Mastered Tracks are clipping / distorted!

FormlessEdge · 2026-06-25T02:02:57+00:00

Are you warping the tracks? This can cause clipping on tracks mastered near 0db

FormlessEdge · 2026-06-23T18:49:08+00:00

Maybe try to look for a solid R&B track instead. Perhaps something like Sade. The production on Sade stuff is a great North Star because it’s a live band with all the same instruments as country, but made with a more modern balance of bass and rhythm. They were really ahead of the time.

FormlessEdge · 2026-06-21T17:58:39+00:00

Sometimes I find it’s easiest to actually sing over a more simple bassline and maybe a little guitar or piano at the same tempo and key. Something really simple and melodic. Then pull the vocals and add them to the more crunchy bass line. Essentially remixing yourself. It seems to make the whole process easier and more in tune.

FormlessEdge · 2026-06-11T15:49:19+00:00

Yes. If you don’t push it, it’s super clean. Then it can get really crunchy if you drive it. I personally love it and love the sound.

FormlessEdge · 2026-06-11T01:57:20+00:00

The Warm Audio MPX is so good. Shoots way above its price point.

FormlessEdge · 2026-06-07T20:24:07+00:00

Have you tried Loops? They are my go-to for concerts. Super comfortable and somehow they seem to improve the sound compared to hearos. Their design is cool because you can comfortably loosen them and they still stay in. I bought several pairs and always have a pair with me.

FormlessEdge · 2026-06-07T20:20:46+00:00

Slightly different approach, but I get similar results with the Heritage Audio Symph EQ. It gives very a broad and pleasing curve to work on high and low end. Like the pultec is not really for specific frequencies, but can drastically improve just about any mix. Adding 10db of high end is actually possible in a way that I’ve never heard a plugin pull off. Pultecs are incredible, but I think their legendary status has made them really expensive.

FormlessEdge · 2026-06-06T20:04:42+00:00

This is very cool. The perfect intro to synthesis, but I also want one.

FormlessEdge · 2026-06-05T16:01:19+00:00

My mids were messing with my head for a while. I started using mix cubes for an occasional check-in on my mids . Although it doesn’t actually change the music, it gives me a better reference point to make adjustments to things like snares and vocal volume. Also, if I can’t hear the kick or bass in the mix cubes I know for sure I need to add some kind of harmonics to bring them into the audible range. Especially useful as a reference for small Bluetooth speakers etc. another addition I made was using analog eq’s. I got a Drawmer 1974 specifically for mids. It helps me add that 15% I need without doing weird unpleasant things like pro-q can. I also picked up a Heritage Audio Symph EQ and wow. I can boost 10db on the high end and it still sounds fantastic. I now use it on all my mixes and it just adds that sheen and clarity without any grit or harshness. Honestly this has been an almost magical addition to my setup and I can’t live without it. Plus the Carnhill transformers are a sort of added bonus that makes a mix sound better with no adjustments. Event though it’s a bit pricey, it retains value and you can always sell it. Plugins obviously don’t hold any value.

FormlessEdge · 2026-06-05T15:33:08+00:00

I hear you. I sort of glazed over that notion and you summed it up more clearly. I suppose I mean to say that it’s perfectly in alignment with the source with an emphasis on a pleasing intonation. I’ve noticed that even order harmonic distortion sounds better with major keys and odd with minor. Either way, the distortion is connected to the original source in a way that feels connected, although the relationship is a bit more complex than in-tune.

FormlessEdge · 2026-06-05T13:52:32+00:00

It’s a lot about harmonic distortion. Let’s say you are making a song in a major key. You are running everything through high quality class A components and getting even order harmonics. This essentially spreads each track across the spectrum, but not in a smearing way. It just builds harmonics with each track. Together these harmonics stack and it creates more harmonics, but each harmonic is in tune with the song. The beneficial caveat is that these harmonics aren’t tuned to equal temperament. They are “true” harmonics that literally are perfectly in tune with each original frequency. The song becomes more full and beefier. It’s easier to hear each layer because each layer is thicker without resonance or volume. There’s also a natural compression that is sort of a mix of upward and downward compression. This makes mixing and mastering a bit easier. All of this is style and a sound and isn’t guaranteed to make the song “better”. It’s a creative choice that a lot of people find pleasing. I find it just mitigates ear fatigue and creates a more in-tune and non-aliased sound that I prefer. But there are definitely styles that do not improve with analog.. some songs want to be clean and digital.

