dirk
Steppa
Registration Date: 14-11-2004
Posts: 184
Helpfulness rating:
 |
|
How do you get good sounds , so that your music will standout from the thousands of tracks the recordcompany’s here every day ?
-You start with realy good musicians . ( 95% of your sound )
-Then you take the best instruments for the job available and record them as good as posible .
( The rest of your sound )
Not realy a secret is it ?
I will try to explain this .
Think of the best violist in the world playing on a plastic toy violin . It will sound pretty good but when he/she play’s a stradivarius it will sound better .
Good sound starts with a good musician . Or you could say that it starts at the begining (musician) and everything after (instrument , mic , micpre , eq , efx , ect.) becomes less and less significant .
Start at the source and then follow the chain .
This is the most important thing to remember when producing music !!!
If it doesn’t sound right from the beginning don’t even try to fix it , you will be running around in circles .
The most important aspect of a good studio vocal mic is size . The bigger the better and it must look expensive . This way the vocalist will preform a lot better . The vocalist must be relaxed and feel capable , big mic’s help with this .
How can a masteringengineer make your track sound better ? Very simple , the mastering engeneer has a higher resolution sound system . This will make it more easy to hear what is musical about the track and whats not . The engineer simply cuts the crap and boosts the good bits and that is all he/she can do !!!
In magazines you often read about efx equipment that will “breathe life” into your sounds or make everything sound better , ect . But if you understand what I try to explain here , you will know that I don’t think that will ever happen .
The efx equipment take the original signal or parts of that signal and than change level ( adition ) and/or get’s delayed ( phasing/flanging/echo/reverb/eq ) and/or get’s multiplied ( distortion/compression ) ect.
It alway’s uses the original signal and than preforms a mathematical calculation with only the original signal as variable , nothing else . There’s no difference between analoge and digital here , we just don’t know/understand the analoge algorithems . ( Convultion does this actualy but you need lots of computerpower )
Here are some tips that will make your sound better.
Be a good musician . To be a good musician you must study . Learn music theory .You must know everything there is to know about your instrument . If you are a producer learn everything about the whole studio . Know how a synth/sampler/computer/mixdesk/efx works ect.
Do other stuff , music is just music . ( most important rule maybe )
Get a good insturment . Use your ears and compare demo sound files of the instruments or better , compare them side by side if you can . Good instruments have good sound and have good playability . They also don’t decrease much in value ( think stradivarius )
Good instruments make creating music easy and fun . If you ever have played a real Minimoog you know what I mean . The Moog Minimoog is the Stradivarius of synthesisers . And looking at the specs you wouldn’t think so , it has no real ADSR generator , no real LFO but its sound and playability is the best . Specs are not important , sound is .
Greetings Dirk .
|
|
|
13-02-2005 11:26 |
|
|
dirk
Steppa
Registration Date: 14-11-2004
Posts: 184
Helpfulness rating:
|
|
Its the musician that makes the sound not the instrument .
This also means that if your music sounds crap you are the problem and not all the people that don't "understand" your music .
Greetings Dirk .
|
|
|
14-02-2005 06:56 |
|
|
Halph-Price 
Zombie Algorithm
Registration Date: 22-12-2004
Posts: 6,160
Helpfulness rating:
|
|
that's why i get thoes crappy vst's, even some synth edit have some cool shit, if nto great quality, but then if you know how to work it, sometimes lo-fi sounds can even work for a song.
as a producer the main thing i do is just learn the instruments, how to use them, and how effects affect different sounds, and how they can be used. most of music is experimenting for that reason to to make music as such, but jsut to figure out the instruments.
but i like your comment about "Do other stuff , music is just music ." 
good advice.
i hate the moog sound. i don't know why it's so revered, it sounds dated, and cheesy, and horrible, i got the new mog modular v2. and even though it sounds better than any sample of a moog, it's still sooooo horribly cheeeesy! ARG I HATE HATE HATE moog sound.
much respect for moog for revolutionizing the music industry and everything. but still, the moog sound HAD it's time. i wouldn't even put it in as a retro sound. it stands out too sorly. honestly, who uses it even?
__
This post has been edited 1 time(s), it was last edited by Halph-Price: 14-02-2005 14:49.
|
|
|
14-02-2005 14:45 |
|
|
dirk
Steppa
Registration Date: 14-11-2004
Posts: 184
Helpfulness rating:
|
|
| quote: |
| i hate the moog sound. i don't know why it's so revered, it sounds dated, and cheesy, and horrible, i got the new mog modular v2. and even though it sounds better than any sample of a moog, it's still sooooo horribly cheeeesy! ARG I HATE HATE HATE moog sound. |
Thats personal preference .
