Welcome to the Pro Tools Generation

Getting Great Sounds

It's Not All About Technical Skill

By Charles Dye

At its core, the ability to mix records is founded upon a mixer's ability to get great sounds. So, this month before we move into discussing Pro Tools and Pro Tools mixing, I'd like to cover some basics about recording and getting a good sound in the studio. In other words, I'd like to move forward by taking a step back.

Last month, we touched on how getting good sounding tracks is based upon simple ideas that when added together can yield impressive results. The following are sixteen of these simple ideas — essentially my personal recording philosophy. They're not overly technical in nature, but that's the point. They're simply the foundation upon which technical skills can be added; and although I discovered them many years ago, I frequently find myself using them as guideposts when confronted with new challenges while recording. Let's begin with the first two principles upon which all the others are based.

"What makes
someone a good engineer is they know
when to stop tweaking."

Trust your gut.
When getting sounds, trust yourself when you think it sounds right, not — trust your ears, because that implies "years of engineering experience." But — trust your gut instinct about when the sound is right. If it feels right, if it sounds good to you, but you don't know if it's good by "engineering standards," STOP. I feel most beginners end up with over EQ'd and compressed tracks, because they think they're supposed to spend more time getting the sound than they already have. What makes someone a good engineer is they know when to stop. If the sound is great, and all you did was bring the mic up in the speakers — print it. Don't keep tweaking; you'll end up tweaking yourself right past that sound you were searching for.

Don't make the process any more complex in your mind than it has to be.
There are essentially five key elements that define the sound you record: the sound source, the microphone (if there's one), the compression, the EQ, and the speakers. People who have not been doing this for many years tend to feel they don't know the right way to do something. But, between Trent Reznor and Elliot Scheiner, there are a million options (thank God, no offense to either of them) and yours is in there. Guess what? There is no right way, just whatever way gets you to your end result. So don't defeat yourself by thinking it's harder than it really is. Let's go over each of these five elements.

The Most Important Element — The Sound Source

The instrument and player — more than any other factors — shape the sound.

Get your sound source sounding its best.
Start with the element you probably have the most familiarity with, and therefore the most control over — the sound source. When you're sitting in the studio, you're constantly comparing what you're doing to what you've previously heard on record. Well, to match those sounds, you've got to give yourself the best chance at getting comparable ones. Get new strings, fresh drum heads,the best-sounding guitar, the best-sounding bass, the best amp, the best keyboard, or the best drum kit you can find. If you don't like the sound you get before you mic it, you're really fighting an uphill battle to get it to something you will like.

Get the best musicians.
Once again, start with the best. Get the best players, arrangers, and programmers you can find. This makes all the difference in the world. I once asked a very talented engineer how he got that incredible bass sound with Will Lee, and he replied, "I didn't, it came from Will's thumb." What you think a great sounding tom tom is, or an awesome sounding guitar is, has so much more to do with how the drummer hits the drum head, or how the guitar player hits their strings, than you may have ever thought. In other words, you will be sonically limiting yourself by your performers. Continue to give yourself the best chance to get those "record" results, because no amount of EQ or compression will make a poorly played drum, bass, guitar or keyboard sound good.

A technically perfect singer does not make a lead singer.
Get singers who you believe when they sing the lyrics. I cannot stress this enough. This is the key most important ingredient of your entire recording. If you do not believe your singer, no one else will, and your recording will never shine. No amount of musical polish will make a boring, staid lead singer sound good.

Good lead singers do not always make good background singers.
Backgrounds are almost the opposite of lead vocals. Too much emotion or personality can defeat the purpose and distract from the intended focus — the lead vocal. They require skilled singers to lay down the multiple tracks that create a unified part. Good backgrounds are a specialty, so use singers who are experienced at singing them.

Make sure everything is tuned properly — again and again.
You'll never get the sound you hear in your head, that record sound, unless your instruments are tuned up. Once again, no amount of proper mic placement, etc. will make an out-of-tune guitar or poorly tuned drum kit sound good.

Now, The Technical Stuff — The Microphone

Audio-Technica's AT4050/CM5 is
a good example of an inexpensive yet high-quality large diaphragm microphone.

The right microphone is not always the
most expensive mic.
Nothing will influence the sound more than your microphone choice. Matching a mic to a sound source is only a matter of patience for the inexperienced. If you have a selection of mics to choose from, try them all. If you don't know already, you'll learn soon enough which mics are best for each job. Just trust your ears. I'll say it again, if it sounds good — it is. Don't think. Just trust your feelings. You've been listening to records for years. You know what you like. So, when you hear it, go no further.

Have at least one "expensive" microphone on hand. Every acoustic sound you record depends on the microphone, so have at least one "high-end" large diaphragm condenser mic for those elements you want to have that clean open sound. These days though, a good sounding condenser can be purchased for actually less than $750.

