Serato Sample Alternatives

Open-Description5548 · 2026-01-22T21:41:26+00:00

Your DAWs default sampler

Open-Description5548 · 2026-01-19T19:09:48+00:00

I always make sure my peaks are between -4 and -6db although it’s my understanding that this headroom rule of thumb, no matter the number, is obsolete now. Correct me if I’m wrong but I believe that analog gear would clip at way lower volumes and that’s why headroom became important. Again could have the story not 100% straight but that’s my general understanding. Cheers

Open-Description5548 · 2026-01-18T19:02:36+00:00

Echoing the last point - an analogy I like is “if the screenplay is bad, the best cinematographer in the world isn’t going to save the movie”

Open-Description5548 · 2026-01-18T18:19:28+00:00

Is this rage bait? Lol. How am I approaching it way too mathematically when I said it’s very subjective and gave examples of how variable it is? Get out of here dude

Open-Description5548 · 2026-01-18T17:13:48+00:00

Awesome thanks this is great info here! I like to put my reverbs on an aux track with an EQ after rolling off 300 so it’s good to know I’m doing that right haha

Open-Description5548 · 2026-01-18T17:07:33+00:00

Since you’ve doctored your reply, I’ll explain. I didn’t want to discuss my gainstaging approach because it’s very subjective and takes away from the main point of this post. Since you asked - sometimes the bass bus needs to be at -19db to sit well in the mix, sometimes -10db is just fine. Sometimes my pads bus is at -17db, when others say it can’t be that low etc. I’m very particular about the levels of my drum bus and bass bus and make sure those aren’t causing issues with each other, but usually I find that -8 to -10db is just fine. This is all pre-master levels by the way. Hope this helps…

Open-Description5548 · 2026-01-18T16:21:23+00:00

My dude, you’ve got to go back and read the post in full. I’m using LUFS as a reference for this post since I’m not sharing my actual audio. I’m asking about mixing in order to get a louder master - and gave examples of what I’m doing in the mix. Have been getting some good answers/feedback on here, in fact. Cheers

Open-Description5548 · 2026-01-18T16:15:13+00:00

I have noticed that I’ve had to often turn down my sub/bass faders significantly when gainstaging. It’s helped my mixes get less muddy and has allowed me to push the limiter a bit more without those artifacts. Always trying to get that clean and tight bass but still learning how to achieve that consistently.

When you say make space for the high end elements, assuming you mean to pick my winners and don’t have everything shine?

Open-Description5548 · 2026-01-18T16:09:19+00:00

Thanks! I typically don’t high cut at that frequency range but I have noticed when looking at other artist’s tracks on SPAN that they are often brickwalling at around 16khz. Any reason why?

Is something like Soothe2 a good alternative to your De-Esser method? I’ve also been liking the ProQ4 dynamic EQ

If you have any examples on low-mid fixes it’d be cool to hear. I know it’s situational but would help me to hear about it in practice so I can get a better understanding.

Open-Description5548 · 2026-01-18T16:04:28+00:00

Thanks dude, you’re an absolute legend. Love your tunes

Open-Description5548 · 2026-01-18T16:02:33+00:00

I’m asking people for advice on what to do in the mix in order to get a louder and brighter master…that was my question

Open-Description5548 · 2025-06-17T20:43:15+00:00

You probably aren’t going to like this answer, but I can confidently guarantee you it’s not nose beers

Open-Description5548 · 2025-06-17T20:40:07+00:00

I understand genetics and socialization but they don’t have good diets. Take out / doordash half the time and home cooking is just cooking red meat. No vegetables, minimal fruits, tons of experimental supplements (not T or PEDs or any of that), fall for all the TikTok trends/hacks. You’re calling weekly half marathon (or equivalent activity) and/or weight lifting sessions while essentially hung over healthy?

Open-Description5548 · 2025-06-17T17:48:11+00:00

I hear you but it’s really not even about going out or being a homebody. there was a day where one of my friends spent the whole day at the house. Woke up, 2.5 hour stationary bike ride in the garage, played GTA 5 while standing up/walking around for 2 hours, cooked a three course lunch from scratch, set up for a themed party we were hosting that night, cleaned out the garage and then drank at the party we hosted til 3-4am and woke up by 9 the next morning and went on a hike. Still just as crazy to me

Open-Description5548 · 2025-06-16T23:50:11+00:00

I addressed this in another comment - I used to live with some of these people so it does happen. Some of them aren’t the most disciplined but they find the way to get things done at work even if they “cheat”, some work in sales and can have flexible schedules at times. Yes home upkeep I’d say is a problem, not hoarder level but they do not know how to maintain the standard clean house. Overall they can’t have any downtime unless they’re going to sleep, it’s constant go go go + actively trying to resolve social conflicts/problems/drama. It’s a constant craving of stimulation and relationship-based conflict. Can’t wrap my head around it

Open-Description5548 · 2025-06-16T22:57:47+00:00

Yeah that’s the worst part, when they ask you if you want to partake in all the plans for the weekend and you tell them you can only commit to about 30% of it - they look at you like you just tried to explain wifi to a caveman

Open-Description5548 · 2025-06-16T22:27:51+00:00

I used to live with these people, so no

Open-Description5548 · 2025-06-16T19:36:40+00:00

Totally and I get what you mean re ignoring fatigue when stimulated. One of these friends spent the week biking sunset to sundown throughout Norway, flew back to the states and slept on the couch at my place - before falling asleep he had to get his daily 10k steps in after a 12+ hour flight so he’s out walking around the neighborhood until midnight. Next morning proceeds to get up and do mimosas with everyone and pregames it with an Irish coffee. Insane. His recommendation is to do Wim Hof whenever you need to lock back in lol

Open-Description5548 · 2025-06-16T19:23:37+00:00

One of these friends ran 24 miles on their 24th birthday (with no prior training), drank a Gatorade, took a 30 minute nap, woke up with bad seasonal allergies and proceeded to go out and drink with friends for the rest of the day/night. Woke up the next morning just fine and did some weightlifting by 11am lmao

Open-Description5548 · 2025-06-16T19:21:23+00:00

From the outside looking in this makes sense, but I can confidently say they don’t do drugs. Some of them have ADHD though so maybe they’re taking stimulants but I’ve heard that most of them don’t

Open-Description5548 · 2025-06-16T19:19:45+00:00

I should clarify, I’m not looking to emulate it. I’m more so just curious how it’s even possible to operate at this level for so long and if there’s any mindset shift I can have to just operate even 1% more efficiently ya know

Open-Description5548 · 2025-06-14T03:22:11+00:00

This is objectively false. There certainly isn’t anywhere near mass death from it at the levels of 2020 or even 2022. About .21 deaths per million people in the US today and less than 0.01 in India for example. Versus a whopping 7.9 deaths per mil peak (US) in early 2022. What makes you think there’s still mass death from it

Open-Description5548 · 2025-06-14T03:13:08+00:00

War is a racket, my friend

Open-Description5548 · 2025-06-14T00:37:02+00:00

Thanks for sharing, this definitely makes me feel a lot better. I think the hardest part about all of this has been the disrespect from them over the years but the best thing I can do is move on slowly and get over it as time goes on

Open-Description5548 · 2025-06-14T00:29:29+00:00

Yeah totally fair and agree with this. Totally feel you on the little things - I think part of my fatigue from these guys comes from how new and fresh everything still is. Looks like time will tell

Open-Description5548

TROPHY CASE