HOW U GET DAT SOUND?

Let me ask u guys suttin, most heads out here in the UK are mystified on how americans get that clean and loud mix, is it the equipment they buy or how they use it, if I could buy that sound i probably would but if I can get that sound with the equipment I already have, then how?

us americans are just better
















j/k

what equip are you using?

i wouldnt say all that.....

but im sure it has to do with how your eq'ing, recording and mixing.

i always use a parametric eq on just about all my tracks and that helps a lot. also when im recording, i do it loud enough to where my levels are at the highest they can be without clipping

ummm....let me think....

maybe try compressing your drums? that might help on that part. it might even be as simple as choosing the right drum samples to use.

Mysitied Hmmmm, I aint. I think I know what your getting at in terms of quality in overall production/end product.

Professionaly, it cant be the equipment...They use general tools accessable to most.
As far as loud mixes go, I put alot of it down to the engineers in the states. I rate them as one of the best alongside jamaicans

Compared to most British engineers, the US guys mix records differently... Alot of it is in the recording process/techniques. I find they aren't affraid of bass. Because the most succesful music over in the UK is pop, most records get mixed flat so they sit on the radio better. In pop land, records dont get mixed so they can bang inna club....Its all very clean and friendly. I spose most engineers have tuned their ear to this way of mixing etc.

Another thing I think US engineers have over the UK ones is that most of them come from a Rock/Metal background....That has got to be one of the most difficult genres of music to mix. Needs to pack lots of punch but not annoy the listener. Theses guys then take the experience into mixing Hip Hop records etc and apply the same rules accordingly.

Just my viewpoint from experience...Same can be said of Dancehall records. That sound is very unique to its founders

Hope that helped

Ps...I aint having a stab at British engineers, just making an observation

FCUK British engineers blud! I could not give a dyam!
Its like I been making beats for a hot minute like 3yrs and a bit and every time i record a tune its like its too low or sounds to hissy some next bullsh1t..i know it something that will take time but bwoy why is so hard to get a little close?

anyway equipment used!

hahah!

Yamaha 01v Digital Mixer, Akai DPs16, MPC2000XL/&1000, Spirits Absolute 2 Monitors, Also I use a Yamaha DBX compresser\limiter for then I play vocal out from the DPs16.

I have tried various routes with that I have and it always sound nice coming out the Monitor but when i play it in the car or at home or on radio its Sounds "TIN PAN" which means light.

So what u think?

Ur wack at engineering & mixing...Lol. What you describe happening to you aint a US Vs UK thing. Thats hissy, light result ur gettin is down to your bad technique. You need to train your ear to tweaking sounds

Making beats etc is not the same as being able to record and mix a record... They are 2 different hats.

You need to study recording techniques and understand some rules and principles...Maybe get a book

Remeber your not trying to get a fully professional sound from your bedroom but a really close one. Commercial CD's have been mixed & mastered by pros.

BRAVO wrote:Ur wack at engineering & mixing...Lol

Tell me about it!! My mate used to call me the frequency killer!

But serious its really getting to me now cause it makes so much difference. And this is what is letting me and alot of others I know down in this game! Imagine last year I got to play some of my tracks to Dre and man was like "...Damn R u Def..can u hear dem frequencies?" I was like erm.....Anyway I'm not gonna get angry I'm shit at it I'm either gonna LEARN or PAY some next bre to do it.

Thanks!

http://members.aol.com/motionizer/page5.html

read that whole page like 10 times.

Learn from the bre you pay...That could turn out to be money well spent.
This way, you can tell the guy how u want things to sound...Then ask him how he did that. Take note, and you'l learn over time.

What lets alot of the UK guys down, is they tend to try and do it all themselves thinking that they can...When they cant. Thats what lets them down....I call it lack of technique...Their intentions are good, but the finish is poor.
Learn your trade then open up your business

Ps
To get asked if your deaf and if you can hear freqs is a deep question... Your levels must be pretty bad.

If you got sample of your stuff throw it up. that way maybe u could get dirct pointers. I bet u a fiver your drums need layering too. that'l help

BRAVO wrote:Learn from the bre you pay...That could turn out to be money well spent.
This way, you can tell the guy how u want things to sound...Then ask him how he did that. Take note, and you'l learn over time.

What lets alot of the UK guys down, is they tend to try and do it all themselves thinking that they can...When they cant. Thats what lets them down....I call it lack of technique...Their intentions are good, but the finish is poor.
Learn your trade then open up your business

Ps
To get asked if your deaf and if you can hear freqs is a deep question... Your levels must be pretty bad.

If you got sample of your stuff throw it up. that way maybe u could get dirct pointers. I bet u a fiver your drums need layering too. that'l help

EVERY Point u raised is so RIGHT! Man dem out here do like to do it all dem selves and due to not having the technique or skill they flop!
This is something I have had to come to terms with...also about the layering...hahahah..lol..lol...A good friend of mine who is big over here mentioned that to me saying that could help me also. I will send u My Mix of a track and what he did the differences are shameful bruv i'm telling you! I....I just need to leave uni now and go home holla at u later!

binger0 wrote:http://members.aol.com/motionizer/page5.html

read that whole page like 10 times.

safe blud!!

also I read that one about compression by Jezer that was good too.

sorry, but im really going to have to disagree about the british not being able to mix bass bullshit...

you guys ever listened to a drumNbass record? those guys have CRAZY mixing skills. lots and lots of punch on the bass mixed with a ton of highs. pretty much any dance record is mixed just like a hip hop record...id go so far as to say its MORE difficult to mix a dance/dnb record than a hip hop one because of how full most of the dance records are. a lot of hip hop is very sparse these days...

Here we go....Did I say anything about British engineers not being able to mix bass???
Secondly,Im sure I mentioned pop world as a reference. As for D&B dudes, they pretty much do it all themselves (Produce,engineer and mix). They are cut from a different cloth from the general pop engineers that mix down Garath Gates, S Club type records and so on. Not sure they could mixdown a Garath Gates recods tho saying that.

Try not to read what I say with such a closed mind...Im sure deep down you know what im talking about

two words: Frequency analizah It helps me soooo much!

agreed...nowt to do whether your british or not...if you cant mix you cant mix- simple as....learn how to mix penfold...then buy some high-end mastering gear..run your new well mixed tunes through that and et voila you have that loud and clear sound that all pro's enjoy not just americans....

greg