Exerpts from the Mixing Engineer's Handbook.

[Oldrottenhead]

I love that - I could picture you singing your wee heart out!!  Cheesy

Mark

next time i am doing that i'll get the wife or kids to take a pic lol. pity i have missed haloween.

[Gritter]

noisy mix clicks pops, breathing, lip smacks

I don't completely agree with this one. Breathing can add a lot of character and feeling to a vocal performance. And my favorite producer leaves chair squeeks in that can be heard on his softer piano and double bass songs.

[Tangled Wires]

noisy mix clicks pops, breathing, lip smacks

I don't completely agree with this one. Breathing can add a lot of character and feeling to a vocal performance. And my favorite producer leaves chair squeeks in that can be heard on his softer piano and double bass songs.

I think breathing does add character (as long as it is not too overbearing), although I do try and elimate pops and lip smacks. I also don't mind a bit of quiet guitar fret sliding noise in there too , as I also feels that this also adds to the realness and character of the song

[Oldrottenhead]

you should hear my sinuses between verses

[64Guitars]

You might also be interested in this topic in the Harmony Central forums:

http://acapella.harmony-central.com/showthread.php?t=2464610

Craig Anderton's tips on page 2 are especially interesting:

• Use EQ to cut, not boost, and make sure each track stakes out its own part of the frequency spectrum. For example, if you have lots of cymbals, trim the highs on the guitar power chords.
• Start your mix in mono with all panpots centered and differentiate between tracks with EQ, not level or panning. Once that's squared away, using panning and level changes will open things up dramatically.
• Remove ALL parts that don't serve the song. I recently recorded a song with stereo guitar, stereo drums, and three tracks of vocals. As I listened back I asked myself whether it really needed bass or anything else. Ultimately, I decided it didn't.
• Arranging is more important than mixing.
• Keep the vocal level up. That's why people listen to a song.

[Glenn Mitchell]

Really good ones. Esp #2.
Now all I need to do is figure out how, without a sophisticated EQ mechanism.
What are folks using for this?
How might you use the Micro's EQ algorithm  to separate overlapping tracks for example?

[hooper]

I think Craig Andertons best tip on that list is #4.  ARRANGING
Ideally, the most differentiation between 2 guitars would be to not have them playing at the same time. Like if they were each playing a different rhythm pattern... maybe one playing only on the down beat and the other just on the up beat/ one just playing the Oomps and the other just playing the Pa-pa's.  Of course you won't be working with patterns that simple but that's the basic idea...

Regarding how to implement tip #2
The M-BR has a great 4-band parametric equalizer. The challenge is that it's only available on one track at a time. But you've got choices: you can use it while you are recording a new track or you can use it while you are playing back a track.

Say you've already recorded two guitar tracks, on Track 2 and 3 and now realize that they need some differentiation. LOCate the Insert Effects to Track 2.
* Go to: Effects|Curser>|LOC and then press Value+ until you see Location: TRACK 2
* Select any algorithm that gives you access to the 4-band EQ (MC>P01:Ag LoCut)
* Turn off CMP, ENH and NS (that is, unless you intend to use them now)
* Make adjustments to the EQ settings while listening to Tracks 2 and 3 playing back.         The EQ changes will be heard on the guitar located on Track 2. 

Then you need to do a Bounce to 'print' the equalization onto a track. You could turn off all but Track 2 and just Bounce that track to a single new track OR you could turn on Tracks 2 and 3, pan them and Bounce to a stereo pair OR you could have instruments playing on all 4 tracks and Bounce to a stereo pair.

The first opportunity to use the equalizer is when you are recording the track.
* The Insert Effects should be at Location:INPUT<NORMAL>
* Choose an algorithm that gives you access to the 4-band EQ.
* Have a strategy. Such as cut one guitar at 500hz and boost at 1.2Khz, this creates a 'pocket' at 500hz and a 'peak' at 1.2Khz.  Then when you record the second guitar do the opposite: boost at 500hz and cut at 1.2Khz.   

[Glenn Mitchell]

Excellent info thanks Ken. I'll take some time to digest and practice this one EQ technique. I think it will make a huge difference to my works which tend to be "wall of Sound-ish".
Your other point about arranging is another one of those basics that will help a lot too.
Pulling back the faders slightly on back trax while the lead is happening really works too.