This #MixingEnergy technique was born because I got so many questions from a newbie (from my country, Indonesia), about HOW TO set up the VOLUME BALANCE of each track in a song.
Previously, I answered them by saying that it can’t have exact rules because so many music styles and even in the same music genre, there are too many variables to consider: personal preference and taste, genre-specific balancing style, recording levels, arrangement, etc.
BUT, the more and more I dive down into this subject, I found a way to answer those newbie questions.
Watch this video to know my answer of this newbie question:
If you prefer to read than watch a video, continue reading…
What is MIXING ENERGY?
Basically, each sound/musical instrument/vocal in a song have certain energy that contributes to the overall song energy.
If you are familiar with VU Meter like this (it’s a freeware from TBProAudio):
If you look closely at the meter, the lower part of the needle is numbers like 0, 20, 40, 60, 80, and 100. IT’S THE ENERGY OF A SOUND IN PERCENTAGE, NOT IN DECIBELS (the deciBels are the -20, -10, -7, etc above the needle)!
So how to measure the energy or the volume balance of the sound in a song?
For example, you want to know how Lead Vocal’s volume in Pop music.
Here are the steps:
- Pick the finished music that you’re satisfied with the mixing.
- Insert the VU meter in the Master Out / Stereo Out of your DAW’s virtual mixer.
- Find the heaviest energy section in your song. Usually, it’s the 3rd chorus or ending chorus or whatever your music arrangement is.
- Calibrate the VU meter so the needle stays more or less in the 0dB (or 100% energy) area.
- Solo that vocal track and see the VU Meter and write it down.
- Do this for other tracks too and write each of the track energy.
After you are done doing this, you will come up with a formula for how to balance each track in Pop music, according to YOUR taste!
For example, this is my #MixingEnergy formula for Pop music (It’s not precisely as in my above video because I adjust these from time to time):
| INSTRUMENT GROUP | TRACKS | ENERGY |
| ALL DRUMS | → | 35% – 40% |
| KICK | 30% | |
| SNARE | 20% | |
| SIDESTICK | 10% | |
| HIHAT | 5% | |
| TOMS | 30% | |
| RIDE | 7,5% | |
| CYMBAL | 10% | |
| CLAP | 10% | |
| SNAPS | 2.5% | |
| SHAKER | 5% | |
| TAMBOURINE | 5% | |
| PERCUSSION | 2.5% | |
| BASS | ELECTRIC BASS | 30% |
| ALL VOCALS | → | 80 – 90% |
| LEAD VOC | 75% | |
| ALL BACKING VOC | 50% | |
| ALL GUITARS | → | 60% – 70% |
| AC GUITAR | 30% | |
| DIST GUITAR RHYTHM | 30% | |
| LEAD GUITAR | 50% | |
| ALL KEYS | → | 60% |
| PIANO | 40% | |
| SYNTH PAD | 10% | |
| ALL STRINGS | → | 30% – 40% |
| VIOLIN 1 & 2 | 30% | |
| VIOLA | 20% | |
| CELLO | 20% | |
| CONTRABASS | 15% | |
| ALL BRASS | → | 25% |
| ALTO SAXOPHONE | 20% | |
| TENOR SAXOPHONE | 20% | |
| TRUMPET | 20% | |
| TROMBONE | 15% | |
| ALL WOODWIND | → | 30% |
| CLARINET | 20% | |
| FLUTE | 30% | |
| OBOE | 20% |
Notes of the above table:
- Measured at the dense music arrangement, usually after the 2nd Chorus or last Chorus.
- The Sum of the Group’s energy usually is NOT correlated with its individual energy
Next time I’m mixing, I will be fast in volume balancing because I don’t have to listen to each track and play the song over and over. I just insert a VU Meter and match the energy from the table above!
Of course, you have to have your own #MixingEnergy formula because it’s your music. Once you find the formula, I can guarantee you that the process of volume balancing will be faster than you usually spend.
Because of this, I can volume balancing a song WITHOUT EVEN LISTENING TO IT! I’m exaggerating this but I hope you get my point!
And by combining this technique with GAIN STAGING technique, you can mixing a song faster than everybody else.
That’s it! If you have something to add, please comment below or comment in the video.
Please watch other videos on my channel AgusHardimanTV
Keep making great music!
Impressive formula! I will try on my next Mixes, thanks so much!
Your welcome !
Hi Agus,
Firstly I would like to thank you for creating pristine sound samples for the Ethnica library, love the sounds from there. I would like to kindly request if you have midi patterns for Cubase for the percussions, it will be a great addition to my work.
Thank you so much for your kind attention,
Best regards,
Raj
Hi Raj,
What MIDI Percussion Pattern do you mean ? The one that use my Monster Ethnica?
Maksudnya mungkin midi seperti ezkeys atw ezdrummer gitu kang, tp untuk pattern perkusi yang di monster ethnica seperti gamelan, kendang sunda, dsb, jadi bisa langsung drag and drop di DAW dengan gaya permainan yang seperti aslinya, kadang kalo kita tulis sendiri di piano roll, kan kadang2 agak repot yah kalo masih awam dgn instrumen tsb, harus gimana irama-ritme, velocity, dll nya agar terdengar real. Nuhun
Saya juga pingin kayak EzKeys atau EZDrummer tetapio mesti inget juga kang, saya ini bikin plugin cuma hobi dan bukan profesional programmer, jadi emang ilmu saya belum sampai di sana dan belum tahu kapan bisa karena ya kan cuma hobi, Beda ama EzKeys atau EZDrumemr yang menjual pluginnya berjuta2 rupiah dan di buat oleh programmer profesional yang sehari-harinya emang kerja bikin plugin. Semoga paham situasi saya yaaaaa
Very interesting approach! Will try. Thanks for your kindness in sharing! I wish you much success!
Your welcome !
Great tutorial! Thank you!
Glad this is useful !