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Tips for preparing your tracks for your mixing engineer
Here are some tips for preparing your tracks for your mixing engineer.
1. Name your tracks logically
Name the tracks in the same way as the instrument on them, for example "01. Kick Drum", "02. Snare Top", "03. Snare Bottom", and so on.
This way, the mixing session will be set up exactly like your recording session and will save the artist and engineer time working on the song by understanding each other.
2. Include a Doc file for your song
Include information such as the song title, BPM, rhythm signature, sample rate, bit depth and any other information you feel you need to share. This will help your mixing engineer set up his or her session correctly without hesitation.
3. Tempo sections
If your track has a variable tempo, this will help your mixing engineer know which parts of the song will change tempo.
The same goes for sections or markers. If you cut your song into Intro, Verse 1, Pre Chorus, Chorus, etc...
4. include DI tracks
DI tracks are always good to have as a backup. They are a "clean" source to use for putting in an Amp Sim plugin or using it for effects.
Let's say you recorded your DI and amp on separate tracks and you liked the sound of your amp at the time.
What often happens is that the amp sound you liked may not be what the song needs. Having the DI track for your guitar will allow your mixing engineer to re-amplify (so to speak) that track.
DI tracks can also be used as their own source to add reverbs and delays. If you haven't started recording a DI track yet, there's no better time than the present.
5. Mono tracks to Mono Stems, Stereo tracks to Stereo Stems
Some tracks will have either one audio source (mono) or two (stereo).
Instruments like bass guitar and electric guitar are usually mono sources.
Tracks like drum overheads or pianos (depending on the number of microphones used) will be stereo sources.
There are also items such as mono and stereo microphone tracks. In the case of DI/amp tracks, both will be mono sources.
There are always exceptions, such as if you have more than one microphone on an amp, you might be tempted to export them as stereo files, but it would be better to keep these microphone recordings as separate mono files so that your mixing engineer can integrate them.
6. Include "Dry" and "Wet" tracks
There may be a time when you record an effect on the track that you want to include in your files for your mixing engineer.
The best practice is to not have it directly on the instrument track, but on a separate track that you send your instrument track to.
This way the original track will remain as you recorded it and the fx track will be separate.
7: Converting MIDI tracks to audio files
The use of virtual instruments has become more common in recent years due to limited budget and space to hold a wide range of instruments.
Once your virtual instrument track sounds the way you want it to, you'll need to send it back as an audio file. Not all mixing engineers will have the same virtual instrument plugins as you. So it's always best to send them back as an audio file.
8: All tracks to unity and start at 0
Setting your tracks to unity means that all your faders and gain are set to 0 dB on your individual session tracks.
All tracks, when you export them, should be where they are supposed to be in the track timeline and should start at 0.
If you don't know how to export your tracks so that they are all where they are supposed to be, search your favorite search engine or YouTube for a tutorial on how to do this in your specific audio recording program or DAW.
9. Communication is key
It's always a good idea to communicate with your mix engineer and find out what they want from you as well as what you want from them.
And don't be afraid to ask him questions, no matter how "stupid" you think it might be. There are no "stupid" questions and we're here to help you.
Now that you know some tips on how to prepare your tracks for your mix engineer...
Don't be afraid to contact a mix engineer. Everyone has a different way of working and a different set of guidelines, but many of these tips will definitely be part of it.