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Quik Tipz: Make Mixes Wider than Ever Before!
Ever come across instruments that sound narrow, bland, or just plain uninspiring? More often than not, the rhythm or performance of the instrument isn't the problem. Instead, it's most likely due to the recording being mono. There's no simple, quicker way to widen your mix than by enhancing mono instrument tracks using simple, yet powerful delay techniques:
1) Using the effects section of your mixing hardware or software, choose & load a mono delay effect. Make sure the return of the delay effect is routed to a new mono channel on your mixer.
2) Within the delay effects parameters, turn down all feedback and/or regeneration under the delay's feedback control section.
Turn the delay's mix signal to 100% wet. Pan the mono delay return either hard left or hard right in your mix.
3) Take the mono instrument track that needs enhancement and hard pan it opposite of your delay's pan. Next, send some of the instrument track's signal into the delay unit via a send/auxiliary bus that is assigned to the delay's input.
4) Within the delay's parameters, slowly adjust the delay time starting from 8ms through 35ms. Depending on the nature of the instrument's signal & tempo of the song, you'll start to notice the image of the instrument widening from it's original mono signal into a nice warm stereo spread! Adjust the millisecond amount (8ms-35ms) to achieve the most desirable amount of spread!
5) Lastly, experiment with the newly created stereo image by balancing volume levels between the dry signal's channel and the wet signal's channel until you achieve the spread & balance you desire most!
Quik Tipz: Add Xtra Heat to Drum Rhythmz
It's true, Most hip hop hits have extremely simple drum rhythms. Although they may be simple, don't be fooled. There's more to it than meets "the ear".
What do we mean?
While listening to various hits on the charts, you might at one time or another asked yourself "Why does this beat move so well even though the rhythm is so basic? When I try sequencing the same drum pattern, it simply does NOT have the same professional feel as the hit! What could I possibly be doing differently?"
Differences between the Pro & Amateur Producer are many -
One fact that sticks out more than the rest is how quickly amateurs stop short when sequencing a drum pattern by only applying basic quantization. Pro's always take it a step further by applying what is called "the groove". By "groove", we aren't simply discussing a rhythmic swing. While applying a rhythmic swing to a sequence is definitely an essential part of creating a groove, there's more to groove than swing.
Beyond swing is something called "humanizing" - "Humanizing" involves altering a straight quantized rhythm so it more closely resembles a live drummer's performance. The end result is a transformation from a generic quantized pattern into a realistic, natural groove with a live feel and depth.
Offsetting the rhythm, starting with the snare -
The most overlooked element in hip hop rhythm today is the timing of the snare. Instead of having snares land directly over quantized pulses, select all the snares & slide them over a fraction after the tempo's quantized pulse. This little trick will greatly enhance the humanized feel of any beat as the snare acts as a guide throughout the song. If your beat utilizes both snares & claps, experiment with different results by sliding the claps as a group, separate from the snares & vice versa.
Offsetting ghost kicks while keeping main kicks on pulse -
Also, while keeping your main kicks quantized over the pulse of each bar's downbeat, still experiment with sliding the smaller ghost kicks so that they deliberately land offset from the tempo's quantized pulses. You'll be surprised as you hear that once simple rhythm now changing into a humanized groove with feeling!
Quik Tipz: Techniques to Widen Kicks & Snares
A good drum mix requires an evenly balanced stereo field & soundstage. Many amateur productions have narrow, almost mono, drum mixes. These narrow drum mixes further throw off a song's overall balance where instrument tracks sound too wide in comparison. An effective way to remedy the problem is to apply a few widening tricks to the kick & snare mix:
1) Starting with the kick, create a stereo field by layering the main kick with an secondary background kick. The aim here is to create ambience with the newly added background kick. The quickest way to achieve ambience is to route the background kick through a short room reverb (stereo).
Also, you can route the background kick through a low pass filter which can remove unwanted high end created from the reverb. By triggering the ambient background kick in time with the main kick, you're able to maintain the original timbre & feel while also widening the kicks field & depth.
2) Snare tracks can be widened by layering stereo claps & snaps (see ModernBeat's Klub Klapz) on top of main snare hits. To avoid monotony, experiment with alternating 2 or more clap/snap combinations throughout the song.
Additionally, more stereo width can be obtained by layering two different groups of claps/snaps in time together while panning each group separately, hard left & hard right.
Securing a solid kick & snare foundation from the start allows for more creative flexibility when mixing in hats, shakers, & cymbals later on. Effectively widening your kicks & snares can inspire a better mix entirely!
Quik Tipz: Monitoring Mixes like the Pro's
Before spending too much time getting attached to a song you
have only mixed using near field monitors, realize that the following information could very well save you days (if not weeks) of trouble from having to remix most of your future productions...
Many amateur stereo mixes contain too much bass presence within them due to not using a sub-woofer during mixing. The reason so many amateur mixes become too bass heavy is because audio engineers over compensate and over boost bass levels in effort to better hear sub-bass frequencies that normal near field monitors simply can not accurately re-produce. Only sub-woofer monitors can accurately re-produce and let you fully monitor all the bass frequencies existing within a particular mix.
If you don't currently have a sub woofer, no worries. Simply either take your mixes to a studio that uses a professional grade sub-woofer when it's time to mix or use extra caution when mixing bass without a sub woofer and be sure to compare your mix across several speaker systems before becoming satisfied with your final mix. Don't over do it on bass levels and end up with a mix that is overbearingly boomy when finally listened to on accurate monitoring systems!
Quik Tipz: Sub-Bass Secret #3 Revealed
Low pass filtering & targeted EQ methods can work wonders for creating some serious sub-bass textures. But...it still doesn't stop there! Read below to learn how compression is a crucial component to sculpting the overall sub-bass sound...
