We now come to the third chapter of our home studio series devoted to home recording, looking more closely at some of the most common mixing problems and uncovering a few little tricks that boost our final results. In the two previous chapters we covered different aspects such as brightness in cymbals and vocals, peak problems in the low end, etc... Today we'll go through the rest of the issues we raised at the outset, solving them with the tools a modest computer gives us.
The snare, toms and kick
Last time we left off at solving the brightness and presence of the cymbals and hi-hat. Given how important the drums are to the quality of the recording (since they cover many of the frequencies we hear), next we'll try to optimize the kick (BD), toms and snare (SN).
Where do we start?
We already mentioned the need to separate all the drum tracks. It may be more convenient to record all the sequences on a single track, so you can play and record several pieces at once. Fine—we can choose any track on which to record the whole drum part.
Now, once it's fully recorded, how do we split it into different tracks?
Almost all, if not all, reasonably professional programs include these editing capabilities, making it easy to select, copy and paste. So, working in Logic for example, we'll open the edit window for the drum track.
Now we select a note belonging to the kick part, and in the menu we choose the "select equal objects" option (other programs may name this function differently, though similarly). Once all the kick notes are selected, we go to menu, edit, cut. Now, on a different track created beforehand (and within its edit window), we paste all the kick notes (menu, edit, paste). We need to be especially careful when marking the starting bar, since if (obviously) we paste the first kick hit at bar three when the drums originally started at bar one, we'll throw the tracks out of sync.
We'll call this new track BD or Kick. In this way we'll gradually create all the tracks we need: snare (SN), hi-hat (HH), ride, crash, splash, rim, etc... etc...
To what extent do we need to separate absolutely everything?
This will depend on how detail-oriented each of you is. For example, you can create one track for the toms and include the rack toms and floor tom on it, give them a generic EQ and be done. That would be the sloppy way. Now, the ideal way: we put each rack tom on its own (MIDI) track and the floor tom on another. Once this separation is done, we can (most importantly) vary the panning for each tom, starting for example with the highest toms on the right and ending on the left with the floor tom.
What do we achieve?
As you can imagine, among other things, we'll get the effect of a fill in perfect stereo: kick and snare in the center and the toms sweeping across the whole stereo field.
We can also fine-tune the EQ of each of them (if they are on separate tracks).
Before converting MIDI to audio
Before turning our MIDI tracks into audio, we'll boost the punch of the kick and snare with MIDI compression.
Another useful step could be reviewing the "velocity" (volume) of each "note" on the track. That is, checking the variations between different notes (of the kick, for example). If we played with different intensities, we'll see that there may be notes with a velocity (volume) value of 20 (for example) and others with a value of 115. This can be a problem if it wasn't recorded that way on purpose. If we have differences in attack, in some parts of the song the kick will be blasting and in others it will be too quiet. Fixing this problem by riding the mix fader up and down is completely sloppy. To be specific: there are functions for setting the minimum and maximum volume of each note, although we need to be careful. If we set all the kick notes to maximum and minimum volume 127, our track will be mathematically stable, which means our mix will be completely balanced. The drawback: the performance loses all its nuance and the result is "rigid" and lacking in performance feel. Solutions: in almost every program we find an option with a name similar to "humanize," a funny term that usually tells the machine to remove perfection—humanize = unbalance? We can set the degree of "humanization" we want to give the passage. This way we get balance and at the same time certain variations that "humanize" the track. In any case, I personally prefer to set a wider range between minimum and maximum velocity (110 and 125, for example) and touch up the "human" variations by hand with my own "human" mistakes, fine-tuning each difference or abrupt change in volume.
Converting MIDI to audio
Most of you, I assume, will have certain limitations on audio tracks. This will force us to be less generous than we'd like with the drum tracks, since if we use eight tracks just for "drums" we'll run short for vocals, guitars, etc...
Well, maybe we can prepare a good premix of the whole drum kit and bounce it to two tracks, keeping the panning. This means we won't be able to make future tweaks (although we always have the MIDI to readjust and record again).
Another option is to record the hi-hat and cymbals on one track, the kick on another, the snare likewise and the toms separately. This approach would give us more room to play, since in addition to having had the chance to touch up each track separately in MIDI, we'll now have the option of manipulating the audio signals separately. That way we could export the kick, snare or toms to an external program and work on them separately, etc...
Naturally, the more tracks, the more control, and the more control, the better the sound.
Snooping around!
Digidesign has announced, first at the IBC 2000 show and later at the recent AES Surrounded by Sound event, the launch of the new version 5.1 of its Pro Tools TDM recording and editing software. This new version features integrated surround mixing, greater processing power, expanded MIDI functionality and other general improvements in editing, navigation, file exchange and system integration. Pro Tools 5.1 brings powerful new features for surround sound mixing, editing and processing to Pro Tools|24 MIX and MIX Plus systems (with support for all surround formats up to 7.1), as well as stereo and multichannel tracks, which make it easier to handle audio data across several channels simultaneously.
