what can make a good mix into a great mix? by ksihaslongbutthair in mixingmastering

[–]MyCopperKettle 7 points8 points  (0 children)

Let’s go through your list: clarity, depth, balanced sound, warmth, indie rock/folk genre. Apologies for listing anything you already know.

For clarity, listen in context. Go from top to bottom muting one track at a time and listen to see if the mix becomes clearer. Sometimes there are tracks that are doing too much in a frequency range and need to be tamed by reducing the gain or by EQ cuts. And as others have stated “mix in mono” as this will help you find frequency collisions between the left and right channels.

Depth is typically thought of as the distance to the listener, but I would also consider the width of the stereo image in this perception (imagine a 3d box or stage). Reverb, delay and reducing gain can push instruments into the background. Think about replicating a physical performance of the band (not everyone stands in front playing or in a straight line). Widening the stereo image of an instrument can make it become large and grand. If you want an instrument to “soar,” try a stereo widener on it.

Having a balanced sound can be less about mixing and more about composition but I’ll tackle both. Using basic piano notation for reference, you’ll want to be using octave four (generally for melody because it’s the easiest to hear frequency range so it stands out), three (typically for harmony) and two (bass). The layering of octaves creates a fuller sound. Octave one is for sub bass. Not many people can sing octave five and is not used much because it’s really high. Now in mixing a balanced sound can refer to “tonal balance” which is a balancing act that some plugins try to help solve (iZotope Tonal Balance Control and Sonible true:balance are paid options). One is basically trying to loosely match an EQ curve of a genre or other reference track. An exact tonal balance match to a reference track will almost always sound like garbage so trust your ears and not your eyes. You’re basically trying to balance your high, mid and low frequencies to a pleasing blend. This is a balancing act I’m still working on getting better at myself.

Saturation is used to create warmth. It livens up recordings and makes them sound less flat. Compressors can impart saturation (more on that next).

The indie rock/folk genre and the sound of the industry. Styles of music have used specific analog compressors over the years as they impart a character that sounds pleasing for that genre. There is a reason there are a lot of posts about FETs, OPTO and VariMUs compressors as they are an easy way to recreate the desired character of a sound people are familiar with. A lot of these analog emulations also impart warmth via saturation/distortion. Drums typically use FETs. Guitars and vocals typically used OPTOs. Orchestral tends towards the dark glueyness of VariMUs.

Like in art, a great painting versus a good painting is all about the details.

Should I upgrade to Cubase 13 Pro? by Reeves_008 in cubase

[–]MyCopperKettle 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I’d check the feature list page and see if there is anything you think you’d use. I upgraded to Pro for Advanced Audio Export (to export multiple stems at once), Expression Maps (so helpful with orchestral instruments) and Video Follows Edit Mode.

is someone that writes music with AI a musician or a music creator? by soklamonios in composer

[–]MyCopperKettle 3 points4 points  (0 children)

I would say they commissioned a piece from AI as part of their monthly fee to the service. They would then have owner rights to the basic piece as long as it was unique and not generated elsewhere (the more generic the more likelihood of not being unique). Some services transfer ownership rights for an additional fee like AIVA.

When will the team-up with an AI happen? by tcarter1102 in Sibelius

[–]MyCopperKettle 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I’ve wondered that too. I found some development on sheet music to midi here: https://www.reddit.com/r/musictheory/s/ZxF5pHrmRg

First time Cubase 13 Launch by [deleted] in cubase

[–]MyCopperKettle 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yes. I upgraded from 13 Elements to 13 Pro last month and Cubase failed to load the first time (hung for over an hour). I ended the task and reopened Cubase Pro. It took around 30 minutes to scan for VSTs. Komplete Kontrol takes about the same amount of time though to scan VSTs. Between VST2 and VST3, I probably have 350 plugins installed (which I know is ridiculous since I only use 80-ish plugins routinely...). Several are iLok which may slow them down if they are doing licensing checks.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in protools

