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Post Production Tweaking...
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NikC
BeatNik
Started Topics :
40
Posts :
601
Posted : May 2, 2005 19:00
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I know that people say that the post production (apart from limiting if you want to play out)should be kept to to mastering engineers whose job it is to make the tracks sound perfect.
However, I want my tracks to sound as good as I can make them myself before playing them out, and before posting demo's to show what I can do.
Does anyone have any tips and tricks for, stereo wideness, punchiness, depth etc.? all the things that give that glistening feel to pro tracks (please noting about 'its all about the mixdown' i know that, but i want to see what i can do afterwards  )
Peace
Nik |
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Get-a-fix
Getafix
Started Topics :
147
Posts :
1441
Posted : May 2, 2005 19:24
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What i usually do is take my final wav mix open it up in soundforge n then use an eq to cut off all d frequencies below 20hz...i don't know y but this gives a lil more air to ur mix n actually makes ur kick n bass sound a lil louder n punchier...try it out n let me know!
 http://www.soundcloud.com/getafixmusic |
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NikC
BeatNik
Started Topics :
40
Posts :
601
Posted : May 2, 2005 19:36
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mm yeah i know what you mean.. i tend to do a cut at around 40Hz in the master of my cubase arrangements so i avoid rumbling subs... it does also (if you apply a limiter afterwards) allow for more power in the kick and bass section (don't really know why, maybe because it doesn't compress bass sounds we don't hear  ? )
What i'm talking about mostly though now.. is increasing punchiness and expanding stereo fiels etc and generally adding that extra glistening layer to a track...  |
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Lithium
IsraTrance Junior Member
Started Topics :
33
Posts :
646
Posted : May 2, 2005 19:59
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try using izotope ozone 3. it has brilliant pseudo mastering presets. i mostly search between the mastering ones till i find one that suits que kind of track i intend to make louder. the presets i like the most is: master/master with exiter/ izotope intellegent maximyzer and dance mix. then just slighty tweak it till you get what you want. |
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WAVELOGIX
Wavelogix
Started Topics :
136
Posts :
1214
Posted : May 2, 2005 20:23
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NikC , i understand what you mean ... but as i have been sending my music to various labels ... i have found out ... if your sound is really good , most label guys will tell it by just listening to the mixdown !
thts wat my experience has been soo far ...
anyways , Ozone 3 and waves mastering plugins are good for post processing !
respect .. chandan ! |
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UnderTow
Started Topics :
9
Posts :
1448
Posted : May 2, 2005 23:40
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Quote:
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On 2005-05-02 19:36, NikC wrote:
mm yeah i know what you mean.. i tend to do a cut at around 40Hz in the master of my cubase arrangements so i avoid rumbling subs... it does also (if you apply a limiter afterwards) allow for more power in the kick and bass section (don't really know why, maybe because it doesn't compress bass sounds we don't hear ? )
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40Hz is overkill. It could just be your speakers that can't handle the low-end. And what Q settings are you using on the filter? When it is set at 40Hz you are probably removing frequencies higher than 40Hz.
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What i'm talking about mostly though now.. is increasing punchiness and expanding stereo fiels etc and generally adding that extra glistening layer to a track...
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Well sorry to say but that is _mostly_ done it the mix ...
UnderTow |
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Freeflow
IsraTrance Full Member
Started Topics :
60
Posts :
3709
Posted : May 3, 2005 00:35
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Try a Multiband compressor for punchiness, depth
and air... and what not ("Express, don't Compress"!). or why not somekind of tube or valve compressor... (yeah i know, compressors and compressors again, but they can really do wonders if they are used in a good way)
a good technique is M/S-stereo, good for lots of things, one is wideness, but thats just a portion of it.
and a little gem that you dont hear about that much, a FFT Filter..
if you want to know more about FFT:
http://www.qsl.net/dl4yhf/speclab/fftinfo.htm
http://www.recordingwebsite.com/articles/mastering.php
http://www.goldammer.de/english/info/produktleistungen/digitale_Filter.htm
i say NikC, try to read more about mastering and its common tools, by experimenting you will learn much..
