RxMx Sara

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TechnoDude
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RxMx Sara

Post by TechnoDude »



Drums: Analog Rytm
Bass: Spectrum (FMed by LI) -> Sara VCF -> RxMx -> Optomix -> uHC
Lead: Rings -> Chronoblob

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jordanneke
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Re: RxMx Sara

Post by jordanneke »

The major thought I had when listening to the was eq, eq, then some more eq.

There's a lot of distortion happening, but no where near enough post dist eq to make the listening experience as pleasurable as it should be. Things are really overlapping in frequencies and it tends toward a distorted mess, especially as the tune progresses. Throw some reverb into the mix and it gets even more difficult


I'd really spend time scuplting the sounds using subtractive eq so they sit in their own space. I'd also tone the distortion down a bit.

I'd start with just the lead and that roar together and work on them until they work together.

I hope that's not too negative.

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tsaro
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Re: RxMx Sara

Post by tsaro »

Yeah, I agree with Jordanneke that this badly needs eq work, though I get that's a bit hard when you want to work otb. Maybe you can find an old mixing board somewhere cheap, with integrated eq. Though that might be a long shot.

Getting to a level where the sounds you synthesize can be placed in the mix with a few simple tweaks takes a lot of time, so I'd just opt for recording the tracks to your computer and working it over.... Or at the least dial back the distortion :P
how far do you want to go

TechnoDude
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Re: RxMx Sara

Post by TechnoDude »

Thank for the input guys, I did use an external mixer and attempted to EQ it a little, think I need to learn how to EQ properly.

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tsaro
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Re: RxMx Sara

Post by tsaro »

Imagine it as a painting, you have a limited canvas (your frequency spectrum), so you need to fit your elements into the available space. a bit like how you wouldn't paint something on top of something else you just put in, blending all the colours into a grey/brown stain. Though audio is abit more abstract than that since it moves in time, the general principle holds.

You'll just need to try and keep the bigger picture in mind, planning ahead when you're adding more sounds, molding them into the free space. Some people have a natural talent for it, but others get there by really thinking about what they're doing every step of the way, and double checking until they have enough experience to get there without much thought.


This is pretty much an overly simplified example since if you strictly keep to this train of thought you will create sterile, boring music but I think we're not really in danger of that happening here :v

And there's really enough of that shit in the world, personally I can't stand that boring wankery no matter how well it's mixed, it's still a pile of uninspired, perfectly shaped, insipid shit. And by the tracks you're posting that's not what you're planning to do, so that's a positive at least. And I might not be the best person to give an objective opinion about this, since I often go the other way and cram my mixes so full of shit (sounds) that I'm fighting them all the way to the end, and I still make plenty of mistakes....

And if you really keep running into the same problems, you could run your 2buss into a laptop with a spectrum analyser, checking your tracks by soloing/muting/unmuting problematic/conflicting sounds and adjusting them, until you get the hang of it a bit.

At the same time it might be a good idea to train your listening skills, because mixing with your eyes is really a crutch which ideally should be avoided as much as you can, unless there's a problem you're trying to fix that you can't quite identify.

You could also just continue on the same path, and things should click eventually, but then there's no telling how long it would take, so a more systematic approach might be the key to improving a bit faster.

Assuming you're trying to not just trying to jam and have fun (which is of course an important part of it) but you're posting your tracks here so I guess it's a safe bet to assume that you'd also want your music to be at least a bit accessible to a bigger audience...

Damn that took longer than I thought it would, I really need to get some sleep, though I'm somewhat of an expert in putting that off..Finally something I've mastered :lol:
I hope this doesn't rub you the wrong way, though if this helps anyone stumbling upon this and finding something useful in it i really don't give a fuck. Or so I tell myself to avoid this rant from being an utterly useless waste of time :P Either way, good luck!
how far do you want to go

TechnoDude
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Re: RxMx Sara

Post by TechnoDude »

btw, how did you guys learn how to mix? Self thought? Reading? Attend courses? Watching youtube?

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jordanneke
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Re: RxMx Sara

Post by jordanneke »

I can't mix very well, so I always have a spec analyser on every track. I also start with a ableton's eq 3.

Often you'll find that there are unwanted bass frequencies on a track, that's why I use the eq 3 to cut anything below what ever will interfere with the kick.

Then it's just a process of adding tracks one by one, making sure on the spectrum that nothing else is really in that space and playing at the same time. This is best achieved by removing frequencies rather than boosting.

But really making sure the 3 elements, kick, bass and synth are really in their own space.

Importantly you need to eq after adding any fx, ass overdrive and saturation may add unwanted freq.

Oh and years and years of practice.


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