by Steve Cass

Created on: February 14, 2007

The Groove

Ok, let's think along the lines that you are just going to mix the tracks that are in front of you. You have no or very little emotional connection with the tracks. The tracks are new to you. It's not your band, you didn't make any of the tracks. You are putting on your 'game face' for being the producer. If you get input from other band members, you are likely to hear that the bass needs to be more up front from the bass player, the guitar needs to be heard more from the guitar player, etc. So begin with a clean slate and an open mind.

Now is the time to identify the main components of the groove. Other than the obvious drums and bass (for rock music), what drives the song? Not necessarily drives it by volume, but what instrument or riff is always present in the song, or what makes the song memorable? Along with the consideration of who your target audience is, what secondary or feature instrument or riff of that instrument needs to remain clear and identifies the song? Is the song metal, hard rock, dance, jazz, what? The answers to these questions will help you determine what is going to drive the mix of this song, and what is going to make this song unique.

Just a small aside for those of you who are new to recording, and this advice goes just as well for playing live or playing in a studio: lay back on the beat and don't rush it. Lay back on the beat and emphasize the beat strongly when it's called for. Rock on the 1's and 3's and Roll on the 2's and 4's. Don't skim over the 2's and 4's in the effort to lay into the 1's and 3's, those beats are just as important that you lay back on. This is how you get a great groove going (yes, of course it depends on the type of rhythm for the song and the different emphases you can place on different beats. What I'm talking about is this: think like you are a time piece; a metronome).

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