Benefit of Distance/Benefit of Proximity

Whenever you always approach a type of problem with a certain strategy, it might be useful to ask: “What other approaches might work?”

As a general principle, I often take a few months after a recording session with my ensembles before I sit down to mix it. The distance from the session helps me to assess it objectively and approach it with renewed enthusiasm.

On the other hand, today I started editing and pre-mixing the sessions I recorded with GRCC Shades of Blue and the Rockford Aces. The proximity to the sessions helped me to make some decisions far more quickly than if I’d waited, and I was able to quickly catch a couple small issues that would have been harder to find in a few months.

There’s a benefit to distance from a problem. There’s also a benefit to proximity.