CMP Audio Mixing Techniques 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is the primary purpose of a high-pass filter (HPF) on most non-bass instruments during a mix?
- To add brightness to the top end
- To remove low-frequency rumble and muddiness (Correct answer)
- To boost the fundamental frequency
- To increase perceived loudness
Correct answer: To remove low-frequency rumble and muddiness
A high-pass filter removes low-frequency content that contributes nothing musically to non-bass instruments but adds mud and masking.
Question 2: In audio mixing, what does the term 'gain staging' refer to?
- Setting the master fader to unity gain
- Managing signal levels at each point in the signal chain to avoid noise and clipping (Correct answer)
- Applying gain only to the first insert on a channel
- Using a gain plugin as a final limiter
Correct answer: Managing signal levels at each point in the signal chain to avoid noise and clipping
Gain staging ensures every stage of the signal chain operates at an optimal level, minimizing noise floor issues and preventing clipping.
Question 3: Which mixing technique uses a fast attack and slow release on a compressor to help a snare drum punch through the mix?
- Parallel compression
- Transient shaping
- Sidechain compression
- New York compression (Correct answer)
Correct answer: New York compression
New York (parallel) compression blends a heavily compressed signal with the dry signal to add sustain and punch without squashing transients.
Question 4: What is 'masking' in the context of audio mixing?
- Muting a track temporarily during editing
- When two sounds occupy overlapping frequency ranges and one obscures the other (Correct answer)
- Applying a noise gate to reduce bleed
- Hiding automation changes with volume rides
Correct answer: When two sounds occupy overlapping frequency ranges and one obscures the other
Masking occurs when two or more sounds share similar frequencies, causing one to reduce the perceived clarity of the other.
Question 5: What does a de-esser primarily target in a vocal track?
- Low-frequency proximity effect
- Harsh sibilant frequencies (typically 4–10 kHz) caused by 's' and 'sh' sounds (Correct answer)
- Room reflections in the mid-range
- Clipping distortion above 16 kHz
Correct answer: Harsh sibilant frequencies (typically 4–10 kHz) caused by 's' and 'sh' sounds
A de-esser is a frequency-selective compressor designed to reduce harsh sibilance in the 4–10 kHz range on vocal recordings.
Question 6: What is the function of send/return (aux) routing in a DAW mix?
- To route audio directly to the master bus without processing
- To apply one instance of an effect (like reverb) to multiple channels simultaneously (Correct answer)
- To merge two mono tracks into a stereo pair
- To bypass all insert effects on a channel
Correct answer: To apply one instance of an effect (like reverb) to multiple channels simultaneously
Send/return routing allows a single effect processor to receive signals from multiple channels, saving CPU and maintaining consistent reverb or delay across the mix.
Question 7: Which panning law setting compensates for the perceived volume increase when a signal is panned to center in a stereo mix?
- 0 dB panning law
- -3 dB panning law (Correct answer)
- +6 dB panning law
- -6 dB panning law
Correct answer: -3 dB panning law
The -3 dB panning law reduces the center signal by 3 dB to compensate for the psychoacoustic loudness increase when a sound is perceived from both speakers.
CMP Audio Mixing Techniques 2
What is the primary purpose of a high-pass filter (HPF) on most non-bass instruments during a mix?