One of the most enjoyable yet daunting music sections is mixing live sound, and a skilled audio engineer is in considerable demand if they can mix sounds on stage and in the studio. You seem outstanding in the studio and have thankfully landed a real gig. However, mixing audio recordings differs significantly from mixing live sound.
Most likely, you’re terrified of the awful feedback sound. Or even worse, simply sounding less impressive than you are. Even if the artists produce incredible music, a live sound mix may enhance or ruin the performance.
You can achieve an excellent live sound with the correct setups, equipment placement, and listening skills. Joining an online live sound mixing course to get training from a live sound expert can also be a practical solution. Here are some crucial live sound mixing tips for novices.
Train Your Ears
You may be conscious of the chords on the keyboard or guitar, as many live sound engineers were once musicians. You are far ahead of the competition when it involves ear training if you are among this group of people. If not, you should at least familiarize yourself with the principles of musical pitch.
Live sound engineers employ audio frequencies to recognize audio sounds. Look for online apps that can assist you in achieving more precise results when making EQ adjustments to your mix to add more harmony and reduce feedback. Practice makes perfect in music, as it does in most things.
Understand Audio Sound Mixing
The difference between studio and concert mixing has become increasingly blurred, so knowing as much about studio mixing as you do about live mixing is essential. It implies you must be proficient in using every digital audio workstation (DAW).
Recording knowledge was never a thing for live sound engineers in the past. In the past, a show often involved mounting the stage and public address system, mixing the performance, packing up, and boarding the bus for the next engagement.
Nowadays, every performer wants every show multi-tracked, not only for archive reasons but also frequently for live recording post-mixing, which can result in additional sources of income for the artist.
You should learn everything possible about studio mixing to increase your income streams. Have the skill to mix the content you just created so you won’t need to bring the storage device to a studio engineer who won’t be familiar with the sounds you just recorded. Wouldn’t it be better to earn the cash instead?
Avoid Too Many Competing Instruments
Aim to avoid having too many gears vying for the same range of frequencies in the audio. Select the highest-quality sounds directly from the source, as the mid-range is especially susceptible.
When mixing, you can achieve better separation by using equalization to reduce the range of the audio you’re dealing with. Attempt to roll off a few low ends and remove any redundant top end occasionally. Sound engineers sometimes call this practice of giving every sound or instrument its place in the musical spectrum “spectral mixing.”
An excellent illustration of such is how the acoustic guitar can obscure the low midrange in a rock mix. You can continue to receive considerable definition as you roll off the low end. However, the sound mix will appear much cleaner.
When used in Key Listen mode on noise gates, sidechain filters are frequently excellent tools for reducing the sounds’ high and low ends without significantly altering the portion you wish to retain.
Employ Compressors
To ensure that the vocals fit in the sound mix, compress them. Few vocalists can blend their tones evenly enough to mix them effectively without using compressors.
The least noticeable compressors are usually soft-knee models; however, if you need the compression level to bring compassion and vibrancy to your music, consider an opto-compressor or a hard-knee design, set at an increased ratio than you would typically use.
Be advised that excessive compression can accentuate vocal murmurs and ambient noise (for each decibel (dB) of gain decrease, ambient noise in quiet pathways will increase by 1dB).
Place the Monitors Right
Perhaps the most troubling aspect about performing live is when you can’t hear yourself. Performers cannot modify tone or key if they fail to hear themselves when performing. Also, it could produce an odd tone even if you’re typically perfect on key.
By positioning the monitors correctly, you can stop it from occurring. A few tweaks might be necessary to achieve the ideal monitor spot and level.
The goal is to ensure that every band member can hear what they produce without the monitor sounding through the microphone.
For instance, the ideal location for a singer’s monitor is in front of the mic facing the performer. They can expect to hear themselves well in this manner, and there is less chance of feedback from the microphone picking up the sound.
Add Effects
Effects are invaluable for bands with a large, more complex sound, like rock groups, as they can make the vocals stand out above the other instruments. However, it’s crucial to keep the vocalist’s credibility intact and avoid going too far with it.
Vocal effects can add detail and intrigue based on the style and musical tastes of the singer. Famous vocal effects for live sound are chorus and reverb.
A straightforward approach to add reverb and chorus effects is using the integrated effects some PA systems have. Guitarists and vocalists can employ pedals for effects.
Since pedals are convenient to use on stage, they are an excellent option for vocalists who wish to adjust the amount of effect they apply.
Improving Your Live Sound Mixing Skill
Although it’s not easy, you’ll be excellent once you’ve mastered the concept of mixing live sound. However, there’s much more to it than just adjusting gain and riding faders; never be afraid to delve deeply into the more complex ideas of EQ and compression.
It will make you a far better engineer. Mixing in a big club is another story; there is more room for maneuver and less resistance from the instruments’ loudness. However, using these suggestions will result in the best sound attainable.
