Reaper users / plugins

octatonic · October 2019

fastonebaz said:

I downloaded numerous plugins and watched numerous tutorials about mixing and mastering. I've learnt what all the options are on a compressor and multiband compressors and about using EQ to create space for èach instrument and panning and saturation and limiters and buses etc.

But

I still think I'm excellent at making my tracks sound worse, just too dull, they lack sparkle. Maybe it's my ears. On the videos the producers are moving their dials by small increments as if they can hear a difference and to me it sounds identical.

What is the secret sparkle plugin that everyone else must use?

You need to develop your ear.
It just takes time, I’ve been doing it since I was 17, so 30 years now.
My early mixes were exactly as you describe and I blamed the gear but the truth was I just didn’t know what I was doing.

I would spend money on acoustic treatment, better monitoring and a better audio interface before chucking money at plugins (in that order too).

Then get some training or read some books.
Do you know how to gain stage?
How a compressor works and the various types of compression and when to use them?
Frequency ranges for instruments?
Can you tell me where the thud of a kick drum is located in the frequency range?
Or the smack of a snare?
Or the frequency in your own voice you need to cut because it is too nasal?

This is stuff you need to have in your head.

Musicwolf · October 2019

Bod said:

Don't underestimate the impact of room acoustics. My mixes are always a bit of guesswork in the low end due to standing waves and phase cancellation. While ear training is essential to hearing the little changes, these problems can mask them so you stand no chance.

There's not much I can do about my situation as I'm at the end of a dining room, so options are limited. I have to A/B on other systems a lot to check what's going on.

Also, the compression used by YouTube can restrict what you're able to hear, so don't be too disheartened when you can't hear the differences.

Absolutely this. I always make the comparison with an artist painting a picture. Working in an untreated room is like trying to paint in a room light by artificial coloured lighting. The colours in your picture may look ok in that room but take it somewhere else and it's going look very strange.

A treated room is like painting in a studio light by strong, natural, light.

Speaking as an old fart who started out recording to tape on one hand you have huge advantages starting out today with a DAW loaded with effects that we could only dream of but it's also a curse because it is too easy to reach for a plug-in without really understanding it.

fastonebaz · October 2019

I think I know the theory behind eq compressors etc and where each instrument sits. Maybe just need patience and time to get a better mix.

poopot · October 2019

fastonebaz said:

I still think I'm excellent at making my tracks sound worse, just too dull, they lack sparkle. Maybe it's my ears. On the videos the producers are moving their dials by small increments as if they can hear a difference and to me it sounds identical.

What is the secret sparkle plugin that everyone else must use?

Is it just your own material you’re not happy with? Or is it other folks stuff as well?

could be your just being hyper critical as you are so close to the song...

fwiw I’ve heard your otm submissions and they sound great!

fastonebaz · October 2019

Cheers @poopot . I think maybe I just need to spend more time polishing them up rather than rushing a mix.

poopot · October 2019

fastonebaz said:

Cheers @poopot . I think maybe I just need to spend more time polishing them up rather than rushing a mix.

Come have a go at the mixing challenge... take the sentiment out of the mixing process and see if you get something you’re happy with!

LastMantra · October 2019

^ Good idea.

Stuckfast · October 2019

I think the key is to get your priorities right. The two most important aspects of a good mix are (a) a good balance between the levels of each instrument and (b) a good overall tonality, or balance across the frequency spectrum. The first of these is actually fairly easy to get right, the second is much harder and easy to overlook in a poor monitoring environment or on headphones.

blobb · October 2019

I went over to Mixbus, all the plug ins you need are already built into each track so you don't really need to add anything else. Overcomes the problem you describe.

fastonebaz · October 2019

I might try that one day

Howdy, Stranger!

Categories

In this Discussion

Become a Subscriber!

Reaper users / plugins

Comments