Chapter 2 RA_noahvincelette (1).docx

Noah Vincelette MUSC-6333 October 18, 2023 Chapter 2: Monitoring Reading Assignment 1\. What is a good rule of thumb when placing your monitor speakers? How should your monitors be set up in relation to your listening position? The distance between the monitors and the listener should be an eq...

Noah Vincelette MUSC-6333 October 18, 2023 Chapter 2: Monitoring Reading Assignment 1\. What is a good rule of thumb when placing your monitor speakers? How should your monitors be set up in relation to your listening position? The distance between the monitors and the listener should be an equilateral triangle. Monitors should be set so that the speakers are at the same height as the listener's ears when seated in the mix position. Lastly, the angle of the monitors should be checked to avoid "smearing" of the stereo field. This includes monitor orientation. 2\. What happens if your monitor speakers are too close together? What happens when your monitor speakers are too far apart? If monitors are placed too close, the stereo field could be narrow (no spacial definition). The center image could be weaker if the monitors are placed too far apart as the "sweet spot" may be behind the listening position. 3\. Why is it important to decouple the monitors from whatever they're sitting on?\ \ Decoupling monitors helps reduce resonance. Reducing this energy helps give a more accurate bass response when mixing. 4\. What are two ways to decouple a monitor? Removing monitors from a desk and placing them on stands, adding rubberized feet/pads, and filling stands with sand or gravel are all ways that can help decouple a monitor. 5\. Why is it not recommended to mix at high volume levels (4 reasons)? 1. Ear fatigue 2. Ear damage 3. False perception of the mix/frequencies causing poor translation 4. Skewed stereo image/balance issues. 6\. What are some reasons why mixing is done at low levels, or quietly? Mixing at low volume allows an individual to work for longer periods, protect their hearing, judge a stereo image and frequency balance more accurately, and hear smaller details more clearly. Mixing at lower volumes helps mixes better translate across different listening environments. 7\. What are some reasons why you would want to listen to a mix in mono? Listening to a mix in mono can help identify phase, balance, and panning issues. Checking a mix in mono is a good way to detect if monitors may be wired out of phase, makes it easier to make judgments with regard to balance, and with the advent of mobile devices many listeners consume music in mono (iPhone, etc.). 8\. What is a reason you would want to listen to a mix on more than one speaker system? Mixes can sound different in different environments, such as on a television, car, or portable music player. Checking a mix on a different monitoring system, as well as in mono, can give a better picture of how a mix will translate and help identify any issues that may not be evident on the mixer's main monitoring system. 9\. What are some things you can do to overcome potential acoustic problems in your listening environment? To overcome potential acoustic problems, reflective surfaces should be identified, speakers should be placed properly, and room modes calculated to ensure that the 'sweet spot' is placed in an area as free of build-up and reflections as is possible. Room treatments such as diffusers and bass traps can also treat problem areas. 10\. Why should you avoid placing monitor speakers directly against a wall? Placing monitors directly against a wall can lead to the listener hearing bass buildup and not the speakers. This can lead to an inaccurate perception of bass in a mix and cause poor mix translation.