//! Mixing and Mastering: 15 threads. pub(super) const THREADS: &[(&str, &str, &[&str])] = &[ ( "EQ before or after compression?", "Classic debate. What is your default chain order and why?", &[ "Subtractive EQ first to clean up, then compress, then additive EQ to shape.", "Depends on the source. Muddy vocal? EQ first. Clean recording? Compress first.", "I do both. Light EQ before, heavier shaping after.", ], ), ( "Parallel compression techniques", "How are you using parallel compression? Just on drums or on everything?", &[ "Drums and vocals mainly. Crush a copy, blend it in at like -12dB.", "I parallel compress the entire mix bus lightly. Adds glue without squashing dynamics.", "The NY compression trick on drums is still unbeatable. Heavy compression, blend to taste.", ], ), ( "Multiband compression: when to use it?", "I never quite know when multiband is the right tool vs a regular compressor.", &[ "When different frequency ranges need different treatment. A boomy vocal with sibilance needs different ratios for lows and highs.", "On the master bus for gentle tonal balancing. Very light ratios, like 1.5:1.", "Rarely. Most problems are better solved with EQ. Multiband comp is a precision tool, not a default.", ], ), ( "Mixing with saturation", "How much saturation do you add and where in the chain?", &[ "A tiny bit on every channel. Tape emulation at the end of each strip. Adds harmonic richness.", "I saturate the mix bus and nothing else. Keeps it cohesive.", "Saturation on bass is essential for me. Makes it audible on small speakers.", "Early in the chain, before compression. Saturated signals compress differently.", ], ), ( "Taming harsh vocals", "My vocal recordings always end up harsh around 3-5kHz. De-esser? EQ? Both?", &[ "Dynamic EQ on the 2-5kHz range. Only dips when it gets harsh, leaves the presence otherwise.", "De-esser is specifically for sibilance (6-10kHz). For 3-5kHz harshness, use a dynamic EQ or multiband.", "Check your microphone and preamp. Some mics just have a harsh presence peak. A different mic might solve it at the source.", ], ), ( "Reverb mixing tips", "My reverbs either sound obvious or nonexistent. How do you make them sit right?", &[ "Pre-delay. 20-50ms of pre-delay separates the dry signal from the reverb and adds clarity.", "High-cut the reverb at 6-8kHz. Bright reverb tails make everything washy.", "Send to reverb, then EQ the return. Treat the reverb as its own instrument.", ], ), ( "Mixing low end: kick and bass coexistence", "How do you make the kick and bass work together without one masking the other?", &[ "Pick one to own the sub frequencies. If the kick has the sub, high-pass the bass at 60Hz. Or vice versa.", "Side-chain the bass to the kick. Classic but effective.", "Complementary EQ. Boost the kick at 60Hz, cut the bass there. Boost the bass at 100Hz, cut the kick.", "In most genres, the kick owns 40-80Hz and the bass lives at 80-200Hz. Arrange them to not compete.", ], ), ( "Mix bus processing", "What do you put on your mix bus? When do you add it?", &[ "Gentle glue compressor (SSL style, 2:1, slow attack) from the start. Mix into it.", "EQ, compression, slight saturation, limiter. But everything is doing very little. 1-2dB each.", "Nothing until the final mix. I want to hear what I actually have before processing it.", ], ), ( "Reference level for mixing", "What volume level do you monitor at while mixing?", &[ "Calibrated to 85dB SPL for critical listening. Most of the time I mix around 75dB.", "Quiet. If I can have a conversation over the mix, the volume is right.", "I check at multiple levels. Low for balance, medium for detail, loud for short reality checks.", ], ), ( "Width and stereo imaging", "How do you create width in a mix without it collapsing in mono?", &[ "Keep the center strong (kick, bass, lead vocal, snare). Spread supporting elements.", "Use different methods: hard panning, stereo delay, chorus, mid-side EQ. Variety avoids phase issues.", "Always check mono. If it sounds thin in mono, your width is relying on phase tricks that cancel.", ], ), ( "Handling dynamic range in modern productions", "Everything is so compressed now. How do you keep dynamics while still being competitive in loudness?", &[ "Mix dynamically. Let the mastering engineer handle loudness. That is literally their job.", "Automate volume instead of compressing. Ride the fader for consistent level without squashing transients.", "Use upward compression. Raises the quiet parts without touching the peaks.", ], ), ( "Delay vs reverb for depth", "When do you reach for a delay instead of a reverb to create depth?", &[ "Delay for rhythmic depth (synced to tempo). Reverb for spatial depth (rooms, halls).", "Short delays (30-80ms) create depth without the wash of reverb. Great for keeping things tight.", "I use both together. Short delay into a reverb return. Best of both worlds.", ], ), ( "Panning strategies", "Do you follow specific panning rules or go by feel?", &[ "LCR panning. Hard left, center, hard right. Simple but effective. Forces commitment.", "I pan where the instruments would be on a stage. Drums from the drummer's perspective.", "By feel. Whatever serves the song. Rules are starting points, not laws.", ], ), ( "Mixing with headphones: tips and tricks", "For those who primarily mix on headphones, what are your strategies?", &[ "Crossfeed plugin. Simulates speaker crosstalk so panning sounds more natural.", "Reference constantly on speakers when you can. Even laptop speakers reveal balance issues.", "Open-back headphones for mixing, closed-back for tracking. The soundstage difference matters.", ], ), ( "The loudness war is over, right?", "With streaming normalization, does anyone still master to -6 LUFS?", &[ "EDM and hip hop still push hard. Genre expectations matter more than streaming targets.", "The war is over for most genres. I master to -10 to -14 depending on the track.", "Yes. And it sounds better. More dynamics, more punch, more musicality. No reason to smash it.", ], ), ];