Gator-Studios.com Audio Production

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RiffWorks mixing page 2

One more thing before I get to RiffWorks-specific mixing:

Good Tracking

We can massage all sorts of things in RiffWorks, but at the end of the day there is no way to really turn bad tracking into good tracking. What is tracking? That’s where things get into RiffWorks. Where you play every note as good as it can be. So if you mess it up, record it again. It’s also where you dial in your tone (be it guitar, bass, vocals, keys, etc.). Honestly, this is where you as the musician should spend the most focus. Good playing/singing and good tone are essential to carry through the mix and mastering to a great result.

The “Gator Methodology” to Mixing in RiffWorks

I don’t advocate everyone follow how I record and mix in RiffWorks, but maybe there’s something in here that helps you get better results, and I’m all for that!

· Songwriting — I find RiffWorks to be the best friend a songwriter could have! Crank out a few riffs, mash them together in order, slap a vocal and lead across the songlayer and viola! A song is born! Now that the song is born, it’s time to start recording it.

· Tracking — “Start recording it? You nut, I just did that.” Let’s be clear, Buckeyes are nuts and I’m a Gator. Now where were we…oh yes, it’s time to record the song. In the first step we were focused on writing the song, not recording the parts the best they can be. So go back and work hard on each riff, each layer and make sure there’s not a note out of place...the tone is just right...which usually means re-recording each one. If there’s a “moment of inspiration” in there, by all means keep it, but odds are you can make it better.

One very very important note on tracking: RECORD AS DRY AS YOU CAN!

· Please leave the effects for mixing if you can. I know it’s harder to feel inspired without all that chorus or delay or lush reverb on your guitar or vocal, but once you record with it on, it’s on and there’s no going back. When we get into the mix all the effects become “context-sensitive” meaning they have to interact properly with everything else in the mix (drums, bass, vocals etc.) and they need to co-exist nicely to create a good mix.

· Get that great clean or distorted tone you want with all the effects, then take it all off (except the distortion) when you record. Add it back in at the mix (not yet!). You’ll be able to hear what you are really doing under all that mess, and you’ll have full control over the mix when it comes time.

On to Page 3...Mixing in RiffWorks (I really mean it this time!)

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