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Topic ClosedMy new little project
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Negoba View Drop Down
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Points: 5208 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 09 2010 at 15:45
The way I was taught to envision a mix is to envision a stage in front of you. Certain elements typically belong in the center, usually lead vocals, bass, snare, and bass drums. Then other pieces can be panned to spread out things and add room. To push something back in the mix you add reverb, to bring it forward you add compression. Since compression also evens out the volume which can be a good thing, sometime you need to add reverb just to balance the sense of being right in your face that also comes from compression.
 
The big thing with reverb is balance. You don't one instrument sounding like it's in a huge hall and other one right in front of your face in a closet. When you think of reverb as an effect, it's easy to do this. Having big ringing guitars and really dry centered elements. There's a little bit of that going on in your mix.
 
The other things is a gate which is what chops off the low volume elements. The drums in this mix are gated really hard, meaning that you hear them stop almost artificially. It sounds cool, but for something to sound natural, it needs some bit of trail as the sound dies off.
 
Maybe that will help a little. Just experiment with the ideas and you'll find what you like.
You are quite a fine person, and I am very fond of you. But you are only quite a little fellow, in a wide world, after all.
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Points: 5148 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 09 2010 at 15:26
Great work, Alex.Clap
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Points: 6 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 09 2010 at 14:55
you should download addictive drums
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The Pessimist View Drop Down
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Points: 3834 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 09 2010 at 14:28
Cheers guys

Feel free to download it through the link if you enjoy enough. It is entirely free, no malware or anything and is 192mp/s (i think). When the EP is complete I'll put that up for download as well. Spread the word
"Market value is irrelevant to intrinsic value."

Arnold Schoenberg
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UMUR View Drop Down
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Points: 3069 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 09 2010 at 14:09
Exciting song Alex.Thumbs Up
Metal Music Archives

UMUR on RYM
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AbrahamSapien View Drop Down
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Points: 181 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 09 2010 at 13:41
Seriously. The way, this sounds ic completely new to me, but I love it. Soo jazzy and groovy ...
The riffs are mind blowing, solo is orgasmic ...
Prog on, man.
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Points: 65760 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 08 2010 at 15:38
Very nice! Clap
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The Pessimist View Drop Down
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Points: 3834 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 08 2010 at 11:41
OK, all taken in

Now I won't apply all of this to the track in question too soon, because if I'm truthful, I'm sick of hearing it in a week though, definitely I'll dig up this thread once again and have another try with the production.

And yeah, I did use a fair bit of compression. I'll cut it down if necessary?

One thing I'd like to know is the general rules on Reverb. That's always been a grey area for me and no-one has ever really talked to me about it. I know so far that Reverb basically determines how far back in the mix it falls, but the ins and outs of it I have no clue. The Reverb VST I'm using at the moment is Ambience, if that helps at all.

I will be recording another song shortly, so I'll definitely apply all these tips to it Thumbs Up
"Market value is irrelevant to intrinsic value."

Arnold Schoenberg
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Negoba View Drop Down
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Points: 5208 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 08 2010 at 11:21
Ok, listening now.
 
First off, everything (especially the drums) seems gated pretty hard. The drums are eating alot of EQ space. They really need mainly a little of EQ for cymbals, maybe a little boost in the bass, and then some mid cut to allow the keys to come through a little more clearly. The bass also can be confined to a narrower frequency range.
 
Finally, do you use compression on your master? This can and has been badly overdone but a little really is the proverbial "Good" button. You might experiment a little with a master reverb, again very mild.
 
There are four "effects" used for good mixing...Panning, EQ, Compression, and Reverb. Along with your actual levels. Getting used to using these will really make your mixes sound less home-made.
 
Your playing and composition is great...this is just technical garbage.
You are quite a fine person, and I am very fond of you. But you are only quite a little fellow, in a wide world, after all.
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Negoba View Drop Down
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Points: 5208 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 08 2010 at 11:13

Cubase allows you to individually EQ each track. It sounds like you're using loops so you can't individually EQ the individual drums and they also sound like they have a pre-applied reverb.