Tracks now support multiple output assignments for simultaneous creation of multiformat mixes, as well as independent multichannel panning. For precise control of surround panning moves, this version features a spatial coordinate display (the "XY Panner"). A new I/O setup page is the last word in built-in routing flexibility, with I/O configuration files that can be saved for import and/or export between different sessions or systems.
TDM systems now have the best of both existing worlds in effects processing. Pro Tools TDM 5.1 supports native processing of RTAS plug-ins and, at the same time, features a new DSP performance enhancement, MultiShell II, for working with power on demand and TDM hardware, with support for plug-ins developed by Digidesign and its Development Partners. Dave Froker, General Manager of Digidesign, says: "Technologies such as RTAS plug-ins combined with MultiShell II make intelligent use of the computer's native power together with the on-demand power of TDM hardware, while always maintaining the level of responsiveness and reliability users expect from Pro Tools."
Digidesign has also developed the new Edit Pack option for the ProControl control surface. Edit Pack features two touch-sensitive motorized panning joysticks, a QWERTY keyboard and trackball, dedicated editing switches and encoders, and 8 high-resolution multichannel meters. With the new version 5.1, ProControl features surround panning controlled via rotary encoders, touch-sensitive support for a new on-screen plug-in pop-up mode and support for expanding the number of faders up to a total of 48.
For a limited time, Pro Tools|24 MIX and MIX Plus systems will include additional plug-ins specifically for working in the new surround mixing environment. This bundle includes a new plug-in for multichannel surround metering, Kind of Loud's Woofie plug-in for bass management and Tweetie, from the same maker, for monitoring and calibration in surround environments.
The Pro Tools MachineControl option has been improved so that Pro Tools can act as a slave to any 9-pin device, allowing playback, recording and track arming to be triggered remotely. With an expanded list of track-arming profiles that recognizes more industry standards, and improved transport control, MachineControl offers more precise control of external linear video decks.
Another major new feature introduced in TDM systems is Beat Detective, a creative module that will revolutionize digital audio editing. Beat Detective offers rhythm extraction, automatic tempo map creation, quantizing of regions to the rhythm and a unique ability to polish the results through edit smoothing (including crossfades). Beat Detective can make material fit together and polish how it's "assembled" without losing its "feel." In addition, post-production editors working with sound effects and Foley can also take advantage of the possibilities offered by this edit smoothing feature.
Continuing the expansion of the Pro Tools MIDI sequencer, version 5.1 features a new MIDI event list window, which can be used to insert and edit any type of MIDI data quickly and accurately. A unique option for inserting events at the playback position lets you add MIDI notes or events without a MIDI keyboard. Users can navigate and edit any event quickly without touching the mouse. New MIDI features include independent offset for each MIDI track and simultaneous recording from multiple MIDI devices.
Thanks to the new Universe window, TDM systems now offer a global overview of the entire session, in which you simply click on the desired part of the screen to jump directly to the corresponding point in the session. In addition, the new "Zoom Toggle" tool lets you enlarge the waveform in the edit window and then return to the track's original view. All of this makes for comfortable, fast navigation within the program.
Portability and session interchange have also improved significantly. Version 5.1 adds the ability to deactivate tracks, routing assignments and plug-ins manually or automatically, without compromising settings or automation. When moving a session to another system, Pro Tools will automatically deactivate all relevant elements while preserving all related data (including references to plug-ins not installed on the destination system). A new track import option allows audio and MIDI tracks to be transferred transparently between sessions, keeping all mixer settings, plug-ins and automation intact. Unique file identifiers solve the file and location reference problems that arise when exchanging between different systems. Pro Tools 5.1 can also work with "offline" media, allowing a session to be edited even if none of its audio or video files are available.
Integration with Avid video workstations has also benefited in Pro Tools 5.1. Digidesign's AVoption and AVoption|XL options make it possible to capture, import and play back multiple AVID-compatible video files from within the Pro Tools application itself. This update also includes basic video editing tools, including moving, sliding and copying clips on the video track. Future support for Avid Unity will provide full access to networked Avid media, allowing users to share information transparently with other Avid and Digidesign workstations on the network. Together with the additions in surround editing and mixing, this achieves an unprecedented level of audio-video integration and a better workflow for audio-for-picture professionals.
Pro Tools TDM 5.1 also features other significant improvements in various areas: multiple levels of "Undo," an automatic session save function at user-definable intervals, multiple plug-in windows, a new track duplication option that preserves all plug-in instances, settings and automation, and plug-in duplication via "drag and drop."
