![]() In most cases I will apply a subtle wide cut in the lower mids on guitars, vocals, snare, overheads, and keys. Pinpoint the culpritsĮven after focusing on a strong arrangement and avoiding a boost in the lower mids, subtractive EQ is usually required to fully address this problem. But an even easier way is to use a reference track to give you a basis for comparison. You could counteract this problem with room correction software, such as Sonarworks Reference 4 Studio Edition. You can use a reference track to check the low end, high end, and overall balance of your mix.Īnother reason referencing is important is that the setup of your studio and speakers could be making your mix sound muddy, even if it isn’t. Using a reference doesn’t only apply to treating muddiness. Does your mix sound muddy in comparison? If so, which instruments in particular sound like they are contributing to this problem the most?Ĭontinue to use a reference when applying EQ to make sure you don’t remove too much of the 200-500Hz range, as this could make your mix sound brittle. ![]() You could import it into your DAW for quick comparisons, or just play it through the same speakers or headphones.įocus on the lower mids. Pull in a song from your favorite CD or your iTunes collection (avoid compressed tracks) and A/B your mix alongside it. It’s hard to tell if your mix sounds muddy or undefined without comparing it to a professional release. Quite often, something will sound like it needs more warmth in solo, but will sound perfectly fine in the mix. If you want to make a track sound warmer, try cutting the upper mids around 2-6kHz instead of boosting the lower mids.Īlso make sure you apply cuts and boosts in the context of the mix. If you starting boosting instruments in this frequency range, you are going to make the problem worse. ![]() In general, 200-500Hz is the frequency range responsible for muddiness. For example, rather than having two guitarists playing their parts on lower frets, move one part up an octave further up the neck. One fix is to spread the different parts across multiple octaves. If multiple instruments are sitting in the same register or octave, muddiness will increase. To counteract this issue, analyze the arrangement of the parts within the song. This leads to a build-up of frequencies in this area, making the mix sound muddy. A typical rock band has multiple instruments focused in the lower mids (male vocals, electric guitars, snare drums, and sometimes keys). Improve your arrangementsīefore you even think about addressing muddiness with EQ, consider the arrangement of the song. Apply these five principles when recording, and you will be well on your way to clear, soaring audio mixes. When you treat muddiness, your mixes can become clearer and more defined. But people neglect to address this problem, or in many cases, make it worse. Working in less-than-ideal rooms - as is typically the case with home recording - almost always leads to a build-up of frequencies in the lower mids, the frequency area responsible for muddy mixes. If you record at home, or you are mixing a standard rock band setup, a muddy mix is a problem that needs addressing every time. Have you ever heard the Primus song, “My Name is Mud”? I have a saying inspired by this song: My BANE is mud. If you keep these five principles in mind when working on audio mixes in your home studio, you can avoid a muddy mix every time.
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