By cmeproductions
Fri Sep 30, 2005 2:35 pm
i thought id show love to erry1 one this forum who replied to my multitrackin post especially mpc400xl. tha help was appreciated.
Quik Tipz: Secrets to obtaining a Hotter Mix!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
If you are sincere about getting the best possible mix out of your productions, then you'll be certain to read the following unknown EQ mixing secrets below:
1) Know what to boost & where to boost - Too many amateur mixers think just because they've discovered a low frequency EQ knob, and know how to turn it up, that they've suddenly become an expert on Equalization. The truth is there isn't a quicker way to ruin a mix than EQing your tracks using the same global EQ boosts. A professional mixer quickly understands that while boosting the same low frequency on a bass guitar as that on a kick drum may sound great when listened separate from each other, when combined the cumulative EQ creates an overall loss of output volume for the entire mix due to lows controlling the mix level.
2) Give each track it's own timbre - A professional mixer understands to avoid using the same frequencies when EQing each track in a mix. In fact, by making sure each track has it's own proper & unique EQ settings, you're overall mix will sound more professional, balanced, and louder. To take it a step further, clearing out frequency ranges with low pass and high pass filters on tracks that don't fill the entire frequency spectrum grants you more control over boosting & cutting EQ where it is needed. For example, opening up the low end of the spectrum with high pass filtering so kick drums and bass can fill in with more definition, as well as, opening up the highs with low pass filtering where cymbals and hi-hats can be heard more clearly.
3) Compensate: Where you boost, you must cut - A professional mixer understands that where he/she boosts, he/she must cut. For example, if your kick drum needs more lows, then give it a 4db boost around 60hz. But...be certain to compensate this boost with a corresponding cut by subtracting the same 60hz from your bass guitar track. Furthermore, before creating unwanted cumulative EQ effects by boosting lower mids on your congas or toms, clear out the EQ path by high passing tracks that don't use natural low mids such as strings, hi hats, and background vocals. By boosting where you cut & cutting where you boost, you keep the overall EQ spectrum balanced. The results will astonish you. Your overall mix will be more balanced, smoother, and best of all - Hotter!
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
1) Volume Balancing - All your instrument tracks added together must represent an even/balanced structure with volume. It's easy to lend too much volume to the wrong tracks in your production. Coming up with the proper balance where each tracks has it's own proper level is a practicing art.
2) Panorama & Placement - Whether you're mixing in stereo or surround sound, achieving a unique pan & placement for each musical track within a mix is essential. Proper sound field placement fro all tracks will reveal the detail & beauty of your entire production while, at the same time, satisfying the listener's ears with acoustic balance.
3) Frequency Spectrum - One of the biggest problems producers create for themselves is not making sure to fulfill the entire audible frequency spectrum in a mix, approximately 30hz-18khz. Too often, mixes have too many ear-piercing highs or too many muddy uncontrolled lows. Today's hit songs demand a proper mix & balance of the full frequency range. And, as a reminder, "proper balance" doesn't mean boost all knobs!
4) Effects & Dimensions - Learn to entertain and embellish your mix with subtle effects such as reverb, delay, overdrive, and chorusing. Be careful to not overdo it, but by giving a variety of the tracks in your mix their own unique ambient dimension and effect, the overall mix can become a richer listening experience.
5) Compression & Dynamics - While giving some tracks in the mix their own dynamic freedom, other tracks (particularly vocals) need more dynamic control for two main reasons. Reason one: You don't want a track to sound amateur, being too quiet to hear at one section and then suddenly too loud in another - so compress it! Reason two: You don't all the hard work you've put into track placement, EQ, and dimension to be over-masked and thrown out of balance by uncontrolled dynamics from competing tracks - so compress them!
6) Keep it Interesting - Ok, so we've laid down a foundation of elements to adhere to above, but that doesn't mean your mix should end up cliche'! Keep it interesting and original by trying more experimental methods such as over-compressing a certain track or creating abrupt drum and/or bass mutes. If you want to try something real extreme, try your tricks on tracks that have a short presence in the song rather than on tracks that are consistently present throughout. This keeps it interesting, yet not annoying!
these are from Modernbeats.com
Sound enhancement!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
EQ can be used in a creative way to enhance a sound by bringing out and emphasising some of its natural
character. Most musically-useful sounds can be described as containing the following four basic frequency
components: subharmonics, fundamental notes, upper harmonics and high harmonics.
Generally speaking, when using EQ for general sound enhancement, you are normally staying well away from the
fundamental note range where the instrument's notes actually lie. This range is usually quite narrow and low
anyway: for example the 'fundamental' part of the A above middle C is only 440Hz.