Hip-Hop Sub-Bass Secret #3: Tailoring the Compressor
Knowing how to set a compressor to best control bass means ending up with a mix that has solid foundation and sounds consistently warm & welcoming to the ear. The trick is to even out differences in low/high signal peaks within the track to deliver an overall vibrant bass presence.
Ratio & Threshold Settings for Sub-Bass:
For most Hip-Hop applications, a Ratio setting of 4:1-6:1 is favored by most Pro engineers for leveling out any inconsistency in bass levels. For Threshold settings, try not to exceed 15db. A Threshold of 10db is typically a good amount so to avoid excess gain reduction.
Attack & Release Settings for Sub-Bass:
Be careful to avoid having too slow of Attack settings as this will cause the compress to not be quick enough to compress signals that cross the threshold. Good Attack settings that allow for a smoother sound lie between 20ms-40ms. For Release settings, it's important to set the compressor to recover from a compressed signal rather quickly. For sub-bass, a release time between 120ms-300ms usually creates the smoothest feel.
Apply the above bass compression techniques along with ModernBeats' low pass filtering & sub-frequency EQ methods all together, and you are on your way to becoming a sub-bass mixing master!
Quik Tipz: Sub-Bass Secrets for Hip-Hop Pro's
There's nothing more powerful to add to a hip hop mix than smooth "feel it more than hear it" sub-bass! Read below to learn some of the most coveted sub-bass secrets in tha industry...
Hip-Hop Sub-Bass Secret #1: Learning the Low Pass
Many amateur mixers think the way to create powerful sub-bass is by boosting low-shelf EQ. Well, we have news for you...it's not! The most direct route to creating sub-bass textures is through the powerful use of a low pass filter. By applying a low pass filter to a source signal such as a bass guitar track, high timbres can be filtered out completely letting only low-sub frequencies pass through to be heard.
Easily control how high or low of timbres to let pass through the filter by assigning the filter's settings to a specific frequency number such as 80hz or 70hz, etc. The lower you toggle your low pass filter setting (70hz, 60hz, 50hz), the more sub-only signal you are creating in your mix. Try it on your kicks & bass instrument tracks and experience the control!
Note: Before testing out the techniques described above, please keep in mind the following...To monitor sub-bass frequencies accurately, you will need a sub-woofer. While you can still hear some sub frequencies without a sub-woofer and apply the techniques described, the accurate amount of sub-bass being produced will go somewhat unnoticed when using only near-field monitors/speakers.
Quik Tipz: Prized Background Vocal Techniques
You've put in some hard work to achieve the perfect lead vocal mix. Now, it's time to bring the song to a new level by adding the background vocals to the mix! Below are some great unknown tips on how to attain some prized background vocal textures...
1) Add Silk: Unlike the up front full-bodied texture of your lead vocal track, take a different complimentary approach with your backing vocals. Add some silk by applying an overall high-pass filter as high as 900hz to the background vocals. The higher the high-pass the more sheen and silky the texture becomes. Also, for even more sheen, boost 11-12khz 1-4 decibels using high-shelf EQ.
2) Add Depth: To ensure a large impressive sound, you need to record several tracks of background vocals: double takes, triple takes, as well as, stacking harmonies. Take advantage of this multi-tracking by assigning each track its own panning placement. For example, pan low vocal/harmony tracks hard left & right. Next, pan medium vocal/harmony tracks 75% left & 75% right. Lastly, pan high vocal/harmony tracks 40% left & 40% right. Now your backing vocals will hug around your lead vocal perfectly!
3) Add Distance: To further add contrast apart from your lead vocal, apply different effects settings to your
Nothing is more important in a song than the lead vocal. Simply put...the lead vocal is the primary focal point of your entire mix. Because of its importance and need for constant placement within a mix, proper microphone, EQ, and compression techniques are essential. Learn the same techniques as used in platinum hits...
1) Microphone Techniques: In order to achieve a professional high fidelity vocal recording, using a condenser mic along with a good pop-screen is the only way to go. Condensers capture vocal resonance and vocal frequency spectrums far better than dynamic microphones. Also, before recording, be certain to switch the mic's settings to the cardioid pickup pattern with the high pass filter enabled to remove low end rumble from the source recording signal.
2) Vocal EQ Techniques: If proper microphone techniques have been implemented, a minimal amount of EQ should be needed. However, if you find the vocals could still use added clarity, try boosting 1-3 decibels between 5khz - 7khz. If you're needing an extra airy texture added to the vocals, try boosting 1-3 decibels between 10khz-12khz. Also, any low frequencies 100hz and below should be rolled off and/or high-passed to add further low end control to your overall mix.
3) Vocal Compression Techniques:[/COLOR] With compression, you are seeking to even out inconsistencies in volume levels while at the same time trying not to destroy the natural dynamics inherent in the vocal performance. The trick is to set your compressor with a high ratio of 5:1 to 8:1 with a semi-fast attack and a medium release time. Most important is your setting of the compressor's threshold: Set your threshold level where gain reduction occurs only for the loudest volume peaks in the vocal recording. This will even out level inconsistencies all the while retaining natural vocal dynamics.background vocal tracks. Typically, heavier effects should be applied to background vocals when compared to lead tracks. This helps add distance & a unique character apart from your lead mix. Some good background effects to apply are subtle ping pong stereo delays, hall reverbs, plate reverbs, and choruses!
Quik Tipz: How much Compression is too much?
While compression can work wonders to add punch and presence to your mix, it can also ruin it faster than you can say "it's destroyed". Below are some guidelines to help you avoid destroying your mixes with too much compression...
Compression typically performs best when gain reduction occurs only where peaks in audio signal are present, even if those peaks occur several times throughout a mix. The idea is to control the peaks in signal all the while having most of the signal remain underneath the threshold and hence, uncompressed. Optimum gain reduction occurs once you have achieved this type of balance.
