Well Placed Exaggeration

From Robert Scovill’s live audio master class at Willow, a paraphrased pearl of wisdom:  great mixers enhance what’s happening…experience the music as you listen, let it talk to you musically, and enhance it as a MIX.

Live mixing is about well placed exaggeration.  Because it is an audio/visual experience, what you hear needs to match what you’re seeing.  On a recording, the audio doesn’t have to keep up with the visual at all – the visual is in your imagination.  But in live world, huge visual activity needs to match what you’re doing and seem like you’re working together with it.  For example, the spotlight hits somebody or a featured camera shot – your mix needs to change in level for whatever is featured.  When music comes back in, pull it back where it belongs.