Hey Kit and everyone else,
I've enjoyed reading this thread, and some of the points made. I'll be glad to pitch in a good amount of tips and tricks I've learned both basic, and advanced techniques. Stuff ranging from effects and how to place them in a track and meld them in with the other sounds, to advanced chain sequences. Even how to use EQ to morph one sound into another sound. (IE a tom sound into a snare type sound). I will be glad to do both written and video tutorials if everyone would like. I hope this helps KIT.


Sincerely,
David

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Gain Staging

You don't want digital overs when your plug-ins cannot handle them. In Ableton this is the case.

The samplers in Ableton by default are set at -12db, but VST instruments and audio tracks are not so I would suggest putting a Utility plug-in set at -12db coming after the sound source so that the signal doesn't distort during processing.

Ableton Live has tiny meters inbetween each device, so make sure that none of them hit above 0 db.

Turning down the faders so that you avoid clipping IS NOT THE SAME. Putting a Utility plug-in at the end of your processing chain and turning it down IS NOT THE SAME.

What happens when you don't do this? Digital distortion.

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quote:

Originally posted by dj_alfi change your avatar for fucks sake.

quote:

Originally posted by DJ-Igloo Hey Kit and everyone else, I've enjoyed reading this thread, and some of the points made. I'll be glad to pitch in a good amount of tips and tricks I've learned both basic, and advanced techniques. Stuff ranging from effects and how to place them in a track and meld them in with the other sounds, to advanced chain sequences. Even how to use EQ to morph one sound into another sound. (IE a tom sound into a snare type sound). I will be glad to do both written and video tutorials if everyone would like. I hope this helps KIT. Sincerely, David

Mate, that would be absoutely awesome. Feel free to chip in anything you can think of at all

quote:

Originally posted by Beatflux Gain Staging You don't want digital overs when your plug-ins cannot handle them. In Ableton this is the case. The samplers in Ableton by default are set at -12db, but VST instruments and audio tracks are not so I would suggest putting a Utility plug-in set at -12db coming after the sound source so that the signal doesn't distort during processing. Ableton Live has tiny meters inbetween each device, so make sure that none of them hit above 0 db. Turning down the faders so that you avoid clipping IS NOT THE SAME. Putting a Utility plug-in at the end of your processing chain and turning it down IS NOT THE SAME. What happens when you don't do this? Digital distortion.

Nooooo... not quite. It depends on how your plugin is written, in ableton, everything is 32 bit fp, so you can't distort any of its plugins AFAIK. If your using external plugins, you may be able to, but most use 64 bit processing now, which if I understand right means that this is (almost) impossible. This is definately something thats been discussed before, and its generally accepted that you can run your levels quite close to zero and any overs won't really matter, provided your using good plugins. If you have an over which is +64 dB then maybe it'd be an issue, but otherwise its not a problem.

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This was more of an invasive "bad habit" than anything truely advanced.

But for many years I murdered grooves by adding and KEEPING fx on as I constructed the actual grooves.

For instance, its second nature once I have most of my patch tweaked to add reverb and delay then start randomly hitting keys looking for a melody or w/e.

With bass, this is a TERRIBLE PRACTICE.

DO NOT EVER EVER EVER leave the delay on when you are trying to get a solid bass groove going. If you rely more on the notes for the groove, vs any groove a delay may add, you will wind up with much much cleaner grooves in general.

There was points when my delay settings were so off no matter how hard I tried to get a nice swing or roll in my bass it wouldn't happen. So get the bass timing down first, exactly how you want it to roll/groove, then use delay to exagerate it further. Just NEVER EVER leave delay on. This may be a debatable topic but its helped me out tons since I started using it, which is obviously why I recommend it.

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Sequencers: FL Studio 9XXL & Reason 3.
Main Synth Bass GTs - Pro-53, V-Station, Sytrus, Subtractor, Trilian, Blue, Sylenth & Z3ta.
Main Synth Lead/Pad GTs - Z3ta, Sytrus, Sylenth, Vangard, Albino & Nexus.
Main FXs GTs - Waves Plugins, Soundtoys, Volcano, FL Native FX.
Hardware - Truths, Echo Audiofire, Virus Snow, & Novation Xio Midi-Synth.

quote:

Originally posted by Beatflux Gain Staging You don't want digital overs when your plug-ins cannot handle them. In Ableton this is the case. The samplers in Ableton by default are set at -12db, but VST instruments and audio tracks are not so I would suggest putting a Utility plug-in set at -12db coming after the sound source so that the signal doesn't distort during processing. Ableton Live has tiny meters inbetween each device, so make sure that none of them hit above 0 db. Turning down the faders so that you avoid clipping IS NOT THE SAME. Putting a Utility plug-in at the end of your processing chain and turning it down IS NOT THE SAME. What happens when you don't do this? Digital distortion.

It's worth mentioning some plugins don't clip the output signal and allow high input levels above 0db.

I have found this useful when using returns eg. a drums/bass track routed to a return with a filter on it, the majority of the time your drums/bass track levels combined will be over 0db before going into the filter causing the device to clip the signal (depends on plugin).

instead you can do the following:

[kick/bass(+4db)]--[utility(-6db)]--[filter]--[utility(+6db)]

Record with the mic inserted in a handy orifice is my tip

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String Studio PMS + Guitar Rig 3 ... Not really an obscure technique, but it is a very awesome combination.

Here is a clip of it in action...

http://tindeck.com/listen/qevs

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