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Mixing/mastering issues, what do you think?

Hey guys,

Lately, I've been wondering about some mastering/mixing issues. It seems like 'the pro' tracks seem to have a kind of clearity (in the higher frequencies) which I've been troubling to get. I did get it though, I eventually ended up using a bitcrusher on some of the percussion. But when doing that, the percussion was to audible, no matter how low the volume. How do you people think about this, how do you get your clearity in the mix?

Secondly, I've also been wondering about the proper use of the compressor. Mostly, (at least I used too) put the compressor on the end of the effects chain, but I've been reading about doing that in the beginning of the effects chain. How do you guys think about this?

Third, I have a Access Virus C, which I reallly love (but hate the effects ), but whenever I use a bassline from it, it's really muddy, so I pretty fast decide to go for VST again, does anyone experience the same things?

Okay,.... open fire!

Lowcut EQ everything that isnt bass gives me the clarity i need.

And yeah the Virus is pretty useless for basslnes imo, think ive used it once for it.

from what ive learned so far, its about making spaces for each element and to do that 1 method is to find out where each element stands out in the frequency spectrum and make dips in amplitude at those frequencies on the other elements. i.e. if ur hi hats stand out at 10kHz then dip everything else at that frequency. by doing this with every element they each have their little space to stand out, but u probably already knew this lol

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Secondly, I've also been wondering about the proper use of the compressor. Mostly, (at least I used too) put the compressor on the end of the effects chain, but I've been reading about doing that in the beginning of the effects chain. How do you guys think about this?

It depends what you want to achieve. If i am compressing a sound with lots of very low frequency content or rumble, i will use a high-pass filter or eq before the compressor.

If you eq first before the compressor, especially when boosting frequencies, the compressor will compress the frequencies you have just boosted, thus messing up your eq settings and gain structure. in this case i would use the compressor before the eq.

in other words i almost always use a compressor first in the chain. Otherwise the compressor will affect the processing you have done before.

You can also mix into the compressor to get different results.

Obviously there are no rules though. just do what sounds right to you!

lowcut all unnecessary bass, put a shelf on any unnecessary highs. sometimes it is also good to use the low/high cut filters on your reverbs and delays - so they don't occupy the full range as the input sound. everything else is panning.

i rarely compress sounds with a lot of low frequencies with sounds that have a lot of highs. low frequencies just eat up so much headroom the whole thing turns to shit. when i compress drums, i often leave the kick out or use a multiband. parallel compression is good too.

What subtle said is spot on, i have an eq set up on all my percussion tracks. usually a UAD cambridge eq (wonderfull filter and slope options) I will solo the drums buss with all the percussion and remove unwanted frequencies on each individual percussion element.

i will usually never solo any of the percussion when eqing them. i listen to the drums as a whole and eq them seperately to get them working together.

i have had good results bussing out the percussion and using a slight bit of parallel compression/processing. Using something like a transient designer or snappy compressor such as the UAD DBX compressor on the parallel buss can really help bring your percussion to life and bring out the initial snap. You can mix in as much of this as you like when using parallel compression.

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Originally posted by Subtle Lowcut EQ everything that isnt bass gives me the clarity i need.

I do this to, but how do you do it, do you cut i.e. below 200Hz, or do you start cutting where the sound begins (in the freq spectrum)?

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Originally posted by dannib i have had good results bussing out the percussion and using a slight bit of parallel compression/processing. Using something like a transient designer or snappy compressor such as the UAD DBX compressor on the parallel buss can really help bring your percussion to life and bring out the initial snap. You can mix in as much of this as you like when using parallel compression.

What is this parallel compression you are talking about? I heard a little something about it but I don't quite know how it works.

Another question I have is the following: I'm still using Cubase SX3, and although I'm really loving it, it's routing capabilities aren't that great. Now lately, I've been trying to SC a reverb from a synth track (so I don't want to Sc the synthsounds, but only the reverb), and somehow, I think this can't be done in SX3. I've already set up an FX channel with reverb on it and routed the synth to the FX channel, so I thought, than I could easily route the FX channel to the SC channel, but that isn't possible! I can only route it to the masterbus!?! Is there something I'm looking over or is it just not possible.

Another question regarding Cubase; is it possible to automate any effects on the masterbus? I can't seem to work that out.

Thanx again!