What we are talking about here is boosting or cutting frequencies in the other three bands to produce the sort of
generalised effects that are usually described by vague emotive language. For example, adjusting the
subharmonics can make a sound warmer or colder. A sound can be made to seem harsher or softer without
affecting its volume level by adjusting its upper harmonics, while the high harmonics can affect the amount of
sparkle, dazzle, sheen or air in a sound.
Most of the interesting low and high harmonics that can be excited by careful EQ'ing are usually either much
higher than the highest note the instrument plays, or lower than the lowest. But tweaking them rarely results in the
instrument leaping out of the mix in its high or low registers - the effect is more subtle. If problems do occur, with
the instrument seemingly getting louder as it approaches high or low notes, this can be corrected, without
compromising the overall effect, with a bit of judicious 'counter-EQ' using a narrow bandwidth on the edges of the
fundamental note range.
Creating room in the mix!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Let's consider that you have recorded an arrangement with loads of instruments all playing parts that fit together
well, but with all the faders up, the mix still sounds a little cluttered, perhaps with some instruments masking or
obscuring others. How do you create a little more room in the mix for each instrument to breathe and be heard,
without resorting to the kind of serious editing that involves cutting out or muting some of the instruments?
With creative use of EQ, you can carve out some room, pushing some instruments out of the way to make space
for others. This method was frequently utilised at Tamla Motown, usually to allow vocals to come through clearly.
The idea is to use subtractive EQ to remove frequencies from certain instruments that may be clashing with other
sounds in the mix. This can take the form of EQ'ing individual instruments, or alternatively, a set of instruments
can be subgrouped and EQ'd collectively.
This technique could be viewed as being somewhat brutal, but there will be elements in some instruments' sounds
that serve no purpose other than to muddy up a mix, even though they may be a constituent part of the normal
sound of the instrument. The boom of an acoustic guitar, for instance, can add unnecessary clutter in the
frequency range where the bass and kick drum should be. Indeed, if you were to use a large amount of
subtractive EQ on a particular instrument and then listen to that instrument solo'd, it might sound particularly
horrible, as if some of its character had been taken away. However, that is largely irrelevant, as once in a mix, any
instrument is a constituent part of that mix and should be listened to in that context. Something that might sound
quite nasty when solo'd could sound great in the mix. In the case of the acoustic guitar, for example, we may only
want to hear its top end anyway.
For instruments that are playing the same musical part together, the opposite might apply. It is often a mistake to
make them sound independent; instead, try to make them combine into one single, bigger sound - even if the
instruments used are quite different. Separating them can, in any case, be difficult, as the ear will subconsciously
try to merge them, so there's little point using EQ to make the two parts distinct when, from a musical perspective,
they are not.
For example, think of George Benson's distinctive scat vocals that accompany some of his guitar solos, and how
the vocal and guitar blend together to form a bizarre new guitar sound. Similarly, mixing synth sounds with live
strings can be much more effective if you try and combine them to create a new type of unusual string sound,
rather than leaving it sounding like a silly little synth playing over a massive orchestra
From some e-book on mastering
I hear that having a clean beat with a lil dirt in it is best, and i agree. So thats what i practice doing. I read alot of the articles about the actual math of music production. These are relly just mixing tips.
First I EQ the whole beat before mixing anything else.
I Eq the track to a low shelf, -8.2 dB, 20 Hz, and 0.22 band width. This equals a Super low roll-off. Dj Quik Said you dont hear the super roll-off, you feel it in the bass and drums.
Then i use a vintage compressor and work with it from there to make the sounds warm.
I always use some sort of vinyl effect "plugin"( not vinyl sound sample) on it to give it dirt and warmth and to pop out lively. Always works.
Then i use a "free" filter( not a regular filter) for more warmth. I leave it in a low- pass type, 5.8 dB gain, 10910 hz, 50% Q ( resonance) depending on how much vinyl effect i use. The more dirt, more resonance.
Sometimes i give the whole beat a sublte reverb. I make it to mainly effect the high shelf. This makes my beats sound thik and fuller. Also gives more warmth.
___________________________
On seperate tracks I Eq the kick and bass first. This gives the beats a foundation to work on. Never make the kick high toned, because that can make your beats sound reall wack. Remember that basses and kicks should always mesh together. I put them in the same position: mono, but you can still give it a sublte panning.
Claps and snares i treat the same. If its a serious beat i usually make them a little mellow and heavy-hitting. In General beats i make them snap and sometime i make them crackle. I try to use a multi tap delay to make them crackle and High Shelf EQ to make them snap. I make the claps pop most of the time. I always boost the peak shelf in 500 hz, and 0.26 band width. I find this to thicken any sound.
Hats, shakes, and percussions i treat the same. I like to seperate them by stereo, most of the time in the lower left and right sides. I Eq them to pop, hit hard, but to distance them off at the same time. This makes them stand out more.
