Author Topic: Dr Dre speaks on '2001' mixing (Read 468 times)

The Predator · « **on:** February 22, 2022, 08:22:41 AM »

Jay-Z engineer 'Young Guru' interview on a podcast, mentions 2001 and the interviewer calls up the Doctor.

@ around 1hr 25 Dre checks in briefly with a mixing tip:

https://open.spotify.com/episode/3k90AJKbr7mv7CAYFjTcoV

Quote

“That particular record (The Chronic 2001)...
I was really going bass heavy with it, but trying to keep the mids and the tops right.
But still trying to make sure it sounded, like, some gritty shit.
You know what it is trying to get that balance, he said before adding,
“A lot of times, at least back then,
I was mixing the vocals a little bit too loud because it’s a little trick you learn along the way,
once you get into mastering if you want to add bass to your shit the vocals come down.
So I would always mix the vocals just a little bit loud,
that way you can add bass and the vocals would still sit on top of it comfortably.” - Dr Dre

Orbyte · « **Reply #1 on:** February 23, 2022, 05:24:35 AM »

He says he mixed the vocals too loud back then? He still does that.

Hittman2001 · « **Reply #2 on:** February 23, 2022, 08:01:40 AM »

Quote from: Orbyte on February 23, 2022, 05:24:35 AM

He says he mixed the vocals too loud back then? He still does that.

Yeah and what's missing now are the lows to offset it

Sccit · « **Reply #3 on:** February 23, 2022, 10:22:22 AM »

vocals need to be mixed louder for whoever is mastering to have more wiggle room

when mastering, its easier to push vocals in than to bring them out

i asked big bass about this a few months back and he didn’t seem to get what i was saying, which threw me off

glad dre is solidifying my thoughts on mixing, it was bothering me for a cool minute

Mr. Sunshine · « **Reply #4 on:** February 23, 2022, 12:08:29 PM »

Quote from: Sccit on February 23, 2022, 10:22:22 AM

vocals need to be mixed louder for whoever is mastering to have more wiggle room

when mastering, its easier to push vocals in than to bring them out

i asked big bass about this a few months back and he didn’t seem to get what i was saying, which threw me off

glad dre is solidifying my thoughts on mixing, it was bothering me for a cool minute

When you make Music and mix Vocals, nothing new
but it's funny that Dre gives tips, but nowadays it doesn't seem to be able to implement it anymore
a friend once gave me the tip to orientate myself on a band when mixing, how are the instruments placed on the stage

Orbyte · « **Reply #5 on:** February 23, 2022, 03:10:35 PM »

It's interesting that he's fully aware of how he mixed his songs back then though. I get the feeling that he lost his sense for a good balance between the vocals and instruments. And I'm pretty sure he barely uses reverb anymore.