Elysia
Adding grit to drums with the "Wurst" mic
Moses Schneider demonstrates how to add character and texture to drum recordings using a unique approach with the "Wurst" technique. He employs saturation through distortion pedals and strategically places microphones, such as the SM57 and a custom-built Periscope mic with an inbuilt limiter, to capture a larger-than-life drum sound. The key is positioning the mic equidistant from the snare and kick beater for optimal tone. Schneider further enhances the drum sound by gating and over-compressing with an 1176 compressor, creating a dynamic and textured drum mix. The Periscope mic's inherent distortion and side-chained gating to the snare add a distinct character, making the drums stand out in the mix.
Universal Audio
Depth and dynamics with gated room mics
Inspired by David Bowie's "Heroes," Thorp and Dave Grohl implemented a dynamic room mic effect for the vocals using gates, allowing for an intimate sound during quieter verses and a more expansive, reverberant sound during louder choruses. Thorp's technical execution involved an LCR track configuration that holds the dry vocal along with two mono room mics. The gate on this track has its settings unlinked, permitting individual adjustment for each channel to dynamically alter the room sound based on the vocal performance intensity. After the gating process, Thorp applied compression to further shape and control the dynamics of the vocal, ensuring both the intimate and expansive moments translated effectively in the mix.
SonicScoop
Crafting psychedelic vocals with layered effects
Stuart White delves into crafting psychedelic vocals by layering and interweaving multiple effects. He combines a short delay for texture, a stereo flanger for width, and a long, psychedelic delay to create a rich, ethereal sound. By routing the long delay into a spring reverb and the widener, Stuart enhances the psychedelic atmosphere and expands the soundstage. To maintain clarity and prevent the effects from overwhelming the dry vocal, Stuart heavily compresses the effects returns, ensuring they remain controlled within the mix. This approach allows the effects to be prominent without overshadowing the vocal's presence. Additionally, he employs sidechain compression on the long delay, ducking it with the dry vocal to preserve intelligibility and keep the vocal at the forefront.
Audiopunks
Using character mics while tracking to inspire drummers
Tchad Blake shares insights into using effects like distortion and compression while tracking drums to inspire drummers and enhance their performance. By sending processed sounds back to the musicians, such as a Spectrasonics 610 compressor or delay on the snare, drummers can react to the altered textures and rhythms, leading to more dynamic and expressive playing. Blake emphasizes the importance of creating characterful sounds and textures, which can transform the way musicians interact with their instruments. This approach encourages drummers to play differently, adding a unique groove and feel to the music. The use of contrasting hi-fi and lo-fi elements can infuse a track with depth and character, reducing the need for excessive overdubs. Incorporating these techniques into the recording process not only enhances the creative atmosphere in the studio but also results in more authentic and engaging music. By creatively placing mics and using effects, engineers can create a rich sonic landscape that inspires musicians to explore new musical expressions.
Mix with the Masters
Using two compressors in series on the vocal
Tom Elmhirst demonstrates using two compressors in series on rock vocals, employing a UREI 1176LN for fast, aggressive compression and a Tube-Tech CL 1B for slower, more controlled dynamics. This combination allows for maximum flexibility and control over the vocal's presence in the mix. The signal path includes a Neve 1081, which provides subtractive EQ and occasional high-end boosts, with low-end filtering at 47 Hz. The UREI 1176LN compresses quickly, achieving about 3 dB of gain reduction, while the Tube-Tech CL 1B offers a slower release, akin to a Fairchild 670 on a slower 3 release setting.
Mix with the Masters
Parallel distortion: Making vocals cut like The Strokes
Ben Baptie employs parallel processing to give The Strokes' vocals more character and aggression, making them cut through the mix. He duplicates Julian's clean vocal track in Pro Tools, applying Isotope Trash for distortion and thinning out the sound to emphasize the mid-range. Baptie uses a Waves C6 and a FabFilter Pro-Q to control the low end, followed by an 1176 compressor to manage dynamics. This processing occurs in the box, before the hardware main vocal chain, ensuring the vocal retains its dynamic quality while adding a distinct edge. Baptie creates a parallel 'mult' with plugins like the SansAmp and L1 limiter to further drive and limit the vocal. This approach crafts a middle ground that enhances the vocal's presence and clarity, resulting in a signature sound that is both aggressive and clear. To ensure accurate phase alignment, Baptie instantiates the same plugins on the original track but bypasses them. This serves as a safety measure against possible inaccuracies in the DAW's automatic delay compensation, maintaining the integrity of the combined vocal sound.
