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Should the kick be the loudest sound in a track?
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Chemogen
IsraTrance Full Member
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Posted : Feb 25, 2008 13:47:51
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On the track I'm writing now, my kick is peaking at -6.5dB with bass at around -8dB. Synths will go up to around -7dB sandwiched between the kick and the bass.
On my monitors this track sounds great, on my ipod too...In my friends car which has a very good and detailed sound system, the bass is too loud and drowns out everything else. Even with the car's EQ flat.
I want this track to sound consistent everywhere and also dont want it to go onto a big rig only to hear the same problem.
So what should I do? Should I drop the bass a couple of dBs lower than it is or should I start bringing the synths up? Would careful panning be allow me to have another sound at the same volume as the kick just panned elsewhere in the stereo field without masking the kick? |
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Andreh
Bash / Kernel Panic
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Posted : Feb 25, 2008 14:07
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usually i dont trust in car´s sound system. It always has some improvements in low frequencies.
Some people say there is no rules for that, some times, my bassline goes louder then kick, like 1db higher...
Trust in your ears bro and in your monitors. 
 Bash's Home:
http://www.myspace.com/bashbr
Mind Tweakers Records:
http://www.mindtweakers.com |
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Boobytrip
IsraTrance Junior Member
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Posted : Feb 25, 2008 14:27
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Compare your track to a few well-produced tracks that you know really well. Also do this on several systems and make mental notes of the differences between your track and the well-produced tracks: does it sound bass-heavy, are the hi-hats too dull, etc. This is a vital step in translating your monitoring system to then outside world.
In addition you could compare your track's frequency profile with other (released) track that has the same bassline-frequency and see if there are any obvious differences. I use use Voxengo's Gliss Eq for this, since it's pretty easy to use. |
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Chemogen
IsraTrance Full Member
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Posted : Feb 25, 2008 15:00
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Andreh, I also don't know if I should trust a car system, although there's more of a chance people would be hearing the track on one of those than monitors...What system do you want to perfect mix to be on, because I assume a mix will sound different on every system. |
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FreakyFreQuencies
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51
Posted : Feb 25, 2008 15:22
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And always will be...
It's normally if this same track will sounds different on (for example): studio monitors or mp3 player with "plugin" headphones or on car system with subwoofer and boosted 60Hz to +10dB B-).
Use spectrum analyzer like Waves PAZ or Voxengo SPAN.
Play professional tracks in Your DAW. Look at maximum amplitube (in Waves PAZ You can saved it) and fine tune Your track to this.
I recommend to change gain of proffesional track to -5dB |
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Tomos
IsraTrance Full Member
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Posted : Feb 25, 2008 15:53
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I trust my car sound system. It's the only system I have with a sub, and by the looks of your post Chemogen, the only system of all the ones you tested your track on.
Of course, do an A/B to a released track to see if yours has bass issues, and it isn't just your friend turning his bass up too much (as is the tendency in cars)
Very low frequencies will only be reproduced on a subwoofer, so if you've got too much there - it'll overpower your track. Don't drop the bass if it sounds fine on your monitors, it might just need EQ to roll off the very low.
A mix WILL sound different on every system, but it should also sound acceptable, and you will prefer different systems. If it sounds completely wrong somewhere, but other tracks seem to work on it, then there needs to be a change. |
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Glitch_CapeTown
IsraTrance Junior Member
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Posted : Feb 25, 2008 17:20
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mubali
Mubali
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Posted : Feb 25, 2008 19:54
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I recommend testing it on as many sound system as possible...
as for kick and bass relationship... I tend to fluctuate between having the kick be anywhere from 0-2 db louder than the bass... it depends on the individual track, but it should be where you can hear all parts clearly. Car stereos especially with big subs can really fool you in comparison to how things actually sound... but it's good to listen to it to feel the tracks flow...
An Eagle may soar, but Weasels don't get sucked into jet engines. |
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Andreh
Bash / Kernel Panic
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Posted : Feb 25, 2008 20:51
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yeah i agree with mubali´s concept. As many sound system as possible.
And one more thing, i dont known with u people, but since i´ve buy a pair of "good" monitors, i´ve been comparing it with another kind of sounds... A good idea is like our friend below said to listen to your favorite artists... not necessary your favorite, but one u known that has good quality!
So is a nice start to get a good reference from what u have at home!!
Bash's Home:
http://www.myspace.com/bashbr
Mind Tweakers Records:
http://www.mindtweakers.com |
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Dharma Lab
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342
Posted : Feb 25, 2008 22:09
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I agree with BoobyTrip & Tomos about make the comprisons relative to other well produced tracks.
Every sound system & listening environment is 'coloring' the sound in some way. Understanding it's relation to other well produced tracks is easier than trying to understand each sound system & listening environment.
I've even gone so far as intersplicing my track with several snipbits of other tracks, into a single song. Then I can listen to my tracks go back & forth often with other songs in a comparison. Keep The Faith,
Christian K. |
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Medea
Aedem/Medea
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Posted : Feb 25, 2008 23:54
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I usually try to make kick and bass as quite as possible. I turn down the fader and slightly move it up intil it sounds ok.
Low freqs become more hearable when you raise the volume, so it's very unpleasant to loose all the music, except kick and bass, when playing the track on a big sound system.
However, thats a matter of taste, there are a lot of psytrance tracks with very different feel of kick+bass loudness. Listen to the last track from "C-P-C and friends" CD (CPC da Glookanary Express -Open Heart) =)
http://soundcloud.com/aedem |
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Elad
Tsabeat/Sattel Battle
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Posted : Feb 26, 2008 18:33
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i think tune the kick volume by ear , and if its loudest element its ok , and also if its -15db where the bass is -10db its also can work
personly looking back on my tracks - yes the kick many times is the loudest element "one by one" but 1 pad + 1 lead + fx can easy be louder then the kick alone
www.sattelbattle.com
http://yoavweinberg.weebly.com/ |
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Chemogen
IsraTrance Full Member
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Posted : Feb 26, 2008 21:03
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Do you suggest rolling the bass off at around 40hz? |
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Get-a-fix
Getafix
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147
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1441
Posted : Feb 26, 2008 21:58
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faxinadu
Faxi Nadu / Elmooht
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3394
Posted : Feb 27, 2008 10:09
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not 8 exact idk why