Dustwyrm - Execute

[Dustwyrm]

Made this one wanted to share. It's a little bit of everything. Still needs some work but wanted to throw it up.

Thanks for any feedback everyone

Soundcloud

[wub]

Kick could do with a bit of beefing, but this has quite a nice driving electro feel to it.

[Dustwyrm]

Thanks for the tip man - What would you suggest, just some layering? Given the existing kick is strong enough in itself. Possibly layer a slappy kick?

Thanks for listening Wub

[Dustwyrm]

I'm also clipping a bit on the plucks - I really was not able to significantly fix it, I tried everything I knew how to do to no avail. If you could provide some advice on that part too that'd be awesome, because I'm stumped :/

[wub]

Thanks for the tip man - What would you suggest, just some layering? Given the existing kick is strong enough in itself. Possibly layer a slappy kick?

Thanks for listening Wub

Whatever you feel your kick sample is missing (spectral analyser can help here), layer with a sample that provides that and then EQ both together complimentary.

I'm also clipping a bit on the plucks - I really was not able to significantly fix it, I tried everything I knew how to do to no avail. If you could provide some advice on that part too that'd be awesome, because I'm stumped :/

Not sure what you mean by the plucks...but try soloing the elements one by one and playing them back with what is clipping to see if it's a frequency clash that is causing it. If it is, then EQ the elements around each other so they've got space within the frequency range. If it's the plucks clipping by themselves, then turn them down and/or EQ out the frequency that is causing the clipping.

[Dustwyrm]

The plucking - Well like the fast bursts that come and go towards the middle and end of a bar. They're drawn like plucks in the Midi table, they might not be actually considered plucks though. Sorry for the confusion.

I get what you mean, I'll run that synth by itself. I'm pretty sure it's a clash like you said. I'm afraid to side-chain this synth because often times side-chaining makes sounds sound weaker than before. Not sure if others run into this problem too. Sidechaining is great for me for percussion, but when I try it on lead synths it gets ruined.

[wub]

Depends what you're sidechaining...if it's just used as a volume or EQ ducker, it shouldn't take away from the sound too much if you get the attack/release right.

[Dustwyrm]

Yea I guess I'm really going to have to get a tutorial on attack/release in sidechaining, because truthfully I just adjust it and listen with my ears til it sounds best. I don't truly know what the science is behind how it works... heh I guess just some more experimenting on this tonight will hopefully make some progress. I'm going to have to get creative with some automation here. Thank you for the help though mate

[wub]

What do you sidechain though? A sidechain needs a trigger (like the kick) and some for it to affect...what are you having it affect?

[Dustwyrm]

I sidechain the kick to the synth so that the kick comes through. But for this instance I believe the pluck synth is clashing with the bass - So I'm thinking to sidechain it to the bass. Does that make sense or sound like a bad idea.

[wub]

Yes, but what on the bass is being sidechained? A compressor, the volume, the EQ?

[Dustwyrm]

I believe I would sidechain the bass by compressing it - I usually follow this tutorial when I sidechain:

http://flskins.com/tutorials/2-ways-sidechain-fl-studio

I would apply a limiter to the track I want compressed (bass). And I sidechain the sound I want to be heard (synth) to the sound I want limited. For example:

Apply limiter to bass --> Sidechain synth to bass so synth can be heard. In theory I don't know if this method would work to achieve better clarity of the synth and less clashing of bass/synth frequencies.

The issue here is that my bass is very much present in the song. It's not a low frequency sub bass that can sit nicely among the track; which is making it difficult to manage amongst my synths.

[MadOne]

Very good man. I have really no feedback other than keep up the good work. It's a great track for gaming to me.

The things I liked were the sample and driving bass, it was really tight bass sound. Also the drums switches were brutal.

[Dustwyrm]

Hey MadOne - Thanks a ton for listening and I'm stoked you like it! I agree it's pretty upbeat and would be nice for gaming

What kind of games do you play out of curiosity?

[MadOne]

haha i play lots of games, mostly LoL and COD recently but a lot of 1p games like xcom or some rpg, and music is always accompanying it

[wub]

I believe I would sidechain the bass by compressing it - I usually follow this tutorial when I sidechain:

http://flskins.com/tutorials/2-ways-sidechain-fl-studio

I would apply a limiter to the track I want compressed (bass). And I sidechain the sound I want to be heard (synth) to the sound I want limited. For example:

Apply limiter to bass --> Sidechain synth to bass so synth can be heard. In theory I don't know if this method would work to achieve better clarity of the synth and less clashing of bass/synth frequencies.

The issue here is that my bass is very much present in the song. It's not a low frequency sub bass that can sit nicely among the track; which is making it difficult to manage amongst my synths.

Have you tried sidechaining something them than the compressor...the volume fader, for example?

[Dustwyrm]

I believe I would sidechain the bass by compressing it - I usually follow this tutorial when I sidechain:

http://flskins.com/tutorials/2-ways-sidechain-fl-studio

I would apply a limiter to the track I want compressed (bass). And I sidechain the sound I want to be heard (synth) to the sound I want limited. For example:

Apply limiter to bass --> Sidechain synth to bass so synth can be heard. In theory I don't know if this method would work to achieve better clarity of the synth and less clashing of bass/synth frequencies.

The issue here is that my bass is very much present in the song. It's not a low frequency sub bass that can sit nicely among the track; which is making it difficult to manage amongst my synths.

Have you tried sidechaining something them than the compressor...the volume fader, for example?

Oh I see what you're saying now. Actually no I haven't (and I feel stupid about it lol).

I usually just follow that tutorial and click the little arrow in the mixer and select sidechain to this track. So basically I can click on the volume knob itself or any parameter really, correct? Good info - I will have to experiment with that. Thank god for "Save As" so I can always revert, because as far as I know once a sidechain is applied it's irreversible. Which sucks

[wub]

You can remove links once you've set them.

[Dustwyrm]

Surely not from right clicking the parameter you sidechained to, right? In the past, I've actually researched how to remove a sidechain and couldn't come up with an answer.

[Dustwyrm]

Last bump before it goes to the grave. Anyone want to listen? Electro/House/Dubstep is what i call it