catandbeats

Utility vs turning down volume

Interesting question. Ableton is 32 bit float so you can simply just turn down volume with utility if you clipped via EQ8 or other plugins. Distortion plugins and compression etc won't work this way. Generally I would suggest going via the checking if any is clipping to being with and simply turning it down. I would also suggest always setting volume via the kick. That is almost always the loudest track in a mix. If you set that up at -7 ish.. And always work like that then eventually mixing ...

Classic DnB Bass remade and a Seamus's track analysed

Loving it

Episode 7 is up early for you guys

Hey guys,

Here is an early acces link! Did any of you mix this file yet? 

Clipped signal (how to repair it)

If you are lucky and did not record clipping out of the dj mixer simply turning it down will fix it. Ableton is 32bit float which means you can simply turn down the whole mix or just the tiny clipped parts. It will not be clipped anymore. 

Or you can be unlucky and have clipped into "analog fx". You will have to declip or copy paste/remake fx. 

For the future you can also put a limiter after the fx so that it won't clip as hard or simply record a lot quieter and after tu...

Rumble bass and a track analysis

Kaytranada Bass and Feedback for Seamus

What speakers do I recommend for a smaller room

Long story short, Thick acoustic treatment on the ceiling and back wall is a must. Next, get speakers with built in DSP like the neumann kh 80's and 1 sub with dsp (svs 1000 pro). 

REW measure the whole thing and adjust eq's in speakers. Understand that placement does a lot to how and where you get nulls. 

What does the internal sidechain listen to/react to?

Here is the bootsandcats tool:

https://www.productionmusiclive.com/blogs/news/ableton-live-10-sidechain-rack-boots-and-cats

the internal sidechain makes the compressor listen for the specific frequency and react to it. It compressor the entire signal but focusses on that small segment

Wouters EP

Check your Hi hats with the simple trick of turning it down and back up again. Once you can hear the hi hat add 10db max (this is not a rule). ( If that doesn't work check with a similar song to yours to get the hat level correct)

Definitely also check the clicks and export error

Swedish House Mafia Reese

The secret comes in 3

1. Global section to 20 or 10

2. Choose a reese and detune

3. Distort the crap out of it and cut off with EQ 8

another La Giang and Difference Saturators and Amps

Saturation = driving hard into analog = harmonics and dynamics adjusted = over compression. 

Amps generally have eq's, gain and drive knobs extra flavors.

For the song, leave the vocal effect in stereo and adjust the speed so the song does not feel too slow ;). 2 and 4 on the beat. Too late and it will appear slow, to early and it will appear rushed. 

Konari's grooves

Konari is back again and hitting up some serious grooves. The only things that are out of place are general housekeeping. Bit of 2bus compression to control and maybe eq to turn down the sub bass area by about 1 to 2 db. 

A click here and there and more vocals pleas :)

Kick and bass into compressor and sidechaining

Kick and bass generally can sound fantastic if you need to have horrifically filthy breathing rummblyness/distortion. It's a fun balance to walk. However, in most use cases it makes no logical sense. 

What do I listen to for 2bus compression

Biggest tip here is to first put on a limiter and see if you need a 2bus compressor to begin with :). After have a listen to what you need and understand that the attack is the transient more or less knob and the release is the sustain more or less knob. 

This way you can control the overal vibe according to whatever is triggering the compressor

La Giang being his awesome self

Couple of little things but good job as always 

Filters and interesting rhythms?

For filters try looking at filterfreak 1 or 2, auto filter etc... The concept is that the filter has a resonance that moves up and or down and has distortion set to that. You can also set up step filter like with the moog filters. 

For interesting rhythms either samples some breaks and cut them up mpc style. not per transient but per 1/4, 1/8th or 16th. Play the rhythm in any order and something will pop out. 

You can also clap a rhythm and remember to anyone reading, yo...

Project file with Analog Obession

Hey guys,

Stefan Allweier was an absolute champ to get this file to mix. Not the easiest to mix as almost every file here. This file is chucked full with layers in the melodic department. So have a good time, dig in and if you want to challenge yourself to 1 plugin company like "Analog obsession" go for it. Obviously the you will need analog obsession plugins to run the AFTER file.. They are 5 euro's for all of them.. 