So I propose a new forum where people can up/download "standard loops" of different instruments/effects/production technikes .
This "standard loop" should be a 2 bar midi file that you can download here with a drum pattern ( The amen break can be the only one here I think ) a bassline ( One with sliding notes that everyone knows ) a reese/hoover and chords .
You than make a mp3 file of that loop explain what you have done/used and post it .
This way everyone can listen to it and judge for himself .
It will also be a good tutorial for starters .
Or something like that , what do all of you think ?
Greetings Dirk .
|
|
|
14-02-2005 19:14 |
|
|
Halph-Price
Zombie Algorithm
Registration Date: 22-12-2004
Posts: 6,160
Helpfulness rating:
|
|
i'd use it.
like the scale that the jungle music uses, i can't figure that out. would be simple if their was a midi.
__
|
|
|
14-02-2005 20:58 |
|
|
spudleyq
Master Producer
Registration Date: 23-09-2004
Posts: 838
Helpfulness rating:
|
|
| quote: |
Originally posted by Halph-Price
i'd use it.
like the scale that the jungle music uses, i can't figure that out. would be simple if their was a midi. |
Scale of jungle music? Silly, the jungle scale is whatever scale you want it to be.
__
Click on the pic above to visit my music profile on Myspace.
|
|
|
07-04-2005 20:45 |
|
|
dmccabe
Cool Steppa
Registration Date: 20-12-2004
Posts: 130
Helpfulness rating:
|
|
Well, it can be Major and not sound "gay". Like Dirk said be a good musician,study & learn
theory. Imo you could listen to thousands of samples, from a casio to a stienway but without
a fluid understanding of theory it becomes a spectator sport.
I started playing the mandolin at age 7, grew into the classical guitar. played bass for a while
and have been teaching myself to play the piano. (until I reach a plateu where instruction becomes indespensable)Then I hope to start on the cello.
Yet with all this it is still arduous to get my head around writing/producing. I know that I still have alot more effort to put forth. But I also know that in the end it's what separates mediocre
from the great. Not that I expect to be great, but reading sheet music, and knowing how to construct chords, perform scales effortlessly, knowing & comprehending the maj., min., synthetic keys and modal systems, the circle of fifths etc. etc. is imparitive to being a good
musician these days.
Unless of course you're just messin' about in your bedroom with no intention of swimming
with the sharks.
And devote study is still no guarantee.
BTW this forum is fantastic and until I got on this type of exchange was kind of rare, I live in the stix so when I go to the club its either to spin or party which leaves lil' room for this in depth talk. thanx.
DnB massive!!!
__
SAVE THE SL1200
|
|
|
27-04-2005 08:29 |
|
|
Surora23
Agressive Melodic Disorder
Registration Date: 05-07-2004
Posts: 2,127
Helpfulness rating:
|
|
Apparently from info that i have gotten from spudley..you can Re-wire FL5 into cubase and master all your tracks in realtime in the fruity master channel but then render the master file out of cubase...in which will boost your sound quality tremedously...of coruse you have to know how to tweak your sound, but for thosewho do...thats somethign you might want to figure out...
__
Rinse it OUT!!!! 
|
|
|
30-04-2005 15:41 |
|
|
Muad'Dib
Andrejnalin
Registration Date: 02-12-2003
Posts: 4,197
Helpfulness rating:
|
|
My personall experience:
Musician play -> 40%
Instrument -> 30%
Mastering -> 25%
Stereo/Mono -> 5%
--> to tune quality.
Well, just notice some reviews on tracks by Surya ( I follow this guy pretty much... no, I'm no gay 
). He says something like this:
I like your track, the melodies are good, you use various instruments, but sound quality (-> mastering) is very bad, which fucks the whole tune. I give you 2,5 (and he should have given 4 or 4,5).
Mastering is much important. A phat bass is not so easy to achieve, and to keep other sounds still audible if you don't master.
