Zero-Blade
Zero-Blade
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Posted : Oct 26, 2009 23:38
Quote:
On 2009-10-26 21:13, Taii wrote:
Hihats - i didnt really understand how to EQ them, so i cut something from each side .. is it better?
I still dont understand whats wrong about compressors, i didnt even use any in this track So i just changed the limiter. Can it be this way, or is it still overcompressed?
HiHats are supposed to be 'high' hats, so EQing them isn't that hard - you just lower/cut the low/mid frequencies. Of course you can't always use the same EQ for HH, so just play around and see what sound fits to your liking. I usually use a highpass and cut below 1khz - 5khz, sometimes instead of hp i use a low shelf and just lower the low freqs, depends on the samples you use.
About the compressors - if you haven't used any and the sound of the track sounds compressed than you most probably have the master channel clipping hard. That is why you should have all your channels' volume at -6, -12, etc. volume, so the master has enough room to 'mix' all channels without clipping.
Triplag Music
http://www.triplag.com/
Taii
IsraTrance Junior Member
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Posted : Oct 27, 2009 00:43
HiHats - ok, now i think i understand. Thanks.
Compressors - in FL Studio channels have about -5 volume by default, but on mixer there is 0 by default. So i should lower the mixer channels volume? Or is it enough when i lower volume by limiter on master, how i did in second version? Thank you.
Taii
IsraTrance Junior Member
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Posted : Oct 31, 2009 00:09
exkor
IsraTrance Junior Member
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Posted : Nov 16, 2009 21:32
Do what Zero-Blade told you, but I personally cut differently every time depending on the track - sometimes 1KHz somtimes 800Hz sometime 900Hz.
Make an extra channel/track and put a highpass filter on it at 100Hz-300Hz and pass all your tracks through it except kick and bass. I never do 100Hz I almost always do 300Hz and up but many ppl go for 100Hz or even lower. What that will do is make room for the bass and the kick so that other samples/synths won't eat up on the same frequencies as your bass and kick.
Even if you playing a very high notes with a synth it still gonna go to the lowest frequencies because of fundamental frequencies generation.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fundamental_frequency But mathematics out of this, just use filters!
However, because you gonna use HP and sometimes you gonna cut out the fundamental frequency (the base frequency from which all starts) you gonna kill the meat of the sample, so you need to add some resonance to artificially shift the base frequency.
For example, try taking a snare and HP cutting it at 180Hz, it will sound like sh*t. So to fix it you can bring the resonance up at 180HP and it will sound OK.
Personally, I make "unity tracks" for drums, leads, pads... etc and each has a different HP filter and I pump all tracks except for kick and bass through these channels/tracks. That way I don't need to waste too much CPU power and it's very organized this way, and most importantly it's clean.
About the general structure of your tracks, it will ve different for each person but from my prospective, you are missing some explosiveness and definition. What I mean is that the transitions are very spread out and there isn't a solid definitive lead it's sorta floaty. Just keep diggin at it you will improve with time, it all takes time and nothing more.
Taii
IsraTrance Junior Member
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Posted : Nov 17, 2009 02:31
Oh, thanks, this could help:)
about filters - sometimes i have a problem when i send one channel to another, then all fx on that channel sound like they were half-off. (here ends my english, but maybe you understand?:) )
but i will try, in a next track:)
i know it should improve with time, but sometimes it seems im just stuck. :/ however i guess i will just keep trying thanks again for constructive critics.
exkor
IsraTrance Junior Member
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Posted : Nov 17, 2009 04:28
I would say if you're stuck then don't push it... take a break or go do something else for sometime.
Do something very simple, make 2-3 melodies that are very different from each other, maybe different synths with different effects. Put them apart from each other so you have some space to fill out. Then add kick track and bass track. Don't make anything complicated, just static kick going every 1/4 note and bass in between the kicks. Like this:
at 3:23
Add a track for snare and a track for hihats.
You can start with samples until you get the hang of it, try Psyload samples, I checked them in the past and I have nothing bad to say about them.
When you finish with this simplistic arrangement without anything, or any effects, then start doing the little stuff like taking the leads/melodies one way to another, working on transitions, effects, beat repeaters, gates... etc.
Taii
IsraTrance Junior Member
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Posted : Nov 20, 2009 21:23
hi
ive tried to apply your advices here, except that starting from simple arrangement, everytime i try that, i dont have any ideas or i become "creative" and when i stop its complicated again
i have one question - is it the same, put a highpass filter on something (300Hz as you said), and do the same thing with EQ?
i mean when i dont cut the fundamental frequency.
and another question - all that compressor, eq, frequency, .. .. problems, can it be caused by bad sound card and/or speakers? like it sounds good to me but different when played on other speakers.
exkor
IsraTrance Junior Member
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Posted : Nov 24, 2009 09:02
haha
I am telling you, better to start simple... complicate later
Well some EQ have a filtering capabilities. It doesn't matter what you use either EQ or a filter as long as it gives you the ability to get rid of a certain band/range of frequencies completely. Some EQ/filters are complete crap and they don't filter/eliminate 100%, and if you compress it you will see. So it's a good idea to get good filters and EQs such as Sonalksys or some other brand of good filters. Not just the ones that look good but the ones that do the job.
The compressor, eq, freq are not really problems, these are more like knowing your craft sort of thing. You can forget about it but your tracks won't be as crystal clear and crazy loud when you done mastering.
About speakers, any speaker is just like any other musical instrument and every speaker will sound differently because it's a different instrument. Some speakers will make some sounds brighter then others. You can't make your tracks sound the same everywhere, it's not impossible.
About soundcard, I believe as long as you play 44.1KHz 16bit WAV it doesn't matter on what sound card you play it as long as it supports the format.
So to answer your question that it sounds good to you but bad to others on their systems I don't believe so.
There is this problem when you work on a track for long you get used to it and it sounds ok. Stay away from it for a month and it won't sound as good to you anymore
That's why I like taking many small breaks.
Your track:
This track is much better then your other ones. In terms of clarity I can hear the bass clearly, the hihats clearly and the kick too. I don't like your snare though I think it's too smudgy. Now you need to figure out the consistency/coherency part and that is the bigger picture. Also, in my opinion it's important to get down to business without any time wasting, like if you got someting hot like a really kool lead or something bring it in right on to catch the ear. But that's more like personal approach.
So i just changed the limiter. Can it be this way, or is it still overcompressed?