If the compressor is always attenuating (gain reducing) the signal you feed it, you are not achieving optimum gain reduction. This is where compressors start to ruin mixes with what is called pumping and/or breathing.
Pumping and breathing occur when so much of the signal is crossing the threshold that the overall volume of the signal is reduced entirely! Once the dynamics and/or peaks in the original signal soften & go back underneath the threshold, the volume actually becomes louder again due to the original signal recovering from excessive compression!
Compression is a powerful tool: Abuse it, and compression will ruin your mix. Treat it with respect, and compression will enchance your mix!
Quik Tipz: Top Compression Methodz Revealed
By ModernBeats.com
Ready to achieve optimum, punchy, in-your-face, hip hop compression settings for a kick? a snare? bass? percussion? Learn what compressor settings platinum hip hop producers use below...
Ratio & Threshold settings dictate amount: Heavy weight producers use Ratio settings 4:1 to 7:1 for most hip hop applications. Ratios 8:1 & above are more effective for limiting, not compression. For Threshold settings, the Pro's use anywhere from 10db to 15db of gain reduction on kicks, snares, percussion, bass, or guitar. After you set the ratio and threshold, the real power comes in with your attack and release settings...
Attack times dictate snap: To ensure the most punch per track in your mix, you need to assign each track it's own compressor attack settings one at a time. Starting with the kick, set your attack to its slowest possible setting. Next, increase the time of the attack until the kicks timbre dulls slightly. Once you've reached this point, decrease the attack time slightly to un-dull the kick timbre and leave it at that setting. Repeat this method for all other tracks you wish to add optimum punch to!
3) Release times dictate recovery: Now that you've optimized the attack for each individual track needing punch, now you must assign each track its own release setting too. Again, starting with the kick, set your release to its fastest possible setting. Next, decrease the time of the release until you hear the compression fully recovers the kick's volume before the next kick pulse begins. Repeat this method for all other tracks needing optimum volume recovery!
Quik Tipz: Pro Speaker Positioning Methodz
Before spending too much time producing and mixing the beats you work so hard on everyday, make sure the near-field speakers you use to create your hits are properly positioned and angled!
Your near-field speakers should be placed the same distance from each other as they are from your ears. In other words, a 1 meter distance should exist between both speakers while you sit 1 meter away in front of the speakers.
Additionally, your speakers should be at level with your head and ears. If they aren't, you won't be hearing the sound accurately. Avoid artificial coloring and reflections that can destroy how your productions may sound on different systems by making sure you monitor your music at proper near-field distances and at straight angles to the ears.
Sure...your productions may sound great in your own studio. But...unless you've positioned your speakers at accurate monitoring distances and angles, you might be disappointed once you hear your musical works on other systems!
Quik Tipz: How the Heavy-Weights make Hitz
So...you produced a mad beat. The artist and record company love it. They buy it. They take it into the studio to record vocals to it. Now they're ready to mix. But...is the beat truly as hot as it could be?!? Heavy weight producers would say no! Here's why...
Too often in Hip Hop, producers make killer beats only to have artists record vocals over them that simply don't agree with the arrangement of the original beat. The problem is the lyrical ideas of the artist and the production ideas of the producer don't match on first try. So..when a producer sells a beat that isn't then re-arranged to better fit the lyrical performance that is recorded over it, the overall song will lose it's power due to the vocals & beat clashing.
The lesson to be learned is 90% of the time production should not end when the beat is sold. Heavy weight producers take pride & joy in re-arranging their productions to fit around vocal performances by opening up spaces for certain lyrical lines while adding in new fills & riffs in between other vocal lines. In short, professional producers sculpt their beats around vocal performances!
In fact, with the perfect combination of catchy hook vocals answered by catchy hook fills & riffs, hits can truly be born! Nothing makes a better formula for a hit than catchy "question and answer" phrasing. The problem with alot of amateur hip hop productions is that the artist's vocals (the questions) simply run over the producer's riffs (the answers). Real producers re-pave the road and come out with hits!
Quik Tipz: Get Your Beats Bouncin'
with Mutes, Drops, & Automation
So you've finished with the bulk of your mix - you've EQ 'd, compressed, gated, panned, & added effects to your complete satisfaction. So you're ready to lay down your final mix, right?
Wrong!
Now it's time to take your mix to the next level. Adding in mutes, drops, & other types of automation will help shape and give a new energy to your mix that you hadn't imagined before:
Try muting out bass & drums tracks near the end of 4 bar phrases throughout your song and you'll see what we mean. Listeners love dynamics - adding in automated mutes & drops on bass & drum tracks throughout your song adds the dynamic energy hits require. Also, experiment with different combinations of drum drops. Don't use the same exact drum drops over & over - Mix it up!
So what other types of automation will bring the final mix to higher grounds? Well, depending on your console/computer setup, all of the following can be automated: Mutes, Pans, Effects sends, EQ, Compression, Gates, and more. Don't fall short during the mix process, your beat deserves more. Imagine the energetic & dynamic possibilities with all that you could automate!
So you've finished with the bulk of your mix - you've EQ 'd, compressed, gated, panned, & added effects to your complete satisfaction. So you're ready to lay down your final mix, right?
Wrong!
Now it's time to take your mix to the next level. Adding in mutes, drops, & other types of automation will help shape and give a new energy to your mix that you hadn't imagined before:
Try muting out bass & drums tracks near the end of 4 bar phrases throughout your song and you'll see what we mean. Listeners love dynamics - adding in automated mutes & drops on bass & drum tracks throughout your song adds the dynamic energy hits require. Also, experiment with different combinations of drum drops. Don't use the same exact drum drops over & over - Mix it up!
So what other types of automation will bring the final mix to higher grounds? Well, depending on your console/computer setup, all of the following can be automated: Mutes, Pans, Effects sends, EQ, Compression, Gates, and more. Don't fall short during the mix process, your beat deserves more. Imagine the energetic & dynamic possibilities with all that you could automate!
