Author Topic: Taking Breaks = More Productive/Better Hearing?  (Read 7705 times)

Lydian

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Taking Breaks = More Productive/Better Hearing?
« on: August 15, 2016, 02:03:25 am »
Today while working on my newest track I was having a tough time trying to get certain elements to fit within the mix. I had been working on the track all day and it sounded somewhat decent. I decided it was time to take a break.

2 hours later I come back with a fresh set of ears. Suddenly it becomes BLATANTLY obvious which elements of the track didn't fit and which ones did. I removed the ones that didn't fit because it was obvious that they just sounded forced and awkward.

I'm just amazed by how after listening to something for so many times on repeat you become sort of tone deaf to what sounds good and what sounds bad. I'm beginning to realize that the very best time to make a change or check a track for errors is the first time you listen to it after taking a break. After taking a long break it's like the "errors" just POP out right in my face. It becomes clear what needs to be done and progress is made faster than if I were to sit there tweaking an element trying to get it to fit within a mix down.

Can anyone else relate?

It's almost like the more you listen to something on repeat the faster your ability to differentiate between what sounds good and bad starts to deteriorate.
« Last Edit: August 15, 2016, 04:12:54 am by Lydian »
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Mussar

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Re: Taking Breaks = More Productive/Better Hearing?
« Reply #1 on: August 15, 2016, 03:50:17 am »
It's not almost like the more you listen to something the less capable you are of discerning the quality of that sound. It's actually happening.

It's also why the music you make right before bed never sounds as good when you listen to it the morning after: By 9 PM you've had 10-14 hours worth of sounds being sent into your ears and processed by your brain from the world at large, not counting the hour or two you've just spent with two speakers blasting frequencies from the top to the bottom of the frequency spectrum or any music you might have been listening to earlier in the day.

vinceasot

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Re: Taking Breaks = More Productive/Better Hearing?
« Reply #2 on: August 15, 2016, 12:42:46 pm »
Yes you need to train your ears and also rest helps ear fatigue, resting your ears is as important as producing


Marrow Machines

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Re: Taking Breaks = More Productive/Better Hearing?
« Reply #3 on: August 15, 2016, 05:04:52 pm »
Silence also makes the music.
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macropsia.music

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Re: Taking Breaks = More Productive/Better Hearing?
« Reply #4 on: August 23, 2016, 09:29:09 am »
this is on the top list for me during final mix, consistent breaks to let the ears rest, and only mixing at 83dbspl or 79dbspl. mind you, when producing i usually hit it quite hard to feel the music more   ;D

8-bit heroes

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Re: Taking Breaks = More Productive/Better Hearing?
« Reply #5 on: September 04, 2016, 12:43:25 pm »
Totally, I find when i write something and then leave it for a week and come back my perspective has changed on it almost completely.I find this is a useful thing when you are stuck on a track.