Do you have to add effects to Logic Pro X loops when mixing a song?

Question

Hi everyone,
I have a question that has been puzzling me and I cannot seem to find an answer for! I have searched high and low on the internet and still cannot find the answer and so I would be grateful to everyones help with this issue.
My question is that you hear so much about the fact that when you are recording and mixing a track that different instruments for example the Bass Drum and the Bass guitar occupy similar frequencies and we are told that this is why you have to add effects to these instruments when mixing but what I want to know is are they talking about just organic instruments like real drums and a real bass guitar that you manually play and record to Logic Pro X`s audio tracks? Or should you treat the Loops exactly the same? And should you also add effects to the Logic Pro X loops when you are mixing those specific tracks?
For example if I add a Drum Loop or Bass Loop to a project and then start mixing the song should I add any effects for example EQ, Compression to these Loops? And what would be the best effects to add to the Bass and the Drums when mixing to help them stand out in the mix?
Many thanks.

Answer 1

Jamiesroom wrote:
... when you are recording and mixing a track that different instruments for example the Bass Drum and the Bass guitar occupy similar frequencies and we are told that this is why you have to add effects to these instruments when mixing ...
Whoever told you that overly generalized rule, please stop listening to that person .
The way you post your question (and they are good questions) points out a big problem nowadays. There is so much cookie cutter solutions out there like if you have this, then use that, if you want to get this sound, press that button. The problem with that is that you you often have no idea why you are doing that in the first place.
Let me give you a simple example about gardening (sorry about that). If I grow tomatoes and look up on the internet how often to water them, I can find an answer "water the tomatoes once a week". I might do that and result is that the tomatoes will die. What I didn't take into account is that the advice was given from someone growing tomatoes in Russia, and I live in California where I might need to water them once a day. So, the answer you are looking for is not "how often to water the tomato", instead you have to learn how much water, depending on your climate, the tomato needs"
Your music is the tomato. So the question is not what button to press (how often to water), but what button needs to be pressed, depending on your specific recordings (your climate).
If your bass drum and and bass guitar are more further apart frequency wise, then there might be no need to EQ them, it depends
Nobody should or could tell you what to do, unless he or she sits next to you at the mix and "hears' what is going on and what needs to be done.
Don't get me wrong, I don't say that there is a lot of great advice and general guidelines out there. The problem is when you apply that blindly without knowing a little bit why that advice is give and how to apply that, or if it applies to your situation at all.
In addition: The skills and knowledge about the theory is as important as the skills and experience of listening and judging your recording/mix and decide what action to take.You have to learn what to listen to and what you hear. If you don't know how distortion sounds then you miss out on fixing that issue. If you don't know how a pumping compressor sounds, then you miss out on fixing that issue.
I think you get the idea
Hope that helps
Edgar Rothermich
http://DingDingMusic.com/Manuals/
'I may receive some form of compensation, financial or otherwise, from my recommendation or link.'