POLL: How are you guys mixing?

[Maskeeper]

Quick Introduction

When I first started getting into digtal recording/mixing and PT for music recording, I was surprised to discover how PT was being used in the "professional" environment, specifically in the big LA studios.

As is still largely the case today, the music recording world seems to use the PT platform primarily as a recording/editing platform, but many don't use much/any of the mixing and processing tools inside PT. They still run the outputs to analog consoles with automation and use a large amount of outboard processing gear. Their summing and bussing is still done on the analog console, and they mix to external machines like DAT or Analog tape.


So, I'm wondering how the post guys are mixing. It seems like in the large format theatrical mix rooms, they are also running a similar configuration: a couple PT systems running to an automated mix desk (analog? digital?). I'm not sure how they process or what their outputs are recorded to...

Anyway, I wondered if many people in post are mixing 100% inside the box... even outputting their finished mixes inside Pro Tools as files.


For me and the primary place I've been working:

Format: Mostly Television, Stereo.

Mixing: 100% in the box, Using pro-control surfaces to mix inside PT. All summing and bussing is done inside PT. The mixes are done direct from the editors clean-up sessions, there is no stem premixing.

Processing: 99% in the box, using PT plugins for processing with one or two mixers still going to outboard gear once in a while (compression, noise reduction, once in a blue moon for reverbs).

Output: Final mix stems are played out [digitally] to DA-88 for archive, these DA-88s are summed in the machine room on a small format digital console to the client-specific video layback config.


I'd be interested to hear how you guys do your mixes.

[tomcat]

in the box, 98 percent. playback, processing, summing, stem recording, and final mix recording (with the exception of dolby printmastering) all within pro tools, as controlled by a pro control or such. I still use a dolby 430 background noise reducer and a lafont cinema filter set notch filter as my only outboard. I used to use extenal reverbs, but for post, nothing beats a good convolution plug like TL Space. I get by with reverb one for non-realistic music and fx verbs, and very rarely turn on the TC Electronics verb.

[emf1138]

Format: Mostly Television, Stereo.

Mixing: 100% in the box, Using pro-control surfaces to mix inside PT. All summing and bussing is done inside PT. The mixes are done direct from the editors clean-up sessions, there is no stem premixing.

Processing: 99% in the box, using PT plugins for processing with one or two mixers still going to outboard gear once in a while (compression, noise reduction, once in a blue moon for reverbs).

Output: Final mix stems are played out [digitally] to DA-88 for archive, these DA-88s are summed in the machine room on a small format digital console to the client-specific video layback config.


I'd be interested to hear how you guys do your mixes.

You've pretty much nailed my exact workflow, though I'm using a C24, mixing to LTRT & 5.1, and using 100% plug-in processing. Been working like this for over 2 years. I WILL NEVER go back to traditional console mixing. It would be such a HUGE step back to work that way, making sure a board is "zeroed", having to patch gear, waiting for machines to lock up and then having to actually punch-in on a record deck. Gack!

[dr sound]

Vince,
100% IN THE BOX! Completly Virtual even on the large Movie I'm working on now.
The mix is 5.1 with 3 HD Accel systems. No outboard, no reason to.
I mix both Featues and TV all 5.1 and simo Lt./Rt.
Where have you been to check out other rooms?

[minister]

i mix in and out of the box. still mostly stereo, and some 5.1. music, tv, shorts and features. i have an HD|2 which limits me somewhat. so i hang on to my external reverbs because, for one, verbs take up a lot of processing, and two, i still don't like verb plugs as much as my outboards and may be one of the few who doesn't like the sound of TL SPACE. to me, it is way too metallic sounding. sure, some of the small convolutions are nice, and not in other boxes, so i use it for that. i use midi controls to change parameters and setting in my externals. also, i prefer the sound of my eventide eclipse over the delays and weirdo things i can get with sound toys or digi delay, so sometimes for multi-effects. 5.1, for now, is in the box.

music is summed out of the box using a dangerous 2-bus. i prefer it and i use a lot of external things like distressors, avalon, and an spl tube vitalyzer, tube tech eq as well as my verbs. when that music ends up in a show i am mixing, i mix stems that end up staying in the box.

[Chief Technician]

3 HD Accel systems

Did you write yourself a prescription for another HD Accel system? I thought you had two (four months ago)?

[dr sound]

Chief,
You are right. However we have another system coming in (for Music) for the Feature I'm currrently mixing because it's so wide.
Here is a link to the Feature:
http://www.sonypictures.com/movies/t...smofemilyrose/

[bigbadhenchman]

Chief,
You are right. However we have another system coming in for the Feature I'm currrently mixing because it's so wide.
Here is a link to the Feature:
http://www.sonypictures.com/movies/t...smofemilyrose/

I recorded some of the ADR for that movie up here.

Mark

[dr sound]

Poster: bigbadhenchman
Subject: Re: POLL: How are you guys mixing?
I recorded some of the ADR for that movie up here.

dr.sound replies:
Henchman (Mark),
Who do you think sent them to you?

[blue demon]

Marti, and you other folks that mix features:


I have a related question. I've been doing shorts up until this current feature I'm working on, and I've only ever mixed on my LE system. Nothing too big. For this feature I am not going to mix, for obvious reasons. I have never actually been involved with a final mix on a feature. When I interned, I got to sit in during the pre-dub sessions, but they didn't let the interns observe the actual final mix.

How do you deal with seperate reels? In the final mix, do you go reel by reel, or do you take all the seperate sessions and import them into one big reel? If you go reel by reel, then how does the sound get assembled in the end?


And another psuedo related question. Without going into a long explanation....my session is at 24 fps. When I started my sessions I should have done a pull down, but I didn't. I know, rookie move. I'm kicking myself for it now. My workaround for temp mixes that I have been doing for festival deadlines is to bounce to disk at 48048, and then use soundhack to change the file header to 48KHz. When they import my audio back into FCP, then it's in sync. For the mix stage, my session needs to be right. So, what's the best way for me to fix my problem? I'm thinking of bouncing each track in a given session out, and then re-importing it into a new session with a pull down. Will this work? I guess I could try it and see what happens.

-Dave