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“Basic” Audio Mix Primer?
Hello, I have been using Final Cut Pro for well over a year now with great success…but would like to improve my soundtracks. I can mix relatively well my music, SFX, SOT, narration, etc. to get the correct VU, but I think I need help with understanding EQ and compression in the mix. For example, some subjects’ voices have a much more bass sound while others may have a soft tone, and mixing the same cut of music underneath each is very different…making my final mix sounds too uneven for my blood. It’s rare if I have the budget to take my project to an audio house for the final mix.
Is there a primer for audio mixing you might recommend, perhaps even specific to Final Cut (version 5)?
And secondly, the only audio monitoring equipment I have is a Cambridge Soundworks speaker system for my Mac, with an external speaker (which I use to hear what the mix will sound like on most single-speaker TVs). Can you suggest a better audio monitoring kit for FCP editing on a Mac?
Thank you, as always, for your help.
— Bill
Bill
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1 Reply
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Good mixing is a very complicated process. Maybe I should take a hint from you and write that book.
As for speakers, try a set of Mackie 824 powered speakers and set them up in a triangle with your mixing position. The distance between you head and each speaker should be slightly more than the distance between the monitors.
The monitors must be placed so nothing is between them and your ears and the tweeters are aimed right at your ears.
Use the cambridge to check your mixes, but make hard decisions with the Mackies and Sony MDR 7506 phones.
Regards,
Ty Ford
Ty Ford’s “Audio Bootcamp Field Guide” was written for video people who want better audio. Find out more at https://www.tyford.com
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