix, a group of students from Yukon, Oklahoma. Check out the finished product! read more
Lennon Bus Extreme
The Lennon Bus crew gets extreme, with another crazy Lennon Bus adventure. Our explorers today, check out the unique mountainess terrain outside of Flagstaff, Arizona. Look out for more exciting adventures with the bus crew at http://www.lennonbus.org read more
Lennon Bus Food Reviews
HEY GUYS IT’S RYAN! CHECK OUT MY FIRST OF MANY FOOD REVIEWS AS I TRAVEL COAST TO COAST! read more
“Lennon” and “John Lennon” are trademarks of Yoko Ono Lennon.
