How to Mix Your Music Using Pro Tools

by Mae Aguilar⁽¹⁾
Mae Aguilar

It is a challenge to mix using Pro Tools but if you are thinking of having a career as a professional DJ or recording engineer then this is a skill that you should master. Once you have your track, then you can proceed with mixing. What makes mixing complicated is it not as easy as turning the tracks and adjusting the volume. It has to sound coherently.

1. First, you need to have Pro Tools. Open the session file and you will see drums laid out in front of you. Look at the kick drum first. Click the S button (solo) to listen to the kick drum. Click the Play button which is found on the transport bar. It must sound naturally. You can adjust the sound and make it more direct and defined. Fix that compressor.

If the mp3 has a channel strip, then you can insert these. You can process the track there and listen to these in real time. There is a Compressor plug in located under the Dynamics in Pro Tools 7. The settings are factory-defined which give your mp3 track a great tight sound that you can even adjust to give the listeners a kick when listening to it.

2. Proceed with the snare. Click the solo button and adjust the compressor. You can click on the insert box again and choose the “Basic Snare” which is the preset. Experiment by moving the tracks and releasing the settings. If you do not like what you hear, you can still add another mp3 track from your collection and then customize this accordingly.

As for the drum overheads track, you can put the compressor. Only a few overheads will do. If you throw too much, then you won’t be able to hear the whole dance mix. As a general rule for the drum overhead, you have to bring them up enough to hear the cymbals. Experiment until you hear the mix that sounds real good for you.

3. Next thing you should adjust is the bass guitar. Add a compressor of the mp3 track to modify the preamp and give it a fairly hot natural signal. Then add the compressor into the insert box. Choose the “Basic Bass” preset. You can bring up the bass so that the kick and snare can still be heard.

Along with the bass is the rhythm. The rhythm of your mp3 single must be equalized properly. Just follow the same settings that you did in the previous steps for you to get the same results. Pull down the hertz once you hear that the bass is meshing with the kick drum. Bring back some of the beat for you to hear the whole rhythm section coming together harmoniously.

4. Finally, finish the mp3 track by bringing the vocals into the mix. The vocals must be controlled and this is where you need the compressor. Select the “Vocal Levelor.” This allows the vocals to still be lively and dynamic while you are controlling these into the mix. Keep them from dominating the over-all sound. You can also bring the vocals up when you deem fit.

Now that you have your mp3, listen to it as a whole. When you are bobbing your head to the beat, it only means that you have created a track that is engaging to one’s ear. Your listeners will definitely love this when you play this at the club.

Article submitted Wednesday, January 18, 2012 & read 2 times.

Leave your comments through Blogz:

No comments yet.

1-0-0-0-1-ADSO

Most Recent