Quik Tipz: Secrets to EQ'n Bass for Hip Hop
As a Hip Hop Producer, one thing you must learn to respect is the power of bass and how it can control your entire mix for better or worse. So, for the benefit of your mixes, take note of these important tricks of the trade we reveal below:
1) Bass frequencies are omnidirectional. This means the lows within bass instruments contain alot of power and energy, so powerful they can control the overall output of the master mix level. Plus, your bass track should almost always be panned in the center. Panning your bass other than to the center is senseless as it will only generate a mix that is lopsided and artificially hot on one side.
2) Don't EQ your bass with the same frequencies as you used on your kicks. For example, if you boosted 40-80hz in your kick tracks, then boost around 120hz for your bass, or vice versa. It's very important to avoid accumulation of the same frequencies when dealing with lows as these tracks control the overall output level of your mix. By assigning different frequency settings to each low end track, your overall mix level can become louder.
3) Boosting a particular frequency on a kick track, calls for cutting the same frequency by the same amount on your bass track. Specifically, when boosting 80hz on a kick track, be certain to cut 80hz by the same amount on your bass track. Likewise, if you boosted 130hz on your bass track, cut by the same amount and frequency on your kick track. This secret technique will give your song a far more low end sculpted sound, allowing for a hotter overall mix.
Quik Tipz: Secret Techniques for EQ'n Drumz
When it comes to equalizing your drums, don't mess around. The drums represent the heart of your mix & should be treated with respect. Below are some invaluable secrets from ModernBeats for EQ'n drums for Hip Hop:
Frequency Selection - If your serious about obtaining a clean and punchy sound for your drums, then you'll quickly learn you must be selective in the frequencies you should to boost and cut for each drum track. Most important to remember - Avoid accumulation of the same frequencies. Particularly, avoid over boosting low end frequencies. This will only muddy up your drums, as well as, mask other important tracks in the mix. Ensure your drum frequencies are even across the board!
Clean it Up - To achieve an overall punchier & cleaner mix, try cutting low end frequencies between 250 - 500hz on drum tracks such as kicks & toms. Cutting frequencies in this range will actually sharpen up drum tracks that sound too bold, harsh, & up-front. For punch, try adding 250 - 350hz into your snare & clap tracks. This will give more snap & body to the rhythm, as well as, balance out where your cut previously on your kick & tom tracks.
Adding Clarity - Cutting out the low frequencies from 100-200hz on cymbal & hi-hat tracks will add clarity while also allowing the other drum tracks that contain natural lows in those same ranges to come through in the mix. Also, boosting highs from 9khz - 12khz will add brilliance to cymbal tracks & boosting around 8khz will add crackle to your snare & clap tracks. If your not satisfied with the depth & feel on your kick tracks, then add a 4db boost at 40hz using a narrow Q of around 20. This will give the kick tracks the punch you're looking for. But ...don't forget...high pass your sub kick tracks from 34hz & below, canceling out unwanted low end rumble.
Quik Tipz: How loud do the Top Producers Mix?
If you're asking yourself "How loud do the top producers mix?", then you're asking the wrong question. Try asking "How soft do they mix?". That's right, that's what we said. Below we reveal the reasons Top Producers mix at lower versus higher levels:
1) Mixing at high volumes for long periods of time can cause permanent ear damage. Yes, it's true...long term exposure to high levels can ruin your ears. If your ears are your assets, best treat them right.
2) High mixing volumes for long periods cause your ears to over-compensate for both high end frequencies and low end frequencies. If you only mix at high levels, your ears will run out of gas within a couple hours as opposed to mixing at softer levels which allow you to hear accurately for longer periods of time.
3) Mixing loud may sound great in the beginning, but re-listening to the same mix a day later at soft levels will reveal a myriad of imbalances. However, the opposite is not true! Achieving proper balances at soft levels tends to maintain the same achieved balances when heard later at loud levels.
Are we saying to mix only at soft levels? No, of course not. In fact, it's necessary to mix loud for a minute or two to ensure proper balance on the low end spectrum of your mix. Also, in order to ensure effects and EQ's aren't saturated, it's necessary to mix for periods of time at moderate levels. But overall...the best balances are achieved at lower mixing levels.
Quik Tipz: Optimize Beats by Eliminating Beats
By ModernBeats.com
Note: The techniques below should only be applied when monitoring with a quality subwoofer, preferably no smaller than 10". While you may attempt to apply the same techniques using 8" nearfield monitors, we cannot guarantee the same results nor can nearfield monitors compare to the accurate low frequency monitoring a subwoofer provides.
When monitoring mixes through a full professional setup including quality 8"-10" nearfield monitors coupled with a 10"-12" subwoofer, we may be surprised just how much low frequency clutter really exists that simply cannot be heard on smaller setups. But once you are able to hear the overbearing and conflicting low end war going on in your mix, you can finally start correcting those errors resulting in a much cleaner and level-optimized mix!
First and foremost, is learning what a "beat" is. And NO...we are not talking about a "beat" as in a "drum beat", we're talking of something entirely different...
When the frequency of 2 similar instruments within a song are very close in pitch, but not in exact tune with one another, an undesired artifact is born causing an adverse, secondary low frequency wave to modulate called a "beat". In acoustics, a "beat" is an interference between two sounds of slightly different frequencies. Avoiding "beats" are particularly important when dealing with kicks, sub-bass, and bass guitar instruments over other high-end instruments in any given song. This is because lower frequency tracks make pitch conflicts stick out like sore thumbs compared to less-problematic higher frequency tracks.
To elimintate "beats", the most favorable pitch to tune all low-end, non-melodic tracks (drums and percussion) to is clearly the first musical note in the key of your song, known as the root "tonic". Correcting all these subtle pitch conflicts will deliver the most harmonious interaction between all the low-end non-melodic & melodic instruments in your mix!
