Separation Mixing / Mastering

CALL THIS TWO STEPS AHEAD! THIS IS A MORE DETAILED METHOD OF MIXING, BUT IN THE END PROVIDES A MUCH, MUCH GREATER FLEXABILITY FOR THE MASTERING ENGINEER TO WORK WITH YOUR MUSIC.

WE DO THE NORMAL MIXING TO A 2 TRACK FORMAT, BUT THEN WE SIMPLY MAKE FOUR MORE PASSES (EACH TIME, MUTING THE STEREO MIX, PLUS THE OTHER ELEMENTS) TO CREATE AN INDIVIDUAL 'PRINT' OF JUST THAT ITEM (SAY, DRUMS & ALL PERCUSSION).

IN THE END, YOU WIND UP WITH THE REFERENCE STEREO MIX, BUT ALSO ALL IT'S PARTS.  MORE DETAIL AHEAD, BUT KINDA' LIKE AN APPLE, ONLY IT'S FINELY SLICED, SO YOU CAN IMPACT ONLY A SINGLE PIECE.  BY DOING YOUR MIX IN THIS MANNER, YOU REALLY HELP WHEN IT COMES TO MASTERING.

SO WHAT IS MASTERING? MASTERING IS THE PROCESS OF TAKING ALL THE DIFFERENT SONGS THAT ARE TO BE PRESENTED IN THAT ABLUM OR DISC PROJECT AND GIVING THEM A GOOD CONSISTENCY REGARDING VOLUME LEVELS, OVER ALL SOUND, ORDER OF SONGS AND A GLOSS.

I WILL STATE RIGHT HERE, IF YOU HAVE THE AVAILABLE FUNDS, SEEK OUT THE MOST ACKNOWLEDGED OR CREDITED MASTERING ENGINEER YOU CAN AFFORD!  HAVE I JUST TOLD YOU TO GO ELSEWHERE....YES, IF YOU HAVE THE CASH TO DO SO.  THIS IS AN AREA IN THE AUDIO CREATIVE PROCESS THAT IS ONE OF THE LAST REMAINING CORRIDORS WHERE 'BLACK MAGIC' IS STILL APPLIED.  BUT DON'T MISTAKE OUR HONESTY TO THE FACT, OUR MASTERING WILL STAND UP TO ANY IN THE REGION.  PERIOD.

BUT SAY FOR THE SAKE OF JUST NOT HAVING THE EXTRA THOUSHAND OR TWO, YOU CAN TURN TO US HERE.  AND WE CAN GIVE YOU A VERY BALANCED FINAL PRODUCT SO LONG AS THE MIXES YOU TURN OVER ARE OF HIGH RESOLUTION AND QUALITY.

WE CAN WORK WITH A STANDARD 2 CHANNEL STEREO MIXDOWN, BUT MUCH PREFER BEING HANDED A 'SEPARATION' MIX DOWN.  THAT IS, EACH SONG IS ACTUALLY MIXED DOWN TO 4 OR 6 COMPONENTS. THESE PARTS (OR AS SOME INCORRECTLY CALL IT,STEMS*) ARE MINI MIXES OF GROUPED INSTRUMENTS OR VOCALS.  SO THE NORMAL SEPARATION WOULD HAVE A STEREO TRACK OF ALL PERCUSSION, A STEREO TRACK OF ALL GUITAR WORK, A STEREO TRACK OF BASS, AND A STEREO TRACK OF ALL VOCALS.  IN THIS WAY, YOU HAVE THE EQ & EFFECTS ALREADY IN PLACE IN THE MIX AND ANY ALTERING (WHICH IS A FACET OF MASTERING) CAN BE DONE ON A TIGHTER/MICRO LEVEL WITHOUT IMPACTING EVERYTHING IN THAT FREQUENCY RANGE OF THAT MIX.

SINCE I'VE IMPLEMENTED THIS METHOD, I'VE HAD PEOPLE SAY "AREN'T YOU THEN LETTING THE MASTERING ENGINEER REMIX THE MUSIC?"  NO!  BECAUSE YOU SEND THE SEPARATION'S AT UNITY GAIN, AND THE MIX WILL STAY THE SAME, (PLAY THE STEREO MIX OR ALL THE SEPARATIONS, AND YOU HAVE THE SAME SOUND).  BUT GIVE HIM A SURGEON'S ABILITY TO MAKE FINER ADJUSTMENTS.

SO FOR AN EXAMPLE, HAVING WORKED ON THE DEBUTE ALBUM OF ST. LOUIS' THREE FORTYS, WE NEEDED TO TAKE DOWN SOME OF THE HUGE SOUND WALL OF THE GUITARS - IT WAS AS EASY AS JUST WORKING ON THE EQ AND LEVEL OF THOSE STEREO GTR TRACKS WITHOUT TOUCHING (AND THEREFORE CHANGING) ANYTHING ELSE. 

FROM THAT POINT IT WAS A MATTER OF STRAPPING THE 'GLUE' TOOLS WE USE ACROSS THE MASTER BUSS.  WHAT WERE THE 'GLUE TOOLS'?  SOME OF THAT BLACK MAGIC WE DON'T CARE TO SHARE!

* STEMS ARE THE FINAL DISCRETE CHANNELS USED IN FILM SOUND FOR SURROUND PLAYBACK.  WITH THE INTENT THEY CAN'T BE ALTERED FROM THAT STATE RECEIVED.