How to stay in mixing shape when not working

Freelance audio engineering life usually comes in waves in terms of the quantity of work. There are days where it seems like everyone and their mother is calling to mix their show, but you can also experience periods of time where you are not working gigs and you might have some time on your hands. During those times, however, there are still things you can do to stay in top mixing shape for your next show. Here are a few suggestions that work well for me.

Active listening

We talk quite a bit about the technical aspect of our work - the gear, the setup, the endless quest for the perfect tools that make you all giddy inside. But when you mix, most of the work is done before you actually turn a knob, press a switch or raise a fader. All those actions require you to make a choice, and all those choices are informed by what you hear. The ability to listen to sonic information critically and holistically at the same time is something that you should train constantly. And the best part is - you don’t really need any special gear for that. You can try and guess the frequency of the fire truck siren passing by. You can listen to a wall clock, trying to memorise how fast is 120bpm for your delay tempo reference. You can listen to the music you like and try and figure out how each element of the mix supports the final sound. The more details you can figure out, the better your skills will get. What I do is try listening in three dimensions- the vertical dimension (top to bottom) is all the frequency information of the piece (EQ settings of each element and of the entire song), the horizontal dimension are the pan settings (how the elements are distributed in the stereo field) and the depth dimension are the levels and spatial elements that determine what is brought to the front and what is pushed to the back. That is also exactly how I listen to the sonic information when mixing live. Determining how to place an element in the mix according to those coordinates will inform me of what I have to do to get it placed there. For the best transfer of results, try listening with the headphones that you are using when mixing live. Getting to know them intimately will give you another reference point and you will be able to check your work even when not blasting your PA really loud. If you want to be really scientific about it, then I would recommend using tools where you can check the accuracy of your listening abilities and hone them in even more. A great tool for that is a site called SoundGym. Even their free stuff is very informative, but a full subscription will get your listening skills on a whole new level. It allows you to train placement in the stereo field, EQ cuts and boosts, differences in level, compression and other elements of the mix. There are also sites that allow you to train your ear according to the 31-bands of a graphic EQ by listening to source material with boosts and cuts applied. Whatever you choose to do, just do it regularly. It is the best way to keep you in shape for all the future projects that await you.

SoundGym is a great site for improving the accuracy of your listening skills.

Knowledge Upgrade

Try joining an online course to learn new approaches and techniques. They can also provide a great tool to expand your network of contacts.

The audio industry is constantly evolving, with new protocols, products, upgrades and updates coming out regularly. While you are touring or when you are slammed with projects, it is really difficult to keep up with everything that has been launched or presented. Taking your down time to learn about new gear, watch presentations on new protocols or systems that just came out and watch or read reviews is essential to staying in the game and being on top of things. This is also the perfect opportunity to maybe join a course or see a lecture. There are a bunch of options out there that not only give you new knowledge, but are a great way to network and expand your contact list with people in the industry. You never know where meeting someone might take your career onto a new path. Figure out either what your weak spots are that could use a quick brush up or if there is a field of audio industry that you would like to dive in and learn about. You might also consider subscribing to podcasts or other channels that bring you content about your field of interest.

Revisiting past work

I have written about the value of making notes after your shows, which also includes your show files, notes on the venue, PA systems and anything else that seems noteworthy. When you have a bit more time on your hands, these can be invaluable learning tools for your professional growth, especially if you had the option of pairing it with multitracks of that specific show that you can work with. Maybe you had a difficult show that had you on the edge of your seat the entire time - now you have the time to go back and revisit the show with more time and a clearer vision. You can maybe find shortcuts for your work, or maybe find more optimal solutions for your show file structure. This is quite useful if you think you might be working with the same act or at the same venue again- having improved starting options for your future gigs can mean less prep time at the event itself and yield better results. If you have access to a console that you can use to work with multitrack recordings, you can actually revisit the show and see how your changes would affect the sound or check if the changes to your showfile don’t have any issues on the day of future shows. The shows that you struggled on the most could actually be the ones that give you the most information that can be very helpful and informative for your future work. 

Active rest

Last, but certainly not least, is taking care of yourself. Especially when you finish a difficult tour or a very stressful season your body and mind are tired. You have to give yourself time to recharge, and to clear your mind to have more focus on your future work. Maybe it seems like such a generic comment that we tend to discard it sometimes, but the loss we have witnessed in the last year in the audio community is a clear sign that we should take better care of our bodies and mental health. After all, our work is stressful and filled with adrenaline. Combine that with long hours, bad eating habits and irregular sleep patterns and you get a very taxing routine on your system. So when you have time to actually wind down, you should absolutely do just that. You might feel like this does not fit in the title of this particular article, but I find it is one of the most important components of staying in proper mixing shape. Mixing is afterall an activity that demands constant high levels of concentration, which can only be achieved when fully rested, physically and mentaly.

You might feel like the only way to stay in proper mixing shape is to be constantly actively working, but the reality of freelance work does not always allow for that. Hopefully these tips can keep you in top shape for your next gig, even if you are not working in front of a mixing console. Sometimes it can actually provide a much needed break for you, getting you in even better shape for your future endeavours.