Julian Moore Blog

MIXING: Dream vs. Reality

The dream: You have all the time in the world to mix your new song which you believe to be brilliant. You’re going to mix it till it’s just right - spend time on those vocals, get the bass really pumping, get that cracking snare sound you’re always wanted, get that really cool crunchy guitar sound that’s so in these days, while also taking care to have a break once in a while to get some distance from the music and give your ears a rest. You’ll end up with something truly great that you can be proud of. You’ve got time to try all those new toys and techniques that you’ve never quite perfected, and even attempt some you’ve read about on some forums from some name producers.

The reality: You mix it till you can’t stand the sound of the fucking thing and go ‘That’ll do’ before realising that sunlight burns your eyes, you look like a racoon, the real world looks and feels completely alien and you swear you’ll never mix your own shit again.

Damn your eyes! Stop eyestrain with FLUX.

If you’re used to working into the small hours like I am, straining at the glow of your computer till stupid o’clock, then Flux is a Godsend. Basically, it changes the colour temperature of your monitor to resemble something a bit more natural for the time of day in your part of the world.

Because it looks at where you are for starters, and then works it out. So currently, even though it’s coming up to ten at night, my laptop monitor has a kind of sunset hue about it. I’ve got really used to it now as I’ve been using it for at least eight months.

When I turn it off the screen is so damn bright it makes me wonder how I ever coped without Flux in the first place.

If you get tired at the computer, and don’t want to lash on on a stupid plastic screen thingy, check out Flux first.

Click here for the Flux website. Works on all computers!

Fabada Asturiana

Last night I made Fabada Asturiana. I’d seen it on a Rick Stein TV show about cooking in Spain and it looked so good I knew I had to get around to making it someday.

Well it took two months to finally get around to it and I can safely say it was AMAZING. When you eat it you feel like you’re in a Spanish castle in the 16th Century and everything.

It’s actually pretty easy to make. And you have to really not be afraid of dead things, as there’s a lot of dead stuff in it. Lots of pork, and chorizo, and black pudding!

Here’s the recipe I used.

Yum!

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