Finally able to take my mixes to the next level...

A lot of pros have templates, even though they don't realize it, nor call it that. We call it their "sound" and it consists of doing things in similar ways from song to song, band to band, based on subconscious repetition.

It may not be written down, or maybe it is. In the case of CLA/TLA, they do things in very precise ways from job to job. Channels are set up the same way, settings are recalled in similar ways, the same equipment is used over and over, etc.

It's silly that people are selling templates to folks that they don't know, but I also don't believe in the "fresh mixes for every band" marketing line because it implies that the engineer/mixer is NOT using subconscious memory to form the new mixes, which is psychologically impossible.

I always assumed when I saw photos of CLA and other mixers' racks far away from the mix position that they had assistants to tweak compressors, EQ, delay settings etc. I am surprised their method is so scientific, but if it works for them....

Thanks for confirming that Randy. I agree that it's sad about how formulaic it is and the resulting sameness of sound from countless bands.

You're spot on Randy, but these guys are paid per song, right? They're not in the business of seeing how fast they can mix, they're in the business of making as much money as possible. More songs per day, more money. Okay, they're good and the stuff sounds good on radio, but, as mentioned, it tends to get sterile and formulaic. Personally, I prefer raw and emotional mixes and I think, ideally, people who are mixing should somehow be involved in the creation (i.e. writing/arranging/tracking) of a song.

These 'stars' are probably also mostly in the business of making money. If they would make more money selling toilet paper, they would just do that. It's sad. Unfortunately, the 'music industry' is full of non-musicians.

It's no longer about being a famous singer, it's about being a famous celebrity who sings!
We used love the artist for the art, now everybody wants to know everything about the artists life!

Cowboy, I think those of us who grew up in an era when we couldn't know what our faveorite artist was having for dinner, or their favorite shoe, wanted to know more of substance than knowing everything they want us to know.
The other day I was discussing John Hiatts Have a Little Faith IN Me, and the back story of his addiction and what the song is about this is good , knowing someone's every detail is a bit much , the public has to realize that they wouldn't want everything out their and that most of what they see is controlled and they don't know or understand the motivation .

At least some of us mere mortals still play and sing with all the soul we have :-)

Cary makes an interesting point I can elaborate on. There were two mixes of the Psychedelic Furs song "Until She Comes". One by Steven Street, one by Hugh Padgham. I have both. When you listen to the Street mix, there's of course nothing "wrong" with it, but the drums are too prominent among other things. Then you listen to Padgham's mix, and it's absolute magic, you're drawn into a world of imagination, where you feel you've been that guy waiting for 'her", and you sense the type of woman being sung about, how she looks, how she moves and pulls at your heart, and so many other things. And yet, they're THE SAME TRACKS ! In comparison, Steven Street's mix was no better, in fact worse than any mix I might do, but oh my, Padgham's was in another universe altogether.

I only hope that one day I can work with someone like that who can bring out the magic and mystery in my music and help make it happen, by being a co-creater of great art. I've been helped many times by our good friend cowboycoalminer, and it's been one of the happiest circumstances of all my musical experiences. So, no matter how helpful the templates are, (and I think they can be really helpful), the subtle decisions being made by a great engineer or producer are in fact, indispensable.

In the end, music has been a huge part of making us who we are, we care, put our love and sweat into it, and we want to share our efforts with other people, to return the energy we've been blessed with by so many great artists. Bad business can of course derail an artist, but I for one hope to make enough money to pursue my dream of making better and better music, until I make my masterpiece. I don't need much, just a little security and some comfortable surroundings, and oh yeah, my own place to record, and some good friends to play with.