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Compression and EQ in the Mix
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e-motion
IsraTrance Full Member
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Posted : Nov 14, 2005 23:48
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i've read here two things that are confusing me. the first is that you should get the sound as EQd as possible from the synths so you don't have to equalize it. how come? i always use an hpf+lpf on every channel unless i wan't to spend db's on useless frequencys. this is essential to mix it loud. you say to use the synth to do this so you're telling to waste filters when i could use an EQ? i'm confused here.
the other is that pro's don't use and we shouldn't use compression on the bassline. so how do you add presence to your bass? you'll have to increase the db's a lot so you'll waste more and more db's. how can you mix loud following this "rules" ?
i'm curious about this. |
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Willy Wonka
Inactive User
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Posted : Nov 15, 2005 00:27
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Loud mix, doesn't mean right mix, let's start from that.
Ways you can louder your mix,
1.Soft compression of each element (to louder up each signal but detecting it's peak and gently remove it so you can boost overall)
2.Harmonics removal (remove useless frequency ranges, these can't be heard or can be in wrong tune so you can cut/boost them gentle way (+-3dB). By doing that you can laways boost channel for +2dB, so you gain more loudness but less dynamic range)
3.Side chaining compression (to louder up group of channels by detecting one channel envelope and compressing other with first channel's envelope to reduce a peak at hit of both channels at the same time. Still make it gentle so attack of each element wil remain)
Other important thing about compression, there are few examples of bad compression so you need to learn them and know them
1.Missing signal's attack
2.Unwanted distortion
3.No dynamic range
please listen carefuly while you compress and decide whether you want it jumpy and seperated or heavy and distorted alone since there is no rules, just knowledge in tools you use.
there are much more but concentrate on these few since they are the most important ones, thou not always used.
Why Pro's don't compress basslines? I don't know and never heard of Pro's who doesn't compress anything or compress everything, real Pro should know what will be the result of compresion before doing it to decide whether it needed or not, while each bassline is the case of it's on so it in need of personal touch.
I'm not professional, thou i can't imagine VSTi signal without compression when it comes to basslines, you can read my tutorial at Bassline Tutorial thread, there i've explained my technique. VSTi signal is thin and plastic IMHO without proper processing.
Basically you should know what EQ and compressor will do to the output signal and then decide if you need it or not, there is no rule in that since everything different, eventhou bassline may seem the same but kick or tom coming with it can create another side effect if you apply same compression as bass before.
 "there once was a lesbian from Cancun
who took a young man up to her room
where there argued all night as to who had the right
to do what, how much and to whom" |
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e-motion
IsraTrance Full Member
Started Topics :
71
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Posted : Nov 15, 2005 04:43
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yeah i've read here somewhere that bassline thingie. mixing loud adds power (imho) which is good for percursion and leads. low end doesn't need to be really loud but tight to fit (so the bassline and the kick sit together) and have the presence it needs.
just my way of thinking 
anyway my last track had too much low end but i know where i went wrong and i'm going to correct it (as soon as i have an hour with nobody at home lol maybe more. this Pentium 3 takes a lot to export  ) |
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e-motion
IsraTrance Full Member
Started Topics :
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Posted : Nov 15, 2005 18:30
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1.Soft compression of each element (to louder up each signal but detecting it's peak and gently remove it so you can boost overall)
2.Harmonics removal (remove useless frequency ranges, these can't be heard or can be in wrong tune so you can cut/boost them gentle way (+-3dB). By doing that you can laways boost channel for +2dB, so you gain more loudness but less dynamic range)
3.Side chaining compression (to louder up group of channels by detecting one channel envelope and compressing other with first channel's envelope to reduce a peak at hit of both channels at the same time. Still make it gentle so attack of each element wil remain)
more or less what i do except i only use side chaining in the Kick+Bass. |
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PoM
IsraTrance Full Member
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162
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8087
Posted : Nov 15, 2005 20:44
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a sound enginer told me lot of tracks are too much compressed ,if your mix is good you don t need one,it s like a medic for the mix, let the job for the mastering enginer... anyone agree? |
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Willy Wonka
Inactive User
Started Topics :
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Posted : Nov 15, 2005 20:52
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PoM
No, mastering engineer can't compress individual channel or side chain. The only thing he can do is to work on output signal that's why you should keep it clear of mastering tools, just reduce volume if it peaks.
To create a good mix you need to use compressor, what you talking about is side chaining and master compression which make some tracks overcompressed.
As i've previously wrote, you should listen very carefuly to signal while compresssion to avoid, distortion, lack headroom or missing sample attack.
IMHO
E-motion, that's what 95% of us do more or less.
Cheers "there once was a lesbian from Cancun
who took a young man up to her room
where there argued all night as to who had the right
to do what, how much and to whom" |
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e-motion
IsraTrance Full Member
Started Topics :
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Posted : Nov 16, 2005 00:54
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yeah that's my point. the job of a mastering engineer is to polish the mix not to make a miracle. if a mix doesn't have a good overall level the engineer will have to compress the master channel a lot which adds much more distortion than doing it in the mix even if it is the best engineer ever. cause there are things that you can compress to hell without destroying them and things that are better uncompressed. when i say compress i don't say compress to hell... but a good mix is a loud mix but a loud mix isn't necessarly a good mix.
my point of view is that you can't waste your db's or you'll reach 0.0 really soon and altough it peaks at 0.0 the track has less presence than what it must have. that's why you cut unwanted frequencys and control the peaks of your channels
as i said... imho |
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Willy Wonka
Inactive User
Started Topics :
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Posted : Nov 16, 2005 02:08
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Answer me something e-motion, do you ask a quesion or you need aproval to start making compression from me or someone else?
Mate do whatever you want, once you ask do it about something you don't know or never read about.
"there once was a lesbian from Cancun
who took a young man up to her room
where there argued all night as to who had the right
to do what, how much and to whom" |
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e-motion
IsraTrance Full Member
Started Topics :
71
Posts :
933
Posted : Nov 16, 2005 11:38
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no i don't. i did this question after mixing a track
did i say that? i think not... |
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