Hi,
I'm running a small home studio, got some nice gear which I'm getting to know quite well. I'm trying to get the basics right with some nice outboard gear - compressors, EQs and reverbs. It's an 8-track setup, running through an analog desk for mixing, using the DAW for capture and playback.
I'm working a lot on my mixing/balance skills, which are still pretty rudimentary. As I'm getting further into the way my particular setup sounds and how the gear works together I'm always listening to different recordings critically, trying to hear things like balance, reverbs, overall tone and the myriad elements that make up a track. I was struck today by a thought that all the material I'm listening to has been mastered, and while it's great to hear the finished products, I don't have much listening material that is at the post-mix/balance, pre-master stage. I suppose this is a big disadvantage of working from home, and not being exposed to the daily mixing and recording that happens in a working studio environment. I'm mostly self-taught, so I suppose it goes with the territory.
So, I was wondering if any of the more experienced engineers could suggest some listening to give more of an idea of what a well-balanced mix sounds like before going off to be mastered? Such material might not exist, but my thinking is that I'm not going about things the right way if I try to emulate the sounds of mastered recordings while mixing (specifically the overall sound energy, reverb tails, upper range EQ and final sparkle and polish).
Any help would be very much appreciated!
Stephen