Mixdown; How To Create A Dependable Mix - Alesis 1622 Reference Manual

PLEASE NOTE: For quietest operation with the greatest headroom, it's best to run the
individual channel SENDS at about the 3/4 level and the SEND MASTERS at about half
or less.
MIXDOWN BASICS
Below is a simplified step by step way to establish a mix. For a more complex (but better
sounding) method, see the following "How to Create a Great Mix".
1) Raise the Channel Faders that are being used as Tape Returns to the
desired levels.
2) Adjust the EQ as needed(refer to HOW TO ADJUST LEVELS in Section
2)
3) Add the amount of effects desired by adjusting the SEND levels of each
Tape Return Channel. If required, adjust the MASTER SEND levels to
eliminate overload of outboard effects. For quietest operation with the
greatest amount of headroom, it's best to run the individual channel
SENDS at about the 3/4 level and the SEND MASTERS at about half or
less.
4) Raise the effects RETURN level controls and pan as desired (typically
hard left and hard right).
5) Adjust the MASTER Faders so that the desired level is sent to the
Mixdown Tape Machine.

HOW TO CREATE A DEPENDABLE MIX

Creating a mix is easy; creating a great mix, one that jumps off of the tape, is a lot harder.
There are those engineers who are in demand just for mixing because their sense of balance
between instruments causes the mix to come alive with excitement. Although outboard effects
and tonal adjustment are important, you'd be surprised at how good a dry (meaning no effects or
EQ) mix can be if the balances between the parts are right. When you add effects and EQ it will
sound that much better.
Since much of the art of mixing is totally subjective and up to the taste of the engineer, a basic
balance between instruments is necessary first before any tonal or effect enhancements can
really be effective. So we've decided to include a method to help you quickly create a
"dependable" mix; one that sounds good no matter what speakers you mix or play back on.
It would be easy to give a basic reference mixing formula just for the instruments normally found
in pop music (Kick, Snare, Hat, Percussion, Bass, Guitar, Synthesizers, etc), but with a addition
of a little orchestration theory, this method can be applied to any type of music regardless of the
instruments used.
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