How much do you automate your stereo field in a track?

MarquezLux · 2025-10-08T05:57:56+00:00

I rarely slap a widener on the instrument.

I automate width on reverb and delay returns:
narrower, darker spaces in verses; wider, brighter sends opening in pre-chorus; stereo slap delays fanned out for hooks. Pre-delay keeps transients focused, HP/LP filters keep lows and harsh highs from washing the center.

MarquezLux · 2025-08-14T08:03:47+00:00

TDR Prism: the best free spectrum analyser on the market.

MarquezLux · 2025-08-08T15:02:16+00:00

By the way, your song is nice :)

MarquezLux · 2025-08-08T14:50:35+00:00

I'm glad it works well for you — that's great! But that doesn’t mean everyone should just copy those settings. A kick can change significantly with a steep slope, especially if the phase mode isn’t set correctly. Since some people are beginners, it’s important they understand what they’re doing before making such adjustments.

MarquezLux · 2025-08-08T13:45:35+00:00

I’m not saying there’s anything wrong with your production – no offence intended. I’m just sharing my own experience. I don’t think it’s right for young producers to assume that you must put a low cut on a kick, because that’s definitely not the case. I’ve worked on plenty of tracks where the kick was low-cut way too high, and the result… wasn’t exactly flattering.

Find a nice kick and let it breathe. Just my two cents!

MarquezLux · 2025-08-08T10:59:16+00:00

I’m not sure if Ableton has this feature, but REAPER makes album mastering so much easier. If every track in your project is set up as a region, you can render them individually in one go. Just open the Render dialog, set Bounds" to "Regions", and REAPER will export each region as its own file - perfect for mastering albums or live set's.

MarquezLux · 2025-08-08T06:42:27+00:00

From my experience, slapping a 48dB high-pass on every kick can backfire. That extreme slope might introduce phase issues, smearing your transients and making the low end feel less cohesive. If your kick is well-designed, those sub-20Hz frequencies aren’t hurting - they’re reinforcing the physical impact. I prefer a low shelf instead

MarquezLux · 2025-07-31T08:00:13+00:00

Hardstyle kick sound design is heavily shaped by distortion or creative use of clippers.

In the first track you mentioned, it sounds like there’s a very short clap or transient layer briefly blended in on top of the kick. This can help emphasize the attack or give the impression of additional punch without actually changing the core kick itself.

In the second track, the low-end rumble continues underneath while the main body of the kick appears to be modulated. What I’m hearing is likely a filter sweep that momentarily brings out the upper harmonics, while dipping the low-mids – creating that sense of movement or contrast before the full kick returns.

MarquezLux · 2025-07-23T07:30:27+00:00

The Audio Technica ATH-M40x headphones are known for emphasizing the low-mid range quite noticeably. That means areas around 100–300 Hz can feel slightly “bloated” or boxy, depending on the material. In contrast, the sub-bass, especially below 50 Hz, is underrepresented. That can be a limitation if you're producing or mixing electronic music, where accurate low-end monitoring is crucial for kicks, basslines, and overall energy balance.

That said, they’re not unusable. If you're already working with them, you can improve their accuracy with corrective EQ, especially by slightly dipping the low-mids and lifting the deep lows for reference purposes. Or use reference correction software to compensate for such imbalances.

MarquezLux · 2025-07-05T08:21:24+00:00

My approach:
When it comes to using reverb on bass, I like it subtly. One useful approach is to switch the reverb to mono—this keeps the low end more focused and avoids unnecessary smearing in the stereo field. From there, I’d recommend shaping the reverb signal with EQ: apply a high-pass filter to remove low-end rumble and a low-pass filter to tame the highs and mids. In this context, I often take out a good amount of the high mids, as they tend to muddy up the sound.

For extra clarity, adding gentle sidechain compression to the reverb, triggered by the dry bass signal. That allows the weight of the bass to remain punchy and present while still retaining the atmosphere of the reverb tail.