Ever come across instruments that sound narrow, bland, or just plain uninspiring? More often than not, the rhythm or performance of the instrument isn't the problem. Instead, it's most likely due to the recording being mono. There's no simple, quicker way to widen your mix than by enhancing mono instrument tracks using simple, yet powerful delay techniques:
1) Using the effects section of your mixing hardware or software, choose & load a mono delay effect. Make sure the return of the delay effect is routed to a new mono channel on your mixer.
2) Within the delay effects parameters, turn down all feedback and/or regeneration under the delay's feedback control section.
Turn the delay's mix signal to 100% wet. Pan the mono delay return either hard left or hard right in your mix.
3) Take the mono instrument track that needs enhancement and hard pan it opposite of your delay's pan. Next, send some of the instrument track's signal into the delay unit via a send/auxiliary bus that is assigned to the delay's input.
4) Within the delay's parameters, slowly adjust the delay time starting from 8ms through 35ms. Depending on the nature of the instrument's signal & tempo of the song, you'll start to notice the image of the instrument widening from it's original mono signal into a nice warm stereo spread! Adjust the millisecond amount (8ms-35ms) to achieve the most desirable amount of spread!
5) Lastly, experiment with the newly created stereo image by balancing volume levels between the dry signal's channel and the wet signal's channel until you achieve the spread & balance you desire most!
Quik Tipz: Add Xtra Heat to Drum Rhythmz
It's true, Most hip hop hits have extremely simple drum rhythms. Although they may be simple, don't be fooled. There's more to it than meets "the ear".
What do we mean?
While listening to various hits on the charts, you might at one time or another asked yourself "Why does this beat move so well even though the rhythm is so basic? When I try sequencing the same drum pattern, it simply does NOT have the same professional feel as the hit! What could I possibly be doing differently?"
Differences between the Pro & Amateur Producer are many -
One fact that sticks out more than the rest is how quickly amateurs stop short when sequencing a drum pattern by only applying basic quantization. Pro's always take it a step further by applying what is called "the groove". By "groove", we aren't simply discussing a rhythmic swing. While applying a rhythmic swing to a sequence is definitely an essential part of creating a groove, there's more to groove than swing.
Beyond swing is something called "humanizing" - "Humanizing" involves altering a straight quantized rhythm so it more closely resembles a live drummer's performance. The end result is a transformation from a generic quantized pattern into a realistic, natural groove with a live feel and depth.
Offsetting the rhythm, starting with the snare -
The most overlooked element in hip hop rhythm today is the timing of the snare. Instead of having snares land directly over quantized pulses, select all the snares & slide them over a fraction after the tempo's quantized pulse. This little trick will greatly enhance the humanized feel of any beat as the snare acts as a guide throughout the song. If your beat utilizes both snares & claps, experiment with different results by sliding the claps as a group, separate from the snares & vice versa.
Offsetting ghost kicks while keeping main kicks on pulse -
Also, while keeping your main kicks quantized over the pulse of each bar's downbeat, still experiment with sliding the smaller ghost kicks so that they deliberately land offset from the tempo's quantized pulses. You'll be surprised as you hear that once simple rhythm now changing into a humanized groove with feeling!
Quik Tipz: Techniques to Widen Kicks & Snares
A good drum mix requires an evenly balanced stereo field & soundstage. Many amateur productions have narrow, almost mono, drum mixes. These narrow drum mixes further throw off a song's overall balance where instrument tracks sound too wide in comparison. An effective way to remedy the problem is to apply a few widening tricks to the kick & snare mix:
1) Starting with the kick, create a stereo field by layering the main kick with an secondary background kick. The aim here is to create ambience with the newly added background kick. The quickest way to achieve ambience is to route the background kick through a short room reverb (stereo).
Also, you can route the background kick through a low pass filter which can remove unwanted high end created from the reverb. By triggering the ambient background kick in time with the main kick, you're able to maintain the original timbre & feel while also widening the kicks field & depth.
2) Snare tracks can be widened by layering stereo claps & snaps (see ModernBeat's Klub Klapz) on top of main snare hits. To avoid monotony, experiment with alternating 2 or more clap/snap combinations throughout the song.
Additionally, more stereo width can be obtained by layering two different groups of claps/snaps in time together while panning each group separately, hard left & hard right.
Securing a solid kick & snare foundation from the start allows for more creative flexibility when mixing in hats, shakers, & cymbals later on. Effectively widening your kicks & snares can inspire a better mix entirely!
Quik Tipz: Monitoring Mixes like the Pro's
Before spending too much time getting attached to a song you
have only mixed using near field monitors, realize that the following information could very well save you days (if not weeks) of trouble from having to remix most of your future productions...
Many amateur stereo mixes contain too much bass presence within them due to not using a sub-woofer during mixing. The reason so many amateur mixes become too bass heavy is because audio engineers over compensate and over boost bass levels in effort to better hear sub-bass frequencies that normal near field monitors simply can not accurately re-produce. Only sub-woofer monitors can accurately re-produce and let you fully monitor all the bass frequencies existing within a particular mix.
If you don't currently have a sub woofer, no worries. Simply either take your mixes to a studio that uses a professional grade sub-woofer when it's time to mix or use extra caution when mixing bass without a sub woofer and be sure to compare your mix across several speaker systems before becoming satisfied with your final mix. Don't over do it on bass levels and end up with a mix that is overbearingly boomy when finally listened to on accurate monitoring systems!
Quik Tipz: Sub-Bass Secret #3 Revealed
Low pass filtering & targeted EQ methods can work wonders for creating some serious sub-bass textures. But...it still doesn't stop there! Read below to learn how compression is a crucial component to sculpting the overall sub-bass sound...