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Originally posted by Subtle Lowcut EQ everything that isnt bass gives me the clarity i need. And yeah the Virus is pretty useless for basslnes imo, think ive used it once for it.

I do this too, except I tend to use a HP filter instead of an EQ.

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Originally posted by Theran What is this parallel compression you are talking about? I heard a little something about it but I don't quite know how it works.

Just create a copy of the tracks you want to do parallel compression on and compress those. Leave the original channels as they are and then blend these 2 signals together as you wish. This enables you to have oth the punch when using no compression and the body of using compression .

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Originally posted by echosystm sometimes it is also good to use the low/high cut filters on your reverbs and delays - so they don't occupy the full range as the input sound.

Never thought of that, I'll will be trying it out for sure.

Although I do use Abletons Filter Delay quite often, which produces similar results for getting rid of unwanted frequencies from effects.

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Another question I have is the following: I'm still using Cubase SX3, and although I'm really loving it, it's routing capabilities aren't that great. Now lately, I've been trying to SC a reverb from a synth track (so I don't want to Sc the synthsounds, but only the reverb), and somehow, I think this can't be done in SX3. I've already set up an FX channel with reverb on it and routed the synth to the FX channel, so I thought, than I could easily route the FX channel to the SC channel, but that isn't possible! I can only route it to the masterbus!?! Is there something I'm looking over or is it just not possible.

FX channels in cubase sx3 are useless. i never use them. Just use the group channel tracks instead. You can then route from one group to another. You can only route to group channles created after the one you are using though. I think newer versions of cubase support open group routings though?

Think im gonna update to cubase 5. i am missing so much. Especially the group thing mentioned above and draggable inserts!

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Originally posted by dannib FX channels in cubase sx3 are useless. i never use them. Just use the group channel tracks instead. You can then route from one group to another. You can only route to group channles created after the one you are using though. I think newer versions of cubase support open group routings though? Think im gonna update to cubase 5. i am missing so much. Especially the group thing mentioned above and draggable inserts!

That's true, but than you won't have the 'reverb' isolated to send it to the SC channel. But indeed, the routing in SX3 really sucks bigtime. I'm also thinking about updating to SX5, saw some video's about it and it looks really great!

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That's true, but than you won't have the 'reverb' isolated to send it to the SC channel. But indeed, the routing in SX3 really sucks bigtime. I'm also thinking about updating to SX5, saw some video's about it and it looks really great!

Why not?

Set up a group channel. Place the reverb here (100% wet), Go to the synth that you want to send to the reverb. Go to its sends and send the amount you want to the group. On the group channel the sound will be 100% wet. insert the sidechain compressor below the reverb and set the sidechain signal to the kick drum or whatever you want.

i am using db audioware sidechain compressor for this type of effect. Are you using waves plugins by any chance? you have to mess around with panning and child busses to get this to work in cubase sx3.

If you want to export or listen to the reverb as an "isolated wet file" (without the original synth), go to the synth channel and set the send to "pre-fade" and turn the fader all the way down. Now you will just here the "wet" group reverb.

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Originally posted by dannib I think newer versions of cubase support open group routings though?

Yep, Cubase 4 lets you route any group to any other group, no matter when it was created or where it is. Sidechaining is also very easy in Cubase 4.

Re the Virus for basslines, it totally depends on the style of bassline you're aiming for. I never used to use my KC for basses, went more with Supernova II if I wanted low-end oomph, or Nord Lead 3 (or Micro Q) if I wanted something snappier and more defined. But recently I've been recreating some of my favourite songs, and it seems a few of these producers used Viruses for their basslines. It's not as clear, it is "muddy" (turning the effects off helps a bit), but it really fills that low end space nicely with a rolling bassline. I wouldn't use it for every song, but now and then it's nice to have a bass which just fills the space without drawing attention to itself.

I have an album for the car .This includes:-

Paul Oakenfold - Southern sun, is so over mastered that dogs and cats 7 miles away can hear the high frequencies.

CRW - She's like a cat.
This one is ok and good to listen too , not to many highs and not to many low's.

Moby - Why does my heart feel so bad ( system F remix )
This is awful , i have to turn it upto volume 20 on my stereo to hear it and you can hear all the vocal samples kick in.A very bad production and not even mastered because it isnt loud enough.And this is ferry!

All the songs are one hell of a mixed bag.

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