thread: Whoops
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Old 2nd October 2004
Guest Moderator - September 08
Dave Pensado's Avatar

I'm not convinced I have ever had a string of good mixes

EVERYONE'S mixes ALWAYS sound better to me than my own. I usually always think the rough is better. Of the thousands of mixes I have done, I can only listen to maybe 10, and still be proud, and not break out into a cold sweat. Before you starting yelling Prima Donna (?) bull ****, let me explain something to you. A magician can NEVER see his own trick like the audience can. We see the girl actually cut in half, he sees the trick. I hear the flaws, the manipulations, the things I missed due to time or money, and my taste change every few months.

I don't think we should judge mixers by their best mix, BUT JUDGE THEM BY THEIR WORST MIX. Let me say that again, because it is incredibly important. Don't judge a mixer by his (her) best mix, but by his worst. We can all (and sometimes do) get lucky and get a well tracked session and look like Andy Wallace. But, luck aint gonna bail you out on a ****ty session. I actually take a lot of pride in the fact that I spend more time and effort on the bad ones. Nothing, I said NOTHING leaves my studio unless it is at least mixed pretty good. I might have to replay every track, or I might have to tell the producer to go back and try again, but it is gonna leave her sounding pretty good. I once did a mix for Paula Abdul with a 105 degree temperature, and a trash can that I puked in every hour. We had to finish it, no way around it. That is the only mix to fall below my standards. If you want to humiliate me, go listen to it. It sucks. I know this sounds arrogant, but I can name several other mixers who are the same way. I can tell, because we are on the same albums sometimes, and got the same crap. The mixers that don't have it just do what they can and don't sound good. But the guys with this attitude always amaze me. I guess it's just that corny saying, "If it's worth doing....."

So, I would say, some of my mixes are better than others, but if I am having an off day, I stop and go home, and come in early the next day. I will find a way to make it good. Period.

I am prepared to take flak for this, so let me have it. But I am very sincere about this, ask ecue or any of my other assistants, I drill this in their heads also. This ain't no HOBBY, it's the pros.

There ARE some days when I feel like I am not very creative, so I focus on the technical things, like pans, etc. and wait for the creative flow to hit me. It usually shows up eventually. Kinda like when Jordan had an off shooting day, he made up for it with defense until the shot came back. I aint no Jordan, but I can DREAM!

I just found a flaw in my own logic. How in the hell can I know if I have ever had two bad mixes in a row if I never listen to them again!!!! Uh OH, never mind........