More tips comin some of this is basic but some ppl may never of thought of doin some of these things
Quik Tipz: Secrets to obtaining a Hotter Mix!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
If you are sincere about getting the best possible mix out of your productions, then you'll be certain to read the following unknown EQ mixing secrets below:
1) Know what to boost & where to boost - Too many amateur mixers think just because they've discovered a low frequency EQ knob, and know how to turn it up, that they've suddenly become an expert on Equalization. The truth is there isn't a quicker way to ruin a mix than EQing your tracks using the same global EQ boosts. A professional mixer quickly understands that while boosting the same low frequency on a bass guitar as that on a kick drum may sound great when listened separate from each other, when combined the cumulative EQ creates an overall loss of output volume for the entire mix due to lows controlling the mix level.
2) Give each track it's own timbre - A professional mixer understands to avoid using the same frequencies when EQing each track in a mix. In fact, by making sure each track has it's own proper & unique EQ settings, you're overall mix will sound more professional, balanced, and louder. To take it a step further, clearing out frequency ranges with low pass and high pass filters on tracks that don't fill the entire frequency spectrum grants you more control over boosting & cutting EQ where it is needed. For example, opening up the low end of the spectrum with high pass filtering so kick drums and bass can fill in with more definition, as well as, opening up the highs with low pass filtering where cymbals and hi-hats can be heard more clearly.
3) Compensate: Where you boost, you must cut - A professional mixer understands that where he/she boosts, he/she must cut. For example, if your kick drum needs more lows, then give it a 4db boost around 60hz. But...be certain to compensate this boost with a corresponding cut by subtracting the same 60hz from your bass guitar track. Furthermore, before creating unwanted cumulative EQ effects by boosting lower mids on your congas or toms, clear out the EQ path by high passing tracks that don't use natural low mids such as strings, hi hats, and background vocals. By boosting where you cut & cutting where you boost, you keep the overall EQ spectrum balanced. The results will astonish you. Your overall mix will be more balanced, smoother, and best of all - Hotter!
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
1) Volume Balancing - All your instrument tracks added together must represent an even/balanced structure with volume. It's easy to lend too much volume to the wrong tracks in your production. Coming up with the proper balance where each tracks has it's own proper level is a practicing art.
2) Panorama & Placement - Whether you're mixing in stereo or surround sound, achieving a unique pan & placement for each musical track within a mix is essential. Proper sound field placement fro all tracks will reveal the detail & beauty of your entire production while, at the same time, satisfying the listener's ears with acoustic balance.
3) Frequency Spectrum - One of the biggest problems producers create for themselves is not making sure to fulfill the entire audible frequency spectrum in a mix, approximately 30hz-18khz. Too often, mixes have too many ear-piercing highs or too many muddy uncontrolled lows. Today's hit songs demand a proper mix & balance of the full frequency range. And, as a reminder, "proper balance" doesn't mean boost all knobs!
4) Effects & Dimensions - Learn to entertain and embellish your mix with subtle effects such as reverb, delay, overdrive, and chorusing. Be careful to not overdo it, but by giving a variety of the tracks in your mix their own unique ambient dimension and effect, the overall mix can become a richer listening experience.
5) Compression & Dynamics - While giving some tracks in the mix their own dynamic freedom, other tracks (particularly vocals) need more dynamic control for two main reasons. Reason one: You don't want a track to sound amateur, being too quiet to hear at one section and then suddenly too loud in another - so compress it! Reason two: You don't all the hard work you've put into track placement, EQ, and dimension to be over-masked and thrown out of balance by uncontrolled dynamics from competing tracks - so compress them!
6) Keep it Interesting - Ok, so we've laid down a foundation of elements to adhere to above, but that doesn't mean your mix should end up cliche'! Keep it interesting and original by trying more experimental methods such as over-compressing a certain track or creating abrupt drum and/or bass mutes. If you want to try something real extreme, try your tricks on tracks that have a short presence in the song rather than on tracks that are consistently present throughout. This keeps it interesting, yet not annoying!
these are from Modernbeats.com
Sound enhancement!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
EQ can be used in a creative way to enhance a sound by bringing out and emphasising some of its natural
character. Most musically-useful sounds can be described as containing the following four basic frequency
components: subharmonics, fundamental notes, upper harmonics and high harmonics.
Generally speaking, when using EQ for general sound enhancement, you are normally staying well away from the
fundamental note range where the instrument's notes actually lie. This range is usually quite narrow and low
anyway: for example the 'fundamental' part of the A above middle C is only 440Hz.
What we are talking about here is boosting or cutting frequencies in the other three bands to produce the sort of
generalised effects that are usually described by vague emotive language. For example, adjusting the
subharmonics can make a sound warmer or colder. A sound can be made to seem harsher or softer without
affecting its volume level by adjusting its upper harmonics, while the high harmonics can affect the amount of
sparkle, dazzle, sheen or air in a sound.
