Clarinet Dynamics

Clarinet Dynamics Due to their construction with a single reed, Clarinets (and also Saxophones) have the special ability to create incredibly low dynamics and can crescendo from or decrescendo to almost complete silence. This doesn’t only apply to the Clarinet...

Off-Screen Speakers in Movies

Off-Screen Speakers in Movies Consider that the understandability of dialogue or monologue gets worse when the speaker is not seen on screen. A big portion of understanding spoken word comes from watching the mouth of the speaking person so if that is missing, it gets...

Limits of Balancing Rules

Limits of Balancing Rules Balancing out orchestral “forces” is a lifelong learning process as there are dozens of factors involved that have influence on how sections in the orchestra balance. Not only does the instrument by itself but also its number, the dynamic,...

Mixing Volume

Mixing Volume Always mix your music at the approximate volume it will be in the movie later. The human ear has a different perception of balance depending on the volume of music. Especially the bass register is very sensitive in this matter. You tend to need way more...

Limits of Orchestral Mixing

Limits of Orchestral Mixing Be realistic about what is achievable in a professional mix and what not. Especially on orchestra recordings where the whole orchestra has been recorded in the same room at the same time, there is no real possibility to heavily alter the...