Mixing

Audio Mixing Services

Mixing is the process of balancing all the separate instrument and vocal tracks into a pleasing audio picture. Mixing is a artistic craft mixed with technical skill.

We have mixed well over 500 projects and have many satisfied clients, some getting airplay as you read this. A typical mixdown easily involves 50+ tracks w/multiple reverbs, compressors, midi instruments etc, AND automated fader and FX send moves. This is usually one of the last steps of the recording process, but also one of the most important.

Digital mixing takes place within Nuendo or Pro Tools, so everything can be instantly recalled from session to session. There is enough computer processing power that I can run over 100 channels with dynamics, 10Fx returns and automation for just about every parameter! I recently recorded a project that used 120 tracks.

Of course your project may not be that complex and we consider each song and mix on an individual basis to suit your needs! You can also radically change song arrangements. Stops or pauses, dropouts, automated fx or filter sweeps and track sweetening all can be done at the mixing stage. Once your song is mixed you can send it to a mastering house or have it mastered at Alchemy. (see Mastering page)

Alchemy also features Digital Editing and Track enhancement and audio sweetening, When you need to make sure its perfect. From microscopic waveform analysis for repairing or reconstructing waves to cleaning, denoising and declicking, sound replacement, pitch shifts, time shifts and alignments, layering, stereo imaging etc.>If you can imagine it, Alchemy Studio can make it a reality.

Mixing Prices - Mixing is a artistic craft mixed with technical skill. It takes a good ear, good gear and many years of experience to deliver polished, professional mixes.

We charge regular studio hourly rates for the mixing or there are some package mixing & mastering deals here - Studio Prices

Hear what an experienced engineer, 120 tracks of automated 24bit mixdown and an accurate listening environment can do for your sound!

Let's assume that you made yourself a good recording and it's time to mix... You might be able to get something that sounds pretty decent. When it's time for you to get a pro mix that will impress people, its time to give Alchemy a call.

Here's another situation... You've written a great song, you found the perfect studio to record it in, but you just don't trust that their engineers can get you the sound you need. Or perhaps you've got some great performances recorded, but the mix you got from the studio was less than flattering. Make the right decision for your future, get the good mix now. It's often more expensive to wait or mix it twice. Call or email with your situation and we'll give you a quote for a 100% professional mix and master for your project. The price is surprisingly affordable!

Mixing Examples

Earthman - Bumpy Buttons

Hey Jeff, Thought I'd let you know that I posted Earthman on the internet collaboration site I work with, and it was very well received with of complimentary comments about the mix.

Ive also uploaded the song to my myspace account: http://www.myspace.com/bumpybuttons and have put in a blog about how the song came about and about the mixing session. I have also included a link to the Alchemy Studios website, hopefully, you will start getting requests for mixing songs professionally from all over the world :). I hope you dont mind?

Once again thanks for taking so much care over the mix, I really enjoyed the session over at Alchemy, and look forward to doing the next one.

Cheers, Anand

Hear Earthman - Earthman-bumpy buttons

Mixing Examples

Here are some before and after examples of mxing.Some of the before samples are pretty raw so I will not name names.All samples represent copyrighted material belonging to the original artist used by consent for demonstrative purposes only.

Ride (original mix) / Ride (alchemy mix)

Chinese Tea (original mix) / Chinese Tea (alchemy mix)

Rain (original mix) / Rain (alchemy mix)

Take it (original mix) / Take it (alchemy mix)

Pre Amps and Input Chain

Focusrite Liquid Channel - read more about this amazing pre amp

MOTU 24 I/O and 2408 converters, Focusrite Octepre
8 channel preamp, TC Works Helicon vocal processor, Joe Meek Twin QTS pre-amp, BK Butler Tube
Works tube pre-amp, Art Pro-MPA dual tube preamp, Art Firetube 8 channel tube preamp

Monitoring

JBL 834 self calibrating studio monitors in the control room, large bi-amp JBL system fir tracking, 2.1 system in the drum room, various headphone feeds.

Microphones

Always popular -Neumann / 1 - TLM103, read more - The best Mic in the World?

Mohave Audio / 1 - MA - 200, Rode / 1 - tube ntk / 2 - NT5, Sennheiser / 2 - e604 / 1 - e602 / 1 - 441 / 1 - 409, AKG / 2 - C 1000 / 2- D112 /2 - C 2000 / 1 - C519, Shure / 4 - SM57 / 2 - beta 58 / 2 - SM58, Audio Technica / 2- Pro37 / 2 - ATM25

Outboard

Sans Amp Bass Processor, Radial J - 45 Direct Boxes, Joe Meek Twin QTS compressor, Lexicon Mpx
200 processor, Aphex Aural exciter w/big bottom, DOD gated compressor limiter, Rane channel
31 band graphic E.Q.