Welcome to another episode of the Joker Tone Podcast. Today, we dive into the critical final step for every self-producing artist – check your final mix of your music before its release. This process is often overlooked, but is critical to ensure your hard work shines brightly when it reaches your audience.
For many independent musicians, balancing the urge to release quickly against the quest for perfection is a delicate act. While it can be tempting to publish your song as soon as it feels “good enough” this can lead to missed opportunities for creating a truly impactful track. Thorough final checks and gathering feedback can help elevate a song from being ‘just okay’ to a complete masterpiece.
Once you’ve gone through the production stages like recording, mixing, and mastering, it’s crucial to approach the final mix check with the same dedication you’ve given the entire project. Allocate time for collecting valuable feedback, not just from yourself, but from a trusted circle who can provide constructive insights.
Why to Check your Final Mix is Essential
Releasing your song should ideally be a one-time event to create the best impression. Reworking and re-releasing tracks can confuse your audience and dilute the impact of your music. It’s essential to ensure your song sounds as good as possible across various playback systems commonly used by most listeners, from car stereos to in-ear headphones.
Who Should Help with the Final Check?
You don’t need to perform the final check alone. Fresh and independent ears can provide a perspective you might miss. Here are three categories of people to consider:
1. Musically Knowledgeable People:
Enlist friends who have an in-depth understanding of music, especially those who love your genre. These individuals can provide valuable feedback on the nuanced aspects of your mix.
2. Non-Music Related but Trustworthy People:
Since your audience isn’t composed exclusively of music experts, ask close friends or family members for their honest yet constructive opinions. Their layman’s perspective can offer insights that align with a general audience’s view.
3. Online Communities:
Utilize Facebook groups and forums where musicians and music enthusiasts gather. However, be cautious about the quality and intentions of the feedback you receive from strangers.
How to Structure the Feedback Process
Effective feedback is obtained through a well-structured process. Here are key elements:
1. Unified Listening Conditions:
Provide all pre-listeners with the same resolution files (WAV, MP3), ensuring they have a consistent basis for evaluation. Specify the devices and environment for listening to maintain consistency.
2. Clear, Specific Questions and Answer Options:
Create a standardized assessment system. Use specific questions such as, “How do you find the vocals in the overall song?” with multiple-choice answers like “clearly too quiet,” “a little quiet,” “just right,” “a little too loud,” and “clearly too loud.” This structured format simplifies comparison and decision-making.
3. Define Expectations and Parameters:
Make sure listeners know the goal of their listening session, whether it’s ensuring the mix sounds good across different systems or evaluating specific elements like bass or vocals.
4. Feedback on Listening Scenarios:
Ask listeners to evaluate the song on different devices, including in-ear headphones, car systems, studio monitors, etc. Furthermore, request them to listen at varying volumes to identify inconsistencies.
Implementing the Feedback
Once you gather and analyze all the feedback, identify common themes and make necessary adjustments. Decide if the vocals need to be brought forward, if the bass is too overwhelming, or if the treble is too sharp, based on the collective insight from your listeners.
Conclusion
The process of checking the final mix is vital to the success of your music. By following a structured feedback system and ensuring you gather diverse perspectives, you can release a polished and well-rounded track that resonates well with your audience. Take your time, communicate effectively with your test listeners, and remember, the goal is to achieve the best possible version of your song.
Key topics and takeaways of the Episode
Planning and Feedback
- Planning for Feedback: Allocate time to collect feedback before releasing your music.
- Choose Feedback Givers: Select knowledgeable individuals who can give constructive and informed feedback.
- Clear Instructions: Provide clear guidelines on how and where the feedback should be evaluated.
Reasons for Final Mix Check
- Single Release: Aim to release a song only once, rather than making post-release modifications.
- Completion Hesitation: Avoid holding back the release by ensuring one intensive check.
- Playback Systems Check: Ensure the final mix sounds good on various devices like cars, headphones, and TVs.
Who Can Help with the Check?
- Involvement Dilemma: Too much involvement can skew your objectivity.
- Groups for Feedback:
- Music Knowledgeable Individuals: Friends or colleagues with a sound understanding of music.
- Non-Music Related Trustworthy People: Honest opinions from close friends or family.
- General Public: Feedback from online groups, but be cautious of their intentions and relevancy.
Defining the Checking Process
- Standardization: Ensure all pre-listeners have the same resolution files.
- Genre Familiarity: Pre-listeners should be familiar or enjoy the genre.
- Listening Conditions: Dictate the systems and environments in which they should listen to your music.
Specific Feedback Guidelines
- General Aspects:
- Evaluate bass, mid-range, and treble.
- Determine the impression of various song parts like intro, verse, chorus, and bridge.
- Specific Queries:
- Detailed feedback on individual instruments and vocals.
- Ask if parts are too loud or too quiet and their spatial positioning.
Evaluating and Utilizing Feedback
- Consistent Criteria: Create a standard assessment with specific questions.
- Answer Options: Provide multiple-choice answers to streamline feedback.
- Types of Feedback: Focus on both analytical and emotional responses.
Advanced Listener Tasks and Self-Checks
- Advanced Tasks: Stereo vs mono listening, varying volume checks.
- Self-Testing: Conduct the procedure yourself before involving others.
- Fresh Ears and Patience: Spread out listening tests for better focus.
Conclusion and Recommendations
Communication: Discuss feedback for more profound insights.
Test Thoroughly: Ensure comprehensive testing before release.
Small Group Feedback: Use a small, manageable number of feedback providers.