Learning Basic Mixing Tools: Intro

Just about everything we do in life requires the use of some sort of tool. A chef uses all sorts of culinary utensils to do his/her job. Specific ingredients are selected, prepared as required, and cooked to perfection following a specific and often simple order. It is quite obvious that without the right tools and ingredients, the chef cannot be at his best. However even with the best ingredients from all over the world and the most highly priced cookware money could buy, the chef must have an understanding for how to both care for them as well as use them properly. Without the right knowledge and know how, the chef would not be a chef. Right? After all, it is not the chef’s limited edition knives, his golden spatula, or his knowing where to order the best ingredients that makes him what he is. What makes him so great is his understanding of what foods go together, how to use his tools to process them, how to manage time, and most of all his ability to satisfy all those hungry people placing orders! Gaining knowledge, skill, discipline, and experience in the things within his craft contribute to his greatness. Likewise, it will take the same on our part to be the best mixing engineers we can be! Mixing is a lot like cooking. Part is all feel and part gets very technical. With enough practice we can become as good as the best of them but the battle is in the mind!

"even with the best ingredients from all over the world and the most highly priced cookware money could buy, the chef must have an understanding for how to both care for them as well as use them properly......"

My reason for encouraging many of you to take a slower approach to grasp the basics is not because I assume anyone is incapable of comprehending but because of my own personal experience and observations of others. However, over the years I’ve learn that taking the actual time to learn the basics as best you can in the BEGINNING, actually saves you a WHOLE LOT of TIME, energy, money, and certainly helps you to evade unnecessary frustration. If you learn fast…Great that’s ok! However this is one of those things where to slow down is to speed up. Once certain things click to you…..Itz a wrap…..Trust me you will….sho nuff…. have your share of long hours and frustration by default (if ur really serious about this)! Why waste years doodling around pretending to know it all when you can just start the right way? Which is more valuable to you, pride, fear and false confidence or a professional sound? We all need to grow in various ways! Therefore, in the next few articles (if The Lord be willing) I will talk about basic and essential mixing tools one by one to help you gain more understanding about the tools we use to craft great mixes! We will learn about tools like the equalizer, compressor, limiter, gate, reverb, and more! My main concern (especially for those who are just starting out) is that you don’t get so overly excited about the tools that you forget to apply the greatest tool given to an engineer…….The Mind!!!! My repetitious style of giving you this info may be annoying but….. When that mind and them ears pop open…. Soon….You’ll be like! Thanx Zzzzzz ….But imma just be like….Thank God bruh/sis! Lol….For real tho!

So, please think about these concepts as you go throughout the day. I just believe that you are going to surpass so many people you know who choose to be distracted and not up to the challenge learning the craft they so passionately claim is their own! I hope this lil post motivated you in some way! Please share and comment below, I’d love to hear from you all! If you haven’t yet, please join the mailing list. A Big THANX for your time! God bless!