For many mixers, especially those handling their own productions, the point where arrangement ends and mixing begins isn't the clear handover we'd all like it to be. We assume arranging is rooted in a musical perspective, while mixing takes a broader, almost purely technical view - focusing on sonic balance and quality. However, the distinction between these two processes is not always so clear-cut.
Harmony, a fundamental aspect of arrangement, is profoundly influenced by our mixing decisions, particularly with EQing, but also by placement in terms of balance and stereo positioning. A mixer’s decision to clear out significant portions of low-end or low-mid information across multiple tracks (pianos, pads, bass, acoustic rumble, and noise, etc.) cumulatively influences how the harmony eventually combines. This can lead to framing the top line in a very different light compared to how it sat in a pre-mixed version of the song.
It’s a common occurrence to receive revised or entirely new ‘stems’ to incorporate into a mix after a client gets the first pass. This happens because the artist or producer starts hearing the arrangement differently after getting an initial mix. The mixing process inadvertently serves as an evolution of the arrangement in these cases. For better or worse.
Minimising Conflict for Maximum Impact:
Or, as I like to put it, control conflict.
It's generally important to minimise conflict between parts occupying the same frequency range. Usually, you can make things sound more bold and more beautiful with careful cuts in these clashing areas. However, always pay attention to how these changes impact the overall harmony. Some rub and slight dissonance caused by certain frequency build-up can add tension or be perceived as interest or even warmth. Be intentional.
Identifying Threads and Channel Splitting:
At the start of a mix, I prefer to identify parts that may run as a thread throughout a track. Let’s say, for example, a synth pad, piano, or a bass arpeggio that has full-range qualities. A rough mix often sounds cluttered because the artist or producer has anchored the track around these sounds, but they may not have revisited and refined them after constructing the entire composition around these foundational elements.
I’ll take these ‘threads’ and split them across multiple tracks. Cutting the regions in line with the structure of the song. For example, BASS ARP MAIN will become:
BASS ARP V1
BASS ARP V2
BASS ARP CHORUS
BASS ARP BRIDGE
Now, I can tailor four different, very specific EQ curves to suit different sections of the song. All the EQ adjustments are made with minimising conflict for maximum impact in mind, always with a focus on how the harmony is combining and affecting the top line.
Final thought: Every last tonal element in a composition contributes to overall harmony. A long reverb decay on a vocal can add a new sense of harmony or drone-like tension to an otherwise sparse passage. That’s something to recognise at both the arrangement and mixing stages.
I think I’ve made my point, or at least enough of it, I hope. Lmk.
Photo credit: Connor Tagg
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