Questions Answered – Mixing In A Small Room

DrumsAndSounds.com – Questions

I would like to know some tips for mixing a beat in a small room 6×6. And which is better mixing before adding the vocals or after? Thanks
- Matthijp

Thanks for leaving a comment on the web site Matthijp.  To answer your first question about mixing in a small room this is they way i would approach it.

The first and most important thing to mixing in any room is to LEARN the room.  Learning to Mix music has a lot to do with learning what a “Good Mix” sounds like. Even Pro engineers will sit in room they have never used before and listen to Albums or Singles they know the sound of very well, or listen to other work they have mixed. In both situations your playing something you know and comparing how you know it and how it sounds at this point in the room your listening in. You’ll want to make notes to your self about the overall lows, mids and highs. Take a Good CD you know has a “Good” low end sound. Not necessary loud, but good. Play it in your small room. Can you hear it? Does it sounds to soft, to bassy? Now when you mix your music you know what bass should sound like in your room.   What your trying to do by listening to good records in your room weather it be 6×6 or 30×30 is to give your ear a reference point. Some place to refer back to and some place to compare.  As you start working on your mix you should also compare your mix to your reference mix directly. Switching back and forth. Recording engineers call this AB ing a mix.

Some other solutions to help your problem would be to add a small amount of acoustic treatment to the room.  Also you can check your mix in a pair of good headphones. You will also find that it will help to use small speakers and work at low levels in volume. None of these answers are exactly ideal how ever many  records have been made like this. If you have questions leave them in a comments section below.

Peter Weis
Composer, Producer, Engineer.