How do quality producers like Nickson, Phynn and other Reason users make their whole track sound so tight?

Nothing's muddy... Nothing is overdone, Everything is in place..


* Sigh*

I know it comes to compression and equalizing, but i NEVER, Never get it so tight sounding as they do... Or is it their Reason setup, and how they connect all the machines?

I'm a bit desperate, because although i use compressors and equalizers the right way, it never sounds so tight..

Anyone knows the answer?

___________________
- Huge Choons ATM/Gone But Not Forgotten -

Orbital - The Girl With The Sun In Her Head
Jam & Spoon - Stella
Chicane - The Drive Home

- Next Party Stops -

Trance Energy 15th Edition, Jaarbeurs Utrecht, February 23rd.

quote:

Originally posted by TranceZoner I know it comes to compression and equalizing, but i NEVER, Never get it so tight sounding as they do... Or is it their Reason setup, and how they connect all the machines? I'm a bit desperate, because although i use compressors and equalizers the right way, it never sounds so tight.. Anyone knows the answer?

Quite a few different answers, 1) samples they used are precompressed, eqed in a sound editor and or are high quality samples. 2) the probably mix/master outside of reason in soundforge, cool edit pro (or they use hardware compressors, equalizers, and mixers).

U probably can get the same sound, but you need to read up, it cant happen overnight and you need to really understand the fundamentals of sound...
http://web.archive.org/web/20030205...m/articles9.htm

good resource, theres articles for compression, mastering, equalization etc.

Also if u havent already do a search because this question comes up alot.

___________________

robelectric
http://www.robeyee.com
http://www.soundcloud.com/robeyee
http://www.twitter.com/robeyee

agreed, mastering is more of an artform. You need a good ear for getting that "hot, warm, and crunchy" sounds that your ear's enjoy. It also helps to have a nice pair of studio monitors.

Find yourself a good analog compressor that suits your taste. Rule is key when it comes to music, less is more. dont over saturate your mix. SPREAD OUT THE MIX, dont keep it all bunched up in the center channel! pretend this is a concert stage, move the keyboards a little to the left, maybe the guitar to the right a little, keep the drums around the center but maybe the hats off centerish...

use heavy compression on a drum kick, but dont go overboard on everything else... rule of thumb, 2 to 1, and short elements can get a 4-6 to 1 compression ratio...

it takes time, but practice makes perfect!

j

___________________
Who is your daddy? And what does he do?!

Thnx guys

___________________
- Huge Choons ATM/Gone But Not Forgotten -

Orbital - The Girl With The Sun In Her Head
Jam & Spoon - Stella
Chicane - The Drive Home

- Next Party Stops -

Trance Energy 15th Edition, Jaarbeurs Utrecht, February 23rd.

No- do NOT rely on mastering. If you have to master your final track, that means you fucked up in mixing it. (sorry! that sounds really blunt, but its true)

If you are using reason, you wanna start by buying a pro level sound card. I just made the transition from a M-audio to a MOTU. Seriously, the difference in the cleanliness of sound, recording, and control is just breathtaking.

Also, the effects, compressors, and eq in reason suck, so don't use them. (sorry...) The best way to get a professional sound out of reason is rewiring it into a program that has, well, professional level effects and equalizers. They don't charge 500 dollars for a software compressor for nothing

Finally, buy the best monitors you can. If they're so expensive that you can't eat anything besides rice for a week, do it. Monitors are the most important part of your setup, by far.

(sorry if thats insulting to any reason producers out there..but I'm just telling you from my experience)

quote:

Originally posted by broken silence No- do NOT rely on mastering. If you have to master your final track, that means you fucked up in mixing it. (sorry! that sounds really blunt, but its true)

Want to back that up...?

es

___________________

Don't take me too seriously.

on a release (unless its some shit label), you send the premaster to someone who masters it for you.

also, if you get your levels and EQ right, there is no need for global compression anyways.

quote:

Originally posted by broken silence on a release (unless its some shit label), you send the premaster to someone who masters it for you.

Therefore mastering is needed.

es

___________________

Don't take me too seriously.

yeah, if your track isnt good enough mixed to begin with.

there, unmastered.

http://mrmike.artists.mpfspromotion...emix%20clip.mp3

quote:

Originally posted by broken silence I just made the transition from a M-audio to a MOTU. Seriously, the difference in the cleanliness of sound, recording, and control is just breathtaking.

Give me a break man. Like you could tell the difference in these cards. There should be no negligable degree of difference in the sound quality...just in interface and how things hook up.

Did you check the specs??

___________________
please review my latest AMBIENT track HERE.

I like to listen to the mix in the hallway outside my studio every 30 mins. Then Ill burn the downmix on a CD and play it on the loudsystem downstairs, then I will take the CD in my car and blast it on the Pioneer deck ...

God it sounds so differnt in every environment... Mixing is really difficult at first. My collige will always remind me... "If it sounds better in the hallway than it does on headphones, somethings definatlly wrong..."

true dat

___________________
Who is your daddy? And what does he do?!