MIXING

How to build and practice mixing (foh & monitors)

Building A Basic Mix (In Best Order)

Learning how to mix can be challenging. Learning how to mix well can be even more challenging.

Part of learning how to mix is first understanding the different sides of the snake - Front-Of-House (FOH) and Monitors. Understanding the gear that is involved, all the components, and finally, how to manipulate it will help you create that concert-level, professional mix from either side of the snake that the pros produce.

Learning how to create a mix takes time. Learning how to create concert-level, professional mixes takes even more time. There is no substitute or shortcuts. Let’s dig a bit deeper to understand the different sides of the snake, their positions, job responsibilities, gear, components, stage directions, and instrumentation.

Since we are learning these positions, it’s imperative that we also understand the directions of that big black “floor” piece you see bands generally standing on. Yes, I’m talking about a stage, and yes, it has directions called “stage directions”.

Download Building a basic mix (in best order) PDF

Full band with vocals and acoustic guitar

Full band w/o vocals

Listen to the sound of each instrument as this here will help you create those full sounding “band” mixes.

For this video, pay attention to how EVERYTHING mixes and each instrument has its own place in the mix. Vocals on top, bass guitar, keys, electric guitar, and acoustic guitar are almost even and the drums being in the background but yet “fully” in the mix as if to say they are just as on top as the vocals.

This will help you hear what a tight band sounds like and how the acoustic guitar leads the band. Very similar to a worship band.

music & EAR TRAINING

SONG ARRANGEMENT & SECTIONS

As we begin to train our ears to the nuances, frequencies, and sounds of each instrument, it is imperative that we also begin to understand the “structure” of music.

In the pdfs below under EAR TRAINING, you will begin to notice some terminology you may have never heard before. Terminology like: Verse, Chorus, and Bridge to name a few. You may not be a musician, but understanding the structure, arrangement, and sections of music - especially if you were to “read” music, will help you know HOW to blend and mix your instruments during these sections of the songs. This is extremely important for those of you wanting to mix Front-Of-House (FOH).

After viewing this document, while you are listening to each of the songs, and more importantly reading the notes that accompany each song, you will see such terminology imbedded in the notes (song lists). This will not only better your Ear Training, but will help you understand why these parts sound the way they do.

Download (Song Arrangement and Sections) pdf Here

ear training

Each of these playlists are designed for a different purpose. To know, understand how, and what Scott and other professionals are pulling from to get the mixes they do, please listen to each of these playlists with either a quality speaker system, live PA system, or In-Ear Monitors (IEMs). Even if you may not prefer the song, remember, there is a method to the madness. If it is part of these mixes, there was something that caught Scott’s ear. Trust the process.

FOH & Monitors (Mix Training): This playlist is built with a WIDE variety of songs from all genres specifically for students to listen to for ear training to better their mixing skills at Front-of-House (FOH) and/or Monitors. To be able to mix like the pros, we first need to understand what we are listening for and how those instruments sound.

Download (Mix Training) PDF Here

PA (Tuning Mix): This list is 6 songs deep. Each song has a specific part or instrument at a certain frequency to look for to either tune a PA, or hear what your IEMs are producing from each driver. The songs are listed in the order they should be listened to, to correctly tune your PA. You can use this list when listening to ANY new speaker system, headphone, or IEM. To hone your PA tuning, get your brain and ears used to hearing these songs on many different outputs and this process will become easier and easier. NOTE: This list is compiled of songs used by some of the top engineers in the industry. If you are tuning a PA with these, by the time you get to the 6th song, you “should” have your PA tuned. If not, well… ya got work to do… Keep practicing.

There are 5 more songs on this list that follow the actual “tuning” songs. These are here for you listen to the overall blend and mix of the PA you just tuned.

Download (PA Tuning) PDF Here

Tuned PA (Songs for Tuned PA or IEMs): This mix is a continuation of the PA Tuning Mix. Once you’re happy with your results, you can use this list to either; listen critically, for pleasure on your freshly tuned PA, or brand new IEMs. Happy listening. :)

Overall, we are listening to the “mix”. To become a great engineer, we need to train our ears to know where each instrument sits in the mix. Listening to these playlists will help you to train your ear and start building that muscle memory. NOTE: This takes time, I have over 20+ years of doing this. Don’t get discouraged. Just listen and keep practicing.. This will pay off when you get behind the desks.