Mix with the Masters
Choosing and automating the limiter
Chris Gehringer demonstrates the use of Izotope Ozone 11's dynamic limiter to achieve a cleaner and more balanced master for Dua Lipa's track. He emphasizes the importance of selecting the right limiter settings to enhance the song's character and movement. Gehringer uses EQ to subtly boost the bass, complementing the limiter's inherent color and character. He explains that limiters can alter the frequency balance, so EQ adjustments need to reflect the limiter choice, and vice versa. To address specific sections where distortion or artifacts occur, Gehringer advocates for automating limiter settings. By adjusting Ozone's parameters like the transient setting and character speed, he ensures the song maintains its integrity and vibrancy throughout, highlighting the significance of tailoring limiter settings to different parts of the track for optimal results.
Mix with the Masters
Playing with compression like an instrument
Jack Antonoff discusses his creative approach to using compression as an instrument, emphasizing its role in shaping space and dynamics within a mix. He describes how he interacts with compression in real-time, feeling its impact as he plays, which allows him to manipulate the high end and create a sense of glue in the mix. Antonoff likens compression to other effects like reverb or distortion, highlighting its potential for expressive use rather than just a corrective tool. By treating compression as an integral part of the performance, Antonoff avoids the static nature of post-processing, preferring to capture the dynamic interplay with compression when recording.
Splice
Programming organic, punchy kick and 808 grooves
Vaughn Oliver demonstrates how to perfect kick dynamics using manual ghost notes and phase alignment techniques in Ableton Live. By adjusting the decay and attack of the kick drum through volume automation and fades, he creates a more natural and organic feel, mimicking the dynamics of a real kick drum. He also employs sidechain compression with the Cableguys ShaperBox plugin to achieve a punchy and tight low-end, ensuring the kick and 808 bass are perfectly in phase.
Biased Audio
Vinyl mastering essentials: Phase, sibilance, limiting and timing
Bradshaw Leigh delves into the essentials of vinyl mastering, emphasizing the importance of understanding vinyl's limitations to achieve optimal fidelity. He highlights the need to address low-frequency phase issues during mixing, as out-of-phase material can cause problems with the lathe cutter head, potentially damaging the vinyl. Using an elliptical EQ during mastering or cutting to sum low frequencies to mono can help, but it's best to fix these issues in the mix. Leigh also discusses the challenges of sibilance in vinyl mastering. High-frequency bursts can be problematic for both cutting and playback, leading to distortion. While mastering engineers can use tools like acceleration limiters to manage sibilance, it's advisable to control it during mixing. Additionally, he advises against heavy digital limiting, as it can overheat the cutter head, leading to reduced levels during mastering. Finally, Leigh stresses the importance of timing and sequencing for vinyl releases. Keeping sides around 17 minutes ensures optimal sound quality, as longer sides may require reduced levels or low-frequency roll-off. He advocates for working with a skilled mastering engineer to make nuanced decisions that enhance the vinyl's sound, rather than relying on automated processes at pressing plants.
Produce Like A Pro
Taming acoustic guitar to sound like on tape
Marc Daniel Nelson demonstrates how to achieve a tape-like sound on acoustic guitar using a chain of plugins. He starts with Softube Tape for subtle tape saturation, which adds warmth and glue without being overly aggressive. Next, Nelson uses FabFilter Pro-Q 3 for dynamic EQ, targeting the low-end boominess around 280Hz and taming harsh high frequencies. This step ensures the guitar sounds fuller and less muddy, enhancing its presence in the mix. Compression is applied with the Klanghelm MJUC, adding color and slightly tightening the sound without compromising its natural dynamics. Nelson then employs Waves Trans-X for transient shaping, smoothing out harsh transients to make the guitar sit well in the mix and not interfere with the vocal. Finally, a touch of Waves Abbey Road Reverb Plates adds depth and warmth, creating a more natural and inviting acoustic guitar sound. Nelson emphasizes the importance of using these techniques in a subtle way to maintain the instrument's dynamic integrity.