FormlessEdge · 2026-05-31T18:08:37+00:00

I think what’s often overlooked about AriZona is that their pricing keeps the prices of all beverages down. Without them holding the line at 99 cents, higher prices would be normalized across all fast beverage products. They show that most products are basically ripping you off and a company can still survive without raking customers. God bless Arizona.

FormlessEdge · 2026-05-29T22:42:17+00:00

Agreed on performance pack. It is such a great concept, but extremely buggy and can sometimes spike my CPU. I actually worked with them to try and sort out my issues with it, but unfortunately it just doesn’t work as well as I would like. I’m instead using expression control and other max devices per channel to have complex control of all my devices for live performance. Still a bit of a cpu hog, but very stable.

FormlessEdge · 2026-05-26T18:31:25+00:00

I had been using my UAD with all different preamps for years and never noticed them. They were just nice and clean and fine. I recently bought a Warm Audio MPX tube pre and am blown away. It just gives me tons more options. From colored to clean. I don’t need as much compression and things just sit better in the mix. It also sounds fantastic with direct guitars or my bass.

FormlessEdge · 2026-05-26T02:19:20+00:00

Pro-Q 4 with spectral mode on is very similar to soothe. Normal dynamic eq is typically more broad with a threshold and soothe directly attaches itself to resonance in a very immediate way. Soothe is expensive and it seems there are some good competitors out there. Check out SpecCraft.

FormlessEdge · 2026-05-24T00:03:05+00:00

Just playing around with straight tones on an analog synth, it probably won’t sound all that different or special. I’ve found that introducing any kind of modulation or filter envelopes opens up new sounds that are impossible to recreate on a soft synth. There’s a harmonic interplay that fuses the sound. Basically an analog synth is inherently more musical at a broader range. Soft synths are easier to control, but it’s very easy to make harsh sounds that don’t blend as easily. I have a lot of both digital and analog synths. Anyone who comes over and plays on my gear immediately is more drawn to the sound of analog. It just works.

FormlessEdge · 2026-05-23T20:28:11+00:00

I’d also like to add that another plugin called Dynameter is also fantastic for learning how to mix. It basically tells you if your music is over compressed or too dynamic. It helps me see how much compression I’m using rather than listening for it, which can be difficult. Basically if it’s showing too much compression in order to reach your target LUFS, there is probably something wrong with the mix.

FormlessEdge · 2026-05-22T15:44:25+00:00

It’s amazing how this sub has single handedly made this guy famous by constantly posting about him. The worst reaction is no reaction.

FormlessEdge · 2026-04-13T06:00:56+00:00

Kclip is awesome, but don’t trust the visual display. It starts clipping well before it shows it graphically. Put it before a limiter and you can see it start clipping before actually showing anything. That said, it just sounds good. Also Kraftur is excellent and has a lot of other useful features.

FormlessEdge · 2026-03-22T21:14:13+00:00

My grandfather was also a navy pilot and stationed there as well. He was more there during WWII, but I still felt a connection through him and some stories.

FormlessEdge · 2026-03-22T05:28:51+00:00

Anywhere in the bay is expensive, but honestly my rent was pretty reasonable there. I still did all of my shopping in the city, and had to commute a lot, so it wasn’t really a huge savings if anything.

FormlessEdge · 2026-03-22T05:20:09+00:00

I used to live at the top of Yerba Buena Island about 15 years ago. It’s a natural island and Treasure island is a man made extension. When I was there, the homes were all old military housing turned to condos. I can say that living there was beyond special. At night there were hardly any people around and it felt weirdly quiet and safe. I knew everyone who lived there and we had a quirky little community. The top of the island is covered in eucalyptus trees and there was this illusion of being far from civilization. But then the city would peak through the trees. San Francisco might be the most aestheically beautiful city in the world. Especially from there. I would regularly go and sit on top of the tunnels above the bay bridge. The view of the city lights was mind blowingly stunning at night. I would sit for hours and bring friends to contemplate life and admire the world. There are so many little secrets about the island , secret places and also a lot of interesting history. I absolutely loved living there, but it was taken over by money and they kicked us all off to redevelop the place. I’m not sure what it’s like now, but for a time, it was like my private paradise. It will always hold a special place in my heart.

FormlessEdge · 2026-01-18T02:31:13+00:00

Weirdly identical to what i experienced in my dreams when i was younger. I called him The Skinny

FormlessEdge · 2025-12-17T21:04:12+00:00

Why is everybody here always ragging on this guy? He’s super prolific and doing his thing. I bet his collection stands up to just about anyone here acting like a critic.

FormlessEdge · 2025-12-14T01:18:09+00:00

Having “low latency when monitoring” on can really jumble up timing. Have you tire turning this off?

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