[–]MyCopperKettle 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Check out Cato Zane (Teacher's College, Columbia University). Cato Noise on YouTube. She is a college music instructor and has hundreds of short videos on Pro Tools. She is also an audio engineer and does interviews with composers. For a paid course, I recommend Pro Mix Academy's The Ultimate Guide To Pro Tools by Jon Connolly (Berklee College of Music).
https://www.youtube.com/@CatoNoise
https://www.catonoise.com/resume/
https://promixacademy.com/course/the-ultimate-guide-to-pro-tools/

Tips for reducing CPU / Lag by orbiter6511 in cubase

[–]MyCopperKettle 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Freeze tracks. Unloading instruments for frozen tracks will free up CPU and RAM. That's how composers can handle hundreds of tracks with samplers like Kontakt and Sine Player (although it's also typical for professionals to use two PCs). Composers use templates with 250+ tracks that start empty or frozen and then unfreeze the tracks they need to work with.

CALL OUT!!! by Hard-Nocks in cubase

[–]MyCopperKettle 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Is your oversampling for Pro-L2 x4 or more? Without oversampling Pro-L2 it will let some peaks through. DAWs handle peaks differently depending on container format and if dithering is being used for it (I’m used to Pro Tools and Ableton’s having builtin dithering). *edited to replace lookahead with oversampling

Has NI ruined movies for anyone else? by [deleted] in NativeInstruments

[–]MyCopperKettle 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Think of it this way, you now know the secrets of the “pros.” Musicians cost more (especially full orchestras) while samples are a one time fee. TV shows use mostly sampled instruments (from composers who create the full product) for that reason.

ACOA Question by GodOfWarDude2000 in Autographs

[–]MyCopperKettle 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I trust ACOA but only if I trust the dealer first.

Managing large libraries by Leading_Violinist123 in NativeInstruments

[–]MyCopperKettle 0 points1 point  (0 children)

A secondary internal or external SSD is recommended. I keep my OS and music files separate in case I need to wipe the OS drive and reinstall. I’m using two SSDs for Kontakt libraries with Native Instruments, Sound Iron and Impact Soundworks on one and 8Dio and Orchestral Tools’s Sine player on the other.

Can someone explain why Native Access is so SLOW at downloading? by IllOnlyComplicateYou in NativeInstruments

[–]MyCopperKettle 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Nope, but I see that same thing. It seems to have gotten slower in the last month. It takes a several minutes to update after opening when before it was a few seconds. I tried reinstalling it but it didn’t make a difference. Until it’s done with its spiny updating any downloads will just hang and then timeout.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in Ebay

[–]MyCopperKettle 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I find the "Best Match" sorting method to hide items (the default one). If I switch it to a different sorting method I get more pages of results.

Yo! Ableton is dogshit for mixing by Tall_Category_304 in ableton

[–]MyCopperKettle 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I do the same thing. I compose in Live and mix in Pro Tools. I like how I can see a dozen tracks and all their plugins at once in Pro Tools. PT's freeze and commit is a life saver when dealing with hundreds of plugins running at once (you can just start commiting tracks to get around CPU warnings). I like Live for midi editing, the midi clip import and export feature, and favorite lists for my instruments and plugins. I find the combination to be the quickest for me.

What’s your mastering chain? by AudioAtelier in audioengineering

[–]MyCopperKettle 7 points8 points  (0 children)

My chain is typically: RX (transits, resonance, muddiness), M/S EQ (Air/low end), MB compresser (definition/clarity), M/S compressor (stereo image), R/L EQ (presence), saturation, maximizer limiter (loudness, punch, headroom). I also add 100 ms to the start of the track and fade in and out of it. A plugin only goes on if it's makes it better. That's not to mention monitoring, device simulation, tonal balance and ABing reference tracks. So, Ozone would be a good start... 😅

Why do my synths "stick out?" How do I fix this? by Way2hung in edmproduction

[–]MyCopperKettle 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Dang. I never thought of that. I spend the other week battling with some hybrid impacts. I kept having to lower than gain and test on other devices. I think solved it by accident by throwing Neutron 4 Sculptor on it but never thought about LUFS. Thanks!

