Random Production Tips Thread™

[psyphon]

panning is useful

What sort of advice is that?

Panning is absolutely essential

[psyphon]

when eq-ing, cut rather than boost

Erm, why?

If something sounds muddy or needs more presence in a mix then boost frequencies that will give it more presence.

[kate_]

For you people across the pond from the US...
Dont take where you live for granted if you're in the UK surrounded by all of these brilliant people making such top notch tunes. Be nice to them. Make friends with them. Support them. Just think. Fate could have landed you in central North Carolina, where instead of an electronic music community we have a large deer and redneck community which is hard to work with when it comes to making tunes. Any time I get a few hours to sit with someone, even if it is someone who also is just barely learning, I learn more in that time than in a week by myself.

[kato!]

One thing to keep in mind here is that many people are making there music in a home or bedroom studio. The main problems that will be encountered will generally relate to bass and as this is dubstep subass. It is essential to have a decent set of monitors and a fairly good sized room. Subbass has always been the most most difficult element of a mix to get right as it impacts on the other other elements and eats up alot of headroom, it's safe to say you really don't need anything under 30hz, as you will never be able to reproduce this on most sound systems.

Small to mid size studio monitors tend to reproduce bass down to 50 or 40hz, so even if your not hearing it, chances are you may have alot of sub you really don't need eating up your headroom, so you can simple use a hpf with a steep cut off set to 30hz. It's also a good idea to use a hpf (high pass filter) on any elements of the mix that are not the bass such as vocals or synth stabs, set the cut off to around 150hz, you will notice a massive difference in how loud you can push your mixes then without distorting the o/p.

www.myspace.com/katomyspace

[two oh one]

when eq-ing, cut rather than boost

Erm, why?

If something sounds muddy or needs more presence in a mix then boost frequencies that will give it more presence.

Because the cheaper EQs cause phase distortion when boosted rather than cut. Sometimes this sounds cool, but a lot of time it sounds ass and men with beards will point at you and snark.

[kato!]

TeReKeTe wrote:

when eq-ing, cut rather than boost

This is actually good advise, it works well with kik and bass, if you cut some of the frequencies from the bass that are are also present in the kik, the kik will have more space to breathe and will sound punchier, we're talking around 100hz here. Another example is vocals and synths (or guitars), synths are usually harmonically rich and clash with other sounds such as vocals, so cutting the frequencies associated with the vocals slightly say 3dB @ 3k, will actually sound like you have eqed the vocal! But I would also say that yes sometimes it's useful to boost, such as adding sparkle to hats and adding more click to a kik drum!

www.myspace.com/katomyspace

[psyphon]

if you cut some of the frequencies from the bass that are are also present in the kik, the kik will have more space to breathe and will sound punchier

Yes but boosting will separate frequencies also.

I agree some of the cheaper EQ's are crap, but saying cut rather than boost is a bit misleading to those that'll read this and then they'll do it as read...

[argonaut]

Small to mid size studio monitors tend to reproduce bass down to 50 or 40hz, so even if your not hearing it, chances are you may have alot of sub you really don't need eating up your headroom, so you can simple use a hpf with a steep cut off set to 30hz. It's also a good idea to use a hpf (high pass filter) on any elements of the mix that are not the bass such as vocals or synth stabs, set the cut off to around 150hz, you will notice a massive difference in how loud you can push your mixes then without distorting the o/p.

www.myspace.com/katomyspace

I always thought 30hz was a bit high, worrying about missing out on the 20-30 range and making it sound a bit less solid on a big system, but couldn't really tell, as my neighbours wouldn't appreciate the addition of a subwoofer; any other opinions on frequency of the hpf?

[r]

if you cut some of the frequencies from the bass that are are also present in the kik, the kik will have more space to breathe and will sound punchier

Yes but boosting will separate frequencies also.

I agree some of the cheaper EQ's are crap, but saying cut rather than boost is a bit misleading to those that'll read this and then they'll do it as read...

well its quite easy.. Every sample takes some frequnties and if you just only boost something the frequenties will still layer eachother... if you cut it itll make space for eachother. Your mix will be more transparant and will sound much more clear.


a random tip :

Eq cut = boost volume
Eq Boost = lower volume

this is for getting a good balance.

if you cut you can put the volume louder cause some frequnties dont layer eachother anymore !

if you boost you have to lower the volume otherwise itll struggle even more then before.

