Are monitors all that necessary?

[victor w]

I mean, I've been listening to electronic music on this set of hi fi's and sub for the past year and a half. I feel like, if you know what music is supposed to sound like on your setup (via many hours and months listening), then you should be able to adequately mix because you're aware of how much bass drums should have, how loud hi hats need to be, how much to sidechain compress a bass, etc. If i were to get monitors, I'd have to spend time getting used to how music is supposed to sound on them. 'flat response' doesn't mean anything in that case because...what will a flat response matter if i won't be aware of how music should sound on them (without becoming used to it, which is what i've done on my current speakers!). In the end, the key to good mixdowns is being aware of how music should sound, correct?

maybe if i'm dong intricate sound design, or mixing sound fx for a film, or something a bit more demanding, precision-wise, then monitors would be a must, but still. your thoughts?

[Electric_Head]

I mean, I've been listening to electronic music on this set of hi fi's and sub for the past year and a half. I feel like, if you know what music is supposed to sound like on your setup (via many hours and months listening), then you should be able to adequately mix because you're aware of how much bass drums should have, how loud hi hats need to be, how much to sidechain compress a bass, etc. If i were to get monitors, I'd have to spend time getting used to how music is supposed to sound on them. 'flat response' doesn't mean anything in that case because...what will a flat response matter if i won't be aware of how music should sound on them (without becoming used to it, which is what i've done on my current speakers!). In the end, the key to good mixdowns is being aware of how music should sound, correct?

maybe if i'm dong intricate sound design, or mixing sound fx for a film, or something a bit more demanding, precision-wise, then monitors would be a must, but still. your thoughts?

You`re missing the point of the monitors.
You`re hi fi will color the sound.
Monitors won`t.
What you produce on the monitors is generally what you hear on the hifi.
However, producing with a hifi will not always translate correctly to other systems.
You will immediately know the difference between flat response monitors and a hifi.

[Electric_Head]

all of the above being said, you don`t HAVE to have monitors
but you`ll most definitely be better of for it.

[JFK]

AND on top of that the silly cow has washed my shirt in the same shitty washing powder and now thats making my fucking armpits itch worse than my bollocks were from the boxers!!!!!!!!!

[Electric_Head]

JFK - I think you meant to post that in the things that pissed you off thread.

[Electric_Head]

on a side note, why does LA_Boxers make your balls itch? You 2 have something special going on?
special like sharing std special?

[mikeyp]

I used a hifi system for about the past year. recently I bought some very very low end monitors, and the difference is still amazing. everything is clearer, I hear way more midrange detail, its absolutely great. they have no bass though, but that's okay because I have a sub. you don't NEED them, but they do make a difference.

[JFK]

JFK - I think you meant to post that in the things that pissed you off thread.

Should have been in the Office Steppers thread actually..........

[brettheaslewood]

INCORRECT THREAD POST OF THE YEAR.

[nnny]

JFK - I think you meant to post that in the things that pissed you off thread.

Should have been in the Office Steppers thread actually..........

LOL too funny mate

[tripwire22]

Monitors arent necessary but you would def want them

[atticuh]

Imagine you were an artist who painted; however, you only painted while you wore a pair of blue glasses. If an art patron who wasn't wearing those blue glasses saw your painting, they might see the same image, but the image would be inconceivably different in colors, drastically altering the intended color balance as well as message. Thus, while the artist may believe he's created a masterpiece, the art patron would not see the same.

[billybuxton]

INCORRECT THREAD POST OF THE YEAR.

+1

[SLASH]

Imagine you were an artist who painted; however, you only painted while you wore a pair of blue glasses. If an art patron who wasn't wearing those blue glasses saw your painting, they might see the same image, but the image would be inconceivably different in colors, drastically altering the intended color balance as well as message. Thus, while the artist may believe he's created a masterpiece, the art patron would not see the same.

^^^ this Basically .. and victorW post a tune and we'll let you know for sure if you need them. But Yes they are necesarry

[Ongelegen]

Imagine you were an artist who painted; however, you only painted while you wore a pair of blue glasses. If an art patron who wasn't wearing those blue glasses saw your painting, they might see the same image, but the image would be inconceivably different in colors, drastically altering the intended color balance as well as message. Thus, while the artist may believe he's created a masterpiece, the art patron would not see the same.