Hip-Hop Sub-Bass Secret #3: Tailoring the Compressor
Knowing how to set a compressor to best control bass means ending up with a mix that has solid foundation and sounds consistently warm & welcoming to the ear. The trick is to even out differences in low/high signal peaks within the track to deliver an overall vibrant bass presence.
Ratio & Threshold Settings for Sub-Bass:
For most Hip-Hop applications, a Ratio setting of 4:1-6:1 is favored by most Pro engineers for leveling out any inconsistency in bass levels. For Threshold settings, try not to exceed 15db. A Threshold of 10db is typically a good amount so to avoid excess gain reduction.
Attack & Release Settings for Sub-Bass:
Be careful to avoid having too slow of Attack settings as this will cause the compress to not be quick enough to compress signals that cross the threshold. Good Attack settings that allow for a smoother sound lie between 20ms-40ms. For Release settings, it's important to set the compressor to recover from a compressed signal rather quickly. For sub-bass, a release time between 120ms-300ms usually creates the smoothest feel.
Apply the above bass compression techniques along with ModernBeats' low pass filtering & sub-frequency EQ methods all together, and you are on your way to becoming a sub-bass mixing master!
Quik Tipz: Sub-Bass Secrets for Hip-Hop Pro's
There's nothing more powerful to add to a hip hop mix than smooth "feel it more than hear it" sub-bass! Read below to learn some of the most coveted sub-bass secrets in tha industry...
Hip-Hop Sub-Bass Secret #1: Learning the Low Pass
Many amateur mixers think the way to create powerful sub-bass is by boosting low-shelf EQ. Well, we have news for you...it's not! The most direct route to creating sub-bass textures is through the powerful use of a low pass filter. By applying a low pass filter to a source signal such as a bass guitar track, high timbres can be filtered out completely letting only low-sub frequencies pass through to be heard.
Easily control how high or low of timbres to let pass through the filter by assigning the filter's settings to a specific frequency number such as 80hz or 70hz, etc. The lower you toggle your low pass filter setting (70hz, 60hz, 50hz), the more sub-only signal you are creating in your mix. Try it on your kicks & bass instrument tracks and experience the control!
Note: Before testing out the techniques described above, please keep in mind the following...To monitor sub-bass frequencies accurately, you will need a sub-woofer. While you can still hear some sub frequencies without a sub-woofer and apply the techniques described, the accurate amount of sub-bass being produced will go somewhat unnoticed when using only near-field monitors/speakers.
Quik Tipz: Prized Background Vocal Techniques
You've put in some hard work to achieve the perfect lead vocal mix. Now, it's time to bring the song to a new level by adding the background vocals to the mix! Below are some great unknown tips on how to attain some prized background vocal textures...
1) Add Silk: Unlike the up front full-bodied texture of your lead vocal track, take a different complimentary approach with your backing vocals. Add some silk by applying an overall high-pass filter as high as 900hz to the background vocals. The higher the high-pass the more sheen and silky the texture becomes. Also, for even more sheen, boost 11-12khz 1-4 decibels using high-shelf EQ.
2) Add Depth: To ensure a large impressive sound, you need to record several tracks of background vocals: double takes, triple takes, as well as, stacking harmonies. Take advantage of this multi-tracking by assigning each track its own panning placement. For example, pan low vocal/harmony tracks hard left & right. Next, pan medium vocal/harmony tracks 75% left & 75% right. Lastly, pan high vocal/harmony tracks 40% left & 40% right. Now your backing vocals will hug around your lead vocal perfectly!
3) Add Distance: To further add contrast apart from your lead vocal, apply different effects settings to your
Nothing is more important in a song than the lead vocal. Simply put...the lead vocal is the primary focal point of your entire mix. Because of its importance and need for constant placement within a mix, proper microphone, EQ, and compression techniques are essential. Learn the same techniques as used in platinum hits...
1) Microphone Techniques: In order to achieve a professional high fidelity vocal recording, using a condenser mic along with a good pop-screen is the only way to go. Condensers capture vocal resonance and vocal frequency spectrums far better than dynamic microphones. Also, before recording, be certain to switch the mic's settings to the cardioid pickup pattern with the high pass filter enabled to remove low end rumble from the source recording signal.
2) Vocal EQ Techniques: If proper microphone techniques have been implemented, a minimal amount of EQ should be needed. However, if you find the vocals could still use added clarity, try boosting 1-3 decibels between 5khz - 7khz. If you're needing an extra airy texture added to the vocals, try boosting 1-3 decibels between 10khz-12khz. Also, any low frequencies 100hz and below should be rolled off and/or high-passed to add further low end control to your overall mix.
3) Vocal Compression Techniques:[/COLOR] With compression, you are seeking to even out inconsistencies in volume levels while at the same time trying not to destroy the natural dynamics inherent in the vocal performance. The trick is to set your compressor with a high ratio of 5:1 to 8:1 with a semi-fast attack and a medium release time. Most important is your setting of the compressor's threshold: Set your threshold level where gain reduction occurs only for the loudest volume peaks in the vocal recording. This will even out level inconsistencies all the while retaining natural vocal dynamics.background vocal tracks. Typically, heavier effects should be applied to background vocals when compared to lead tracks. This helps add distance & a unique character apart from your lead mix. Some good background effects to apply are subtle ping pong stereo delays, hall reverbs, plate reverbs, and choruses!
Quik Tipz: How much Compression is too much?
While compression can work wonders to add punch and presence to your mix, it can also ruin it faster than you can say "it's destroyed". Below are some guidelines to help you avoid destroying your mixes with too much compression...
Compression typically performs best when gain reduction occurs only where peaks in audio signal are present, even if those peaks occur several times throughout a mix. The idea is to control the peaks in signal all the while having most of the signal remain underneath the threshold and hence, uncompressed. Optimum gain reduction occurs once you have achieved this type of balance.
If the compressor is always attenuating (gain reducing) the signal you feed it, you are not achieving optimum gain reduction. This is where compressors start to ruin mixes with what is called pumping and/or breathing.
