|
Stereo spread help
|
View this Thread in Original format
| Axolotyl |
Anyone got any tips on stero spreading or just generally being able to a get a sound wider? I'm not talking about panning from left to right, more so the effect where a sound is really wide and 'open'. Not sure if thats the right terminology for it, but hopefully you understand what I mean :conf:
I've been using the stereo imager in Ozone and it gets it half the way there but I just cant seem to get those leads that sound like they are wide and high. Any tips or vst recommendations would be great thanks. |
|
|
| Atlantis-AR |
Also remember that less is more. If you widen a lot of instruments, everything sounds wide. But if you apply it to only a pad or a lead, for instance, you can really get it to stand out from the much more mono kick and bass arrangement you may have - and then you really have width. ;)
iZotope Ozone provides an excellent stereo imaging module, but it's more suited to wideband instruments, or in particular during mastering, as you can apply varying amounts to different frequency ranges. The Waves S1-Imager, on the other hand, is an excellent plugin you can use to apply widening to individual instruments in a mix (not to mention the stereo balance control it provides :D), and used in careful combination with reverbs, delays - and of course contrast - I believe you should be able to achieve the sound you're after.
Wide Boy does sound like something I'd try out too. Seems to do a similar thing as the Waves S1-Shuffler, which, again, I prefer more for use during mastering, though essentially anything is possible. :) |
|
|
| DigiNut |
Well, Ozone usually does a pretty good job if you make proper use of delays in the stereo imager (say 0/-3/3/0). But there are many other possibilities. For all of these you'll need a duplicate channel:
- Use different reverbs on each channel, each panned partially to a different side (or use the same reverb but compress one of them).
- Pan each channel in different directions (or better, use a stereo imager like Waves S1), and put a very small time delay on one of them
- Use a very light flanger on one, or two on both
- Use a delay effect with a stereo bounce preset (i.e. 1/8th note 50% left followed by 3/16th 50% right, with feedback) - you can use this on a single channel obviously, no need to divide
That should give you some ideas... basically, the best way to create "wide" sounds is to create a duplicate track, pan each of them between 33% and 66% to either side, and apply different FX to each. |
|
|
| Axolotyl |
Cheers thanks for your help guys. Its exactly the sort of advice I was looking for. Seems subtlety and creativity are important factors in getting a wide sound. I actually didnt think to approach it as an fx/mixing issue. Thought it had more to do with mastering actually.
I will definately be giving all of these suggestions a try. Thanks again :D |
|
|
| chillsonic |
mda multiband
http://www.kvraudio.com/get/790.html
it's a compressor (don't have to use that part), but it does a great job widening a mix or individual elements alike. i don't know why i did't mention it earlier, especially since i use it all the time. it really is a lot better sounding IMO. |
|
|
| Vizay |
| I've actually stopped using stereospreaders and instead started to just pan instruments out on either left or right side instead of both. That's a processoreffective way of doing it that shouldn't be overlooked. Remember that it doesn't always have to be symetrical wich equally much sound from a synth on both left and right (just make shure you balance it up with something else) :) |
|
|
| Dj Thy |
A little word of caution applies here.
Watch out when using stereo wideners that use delays. May sound very wide listened in stereo, but can have nasty results when listened in mono (as the time differences between left and right can and probably will result in cancellations when summed together in mono).
It doesn't hurt to check your mixes in mono once and a while.
Who uses mono anyway?
About 70% of the clubs, if not more. |
|
|
| Vizay |
| quote: | Originally posted by Dj Thy
A little word of caution applies here.
Watch out when using stereo wideners that use delays. May sound very wide listened in stereo, but can have nasty results when listened in mono (as the time differences between left and right can and probably will result in cancellations when summed together in mono).
It doesn't hurt to check your mixes in mono once and a while.
Who uses mono anyway?
About 70% of the clubs, if not more. |
If you're doing a symetric stereospread there's an easy way of comming around that that also gives a little extra dimension to a sound (it's not always with a good result but almost always).
You simply create two channels of the sound, one that you spread pretty wide and one that's 100% centered. That gives a more full sound and can be considered a precaution to the problem you described :)
Although it's still good to monolisten, always monolisten if you intend to get your tracks played at clubs! |
|
|
| Dj Thy |
| quote: | Originally posted by Vizay
If you're doing a symetric stereospread there's an easy way of comming around that that also gives a little extra dimension to a sound (it's not always with a good result but almost always).
You simply create two channels of the sound, one that you spread pretty wide and one that's 100% centered. That gives a more full sound and can be considered a precaution to the problem you described :)
Although it's still good to monolisten, always monolisten if you intend to get your tracks played at clubs! |
Yeah, but when using delays to spread stereo, it's all but symetric (as it's the different arrival times between left and right that make it seem wide). When summing back to mono, you risk not only cancelling out the left-right signals, but also the one you kept mono. |
|
|
| Vizay |
| quote: | Originally posted by Dj Thy
Yeah, but when using delays to spread stereo, it's all but symetric (as it's the different arrival times between left and right that make it seem wide). When summing back to mono, you risk not only cancelling out the left-right signals, but also the one you kept mono. |
Normaly I don't use delays when doing that kind of stereospread. I just route it out to 3 different channels, one left, once center & one right :) |
|
|
| 3rd Signal |
I got 2 tips if I got you right.
1. Start using a Stereo Delay and delay each side alone...ie - Left side on 1/4 and Right on 1/4D.
2. Get Waves Diamond. An amazing pack with lots of needed stuff, like the S1 Imager. =) |
|
|
|
|
