Organize Your Physical Work Area

        Position Computer Monitor to be viewed without strain

               Should be able to be viewed WITHOUT turning your head or moving your eyes
               Set resolution as high as possible... (1600 X 1200 X 16k recommended)
               Flat Panel monitors tend to look better than CRTs

        Keyboard and Trackball positioned comfortably for hands

              Use quality keyboard and Trackball/Mouse
              Don't be afraid to spend money on each
              Consider  Avant Stellar  keyboards
              and  Mouse Trak  Track Balls

        Position Speakers for proper listening while working

              Speaker monitors should be positioned for direct line-of-sight listening
              Consider using a Sub-Woofer
              Don't be afraid to spend money on each

        Make sure speakers are calibrated for flat freq response

              Use known sound sources for speaker calibration
              Avoid room EQ if possible... reposition instead
              Treat listening room for excessive reflections
              Make your monitoring room QUIET!!!!
              Consider using computer quieting products such as those that can be found at  QuietPC.com

        Calibrate your ears by listening to cd's that sound similar to your client's projects

              Choose the same genre as your client's projects
              Load CD track into Nuendo project for comparison
              Keep that track muted until needed
              When wanting to compare, simply hit the 'solo' button for that track to compare
              Compare OFTEN!!!!

Optimize Your Computer for Digital Audio

    Tweak the Operating System for audio

              Consider implementing OS tweaks found at  Steinberg.Net
              Consider installing and using  X-Setup
              Consider installing and using  TweakUI

    Turn off all the pretty crap that XP uses

              Turn off screen savers
              Turn off Visual Effects (Adjust for best performance)
              Processor Scheduling should be adjusted for background services
              Memory usage should be adjusted for Programs
              Turn OFF system restore
              Turn OFF Automatic Updates
              Turn OFF Anti-Virus Software

    Best if clean install with nothing but os and app

              Uninstall Unused OS Components
              Uninstall Internet Explorer

    Create and use customized keystrokes

              Keystrokes that I use for Nuendo can be downloaded by clicking here .

    Use macros when possible

              For Nuendo 1.6.2 and earlier consider using  EZ Macros  or  QuicKeys
              Nuendo 2.0 includes a macro maker

    Dedicate your Audio computer to Audio use ONLY!!!!

              Don't use your Audio Computer to surf the internet
              Don't use your Audio Computer to type MS Word Documents
              Don't use your Audio Computer to do Client Billing
              Never EVER install MS Office on your Audio Computer

Optimize your software for mixing

    Create Templates for various work setups

              i.e. Full band template
              i.e. Solo piano recordings template
              i.e. Empty project with click track template

    Always set master output faders to zero

              32bit float summing leaves PLENTY of headroom... so USE IT!!!
              Any overload at summing point CANNOT be removed from mix
              (Shortcut) Hold Ctrl and left click

    If the mix is too loud for the summing bus

              Bring individual channel faders down by temporarily grouping the channel faders together (Ctrl G)
              Lower the level of the channel faders
              Then UnGroup the channel faders

    When mixing, try to keep processing power below 70%

              Bounce tracks to keep it below that figure

    Try to avoid 2mix compression unless desired as an effect

              Any compression added during the mixing phase CANNOT be removed during mastering

    Avoid using automation except when absolutely necessary

              Use Cut and Level on Audio objects instead
              The Advantages to 'Cut and Level' over Automation are:

                      Speed
                      Levels are changed BEFORE plugins
                      Easy to see what needs to be leveled BEFORE you hear it

              If you MUST use automation, be sure to 'clean up' your 'mess' afterwards

Organize hard disk work area

    Create a folder for each client

              Within that folder create a folder for each song

    Create a folder for all of the client's mixes

              When saving mixes, ALWAYS use 32 bit float for Final Mixes
              Match Sample Rate of Final Mix Bounce file to Project Sample Rate
              Mastering engineer is best qualified to resample/dither
              It is NOT a good idea to do this during mixing.
              Sample rate conversaion is the DEATH of high quality audio if done in the digital domian


    Save projects with descriptive names describing where you are in the
        various stages of mixing

              i.e. start mixing 07-08-03
              i.e. working on the drums 07-12-03
              i.e. almost done 07-17-03
              i.e. final mix 07-18-03 awaiting approval
              i.e. final mix 07-18-03 approved by producer 07-19-03

            Example:

    Always put the date as part of the save name

              i.e. I'm working on the lead vocal rides now 07-19-03


    Save every time you take a breath  (Did you breathe? Hit SAVE!!!)

              Consider creating a single key shortcut for saving... i.e. F2 (or similar)

Backup client's data as if your life depends on it EVERY DAY!!!!

              Never EVER delete ANYTHING until the project is Completed and Approved!
              Copy client's data onto more than 1 hard disk if possible
              Create batch files to make backups easier
              Xcopy is your friend
              I have provided a batch file CPY.BAT that will configure xcopy so that it only copies the files that are new or have been changed.