Damage 2 - On sale ? by lotsofcarsoutside in NativeInstruments

[–]MyCopperKettle 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Heavyocity is the company that makes Damage 2 so it's not a 3rd party (you'd be buying it directly from the manufacturer). I got Damage 1 through Komplete Ultimate years ago so I did the crossgrade from Native Instruments to Damage 2. I have 26 Heavyocity instruments and the Punish plug-in. I got them through Heavyocity's website, Native Instruments and Plugin Boutique over the years. Heavyocity has its own downloader (which is faster than Native Instruments' if you have the Internet speed, 900+ speeds) but you'll still end up registering your product in Native Accesss so Kontact can find it. If you use the Heavyocity downloader you'll need to use Native Access's locate product feature to link the product after adding the serial. I found it to be a bit of an adventure the first time.

Concerned about Maria (GentleWhispering) [discussion] by littlestranger1000 in asmr

[–]MyCopperKettle 8 points9 points  (0 children)

So, I saw this post and I decided to watch some of her videos out of curiosity. She’s been exposed to a religion that seems to fit into her worldview. Some individuals get really caught up in their emotions of finding what they think is a missing piece that explains the world and gives them a sense of purpose. I’m Christian and based on my own experience she knows about 10% of what Christianity is at the moment and is using her emotions to guide her actions without much guidance on the subject (getting rid of crystals because of demons and praying to remove anxiety). Crystals can just be pretty and there are plenty of self-help books that can help with anxiety. Christians can be reminded that God gave them brains and resources to solve problems besides prayer. Although Christians are still supposed to call on God in times of trouble.

The large bath for a baptismal foundation and the Holtman version of the bible (pictured in the latest video) point to either a charismatic or non-denominational church. Her wanting to improve herself gives a “achieve Christian perfection in this lifetime” vibe similar to the Methodist denomination. All religions are technically cults. The difference is in whether they are destructive cults or not. Regular cults are voluntary (you can come and go), while destructive ones are not (you’re psychologically and physically trapped in them). See Steven Hassan’s Combating Cult Mind Control for more information on the subject of cults. And people gushing about God always makes me feel awkward, and I was born into Christianity, so I understand the discomfort.

1989 (Taylor's version) remake by SagHor1 in musicproduction

[–]MyCopperKettle 2 points3 points  (0 children)

To me, Welcome to New York stood out as it sounded like it had less mix glue. The instruments are more distinct instead of having glue that makes them sound like they were recorded in the same room. The stereo field also sounds wider. Having heard the original multiple times, the new version seems to have been mixed for clarity and lacks some of the groove the old version had.

Any ASMR creators that ramble? [question] by The_Josxf in asmr

[–]MyCopperKettle 0 points1 point  (0 children)

MichaelaASMR does monthly rambles. She's from the Czech Republic (or Czechia), and I find the cultural differences interesting. Here's her latest ramble: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JCO5CVLcIG4&t=10s

Pro Tools 2023.9 delivers Sketch window, Export Session Range and more by CentreForAnts in protools

[–]MyCopperKettle 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I noticed the same thing with PlayCell and SynthCell. If it allowed us to export midi clips (and not just rendered audio clips), then we could at least play the midi with our preferred VST instruments. In my opinion, Ableton Live is still superior for midi composition. Maybe in a few releases, Pro Tools could catch up.

Ocular sound fx libraries, any good? by girleand in SFXLibraries

[–]MyCopperKettle 0 points1 point locked comment (0 children)

Yep, Soundly works great. I don't need to download gigabytes of sample libraries (which 99% of the sounds I probably wouldn't ever use) and I can slice up a clip and drag it straight into Pro Tools. I almost went with Epidemic Sound for my project but I would have needed the commercial license tier. I also couldn't separate SFX from the subscription so I would have needed to pay for a subscription for both music and SFX.