hi all,

i have a techno/trancey lead that i'd like to use in my mix,but for some reason it either sounds too loud and drains everything else out in the mix,or sounds too low for a main lead in the track.so er.........how do you take a sound and make it loud without being loud?

it must be more then just EQ'ing as i have books i that help me in that department,and more or less spot on.

any help is much appreciated.

tony.

--------------------
Don't Laugh at my Cheese Sandwhich

Sounds like you need to bring the level up when it's too quiet, and bring the level down when its too loud. You could ride the fader, or use a compressor to adjust the level automatically.

Without hearing the part in question it's impossible to say exactly what the remedy is...but there are a couple of things to look at:

1. Could you filter the sound in such a way that it cuts through without treading on other things, and can you do it in a way that retains the charachter of that sound. For example if you look to reinforce the cutting frequencies from about 1k and upwards, while reducing or removing the low end and low mid body of the sound, you can make it sit in the mix.

2. If the sound is too dynamic it may be getting swamped in some places and coming through too much in others. Try limiting or compressing. Chances are that if it's electronically generated it's already done. Equally it might be that injecting some dynamics might make it pull the listener to it more without having to turn it up so loud.

3. It's possible for the reasons above that the sound is just wrong for the track. Try something else.

J

--------------------
www.jackruston.com

Haas effect : about 20ms delay shoould do it.

I'm only a pathetic amateur compared to the rank of talent on this forum, and it's difficult to diagnose the problem from your description, but what it's worth, this problem occurs all the time in the live settings where most of my experience has been gathered due to the poor control of dynamics or mic technique of singers.

Generally, compresion and EQ are all I need to sort it out. Gentle compresion and maybe a slight reductionin the mid EQ to mimic what "loudness" buttons do on cheap stereos (or the classic "smile" on the graphic EQ applied just to the vocals).

However, for more ideas, one book that was recommended to me (on these forums) is The Art of Mixing by David Gibson. Much of it seems obvious, but sometimes I need the obvious explained to me in simple terms so I finally "get it". For example, the book explains one principle of getting the key elements of the mix to sit in their own acoustic space via depth (dynamics and reverb), position (but beware if you want a mono compatible mix) and EQ.

Lots of pretty pictures as well.

Hope that helps.

--------------------
Andrew

Thanks to all responces...i will take into consideration all of what you have said

the book about mixing sounds intresting ill look it up,but is there maybe a DVD about this sort of thing? wading through a book is all well and good,but can get slightly dull....innit!

--------------------
Don't Laugh at my Cheese Sandwhich

No DVD as far as I'm aware.

It's a good book though, gives you a different perspective on what a mix actually is, how to visualise where you put sounds and how frequencies, panning and sound volumes sit in the mix on different axes to form a 3d space between your speakers.

In many ways it's been invaluable to me. Someone can probably explain the concept to you rather easily, but the visual color bubble diagrams are very clear and helpful as a teaching aid.

D.

--------------------
www.thirdfloormusic.com

Another thing, with regards to your problem ...

Perhaps you could try and substitute the sound for something else ?

For eg. if you have and all sine wave synthesis ensemble and stick in yet another, it is easily lost amongst the rest because of its general harmonic character.

If you for instance changed the basic harmonic content / waveform to a square, tri, saw etc., it would be more easily distinguishable in the mix as well as help to provide a more interesting and rich sonic collage for your tune in general.

Selective amounts of distortion and reverb can also do wonders for placing a sound and giving it its own space in the mix

Just some food for thought ..

D.

--------------------
www.thirdfloormusic.com

Quote white warrior:

---

Thanks to all responces...i will take into consideration all of what you have said

the book about mixing sounds intresting ill look it up,but is there maybe a DVD about this sort of thing? wading through a book is all well and good,but can get slightly dull....innit!

---

DVD Version.

Voila!

Many people use a compressor across the stereo-bus to help the mix sound like a mix as opposed to just a bunch of different parts playing at the same time.

Trying this may help you out.

Another thing worth trying is to work out what in the mix may be preventing the lead sound from cutting through. Then send these tracks to a bus, and duck the volume a touch using a gate or compressor with sidechain, with the lead sound as the sidechain input. Can be quite subtle so you hardly notice it, while still helping the sound to come thru. Works with vocals anyway.

Dave

--------------------
http://youngdavid.net