Great Mixes per Robert Scovill

This one has been sitting in my drafts folder for a long time – since wrapping up last year’s Arts Conference.  I’m not sure why I’ve never posted it.  Seems like there’s some good stuff here so there you go…

Great mixes start with great sources. Period. Great engineers all have one common thread running through them – they all knew how to make sources sound right before they ever hit a microphone. Square pegs don’t fit in round holes. When was the last time you as the mixer stepped up on stage without the PA on to see what the sources were doing before you reached for the channel EQ? Great sounding sources can survive a bad mix, but bad sources can only be hidden, not helped, by a great mix.

Pro audio retailers & manufacturers have sold us on the “black box” mentality – there is always a black box to fix your problem. Churches have suffered terribly from this. Result of ignorance. Great mixes do not come from black boxes.

Anything that has an agenda that’s skewed from making the vocal present and intelligible is questionable – for church and out in the other world.

ARE EAR MONITORS & ELECTRONIC DRUMS REALLY THE ANSWER?

Robert’s perspective: when people are on stage performing and they see/hear each other and they see/hear you, there’s a connection that takes place there. The biggest downside to ears is disconnect with audience…can also disconnect with rest of the band.

The challenge with wedges is to get the stage balanced and sounding natural. Musicians have to play within themselves and can’t get greedy…must rely on the engineer to make sure the stage feels right. Bashing on the cymbals = must play a better kit mix.

Put up one mic in front of the kit and let the drummer listen to it to realize what they’re giving you…drummers need to give you a good kit mix. It starts with the source.

“Dude, I’ve got 112 PA speakers up there…I’ve got way more up there than you’ve got…so turn it down and I’ll put it back in the PA” Have to make them believe you’re their ally, not their enemy. Face to face on stage, not over the talkback, and not in front of other musicians.