Pumping and breathing occur when so much of the signal is crossing the threshold that the overall volume of the signal is reduced entirely! Once the dynamics and/or peaks in the original signal soften & go back underneath the threshold, the volume actually becomes louder again due to the original signal recovering from excessive compression!
Compression is a powerful tool: Abuse it, and compression will ruin your mix. Treat it with respect, and compression will enchance your mix!
Quik Tipz: Top Compression Methodz Revealed
By ModernBeats.com
Ready to achieve optimum, punchy, in-your-face, hip hop compression settings for a kick? a snare? bass? percussion? Learn what compressor settings platinum hip hop producers use below...
Ratio & Threshold settings dictate amount: Heavy weight producers use Ratio settings 4:1 to 7:1 for most hip hop applications. Ratios 8:1 & above are more effective for limiting, not compression. For Threshold settings, the Pro's use anywhere from 10db to 15db of gain reduction on kicks, snares, percussion, bass, or guitar. After you set the ratio and threshold, the real power comes in with your attack and release settings...
Attack times dictate snap: To ensure the most punch per track in your mix, you need to assign each track it's own compressor attack settings one at a time. Starting with the kick, set your attack to its slowest possible setting. Next, increase the time of the attack until the kicks timbre dulls slightly. Once you've reached this point, decrease the attack time slightly to un-dull the kick timbre and leave it at that setting. Repeat this method for all other tracks you wish to add optimum punch to!
3) Release times dictate recovery: Now that you've optimized the attack for each individual track needing punch, now you must assign each track its own release setting too. Again, starting with the kick, set your release to its fastest possible setting. Next, decrease the time of the release until you hear the compression fully recovers the kick's volume before the next kick pulse begins. Repeat this method for all other tracks needing optimum volume recovery!
Quik Tipz: Pro Speaker Positioning Methodz
Before spending too much time producing and mixing the beats you work so hard on everyday, make sure the near-field speakers you use to create your hits are properly positioned and angled!
Your near-field speakers should be placed the same distance from each other as they are from your ears. In other words, a 1 meter distance should exist between both speakers while you sit 1 meter away in front of the speakers.
Additionally, your speakers should be at level with your head and ears. If they aren't, you won't be hearing the sound accurately. Avoid artificial coloring and reflections that can destroy how your productions may sound on different systems by making sure you monitor your music at proper near-field distances and at straight angles to the ears.
Sure...your productions may sound great in your own studio. But...unless you've positioned your speakers at accurate monitoring distances and angles, you might be disappointed once you hear your musical works on other systems!
Quik Tipz: How the Heavy-Weights make Hitz
So...you produced a mad beat. The artist and record company love it. They buy it. They take it into the studio to record vocals to it. Now they're ready to mix. But...is the beat truly as hot as it could be?!? Heavy weight producers would say no! Here's why...
Too often in Hip Hop, producers make killer beats only to have artists record vocals over them that simply don't agree with the arrangement of the original beat. The problem is the lyrical ideas of the artist and the production ideas of the producer don't match on first try. So..when a producer sells a beat that isn't then re-arranged to better fit the lyrical performance that is recorded over it, the overall song will lose it's power due to the vocals & beat clashing.
The lesson to be learned is 90% of the time production should not end when the beat is sold. Heavy weight producers take pride & joy in re-arranging their productions to fit around vocal performances by opening up spaces for certain lyrical lines while adding in new fills & riffs in between other vocal lines. In short, professional producers sculpt their beats around vocal performances!
In fact, with the perfect combination of catchy hook vocals answered by catchy hook fills & riffs, hits can truly be born! Nothing makes a better formula for a hit than catchy "question and answer" phrasing. The problem with alot of amateur hip hop productions is that the artist's vocals (the questions) simply run over the producer's riffs (the answers). Real producers re-pave the road and come out with hits!
Quik Tipz: Get Your Beats Bouncin'
with Mutes, Drops, & Automation
So you've finished with the bulk of your mix - you've EQ 'd, compressed, gated, panned, & added effects to your complete satisfaction. So you're ready to lay down your final mix, right?
Wrong!
Now it's time to take your mix to the next level. Adding in mutes, drops, & other types of automation will help shape and give a new energy to your mix that you hadn't imagined before:
Try muting out bass & drums tracks near the end of 4 bar phrases throughout your song and you'll see what we mean. Listeners love dynamics - adding in automated mutes & drops on bass & drum tracks throughout your song adds the dynamic energy hits require. Also, experiment with different combinations of drum drops. Don't use the same exact drum drops over & over - Mix it up!
So what other types of automation will bring the final mix to higher grounds? Well, depending on your console/computer setup, all of the following can be automated: Mutes, Pans, Effects sends, EQ, Compression, Gates, and more. Don't fall short during the mix process, your beat deserves more. Imagine the energetic & dynamic possibilities with all that you could automate!
So you've finished with the bulk of your mix - you've EQ 'd, compressed, gated, panned, & added effects to your complete satisfaction. So you're ready to lay down your final mix, right?
Wrong!
Now it's time to take your mix to the next level. Adding in mutes, drops, & other types of automation will help shape and give a new energy to your mix that you hadn't imagined before:
Try muting out bass & drums tracks near the end of 4 bar phrases throughout your song and you'll see what we mean. Listeners love dynamics - adding in automated mutes & drops on bass & drum tracks throughout your song adds the dynamic energy hits require. Also, experiment with different combinations of drum drops. Don't use the same exact drum drops over & over - Mix it up!
So what other types of automation will bring the final mix to higher grounds? Well, depending on your console/computer setup, all of the following can be automated: Mutes, Pans, Effects sends, EQ, Compression, Gates, and more. Don't fall short during the mix process, your beat deserves more. Imagine the energetic & dynamic possibilities with all that you could automate!
