Individual track vs master eq question

[visheshl]

Ok so i have a question for the engineer guruz here.
Now i got feedback from a friend(casual listener) listening to my music that the lo end is too much and the hiz are less.

So there are two options for me
1. to approach the mix again, and eq the tracks seperately or
2. i could just slap an eq on the master(raise the hiz and reduce the los) and call it a day.

How would you mixing and mastering guruz approach this ?

[PhillipOrdonez]

The mix

[robussc]

First question, do you hear the problem that has been identified? Or is it a matter of taste?

If you agree there’s a problem then I would also say the mix (though I’m no guru), but this way you’ll (hopefully) identify the source of the problem and then learn to avoid it in future. The final EQ rebalance is a bandaid, and should applied only if the original recordings were unavailable (or there’s an impossible deadline )

[visheshl]

Ok so i came to the same conclusion, would have to do the mix again.
I have another question though, so my main out from the computer goes thru the mixer to my headphones. The eq on the mixer is zero(flat).
Im auditioning in the headphones, and it sounds fine the way it is but when i export it and listen in the same headphones but on my mobile...the eq is screwed, that is there more bass and less hiz now...now there's no question of the room and monitors affecting the mix...with the same setup my earlier track have turned out fine...but this time when i listen on the computer it sounds ok, but when i export and listen thru the same headphones but in my phone, the eq is off...the hiz are gone basically...any suggestions?

[selig]

The struggle is real!
I would address the mix. FWIW, low end is the most difficult to get ‘right’. Even many pros don’t nail it 100% of the time on the first mix.
If you’ve been careful with your mix organization there will only be a few channels responsible for the low end. So all you would need to do is lower those faders a dB or two and see what it feels like. This is assuming all other aspects of the low end are to your liking.
Don’t forget that any master bus or mastering dynamics devices can easily affect low end one way or the other, so make sure none are contributing to major changes in the spectral balance. I just had a mix where I got a little heavy on the master compressor only to find that when the vocals entered the drums (especially the kick) got a little weaker. Backing off the amount of gain reduction fixed it.

And don’t forget to get out those low end (frequency) mix references that are essential to getting the desired low end dialed in as quickly as possible!

Also consider adjusting your listening setup so that you can just make it sound ‘good’ to you and know that it will translate. For me, this means pushing the bass/sub a few db hotter than the mains so I can ‘feel’ the bass but not send out a mix that is too bass heavy. I start with the room as flat as possible, then push the sub level just a little hotter to taste. Each time I have moved to a new space it has taken a few mixes to get things back to where I can easily work. I also struggle getting bright mixes, so I keep the tweeter level a bit lower than most folks (a ‘tracking’ EQ from analog days, where you add more HF because the monitors are intentionally lacking HF energy. And thus you can then cut a little HF when mixing and end up reducing the noise along the way.
There is no “correct” way to do this, it depends on how you personally process what you hear - we are all different in that respect!

[robussc]

Ok so i came to the same conclusion, would have to do the mix again.
I have another question though, so my main out from the computer goes thru the mixer to my headphones. The eq on the mixer is zero(flat).
Im auditioning in the headphones, and it sounds fine the way it is but when i export it and listen in the same headphones but on my mobile...the eq is screwed, that is there more bass and less hiz now...now there's no question of the room and monitors affecting the mix...with the same setup my earlier track have turned out fine...but this time when i listen on the computer it sounds ok, but when i export and listen thru the same headphones but in my phone, the eq is off...the hiz are gone basically...any suggestions?

I’ve found getting a good balance on headphones to be impossible for me, so I now balance with the monitors at a reasonable volume. (Headphones are fine for panning and EQ but not for balance, at least for me.) That gives me a better read on how the drums and bass are sitting in the mix. (also double checking at low volumes really helps.)

I’m sure you’re also EQing your send effects to make sure they’re not contributing more low end?

[visheshl]

The problem with monitors is that the room gets in the way...you know im sayin....id rather trust frequencies getting straight into my ears than them bouncing around in the room and then getting in....even if the monitors are flat the room plays a part...i have tried diffusion in the room but it seldom works the way its supposed to...

But anyway...i mastered the track in my phone...now it sounds ok in the car...so probably my mixer is adding hiz so thats why im reducing them in the mix....so maybe while monitoring i need to reduce the hiz a little from my mixer...will need to get the feel of the equipment, it is a fairly new addition to my studio....

[visheshl]

Thanks giles 🥰

[selig]

Ok so i came to the same conclusion, would have to do the mix again.
I have another question though, so my main out from the computer goes thru the mixer to my headphones. The eq on the mixer is zero(flat).
Im auditioning in the headphones, and it sounds fine the way it is but when i export it and listen in the same headphones but on my mobile...the eq is screwed, that is there more bass and less hiz now...now there's no question of the room and monitors affecting the mix...with the same setup my earlier track have turned out fine...but this time when i listen on the computer it sounds ok, but when i export and listen thru the same headphones but in my phone, the eq is off...the hiz are gone basically...any suggestions?

Before you change anything, make sure exactly where the "problem" is. There are multiple variables in your example, so it could be caused by ANY of the devices. For example, your mixer COULD be adding high end (or loosing low end), OR you playback system could be adding low end (or loosing high end). The only two constants are the audio file and the headphones. I would do a some 'explorations' to find answers, then go from there.

[visheshl]

Ok so i came to the same conclusion, would have to do the mix again.
I have another question though, so my main out from the computer goes thru the mixer to my headphones. The eq on the mixer is zero(flat).
Im auditioning in the headphones, and it sounds fine the way it is but when i export it and listen in the same headphones but on my mobile...the eq is screwed, that is there more bass and less hiz now...now there's no question of the room and monitors affecting the mix...with the same setup my earlier track have turned out fine...but this time when i listen on the computer it sounds ok, but when i export and listen thru the same headphones but in my phone, the eq is off...the hiz are gone basically...any suggestions?

Before you change anything, make sure exactly where the "problem" is. There are multiple variables in your example, so it could be caused by ANY of the devices. For example, your mixer COULD be adding high end (or loosing low end), OR you playback system could be adding low end (or loosing high end). The only two constants are the audio file and the headphones. I would do a some 'explorations' to find answers, then go from there.

Yup...so what i did is that i played back my track which i was quite familiar with how it actually sounds outside on various systems...so i played it back thru the mixer and adjusted the eq on the mixer so that it sounds very similar...now i have a slightly better sound or rather a sound that would translate well on other systems... hopefully my next mixes would turn out fine due to this...i also got a better pair of headphones which don't color the sound too much...since my room is small and untreated, i don't rely on monitors, so i hope this setup would help me with better mixes.
Thanks giles.