USE MY WHAT TO MIX AUDIO?

Many times, I get asked what kind of equipment I have in the studio. What kind of mics, what plugins (“do you use Waves”), do I use Logic, do I use Pro Tools, MAC or PC. And I understand seduction of having fancy lights flickering, sophisticated-looking plugins moving back and forth, or having the words “SSL” up on your screen. And that’s cool, but ultimately it comes down to 1 thing and everyone already has this. Your ears!

STOCK PLUG-INS AND GEAR

For the longest time, I recorded and mixed using only Logic Pro’s stock plugins. And you know what, it forced me to do something… make better mixes! It forced me to make better mixes because I had to use my ears. I didn’t rely on expensive plugins or hardware. When I first started mixing, I had to learn what sounded good or bad and use what plugins I had in my DAW. And you know what? Many artists said that my mixes came out pretty good and had no clue what I was using other than Logic Pro.

 YOU GOTTA LISTEN!

As Mixerman in his book titled “Zen and the Art of Mixing” says, “Gear surely matters… But if you haven’t developed your ears enough to identify the differences you’re hearing and how they actually affect sound, then what does it really matter?” I agree with this statement, as I think many other audio engineers do as well. Keep in mind I’m not saying that gear and other plug-ins can’t help you get a better sounding mix. Gear is not what makes a mix sound good or bad. The point is, if you haven’t developed your critical listening skills, don’t know what to listen for, and your mixes aren’t coming out how you or your artists want, then perhaps you need to further develop your ear for this craft.

Believe me, it took me a long to learn how to mix. I didn’t go to school for engineering. I am self-taught. But more importantly, I was hungry to learn how to mix music. And till this day, I still read books, subscribe to articles, buy videos, and talk shop with other engineers. Mixing is not something that can be taught, you have to learn it. Just like learning to play an instrument. You can learn how to play an instrument, but can you make music that people will vibe to? I spent many years in trial-and-error mode until things slowly started to sound right and my confidence and knowledge started to grow. First, I had to have committed consistency, and then came the results.

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If you are looking for an engineer to record, mix, and/or master your music:

Call me directly at 323-543-5356

You can also email me: agruv@agruv.com

For samples of my work, visit my website: http://agruvstudios.com/

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What’s up underground hip hop heads! My name is Alex, as an audio engineer I go by Agruv. UnderGroundHipHopBlog (UGHHB) has given me the opportunity to contribute weekly tips about the music industry. Although my background is in audio engineering, I did start out as a musician in high school and attended Musicians Institute (MI) in Hollywood. During my year at MI, I studied music business, which allowed me to see first hand how the industry works.

My weekly topics will mainly cover audio engineering, which will include recording, mixing, and mastering. I may occasionally cover topics such as networking, marketing, collaboration, and some philosophical ramblings from time to time.

Again, I’d like to thank UGHHB for this great opportunity. I hope I get to work with you guys on any recording, mixing, and mastering projects. But more importantly, I hope you gain some knowledge and understanding about the industry, make some dope music and take your career to the next level.

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