Mixing on Headphones

[3dot...]

I'm just the opposite... I only use headphones when I have to...

[The Carpet Cleaner]

A good mix you translate correctly everywhere.

[ian_halsall]

me too - that just happens to be most of MY time

[3dot...]

A good master you translate correctly everywhere.

corrected..
a proper mix is usually mixed in studio settings... with usually 2 studio grade systems (big/medium sized speakers..maybe "shit-boxes" too)
a mastering engineer knows the trade-offs between various speaker configurations and references and applies processing to make the best out of all worlds... (according to the desired release format)

[rakim87]

Beats studio surely aren't quality headphones for mixing...

LMAO $300 for headphones that are bassier than skrillex's projects. Yeah right. I'd rather let Dr. DRE come down here and kiss my ass. No Homo.

depends on the model, i know the lady gaga ones are all muddled with bass but the studio ones (which I have) aren't like that at all. overpriced perhaps but not bad sound quality at all.

[DoobieBrother69]

a GOOD mastering engineer knows the trade-offs between various speaker configurations and references and applies processing to make the best out of all worlds... (according to the desired release format)

Corrected that for you.

Mastering engineers come all kinds of flavors, and even some big name ones don't do so good sometimes.

Was looking forward the lastest Rush album (A Clockwork Angels), then I heard it and how badly it was mastered, and will be waiting to buy it only after they re-master it (if they ever do).

[matthews]

For what its worth, I do the majority of a track with headphones (TMA-1 Studio), paired with the Redline Monitor Plugin. When I'm more or less finished, I'll give it an audition on monitors (HS80m). Seems to work for me, but something else might work better for you, try a few combinations and see what feels best.

[Sage]

but my point is that if you are trying to get your music listened to then you will be putting it on soundcloud or something first.

people listen to this on headphones - what's the point in making your home mixes for Glastonbury when they will never get there because the people who are going to make you a star listen to it on headphones on the tube or bus or at their desks on crap headphones?

like I say - just a guess and in the end it's up to the op to decide what their target audience is.

To be honest, someone listening to your music through ipod headphones more than likely isn't bothered by the quality and just wants to hear a good song and what happens if they get into hi-fi? It is disheartening listening to songs you loved years ago on poor speakers and discovering they sound like crap on great speakers.

[434Live]

but my point is that if you are trying to get your music listened to then you will be putting it on soundcloud or something first.

people listen to this on headphones - what's the point in making your home mixes for Glastonbury when they will never get there because the people who are going to make you a star listen to it on headphones on the tube or bus or at their desks on crap headphones?

like I say - just a guess and in the end it's up to the op to decide what their target audience is.

To be honest, someone listening to your music through ipod headphones more than likely isn't bothered by the quality and just wants to hear a good song and what happens if they get into hi-fi? It is disheartening listening to songs you loved years ago on poor speakers and discovering they sound like crap on great speakers.

Very True!!!!!

[434Live]

I think that as long as you can point out at what frequencies are boosted and which ones aren't, you would be fine. This is where it is good to use monitors because you can control how the sound comes out. With headphones you cant really do that hardware-wise.

[3dot...]

wrong. the monitoring environment should be constant (for it to be a reference you can lean on.)
eq'ing the output defeats the purpose..
control is there to adjust the speakers output(freq.response) to a room

[H20nly]

I think that as long as you can point out at what frequencies are boosted and which ones aren't, you would be fine. This is where it is good to use monitors because you can control how the sound comes out. With headphones you cant really do that hardware-wise.

^ yeah you can... it's called testing or grotboxing.

you do the best you can with your headphones, monitors, both... and then mix down and export the track to test it on other systems you're familiar with i.e. your car, your iPod, your crappy little beatbox thing in the garage, your laptop speakers. you adjust to compensate for the discrepancies of each > remix > re-export > re-test rinse. repeat.

i mix with both headphones (AT M-50) and monitors... if too much background noise is coming from external sources, like an A.D.D. poster child of a guitar player who can't sit still, out come the headphones. when i think i have it on the monitors... out come the headphones. when i think i have it on the headphones... it's back to monitors. when both of those are to taste... you'll find me in my car listening. blank CDs aren't free, but they sure are cheap.

[lsc9x]

I know this is probably a dead thread, but just wanted to add my 2 cents.

First, I am mixing on headphones, not on monitors mainly because I am forced to. I live with elderly parents and they don't want to hear the same loop repeat a million times while I make music.

To that end I have done a lot of research on mixing and mixing on headphones and I am getting some good results, so here is my short list of tips and tricks.

1) Get a good pair of flat response mixing headphones. NOT the kind you use to listen to music as these usually amp the highs and the bass to make it seem like you are listening to speakers. For mixing you want as flat a response as possible. I use KRK KNS 6400s. Since they are NOT the best sounding headphones, if I can make it sound good on these, then that's a good start.

2) Get either ToneBoosters Isone, or (and a MUCH better choice) pick up a Focusrite VRM. It's $99 and well worth it. It simulates 15 speakers and 3 rooms and it is amazing the difference each virtual environment brings to the mix. It also allows you to reference multiple setups in rapid succession which is easier than running to the car or home stereo every time you remix. Just by playing a mix and cycling through the models I can pick up tons of information about the mix that the regular stereo headphones channel won't show. I also use Isone by Toneboosters, but it's harder to set up and use than the VRM, and a lot more subtle.

3) Like others have already said here, text your mixes on familiar setups like home stereos, car stereos etc. If you can get into an actual studio or listen through real monitors this will certainly help but is beyond my scope at this point.

Finally, I am NOT a professional, and I don't claim to be. However, I also don't like my CDs to sound like crap when I hand them out to people, and these tools have helped with that. I try and aim somewhere in the middle of the best simulated monitors and the worst. It usually turns out well.

Anyway, that's my two cents. Hope it helps!