Before we get into today's lesson, I want to make sure you don't miss a couple of things:
First, Ryan and I are doing a live Happy Hour today at 4:30 PM PT to talk about music production and promotion.
And second, a few people have asked for a payment plan for our 2-for-1 bundle of Mix Finisher Formula and Profitable Music Career so we put one together for you.
Check out the details of the payment plan and what you get in both of our programs right here.
Remember that this bundle expires tomorrow so if you want to level up your mixing skills and get a complete marketing plan to launch your song, now's the time.
And now, for some spooky sounds...
I just mixed a Halloween song this week and it's already out just in time for the weekend!
You can take a listen to it right here.
Congratulations to Joby for a really fun song that was a pleasure to mix.
It made me think about one thing students seem to get hung up about a lot.
It's thinking that their genres are somehow more special than others.
They think it's an absolute must to learn how to EQ a TRAP snare drum. Or compress a ROCK bass. Or add reverb to a FOLK vocal.
Or a HALLOWEEN SCREAM!
In reality, you shouldn't let genres limit you. You just need to learn how to mix.
You'll use the same processors in hip-hop as you do in metal:
- EQ
- Compression
- Saturation
- Effects like reverb and delay
Will your settings be different? Maybe.
Will the songs sound different?
Absolutely!
But that has more to do with the arrangement and the production than the mix.
I teach you how to use the processors you need to make better mixes, regardless of your genre.
I teach the process and the approach so that you can get to the sound you have in your head.
Music styles are always evolving, fusing together, and having little sub-genre babies.
That's what I want you to do. I want you to seamlessly get to the sound you hear in your head, no matter what crazy genre you're cooking up.
Let's take Joby's "Just a Dream" as an example.
As far as genres go, "Halloween music" is incredibly niche.
But I still used the same mixing approach I use on any other genre.
Whether I'm working on a rock, rap, or folk song, the tools are there to shape the sounds until it sounds like the mix I'm searching for.
And because I have the system, the mix template, and the tools easily available and ready for use, we knocked the mix out in no time.
The fact is...the best way to get better at mixing in a specific genre is to listen to a lot of music in that genre.
That way, when you're mixing you know how the mix is supposed to sound because you know how that genre sounds.
It's as simple as that.
You learn how to use the tools so that you can use them to shape the sounds you're looking for.
Regardless of the genre.
Cheers,
Björgvin