^^^ this Basically .. and victorW post a tune and we'll let you know for sure if you need them. But Yes they are necesarry

Not really that good of an analogy imo. Cuz you're basically saying that when a track is made on 'x type' monitors it will sound 'drastically altered' on everything else. But the art of mixing is to make the track sound good on all sorts of systems. Monitors are simply a tool to achieve this easier. But even then alot of things come into play, the producers experience, room acoustics, quality of the monitors themselfs, etc. My 2 cents.

[atticuh]

Imagine you were an artist who painted; however, you only painted while you wore a pair of blue glasses. If an art patron who wasn't wearing those blue glasses saw your painting, they might see the same image, but the image would be inconceivably different in colors, drastically altering the intended color balance as well as message. Thus, while the artist may believe he's created a masterpiece, the art patron would not see the same.

^^^ this Basically .. and victorW post a tune and we'll let you know for sure if you need them. But Yes they are necesarry

Not really that good of an analogy imo. Cuz you're basically saying that when a track is made on 'x type' monitors it will sound 'drastically altered' on everything else. But the art of mixing is to make the track sound good on all sorts of systems. Monitors are simply a tool to achieve this easier. But even then alot of things come into play, the producers experience, room acoustics, quality of the monitors themselfs, etc. My 2 cents.

In the analogy, the blue glasses are the OP's hi-fi speakers.

[tripwire22]

i happen to like producing on shitty headfones

[Ongelegen]

Imagine you were an artist who painted; however, you only painted while you wore a pair of blue glasses. If an art patron who wasn't wearing those blue glasses saw your painting, they might see the same image, but the image would be inconceivably different in colors, drastically altering the intended color balance as well as message. Thus, while the artist may believe he's created a masterpiece, the art patron would not see the same.

^^^ this Basically .. and victorW post a tune and we'll let you know for sure if you need them. But Yes they are necesarry

Not really that good of an analogy imo. Cuz you're basically saying that when a track is made on 'x type' monitors it will sound 'drastically altered' on everything else. But the art of mixing is to make the track sound good on all sorts of systems. Monitors are simply a tool to achieve this easier. But even then alot of things come into play, the producers experience, room acoustics, quality of the monitors themselfs, etc. My 2 cents.

Same applies. Having monitors won't automatically give you a good mix. Like I said they will only make it easier. So to answer the op, no they are nit necessary, but if you take producing even a bit serious it's a logical step.
In the analogy, the blue glasses are the OP's hi-fi speakers.

[atticuh]

Imagine you were an artist who painted; however, you only painted while you wore a pair of blue glasses. If an art patron who wasn't wearing those blue glasses saw your painting, they might see the same image, but the image would be inconceivably different in colors, drastically altering the intended color balance as well as message. Thus, while the artist may believe he's created a masterpiece, the art patron would not see the same.

^^^ this Basically .. and victorW post a tune and we'll let you know for sure if you need them. But Yes they are necesarry

Not really that good of an analogy imo. Cuz you're basically saying that when a track is made on 'x type' monitors it will sound 'drastically altered' on everything else. But the art of mixing is to make the track sound good on all sorts of systems. Monitors are simply a tool to achieve this easier. But even then alot of things come into play, the producers experience, room acoustics, quality of the monitors themselfs, etc. My 2 cents.

Same applies. Having monitors won't automatically give you a good mix. Like I said they will only make it easier. So to answer the op, no they are nit necessary, but if you take producing even a bit serious it's a logical step.
In the analogy, the blue glasses are the OP's hi-fi speakers.

I would argue that monitors are in fact necessary especially if you have absolutely no experience producing. True, you can mix well without monitors if you're first accustomed to the system you're using and you're smart enough to reference your mix on a healthy variety of other systems. However, this is only true if you already have quite a bit of experience mixing and producing under your belt. If you are quite new to producing and have no idea how each frequency range contributes to the sound of your mix, it would be much easier as well as wiser to use a monitoring system with flat response. It is so much easier to learn good habits as opposed to unlearning bad ones.

[Artie_Fufkin]

Ya the analogy is perfect (unlike most awkward analogies I've heard from teachers )

The hi fi system is coloring the sound like 3D glasses color your vision.