Are you holding yourself back by being close-minded?
One of the biggest mistakes we see producers making is writing off a band, producer or song because it’s in a genre they don’t like (or worse, because of some completely idiotic and superficial thing like the way the band looks). It’s more common with younger producers, but if we’re being honest plenty of older producers are guilty of it too.
The reason this is such a foolish attitude is that you can learn something from literally ANY piece of music if you’re open-minded. It’s actually completely irrelevant whether you like the band/song or not– and in fact, it’s almost better if you DON’T like it, because then you’re more likely to be hearing something that’s new to you. Smart producers are always asking themselves “What can I learn/borrow from this?”
Taking elements from a genre or style outside of your comfort zone is one of the best ways to make something feel really fresh and different, but only if you do it in a way that feels natural. Smashing two genres or ideas together is easier said than done, and if you’re not careful you’ll end up with something like that episode of the Simpsons where Homer tries to make a horse by gluing a bunch of cats together and painting them.
In this clip from his Nail The Mix session, Kane Churko teaches a mini-master class in combining genres with his work on the Papa Roach song “Face Everything And Rise.”
You probably wouldn’t know it from listening to the final mix, but the session features around 20 tracks of electronic elements: 808s, programmed sub bass, claps, synths and more. They’re what make the song really come alive, and yet they never overwhelm the band or take it away from being an active rock song. It’s an extremely difficult balance to achieve, and this is a textbook example of how to do it right– note that a LOT of automation is key to bringing the elements in and out as the song develops, so don’t be lazy there. Remember, great mixers never cut corners!
If you’re stumped for ideas, try following Kane’s example here. Try adding some elements you’ve never worked with before – a different instrument, some riffs or melodies from another genre, etc and see what happens. But don’t just tape them together– challenge yourself to make it feel like a seamless, natural integration. It’s not easy to pull off, but when you do it’s f***ing magic.
PS – make sure you check out our podcast with Kane – he drops some serious knowledge bombs on the above and other topics.
Nail The Mix is our online mixing school that gives you REAL multi-tracks from REAL bands, plus a mixing class from the producer who recorded it. Past guests include Periphery, Gojira, Chelsea Grin, Neck Deep, Machine Head and State Champs. Join now for instant access!