Mixing
is done for the ears of the listener, but the listener's ears are very inaccurate
microphones. The ears have hearing limitations when they are working at their best.
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| One of the hearing
limitations that most affects the quality of the mix has to do with how sensitive ears are
to various frequencies for different volume levels. The ears are pretty much evenly
sensitive to the different frequencies of sound when the music is played at loud, rock
& roll levels. As the volume is brought down to "normal" listening
levels, it becomes somewhat harder to hear the lowest frequencies and bit more difficult
to hear the highest frequencies. As the volume is brought down to low listening
levels, it becomes very difficult to hear the very low frequencies and very noticeably
harder to hear the highest frequencies. This hearing limitation is called the Fletcher-Munson
Effect, named after two scientists that researched the effect |
| We live mostly in
America. In America you can play your music at any listening volume you desire (as long as
its before 10 PM). The people who listen to and purchase the music, will listen to
it at different volumes - and its their right to do so. The bottom line is that the mix
must sound good at different volumes. Many a happy client turns hostile when they
listen to the mix the next day - usually because they play it at a lower volume. |
| To make sure you
hear the differences, use your stereo output fader on the mixer so that you can hear your
mix at different volumes. Your mix needs to be adjusted so that it sounds the best at all
three listening levels. |
To
setup to listen to your mix at three different levels, use your stereo master as follows: |
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Fader Position 1
"Medium Level" |
Fader Position
2
"Loud Level" |
Fader Position
3
"Soft Level" |
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Fader Position 1 - Adjust your output fader to be 10 numbers lower than the maximum. Turn up your speaker
level control so that the mix is at what you would describe as a "medium"
speaker level. Use this as the "starting level" when you compare how mixes
sound at different volumes.
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Fader Position 2 - Adjust your output fader to be at the very top. This "loud" listening
level is about three times as loud as the "medium" level. Start off listening to
your mix at position one and then move the fader up to position two. You could
notice the bass guitar and foot drum get louder in the mix and "heavier"
sounding. Does this difference bother you? If it does, readjust your mix.
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Fader Position 3 - Adjust your output fader to be 30 numbers down from the top. This is about
1/10 as loud as the "medium level" and will be the "soft" listening
position. Start off listening to your mix at position 1, and then move the fader
down to position 3. You could notice the bass guitar and foot drum get harder to
hear and they may sound "thin." Does this difference bother you? If it
does, readjust your mix. |
