Make my mix translate...

I realized after putting a few beats on a c.d. and listening to them in a number of different stereo systems, that on each system the beats sound different. This is a major problem for me because if I want a rapper to use my beat, I want it to sound exactly as I want it to, on ALL systems. I am looking for tips in making my beats traslate well on other systems. Is the only way to do this by mixing at a professional studio? Please, any help would be great...

ps. I have two references...my monitors (KRK V6's) and the stock computer speakers. Thanks a lot.

make everything flat eq when mixing. learn subtractive eq.
use a realtime spectrum anaylizer on your computer to show the frequencies that are being played to loud.

Thank you for your reply, but by any chance could you put it into words an 8 yr old could understand...sorry I'm not the most knowledgeable when dealing with technical terms. Thanks again.

When mixing, try referencing thru as many monitors, headphones and formats as possible.

.WAV, mp3, large monitors, computer speakers, a boombox, good headphones, bad headphones, iPod earbuds.

Very simple. Very effective...

Good Luck...

Niceweis914 wrote:I realized after putting a few beats on a c.d. and listening to them in a number of different stereo systems, that on each system the beats sound different. This is a major problem for me because if I want a rapper to use my beat, I want it to sound exactly as I want it to, on ALL systems. I am looking for tips in making my beats traslate well on other systems. Is the only way to do this by mixing at a professional studio? Please, any help would be great...

ps. I have two references...my monitors (KRK V6's) and the stock computer speakers. Thanks a lot.

It will never sound EXACTLY the same on all systems. The best you can do is get it as good as you can prior to the recording session, then mix further in the studio. Then leave it up to the mastering guys. Mastering is really the way to go to get it to translate best.

mixing is an art which takes time to learn. so the easy fix for your problem is to learn how to mix, which will take u years. also it is going to be hard for u to get a good mix off of 6" monitors, unless u r a pro at it and know what those 6" cones aren't telling u.

Lampdog wrote:make everything flat eq when mixing.

you should monitor through a system with a flat response but certainly not make everything flat as it'll make the mix boring.
The reason you are trying to monitor with the flatest response is because if you took the average frequency response of every system in the world it would be flat. Therefore by monitoring your mix in a 'flat' listening environment you are are more likely to get better results across more systems.
Just flatening your eq curves is not the same thing.

Lampdog wrote:use a realtime spectrum anaylizer on your computer to show the frequencies that are being played to loud.

I disagree with this too, running a spectrum analyzer over your mix is useful when your monitors don't produce the frequency you need to hear, you can see it instead. Or if you are examining a piece of audio for some other reason, room calibration etc. Analyzers will never tell you what sounds good!! Once you get your mixing environment sorted. Use your ears. If it needs more low end, give it more, don't look at some analyzer to make your decisions.

Niceweis914 to answer your question I would say it's your room. If you walk around your room you'll hear the certain frequencies increase and decrease. Most obvious is the bass, possibly even as you move your head side to side. This is your biggest problem. What exactly are the differences you hear when you play your cd on other systems??

D

Dos wrote:

Lampdog wrote:make everything flat eq when mixing.

you should monitor through a system with a flat response but certainly not make everything flat as it'll make the mix boring.
The reason you are trying to monitor with the flatest response is because if you took the average frequency response of every system in the world it would be flat. Therefore by monitoring your mix in a 'flat' listening environment you are are more likely to get better results across more systems.
Just flatening your eq curves is not the same thing.

Lampdog wrote:use a realtime spectrum anaylizer on your computer to show the frequencies that are being played to loud.

I disagree with this too, running a spectrum analyzer over your mix is useful when your monitors don't produce the frequency you need to hear, you can see it instead. Or if you are examining a piece of audio for some other reason, room calibration etc. Analyzers will never tell you what sounds good!! Once you get your mixing environment sorted. Use your ears. If it needs more low end, give it more, don't look at some analyzer to make your decisions.

Niceweis914 to answer your question I would say it's your room. If you walk around your room you'll hear the certain frequencies increase and decrease. Most obvious is the bass, possibly even as you move your head side to side. This is your biggest problem. What exactly are the differences you hear when you play your cd on other systems??

D

Mostly I hear a lot of differences in the bass...I've tried walking around the room, I hear the bass the most as I'm walking through the doors....Some songs the bass will be fine, others too much or too little bass, all referenced and recorded the same way. What exactly is a "flat eq"? I listen to my sh*t on different systems all the time, the main thing I'm concerned about is that when I took my c.d. of WAVs to a professional studio, my beats sounded sh*tty. I want the kick and the bass to sound the same on any system. Thanks for the replies.

Try mixing in your car....or as an alternative get a reference CD that sounds great in your car and adjust your room (speaker positioning, EQ, damping, mixing position, bass traps etc) until it sounds great in your room.....oh....and everyone who suggested mutiple monitor setups wins a cookie

What the spectrum analyzer is really good at is identifying sounds that are out of phase. Even the best of us sometimes don't catch phasing anomolies...