But the basic idea is that each instrument or element has its own place in the EQ spectrum. Mixes get busy when instruments are too much in the same EQ space. What that practically means is cutting a little bass out of the non-bass instruments, and finding the frequecies that really are most important to a track and either boosting those or cutting the rest (just a little). You end up not necessarily making each track sound it's best solo'd but occupying its own space. (Reverb and panning are also used for this.)
 
Although acoustic guitars are classically hard to EQ, you'll notice that most recorded acoustic have alot of low and sometimes low mid cut out of them. There place is in the high mid section. This is NOT what you're used to listening to when you sit with your acoustic.
 
Let me listen to your mix again and I'll give some specifics.
You are quite a fine person, and I am very fond of you. But you are only quite a little fellow, in a wide world, after all.
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The Pessimist View Drop Down
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Points: 3834 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 08 2010 at 11:03
Originally posted by Negoba Negoba wrote:

I thought IDM was Industrial Death Metal so this was a bit of a suprise. What does that stand for?
 
I like this...is this all programmed on a single keyboard or do you have a recording platform where you can mix and effect independent tracks? A little independent EQing would really help this, but that's my engineer's ears working.
 
Overall, this is quite good, I like that it's busy. Some groove, some complexity, very good chops.
 
Nice job. 


Thanks man

Well I'll let you know what I did...

I used FL Studio 9 for the drum loops. I picked off various cymbal and drum sounds from a few drum solos in my music collection, as well as using the infamous "Amen Break" in parts, and mashed them together to create a drum track.

For the synths and piano (the bass is actually a synth bass) I just DI'd my Roland FP-1, Korg Triton and Microkorg into a mixer and mini-jack-phono'd the mixer to the lineout on my computer. Everything you hear there is keyboard parts layered over a single drum line. I mixed it all with Cubase SX 3 (a top program I must say).

Considering you know your sh*t on production, any constructive pointers you can give me on EQing and whatnot would be very much welcome

And yes, IDM stands for Intelligent Dance Music
"Market value is irrelevant to intrinsic value."

Arnold Schoenberg
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harmonium.ro View Drop Down
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Points: 22989 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 08 2010 at 09:05
Intelligent Dance Music Smile
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Negoba View Drop Down
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Points: 5208 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 08 2010 at 08:53
I thought IDM was Industrial Death Metal so this was a bit of a suprise. What does that stand for?
 
I like this...is this all programmed on a single keyboard or do you have a recording platform where you can mix and effect independent tracks? A little independent EQing would really help this, but that's my engineer's ears working.
 
Overall, this is quite good, I like that it's busy. Some groove, some complexity, very good chops.
 
Nice job. 
You are quite a fine person, and I am very fond of you. But you are only quite a little fellow, in a wide world, after all.
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The Pessimist View Drop Down
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Points: 3834 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 07 2010 at 20:21
I go by many names

Nah, it's a story of marriage and whatnot, who I was loyal to and all that jazz...

My original surname is Podraza (Polish in case you are wondering)
"Market value is irrelevant to intrinsic value."

Arnold Schoenberg
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harmonium.ro View Drop Down
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Points: 22989 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 07 2010 at 20:19
So then who's Alex Marshal? Tongue
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Points: 3834 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 07 2010 at 20:18
My full name is actually Alekzander Podraza

The truth is out
"Market value is irrelevant to intrinsic value."

Arnold Schoenberg
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harmonium.ro View Drop Down
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Points: 22989 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 07 2010 at 19:59
Hey, that was good. I liked it Thumbs Up
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harmonium.ro View Drop Down
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Points: 22989 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 07 2010 at 19:43
Hey, is your last name Podraza or Kibble? LOL

Later edit: Oh I see, it's neither of them LOL


Edited by harmonium.ro - January 07 2010 at 20:17
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The Pessimist View Drop Down
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Points: 3834 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 07 2010 at 18:56
http://soundcloud.com/alekzanderpodraza/suitcase-of-liquid-nails

Call it what you will, but as far as I see it it's jazzy IDM with a few breakcore elements. Enjoy, opinions, download, whatever.

All written and produced by yours truly




Edited by The Pessimist - January 07 2010 at 20:20
"Market value is irrelevant to intrinsic value."

Arnold Schoenberg
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