compression amigo...

Compression really isn't appropriate in this case, unless there's a lot of variation in the pad itself.

Sounds like the problem is simply that your pads are too bass-heavy. You can try to boost the midrange with EQ, and if you don't get much then you probably need another layer or a different pad.

Or, try adding some reverb, delay, stereo widening, etc...

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that's what I was going to do...
muck around with the pad's pan, eq and some delay...
cuz it's the one losing dynamics, but the bass is more important...

the compresser would make it worse, unless it's a multiband and I'm using it to cut the low end... but a good eq, would do a better job...

thanks...
more suggestions if you got em...

Exactly what EQ did you put on the pads? If you're just using a high-pass filter to 'eq out' the low end then it's very easy to make it sound too thin... the first thing I would try would be a low shelf at about 200Hz, to make the low end quieter without removing it completely, and maybe a slight dip around 250-300Hz to take some of the mud out. It's a balancing act with the bassline though, so you might even need to EQ the bass to fit a little with the pad.

If the bass is mono/dead centre you can also try putting the pads through a M/S converter to change them from Left/Right into Mid/Side, and EQing the bass out of the left (Mid) channel ONLY, then through another M/S converter to change it back to regular stereo... this will have the effect of removing the bass frequencies from the middle of the stereo image (where the bassline is sitting) but leaving it in the sides.

It's also good to remember that it's not how the pads sound on their own that matters, but how they sound in the mix... it might sound too thin on its own but if it sounds good as part of the whole track then you've done your job. How deep can you bleep?

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colin nailed it on the head...
this works for anyones future reference...
I used the kjarhus eq...
didn't really want to use a delay, cuz the pad had a lot of width...
(orchestrial pad)

smiles.
aya.

Last edited by organix on Jan-06-2007 at 02:31