Mic placement is the second most influential thing
on the sound.
If you put the mic up close, it can give you a "very intimate" or "in your face" sound. A little distance can give you more "air" and "space." Too far can sound "washy" and "indistinct," but you may want that. Remember, there are no rules for what is a good sound, there's just the sound you want. One intuitive way to place the mic is to put on a pair of good headphones and turn them up moderately loud, and just move the mic around. When you find a sweet spot, listen to it in the speakers, if it sounds good there — move on. With a little patience, you'll eventually find those places you like to mic things from.

The Compression + EQ

Compression in and of itself is not a good thing.
It's only good if it sounds good. So, if you're using compression because you feel you're supposed to, but it seems to be changing the sound in a way you don't like, use less or none. There are no simple answers to proper compression, but a good compressor is definitely your starting point. On the other hand, compressors are like microphones: different compressors are best suited for different jobs. No matter what compressor you have, just try different settings until you get a sound you like. Again, if you don't like it, then don't use it. With digital, it's no longer essential to cut with compression.

Do NOT over intellectualize EQ — it's easier than most people think.
Just stop all the tweaking for one moment and listen to the sound coming through the speakers. Are there areas of the sound that are too much? Then cut those frequencies back a little. Are there others that are lacking? Boost them some. Too woofy? Cut the low mids. Too boomy? Cut the bass. Too piercing? Cut the hi-mids. Lacking in warmth? Boost the low-mids. Need to cut more? Boost the hi-mids. It's not rocket science; it's just about trusting your gut. When you think it's right — once again, it probably is.

The Speakers

Genelec's, Mackie's and Yamaha MSP10's (shown above) are all good examples of self powered monitors with extended low end.

Your monitoring system should be the second most expensive piece of equipment you own.
After your Pro Tools system, your next largest investment should be in accurate speakers with extended low end. This is essential. Low-end balance is a difficult area to judge and if you don't have monitors that reproduce it accurately, you will get unpredictable results with your tracks. They could end up boomy or bass shy, but sadly, you won't know until you get to the mix. Or worse, when you play somebody your finished mix elsewhere, for the first time. Powered monitors like Genelec, Mackie, Yamaha etc. are a good choice, because they include not just the speakers that define your monitoring, but the entire system: the amplifier, cross-over and the speakers. Good powered monitors have matched components that sound their best together. I feel they're one of your most important investments. Don't skimp on your monitor system.

And Lastly — The Human Factor

Don't get frustrated when it takes wwaaayyyy longer than you ever thought it should.
You're in good company. Upon everybody's first time in the studio to record, they're always shocked at how long the process takes. They thought they could just go in and run through the song a few times and then it's time to mix. But, once you get in there and all the performances get put under the microscope of the studio, everybody wants to do it again, because they "can do it better next time." Well, the control room is a hyper-intensive environment where nothing sounds like it does on stage or in rehearsal, and everyone wants the best because they know it's going to be on disk forever. Be patient with the process, and take your time to get the best performances.

"I've never met a player who was satisfied with their first take,
but I have heard some heart stopping first takes that have never
been topped."

One word of warning, I have heard some of the most inspirational performances disappear into magnetic heaven, because the players thought they could do it better. A little secret: they always think they can do it better. I've never met a player who was satisfied with their first take, but I have heard some heart stopping first takes that have never been topped. Someone needs to have the objective ear, and it can't be the player. So, if you're engineering, and a guitar player does a solo that is on fire, and then says, "Let me do that again, I can do it better." Say, "Okay," and just quietly move over to another track. After he never tops that first solo, play it back to him and then see what he thinks.

The person engineering is the most important element in how your tracks are going to sound, NOT the equipment.
I am a firm believer in this, because the best-sounding equipment in the world will still sound like crap if the person running the knobs doesn't know what he or she is doing. But if you have a clue, you — and not your equipment — are the defining factor in what will make your tracks sound good.

Get someone else to do the engineering for you.
WHAT!!?? I thought the point was to do it myself? This advice is mainly for musicians and producers who may be spreading themselves a little thin. Nonetheless, the point is to do it yourself, in your own studio. But get a friend who may be just starting out as an engineer, someone fresh out of a recording school, or an assistant at a local studio. Let them run Pro Tools for you. They will jump at the opportunity to gain the experience, and they'll do it for free — trust me. Then, you can focus on the performances, and make sure you're getting the results you want. This will allow you to be more objective, and pay attention to the forest, not the trees. As well, you'll be allowing someone to do the engineering who really wants to, instead of it distracting you from producing a great recording, which in the end is what you really want.

Charles Dye (www.charlesdye.com) is an engineer, mixer, and producer who really just wants the Pro Tools World to be a better place. And who wants your tracks to sound the best they can.
Comments + questions: charles@harddisklife.com.

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