__
Thinking about becoming an Image-Line/FL Studio customer? Want a 10% reduction in price? Use this affiliate link:
http://affiliate.image-line.com/BADEBDG473
There is no such thing without its opposite
-Bene Gesserit
|
|
|
30-04-2005 19:10 |
|
|
@1$-)
unregistered
|
|
your never gonna get as good a master with tracks made in your bedroom as what you would from sending them off and having them done pro (check audioplexus or even the chronic)
just get the mix righ, and dont put limiting or compression on the master channel.....leave that to the enginneers.
|
|
|
30-04-2005 19:18 |
|
|
Halph-Price
Zombie Algorithm
Registration Date: 22-12-2004
Posts: 6,160
Helpfulness rating:
|
|
you can still use compression (lightly) and limiting on certin track elemnts, just don't use them on master channel. a avg comprssor/limiter, doesn't do justice for master channel, you need a multi-band, but even then, it can be voer done.
just make sure that everything in your track sounds loud enough without clipping (going above 0db) and take a break every now and again, and listen to other music, and go back to your normal track after about 10 minutes or so. this will helpy uo realise how your track sounds through comparison.
maybe you won't get it masterd by a pro, but you can sitll make it not suck. clipping and bad levels are what drags any track down.
__
|
|
|
30-04-2005 20:40 |
|
|
Muad'Dib
Andrejnalin
Registration Date: 02-12-2003
Posts: 4,197
Helpfulness rating:
|
|
I am in a process of studying mastering and compression, and however this may sound odd, I do my mastering on my computer at home. I don't have a super-strong PC, but I don't really need one. I have good monitors, good tools and I work.
My results are sometimes compared by people with some professional works. 
Not to show off, but I learn. Many producers can learn that too!
__
Thinking about becoming an Image-Line/FL Studio customer? Want a 10% reduction in price? Use this affiliate link:
http://affiliate.image-line.com/BADEBDG473
There is no such thing without its opposite
-Bene Gesserit
|
|
|
01-05-2005 00:25 |
|
|
Halph-Price
Zombie Algorithm
Registration Date: 22-12-2004
Posts: 6,160
Helpfulness rating:
|
|
music magazines, usually talk about one minute mastering stuff. there helpful. if only they talk about hwo to use some of the products, you can apply it to yuor own mastering.
__
|
|
|
01-05-2005 06:06 |
|
|
Muad'Dib
Andrejnalin
Registration Date: 02-12-2003
Posts: 4,197
Helpfulness rating:
|
|
| quote: |
Originally posted by Halph-Price
music magazines, usually talk about one minute mastering stuff. there helpful. if only they talk about hwo to use some of the products, you can apply it to yuor own mastering. |
Well, it's always better your track to sit 50% less time in the studio when half of the mastering (or acceptable amount) is done by you, don't you think?
__
Thinking about becoming an Image-Line/FL Studio customer? Want a 10% reduction in price? Use this affiliate link:
http://affiliate.image-line.com/BADEBDG473
There is no such thing without its opposite
-Bene Gesserit
|
|
|
01-05-2005 12:06 |
|
|
Surora23
Agressive Melodic Disorder
Registration Date: 05-07-2004
Posts: 2,127
Helpfulness rating:
|
|
| quote: |
Originally posted by muaddib
I am in a process of studying mastering and compression, and however this may sound odd, I do my mastering on my computer at home. I don't have a super-strong PC, but I don't really need one. I have good monitors, good tools and I work.
My results are sometimes compared by people with some professional works.
Not to show off, but I learn. Many producers can learn that too!
|
compression isnt rocket science...after my aurora track i realised where iw as going wrong...i read some articles and there is a general guide line for comperssion and obviously bette compresors are going to give you better resuslts...but set your ration to 2:1 or 3:1 there is no need for anymore...aset your attack and release to the same amount according to waht you would like the level of your compression to be..appy your gain untill you hear a pumping or distortion...then you knwo youve gone too far...go back to where you started with your gain and add just a little bit...and adjust your trheshold if needed...
Thats it on compression...its worked wonders for me so far...
__
Rinse it OUT!!!!
|
|
|
02-05-2005 06:01 |
|
|
Rude
I'm gonna get you
Registration Date: 06-01-2005
Posts: 1,600
Helpfulness rating:
|
|
is there a site or something to learn about mastering and compression and eq-ing and stuff like that??
__
|
|
|
02-05-2005 09:31 |
|
|
Surora23
Agressive Melodic Disorder
Registration Date: 05-07-2004
Posts: 2,127
Helpfulness rating:
|
|
| quote: |
Originally posted by Rude
is there a site or something to learn about mastering and compression and eq-ing and stuff like that?? |
yea...check out www.dnbscene.com matus (b-comp) hooked me up with this site while back...just search the site abit...the info is there i promise...it helped me out a lot...
__
Rinse it OUT!!!!
|
|
|
02-05-2005 16:11 |
|
|
|