[psyphon]

if you cut some of the frequencies from the bass that are are also present in the kik, the kik will have more space to breathe and will sound punchier

Yes but boosting will separate frequencies also.

I agree some of the cheaper EQ's are crap, but saying cut rather than boost is a bit misleading to those that'll read this and then they'll do it as read...

well its quite easy.. Every sample takes some frequnties and if you just only boost something the frequenties will still layer eachother... if you cut it itll make space for eachother. Your mix will be more transparant and will sound much more clear.


a random tip :

Eq cut = boost volume
Eq Boost = lower volume

this is for getting a good balance.

if you cut you can put the volume louder cause some frequnties dont layer eachother anymore !

if you boost you have to lower the volume otherwise itll struggle even more then before.

I understand the fundamentals of frequencies and harmonics as I studied audio engineering for a long time.

My point from the original quote was that to post a reply saying only one thing without explaining all ways of doing things is a bit shite. As you've pointed out there are benefits for cutting and boosting EQ.

Unfortunately, you will always have some clash of frequencies at some point in a track. That's just the nature of music in general.

[kato!]

psyphon, you should read my whole comment.

"But I would also say that yes sometimes it's useful to boost, such as adding sparkle to hats and adding more click to a kik drum!"

[serox]

Dont look at the music when listening back:)

[az]

you cant polish a turd

Thats all my studio production teacher ever told us!!!

Anyway, akaways turn down your monitors every hour, your ears will get tired and you will turn up the monitors without ever noticing!

Subtractive EQ is key, try not to boost frequencies as this will cause muddyness to the mix.

Layering has been said before, but deffinatly gives depth and presence to drums and bass. I dont know any successful tracks that dont use layered kicks!

Dont be scared to try something new, just because its not been done before dosnt mean its a bad idea.

Read read read! manuals, SOS, Gearslutz, dubstepforum, production books. Knowledge is power.

Turn off your monitor screen. Listening to you song instead of looking at it will help to build the structure, and not a lego brick wall of samples.

Make time for music, and stop reading the noob posts on how to make 4x4 wobble, you know its crap so go make tunes instead.

[serox]

Subtractive EQ is key, try not to boost frequencies as this will cause muddyness to the mix.

Really? I always try to boost the bass :s

[auan]

Make time for music, and stop reading the noob posts on how to make 4x4 wobble, you know its crap so go make tunes instead.

If only it were that easy. Just... one.... more... thread

[kato!]

Small to mid size studio monitors tend to reproduce bass down to 50 or 40hz, so even if your not hearing it, chances are you may have alot of sub you really don't need eating up your headroom, so you can simple use a hpf with a steep cut off set to 30hz. It's also a good idea to use a hpf (high pass filter) on any elements of the mix that are not the bass such as vocals or synth stabs, set the cut off to around 150hz, you will notice a massive difference in how loud you can push your mixes then without distorting the o/p.

www.myspace.com/katomyspace

I always thought 30hz was a bit high, worrying about missing out on the 20-30 range and making it sound a bit less solid on a big system, but couldn't really tell, as my neighbours wouldn't appreciate the addition of a subwoofer; any other opinions on frequency of the hpf?

30hz is not high! As I have said previously most sound systems struggle to reproduce frequencies that low. You will also struggle to hear 30hz, you will feel it. If you want your bass solid use compression.

[spherix]

keep the 30 and below for feel bass, leave the rest for hearing imo
if youre kick isnt too low it wont affect your mixdown!

its just about not having freqs cross over ffs

[spherix]

if you cut some of the frequencies from the bass that are are also present in the kik, the kik will have more space to breathe and will sound punchier

Yes but boosting will separate frequencies also.

I agree some of the cheaper EQ's are crap, but saying cut rather than boost is a bit misleading to those that'll read this and then they'll do it as read...

not really coz you can cut the unwanted ones then just turn the sample in question UP to give it more presence or clone the channel etc
i find that works better

[forensix (mcr)]

Agree with spherix

Also if it's missing frequencies or presence layering can help especially for drums

[argonaut]

get a comfy chair, check every ten minutes or so your back is straight and your not uncomfy, and get up and move around now and then (all this is especially important if you combine producing tunes with moving speakers)
it can be amazing how easy it is to get sucked in to what your doing, then suddenly notice your leg's gone numb cos your sitting wrong and your whole body's hardly moved in an hour