An Overview of Mixing with Cakewalk SONAR

The SONAR Mixer

The SONAR mixer is laid out very similarly to many small desktop mixers. That is, it has a number of input channels that are essentially the same. There is a section where signals are routed to and from external devices, and a master section where the output signals are controlled.

Technical Issues in Mixing

Sound Levels

The importance of good signal levels in recording and mixing cannot be overstated when it comes to maximizing signal quality and minimizing distortion. Setting the trim levels to unity gain (normally in the center) allows for best input gain. Next test audio signal coming into the channel strip. Play the audio signal or instrument into the channel and raise the fader up until the peak areas of the signal are just at 0.

Aesthetic Issues in Mixing

Besides the technical issues we have explored, we now look at the musical and artistic considerations in making a good mix.

Levels of Instrument Parts

The most commonly adjusted parameter of a mix will be the individual levels of instruments. The relative balance between instrument parts is key to the successful expression of a piece of music. For example, the balance between the bass and drum parts is essential to a groove mix. Vocals need to be heard over instrumental backing, and the louder each individual part, the louder the whole.

When setting the relative balance of instruments in a multitrack piece, channel faders adjust the levels of individual parts until you find a mix that suits your personal tastes. Level changes alter the mix and gives you one dimension of control over the clarity of the overall sound.

Automation of Instrument Parts

In actual performance, levels will vary throughout a piece. Therefore, engineers will often continuously adjust the levels of the track to compensate for uneven playing, environmental changes, or unintended dynamic changes. This is often called "riding the level". Often, in the proces of mixing, the producer acts much like an orchestra conductor by bringing out key elements in a production.

Fortunately, many professional and semi-pro-level mixers have tghe ability to store movements of faders through a process called mixer automation. Most software-based mixers such as those in Cakewalk's SONAR also feature this capability.

Automating a mix involves recording the fader movements as control data to a special memory location, and then playing back the movement control data. This data can often be edited as well, either by recording over the track, punching in and out as needed to replace only the changed information, or by using a graphic or list editor window.

Spatial Location

Stereo sound represents space in two dimensions along a horizontal plane. A sound can be placed between two speakers with its relative location controlled by the pan control. The third dimension, depth, is often simulated in stereo by balance between instruments and by adding reverb.

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Production Resources