Quik Tipz: Secrets to EQ'n Bass for Hip Hop
As a Hip Hop Producer, one thing you must learn to respect is the power of bass and how it can control your entire mix for better or worse. So, for the benefit of your mixes, take note of these important tricks of the trade we reveal below:
1) Bass frequencies are omnidirectional. This means the lows within bass instruments contain alot of power and energy, so powerful they can control the overall output of the master mix level. Plus, your bass track should almost always be panned in the center. Panning your bass other than to the center is senseless as it will only generate a mix that is lopsided and artificially hot on one side.
2) Don't EQ your bass with the same frequencies as you used on your kicks. For example, if you boosted 40-80hz in your kick tracks, then boost around 120hz for your bass, or vice versa. It's very important to avoid accumulation of the same frequencies when dealing with lows as these tracks control the overall output level of your mix. By assigning different frequency settings to each low end track, your overall mix level can become louder.
3) Boosting a particular frequency on a kick track, calls for cutting the same frequency by the same amount on your bass track. Specifically, when boosting 80hz on a kick track, be certain to cut 80hz by the same amount on your bass track. Likewise, if you boosted 130hz on your bass track, cut by the same amount and frequency on your kick track. This secret technique will give your song a far more low end sculpted sound, allowing for a hotter overall mix.
Quik Tipz: Secret Techniques for EQ'n Drumz
When it comes to equalizing your drums, don't mess around. The drums represent the heart of your mix & should be treated with respect. Below are some invaluable secrets from ModernBeats for EQ'n drums for Hip Hop:
Frequency Selection - If your serious about obtaining a clean and punchy sound for your drums, then you'll quickly learn you must be selective in the frequencies you should to boost and cut for each drum track. Most important to remember - Avoid accumulation of the same frequencies. Particularly, avoid over boosting low end frequencies. This will only muddy up your drums, as well as, mask other important tracks in the mix. Ensure your drum frequencies are even across the board!
Clean it Up - To achieve an overall punchier & cleaner mix, try cutting low end frequencies between 250 - 500hz on drum tracks such as kicks & toms. Cutting frequencies in this range will actually sharpen up drum tracks that sound too bold, harsh, & up-front. For punch, try adding 250 - 350hz into your snare & clap tracks. This will give more snap & body to the rhythm, as well as, balance out where your cut previously on your kick & tom tracks.
Adding Clarity - Cutting out the low frequencies from 100-200hz on cymbal & hi-hat tracks will add clarity while also allowing the other drum tracks that contain natural lows in those same ranges to come through in the mix. Also, boosting highs from 9khz - 12khz will add brilliance to cymbal tracks & boosting around 8khz will add crackle to your snare & clap tracks. If your not satisfied with the depth & feel on your kick tracks, then add a 4db boost at 40hz using a narrow Q of around 20. This will give the kick tracks the punch you're looking for. But ...don't forget...high pass your sub kick tracks from 34hz & below, canceling out unwanted low end rumble.
Quik Tipz: How loud do the Top Producers Mix?
If you're asking yourself "How loud do the top producers mix?", then you're asking the wrong question. Try asking "How soft do they mix?". That's right, that's what we said. Below we reveal the reasons Top Producers mix at lower versus higher levels:
1) Mixing at high volumes for long periods of time can cause permanent ear damage. Yes, it's true...long term exposure to high levels can ruin your ears. If your ears are your assets, best treat them right.
2) High mixing volumes for long periods cause your ears to over-compensate for both high end frequencies and low end frequencies. If you only mix at high levels, your ears will run out of gas within a couple hours as opposed to mixing at softer levels which allow you to hear accurately for longer periods of time.
3) Mixing loud may sound great in the beginning, but re-listening to the same mix a day later at soft levels will reveal a myriad of imbalances. However, the opposite is not true! Achieving proper balances at soft levels tends to maintain the same achieved balances when heard later at loud levels.
Are we saying to mix only at soft levels? No, of course not. In fact, it's necessary to mix loud for a minute or two to ensure proper balance on the low end spectrum of your mix. Also, in order to ensure effects and EQ's aren't saturated, it's necessary to mix for periods of time at moderate levels. But overall...the best balances are achieved at lower mixing levels.
Quik Tipz: Optimize Beats by Eliminating Beats
By ModernBeats.com
Note: The techniques below should only be applied when monitoring with a quality subwoofer, preferably no smaller than 10". While you may attempt to apply the same techniques using 8" nearfield monitors, we cannot guarantee the same results nor can nearfield monitors compare to the accurate low frequency monitoring a subwoofer provides.
When monitoring mixes through a full professional setup including quality 8"-10" nearfield monitors coupled with a 10"-12" subwoofer, we may be surprised just how much low frequency clutter really exists that simply cannot be heard on smaller setups. But once you are able to hear the overbearing and conflicting low end war going on in your mix, you can finally start correcting those errors resulting in a much cleaner and level-optimized mix!
First and foremost, is learning what a "beat" is. And NO...we are not talking about a "beat" as in a "drum beat", we're talking of something entirely different...
When the frequency of 2 similar instruments within a song are very close in pitch, but not in exact tune with one another, an undesired artifact is born causing an adverse, secondary low frequency wave to modulate called a "beat". In acoustics, a "beat" is an interference between two sounds of slightly different frequencies. Avoiding "beats" are particularly important when dealing with kicks, sub-bass, and bass guitar instruments over other high-end instruments in any given song. This is because lower frequency tracks make pitch conflicts stick out like sore thumbs compared to less-problematic higher frequency tracks.
To elimintate "beats", the most favorable pitch to tune all low-end, non-melodic tracks (drums and percussion) to is clearly the first musical note in the key of your song, known as the root "tonic". Correcting all these subtle pitch conflicts will deliver the most harmonious interaction between all the low-end non-melodic & melodic instruments in your mix!