Have fun

Talking about sends

Of the top of my head I see two main use cases for sends.

1. For general parallel processing. Preferably using more than 1 instrument to create shared harmonics. (Or just a nice and lazy way to do it to one- I do that all the time too)

2. Fx throws. 

Keanu Silva - Fine Day bass

So in short 

1. sine wav with tube distortion (rounded distortion). 

2. Sub that has portamento as it plays stepping notes to the next hits (with above bass)

3. Redux overall 

4. Saturate together to glue it.

Optional extra resample it and separate into layers so it's easier to jam with

Wouter's feedback

The first track needs a bit of love regarding mid side. Try to adjust the elements in the melodics that are too wide and adjust them so that the side is not louder than the mid. That will bring balance. After that put up the drums a bit and if you want cut the kick a little at 315 ish hz. 

The second track has issues with the vocal.. Same as above the side delay is just too loud. 

Both are easy fixes and you did a good job on the drums! 

What system do you mix on?

The problem here is that we have 3 systems, headphones, monitors and a car. Each sounds different and is resulting in constant tweaking. Which to trust?

Trust the playback system you listen to most. If you always listen to headphones for leisure, commuting etc.. then please work with those to mix your track. 

After you commit to that 1 system than A/B with a reference once you are done mixing/mastering. From there A/B till you can easily switch between the songs without any r...

How to get a smooth piano sound

Well, in all honesty I suggest working with a pianist. He/She will be able to get the right vibe out of the piano with the click of a finger. Playing softer and harder, accenting notes, not playing 1,2,3,4 chords or basic chord progressions. Basically breathing soul into the production.

If you do not want to do that, no worries. You just need to understand how and why a pianist plays a certain way. For this you need theory. I suggest you start via looking at Julian Bradely and suggest...

Alexandre's track

Here is are the quick fixes:

1. Click of kick (adjust attack time in simpler to 0.07 to 0.20. Have a feel. Currently it is about 6 to 10db over the top
2. Turn down the bass with about 2db and group all the instruments and put them up 2db
3. Think about depth (aka putting reverb on tracks). Only do step 3 once you fixed the above as it might not be needed

Limit more or less once this is all fixed. You can tell by the volume increase once the breaks happen. If the volume inc...

Stafan's track

It seems the melodics are mixed gloomy and perfect but the drums are not fitting that same atmosphere. So, sooth tape or a good old limiter will do the trick :)

Rumble level same as sub bas level?

yep, it's low end so per definition if you want it to be balanced just balance that out. I do suggest having the rumble and kick in 1 group and compressing that. I did not hear the song but generally that works. Also, please leave your low end wide (but in phase) and do not mono your rumble. This way you can separate the two and make a cleaner mix. 

Lucas D (low end seems to have been hi passed)

So, as the title says. Maybe the low end was accidentally hi passed? That is the main thing, once the low end is sorted you should be good :)

Tracks not playing good on a club system

Well, it comes down to how does it reference? Always see a reference track as the song before or after your song on a set. How does it compare and contrast? Adjust accordingly

Now for specifically this case, either remix your music to fit "club bangers" or stay true to yourself. In between solution is a multiband dynamic that side chains so that you "auto club" your music. 

Club systems tend to have a front of house guy (speak with him) or a set and forget limiter/multiband l...

La Giang

Quick lesson here. Do not let the side be louder than the mid. Always keep that in mind. 

Kulpa's low end

Another low end compression video.. And a bit of a ramble on LUFS. If any of you need a talk about this let me know. A lot of mis information is out there but it's just a measurement with a criteria. 

Low end groove?

Couples of ways to go about this. 

1. Eq out another kick but make sure it hits at the same time. Synthesised kick generally suck as you can see in the video

2. If you get it right with whatever you like play it right on the 1 e and a 2 e .. right 16th notes

3. Compress the drum group with an internal side chain or.......

4. split it up and treat it as a bass instrument like the second example.