Checking your mix - iPod bad?

[Drake Speedball]

Hello.

I am having a hell of a time mixing a simple project for a buddy.

Four songs, three covers and one original. The covers are stripped down acoustic numbers; the original is a full-blown thing with drums, bass, etc.

I thought I had it nailed, then checked the mix on a cd. Sounded bad. Really boomy and bassy. I just recently got some new KRK monitors (that is to say "real" monitors, as I had been mixing on Bose home stereo jobs) and figured that I just hadn't gotten used to them yet.

So I figured that as a band-aid of sorts I would just strap T-Racks EQ on the master to cut the lows, etc. This worked pretty well, and I was really happy with the acoustic numbers.

The original, though is pissing me off.
version 1 = boomy
version 2 = vocals too hot
version 3 = bass guitar way too loud

etc.

So I finally fixed it, burned it to a cd and listened in the car. Sounded good. I then put the tune on my ipod and listened. Good God, it was horrendous. Nothing like the CD or on the monitors.

So my questions is this: Is there something about the mp4 format that makes home mixes sound goofy? I know that I am pretty new to this and my bedroom-studio is ill-equipped and acoustically weird, but should there be that much discrepancy between the formats?

Thanks for any insight.

I have to go bounce something for the ninth time.



Love,

40percentrobot

[Kasey]

can you run your ipod through your monitors to see if its actually the ipod making the changes? it shouldnt be that bad. are you listening on the crappy little ipod headphones?

[amishsixstringer]

does other similar music sound the same on your ipod? 9 times isn't that bad if you're new to this stuff. I try to mix a song every day. Even if i didn't push the red button once, I try to 0 out a board and mix from scratch something I've done in the past. Practice is mucho importante.


Neil

[directaction]

the mp4 format does degrade sound quality, but ideally your mix should be a compromise between different playback systems. it's important to consider that people will be listening back to the track under a variety of circumstances.

[PeterAuslan]

Yeah, the ipod sounds terrible but it will also tell you if you have too much low end because it will distort very easily.

[JWL]

Unless your iPod is defective, the problem is not there. It is in your room acoustics, causing you to not have an accurate picture of the sound when you mix. Therefore, when you mix you are unconsciously compensating for the sonic deficiencies of your room, and doing strange things to the mix.

With the prevalence of iPods these days, I would absolutely check a mix on them, and not sign off on the mix until it sounds good on the iPod, too.

[Kasey]

With the prevalence of iPods these days, I would absolutely check a mix on them, and not sign off on the mix until it sounds good on the iPod, too.

ditto. in the same breath, mixes don't leave my studio until they've been checked on the little white ipod earbuds.

[mcsquishytooshy]

does it sound the same if it's a wav?
compared to a mpWhatever.

[directaction]

does it sound the same if it's a wav?
compared to a mpWhatever.

.wav files are much cleaner.

[Drake Speedball]

Thanks for all the help, guys!

I am unable to check my ipod through my monitors right now because I don't have the appropriate cabling...

I really think that my speakers in my car are blown or something, and that I have been listening to music tainted with mud for years now (for a musician and home-recordist, I guess I'm not that much of an "audiophile"...)

But I came to some realizations:

First, I am really not good at this.

Next, years of being in super-loud rock bands have basically RUINED my ears. I played the mixes for my "client" and he had the same comments. They were way to bass-y and had no "sheen." He played some stuff for me in his car to give me an idea of his listening environment. Very telling.

I'm really trying to not get down on myself now...I know that I have a lot to learn, but it's so overwhelming! Fortunately, I am part Robot and will land on my shiny metal feet.

Thanks again, guys!

40percentrobot

[GooberNumber9]

Spending some time listening to various commercial releases on my monitors in my mix environment really made a big difference for me. If there's music that you love and you listen to it in the car, at work, on headphones, etc. all the time, then you might want to sit down in front of your monitors and really take it apart in your head.

You probably will hear things that sound off, like there's too much high end, for example. Then when you go back to mixing, mix for too much high end also. Then go back and listen to other music. Learning your monitors is a continual process; for me at least.

Todd Wilcox