TEXT TIP #2 - Space: Space out all your sounds. Think of a XY plane. Where the X plane represents the stereo panning, where the Y represents the frequency of the sound and then add a Z plane thats pointing towards you - this is the distance of the sound, its volume. Each sound must have its own space. Think of a bass synth playing from 30Hz to 2000 Hz in the stereo centre at -6dB, then a kick dominating at 40-250Hz and somewhere at 1000 and 4000Hz in the stereo center at -4dB. Then imagine a lead lead synth dominating from 500Hz to 14000Hz in the centre as well...now add percussion and claps playing everywhere else...you probably cant make up a clear image now - thats because this wont be a clear sound - there are too many clashes already! Everything is at X=0, Most of Y is covered and the Z is also mainly covered. Every sound represents a 3D shape in this 3D space. Every sound is to be spaced and located somewhere. Vocals and kicks should be your loudest sounds, base everything around them using your ear. Vocals, bass and kicks should be dead centered. Claps and snares are mostly centered - you can pan them a little bit if youve got layers. Percussion should be panned and so should other extra sounds that add sparkle, like a soft guitar riff playing in the background. Vocals should take up some of the the mid and treble frequencies, NO bass whatsoever. Percussion should also have no low frequencies, bass should be cut out - however, be careful with toms, they sometimes need their low mids. Kicks should take up some bass, low mid and a very small section in the mid and high mid for the click and thump. The sub bass should only, as the name says, take up the sub bass section. You can layer your sub bass with more bass, which can take up some mids. Hi hats should only take up a bit of high mid and treble. Claps and snares are unique in their own way - they can take up a *little bit of low mid and mid, then some high mid and treble to add wetness. Now, lets add a 4th dimension :) :D ;) - Time. You cant play all of your sounds at the same time ofcourse, or else therell be too much clashing. So sidechain your kicks to your lead and bass to your desired settings so that when the kick plays, these sounds can duck behind it to really bring it out and improve groove. So there we have it: Pan Position, Amplitude Level, Frequency Range and Time Range - you have 4 dimensions to put sounds in - do so :) *Comment if you disagree with anything, discussions always clear things up :)
Posted on: Sun, 27 Oct 2013 15:58:58 +0000
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