remember to keep some headroom and narrow down the areas that you think needs gloss, where does it suite to add it and where does it suite to subtract... you really need to use your ears in an objective way, which can be hard when you are working on your own material, but some people really loves to have full control over their own track, sometimes it meets their vision best, but how can they know? (knowledge maybe)
and you should work with tools that gives you good respons... a Eq that needs many Db of cutting or boosting for noticable result is not good, you want to notice small adjustments. Quality instruments is what i mean.
also its very good to work with high resolutions, if you are picky try to record at the best resolution your card gives you...
find out where every instrument in the mix lies frequency wise and dont add volume to a area that is too occupied, which i mean that a Eq boost should not be wide, only very narrow, if a boost is needed. A FFT filter would do you good in situations where you want to remove a certain sound, or accent a certain sound! but with very precise adjustments. it can be a good tool for just some simple gloss aswell...
maybe not the advice you are looking for but i say this can be important aspects of mastering, im trying my self to become more knowledgeable about sound engineering and mastering is very interesting.
and NikC, dont go with the trend of driving your track into the red light district...
and finally, as UnderTow said, many things can be done in the mix, but dont overdo them, mastering is what gives you that extra volume and gloss, no doubt about it... but the mix got to be able to handle it aswell...
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billy ambulance
IsraTrance Junior Member
Started Topics :
43
Posts :
560
Posted : May 3, 2005 12:24
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Quote:
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On 2005-05-02 19:24, Psychosomatic wrote:
What i usually do is take my final wav mix open it up in soundforge n then use an eq to cut off all d frequencies below 20hz...i don't know y but this gives a lil more air to ur mix n actually makes ur kick n bass sound a lil louder n punchier...try it out n let me know!
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frequncies below 30hz are harder to produce and they taking vital energy from the mix.
think of that like that:
the amplifier at the club,car,studio have a certin amount of voltage, energy that it can produced. taking out frequincies that are harder to produced (and not audioble b.t.w) gives you more energy to your important parts.
the goal in creating good mix is to use the best parts you have and to get rid of "bad" parts. when i say "bad" i mean to those parts who dont contributed to the power of the track or contains too much of a specific frequncie. freq`s that ring out too much or contains resonance that cut throw your ears and cause clips in the master channel.
work hard on your mix to improve your sound and dont count on the mastering.
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NikC
BeatNik
Started Topics :
40
Posts :
601
Posted : May 3, 2005 13:24
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Cheers for replies!
@New Era Scientist:
thanks for the links... makes for very interesting reading! will definitely look more into FFT's
@EYB
I find that the cutoff as high pass is not particularly overkill, The Q of the higpass means that the final cutoff is at about 30 Hz and so the subs still sound punchy, just that rumbling and nasty subs are cut.
I like the sound of my mix! (I know it can improve but so can everyone's! - almost - ) but i want to learn more about post production techniques!
I KNOW my mix can be improved, but that's not what i'm after ... plus I think it's useful for people interested in becoming mastering engineers to begin to learn about post-production processes
Peace |
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billy ambulance
IsraTrance Junior Member
Started Topics :
43
Posts :
560
Posted : May 3, 2005 14:39
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sometimes, a little boost around 15khz can make your mix sound more "hi-fi".
important thing in making mastering is always to compare with a mastered track you like the sound of.
listen to bass amount & definition, listen to amount of highs in the mix etc..
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Lithium
IsraTrance Junior Member
Started Topics :
33
Posts :
646
Posted : May 3, 2005 14:48
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yes indeed, the human ear can get very easily used to sounds, making it hard sometimes to understand what´s right or wrong in the track. comparision with other tracks should be a fine solution for that |
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Freeflow
IsraTrance Full Member
Started Topics :
60
Posts :
3709
Posted : May 3, 2005 19:10
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Lithium, yes sometimes...
but sometimes things can not be compared, at least not as simple as we want, many things in sounds are compared in context to other sounds or factors, which can make it hard... do you feel me?
i say best way is to compare different sounds in the mix and make them all fit very good, like billy ambulance said... but i guess you are talking about when you pre master a track... but ill continue my rambling anyway
so instead of comparing a track that probably is sculptuerd to its proportions, compare the sounds in context to your other sounds.
but of course it can be good to hear how others have proportioned their sounds, but i always think about that its in context to their sounds and their vision. Always stick to your own vision and dont let the commercial stuff guide you, they do not always have the optimal solution for you.
though a break is the best way to get un-used to sounds!
but i understand what you mean, im only looking at it from another side.
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