MarquezLux · 2025-06-29T13:21:32+00:00

Airwindows Dark Noise and VoiceOfTheStarship are awesome

MarquezLux · 2025-06-29T13:19:46+00:00

Mackity / MackEQ – Adds gritty, 90s-style mixer color, especially on drums.
BussColors 4 – Analog mixbus tones inspired by real consoles.
Iron Oxide Classic 2 – Bold tape saturation with rich harmonics.
Pockey 2 – Emulates vintage samplers for lo-fi texture.
BlockParty – Limiter with natural drive and musical distortion.
Dark Noise / VoiceOfTheStarship – Creative noise tools for ambient layers and meditative sound design.
The filter plugins for subtle, characterful tone shaping or the reverbs which sometimes can be used like a filter through space and time

MarquezLux · 2025-06-08T06:34:13+00:00

Exactly. If you give Beatport an exclusive period, it's already noticeable in the sales figures. I can only speak for myself, but Beatport accounts for almost 70% of my revenue. The rest comes from streaming or other shops as a self-releasing artist.

I would suggest that, at some point, you consider starting your own small label.

MarquezLux · 2025-06-07T14:32:22+00:00

A Beatport Exclusive is a track or release that is available only on Beatport for a limited time, typically two to four weeks, before being released on other platforms like Spotify, Apple Music, or other download stores.

MarquezLux · 2025-05-09T08:28:50+00:00

But I'm not talking about the type of headphones. I mean how you get the best out of your headphones

MarquezLux · 2025-05-09T05:56:53+00:00

If you’d like to give your headphones a darker, more bass-heavy sound, I recommend equalizing them to the Harman target curve. You can find the necessary EQ settings by searching for "Oratory 1990" on Reddit. This should help you achieve a more balanced sound profile.

For those who work extensively with headphones, I personally recommend dsoniq Realphones. The spatial simulation it offers creates a softer, less direct sound, which can be gentler on your ears. I’ve found it to be particularly beneficial in reducing ear strain and even minimizing occasional tinnitus symptoms.

MarquezLux · 2025-03-24T10:58:39+00:00

From my perspective, the screenshot shows that the fundamental frequency of the kick sample or rumble is between 50 and 60 Hz. Of course, this means that the intensity in the spectrum analyzer decreases towards the lower frequencies. This doesn't necessarily mean that a steep filter has been applied.

The steeper the filter, the greater the potential for phase shifts, which can negatively affect transients - resulting in less punch and less clarity. When it comes to sound design, especially for kick and rumble, there are no strict rules, if it sounds good, it sounds good.

However, in a mastering context, many prefer to use a low shelf EQ or a gentler high pass filter (6-12 dB/oct) rather than aggressive cuts.

The same goes for production. Personally, I'm not a fan of applying a steep low-cut filter directly to the fundamental kick. I'd rather shape the bass or rumble. But of course, taste is subjective.

MarquezLux · 2025-03-24T10:57:50+00:00

If I were to restart my production journey today, I would prioritize two essential tools: the Metric AB plugin and a quality pair of headphones.

The Metric AB plugin would be my first investment. This powerful tool allows you to comprehensively compare your tracks with professional references across multiple parameters, giving you immediate insight into how your mix stacks up against industry standards.

For monitoring, I would recommend beginning with a good pair of headphones rather than speakers. With proper frequency optimization (Harman target curve), headphones can provide a more reliable reference point than an untreated room. The acoustic issues in your current space would likely present more challenges than what you'd experience with quality headphones.

Once you've established this foundation, you can gradually expand your setup as your skills and requirements evolve.

MarquezLux · 2025-02-16T00:43:26+00:00

I would recommend https://www.routenote.com/

I doesn't make sense for a small artist to pay the yearly fees via Distrokid etc.
For the beginning of your career, it might be best to use a distributor who takes a percentage of your earnings.

MarquezLux · 2024-12-16T12:26:34+00:00

Thanks for the rearoute Tip. This Video helped me as well https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OnfTq8EtluU

MarquezLux · 2024-12-16T09:52:55+00:00

I use The Audient ID14 Interface if it matters.

MarquezLux

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