The mixing engineer's handbook

Mixing music--the process of combining and shaping the component parts of a song into a polished, completed recording--was once considered an unteachable art. Thanks to the revolution in affordable recording and mixing technology, more music is being written, produced, and mixed today than ever before. The mixer's art is now a unique blend of time-tested principles and skillful technique using the latest high-tech tools. This book covers all the fundamentals, breaking the mixing process down into easily understandable elements. It includes the variety of mixing styles, the six elements of a mix, the rules for arrangement, and how to build a mix. You will also learn the secrets of equalization and magic frequencies, along with easy-to-grasp methods for adding effects, EQing reverbs, sonic layering, calculating delay time, and much more. In addition to the solid instruction in today's mixing principles, you will also find great advice in the interviews with top mixing engineers and producers. Getting a great mix is no accident as it requires a thorough knowledge of the fundamentals of the art.

Includes index.

Includes interviews with 24 professional sound mixing engineers.

Part I: Mixing techniques -- Some background -- Monitoring -- Mix preparation -- The mechanics of mixing -- The balance element: the mixing part of mixing -- The panorama element: placing the audio in the soundfield -- The frequency element: using the equalizer -- The dimension element: adding effects -- The dynamics element: compression, limiting, gating, and de-essing -- The interest element: the key to great (as opposed to merely good) mixes -- Advanced techniques -- The master mix -- Part II: the interviews. Bob Brockman ; Bob Bullock ; Joe Chiccarelli ; Lee DeCarlo ; Jimmy Douglass ; Benny Faccone ; Jerry Finn ; Jon Gass ; Don Hahm ; Andy Johns ; Bernie Kirsh ; Nathaniel Kunkel ; George Massenburg ; Greg Penny ; Dave Pensado ; Elliot Scheiner ; Andrew Scheps ; Ken Scott ; Ed Seay ; Allen Sides ; Don Sides ; Ed Stasiyum ; Bruce Swedien ; Robert Orton.