Most of the interesting low and high harmonics that can be excited by careful EQ'ing are usually either much
higher than the highest note the instrument plays, or lower than the lowest. But tweaking them rarely results in the
instrument leaping out of the mix in its high or low registers - the effect is more subtle. If problems do occur, with
the instrument seemingly getting louder as it approaches high or low notes, this can be corrected, without
compromising the overall effect, with a bit of judicious 'counter-EQ' using a narrow bandwidth on the edges of the
fundamental note range.
Creating room in the mix!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Let's consider that you have recorded an arrangement with loads of instruments all playing parts that fit together
well, but with all the faders up, the mix still sounds a little cluttered, perhaps with some instruments masking or
obscuring others. How do you create a little more room in the mix for each instrument to breathe and be heard,
without resorting to the kind of serious editing that involves cutting out or muting some of the instruments?
With creative use of EQ, you can carve out some room, pushing some instruments out of the way to make space
for others. This method was frequently utilised at Tamla Motown, usually to allow vocals to come through clearly.
The idea is to use subtractive EQ to remove frequencies from certain instruments that may be clashing with other
sounds in the mix. This can take the form of EQ'ing individual instruments, or alternatively, a set of instruments
can be subgrouped and EQ'd collectively.
This technique could be viewed as being somewhat brutal, but there will be elements in some instruments' sounds
that serve no purpose other than to muddy up a mix, even though they may be a constituent part of the normal
sound of the instrument. The boom of an acoustic guitar, for instance, can add unnecessary clutter in the
frequency range where the bass and kick drum should be. Indeed, if you were to use a large amount of
subtractive EQ on a particular instrument and then listen to that instrument solo'd, it might sound particularly
horrible, as if some of its character had been taken away. However, that is largely irrelevant, as once in a mix, any
instrument is a constituent part of that mix and should be listened to in that context. Something that might sound
quite nasty when solo'd could sound great in the mix. In the case of the acoustic guitar, for example, we may only
want to hear its top end anyway.
For instruments that are playing the same musical part together, the opposite might apply. It is often a mistake to
make them sound independent; instead, try to make them combine into one single, bigger sound - even if the
instruments used are quite different. Separating them can, in any case, be difficult, as the ear will subconsciously
try to merge them, so there's little point using EQ to make the two parts distinct when, from a musical perspective,
they are not.
For example, think of George Benson's distinctive scat vocals that accompany some of his guitar solos, and how
the vocal and guitar blend together to form a bizarre new guitar sound. Similarly, mixing synth sounds with live
strings can be much more effective if you try and combine them to create a new type of unusual string sound,
rather than leaving it sounding like a silly little synth playing over a massive orchestra
From some e-book on mastering
I hear that having a clean beat with a lil dirt in it is best, and i agree. So thats what i practice doing. I read alot of the articles about the actual math of music production. These are relly just mixing tips.
First I EQ the whole beat before mixing anything else.
I Eq the track to a low shelf, -8.2 dB, 20 Hz, and 0.22 band width. This equals a Super low roll-off. Dj Quik Said you dont hear the super roll-off, you feel it in the bass and drums.
Then i use a vintage compressor and work with it from there to make the sounds warm.
I always use some sort of vinyl effect "plugin"( not vinyl sound sample) on it to give it dirt and warmth and to pop out lively. Always works.
Then i use a "free" filter( not a regular filter) for more warmth. I leave it in a low- pass type, 5.8 dB gain, 10910 hz, 50% Q ( resonance) depending on how much vinyl effect i use. The more dirt, more resonance.
Sometimes i give the whole beat a sublte reverb. I make it to mainly effect the high shelf. This makes my beats sound thik and fuller. Also gives more warmth.
___________________________
On seperate tracks I Eq the kick and bass first. This gives the beats a foundation to work on. Never make the kick high toned, because that can make your beats sound reall wack. Remember that basses and kicks should always mesh together. I put them in the same position: mono, but you can still give it a sublte panning.
Claps and snares i treat the same. If its a serious beat i usually make them a little mellow and heavy-hitting. In General beats i make them snap and sometime i make them crackle. I try to use a multi tap delay to make them crackle and High Shelf EQ to make them snap. I make the claps pop most of the time. I always boost the peak shelf in 500 hz, and 0.26 band width. I find this to thicken any sound.
Hats, shakes, and percussions i treat the same. I like to seperate them by stereo, most of the time in the lower left and right sides. I Eq them to pop, hit hard, but to distance them off at the same time. This makes them stand out more.
More tips comin some of this is basic but some ppl may never of thought of doin some of these things