Audiopunks
Compression before distortion for aggressive vocals
Stuart White shares his approach to achieving consistent and aggressive vocal distortion by first applying compression to control peaks before adding distortion. By compressing the vocals heavily, he ensures an even saturation, as distortion is level-dependent and can become harsh if not managed properly. This technique allows the vocals to maintain clarity and avoid harshness, even at high volumes, making them sound creamy and pleasant without causing listener fatigue. White emphasizes the importance of this method in creating a mix that can be played loudly on any system without discomfort, as demonstrated in his work on the track "Don't Hurt Yourself" from Beyoncé's album "Lemonade."
Mix with the Masters
Parallel mix buses: Adding character and glue
Stuart White discusses his unconventional approach to using multiple stereo buses for mixing, a technique he employed with Autolux to add glue and character to the mix. By creating duplicates of the stereo bus and blending them, he introduces different coloration and saturation. While he typically opts for a simpler setup with perhaps a single parallel bus, in this instance, he uses multiple buses to accommodate the needs of different signal blends, allowing for targeted processing that enhances the overall vibe and energy of the track. White advises caution with this technique, emphasizing the importance of checking phase alignment and ensuring proper delay compensation in Pro Tools to avoid phase issues that can detract from the mix.
Produce Like A Pro
Adding character with mono overhead and poke mic
Darrell Thorp demonstrates how to add character and depth to drum recordings using a mono overhead and a "poke" mic. By employing the Coles 4038 as a mono overhead, he captures a fuller drum sound, enhancing the snare's presence and overall kit depth. Thorp uses the UREI 1176LN for compression and the Pultec EQP-1A for EQ, boosting at 10kHz and 100Hz to add thickness and brightness. For added character, Thorp introduces distortion to the mono overhead using the Overstayer Saturator NT-02A, creating a trashy yet controlled sound. He also utilizes a Sennheiser MD 441-U as a "poke" mic, positioned to capture the kick and snare, and processes it with a DBX 160VU for punchiness. Aggressive EQ boosts at 7kHz and 50Hz further enhance the mic's impact, providing an aggressive knock that cuts through the mix. Thorp emphasizes the importance of phase coherence, ensuring it is as good as possible during recording. He suggests using Auto Align by Sound Radix during mixing to align these special mics with the rest of the kit. He encourages engineers to embrace aggressive EQ during recording, as it can significantly enhance the character and depth of the drum sound.
Puremix
Add depth and punch with a mono kit mic
Greg Wells shares his approach for adding depth and character to drum recordings using a mono kit mic, inspired by Eric Valentine. By positioning a mic like a U47 horizontally over the kick drum, angled towards the beater, Wells captures a focused, punchy sound. He enhances this mono mic signal with EQ and compression, adding low-end frequencies around 60-100 Hz and using compressors like a 1176, Distressor or LA-2A to squash the signal liberally. This processing creates a sound that, while potentially unusable on its own, blends beautifully with the rest of the drum kit to add weight and depth. Wells emphasizes the unique quality of mono mics, which can be cranked without becoming overwhelming, maintaining focus and clarity. They are particularly effective for enhancing the low-end of the kick drum, snare, and toms, providing a rich, full-bodied drum sound.
URM Academy
Sidechaining for a bigger snare room
In this session, Dan Braunstein focuses on using sidechain compression to enhance the snare room sound in a mix. He demonstrates how adjusting the attack and release settings on the sidechained compressor allows the snare's decay to shine through. The key is going for a longer attack time, so that the ducking makes room for the snare's decay rather than the initial snap. Dan sets up the sidechain to duck bass and guitars when the snare hits, allowing the room sound to pop through. Dan suggests sourcing the sidechain signal from the most direct snare track rather than the entire snare group, ensuring that the room's ambiance is effectively highlighted without overwhelming the mix. This approach is part of his broader strategy to make drums punch through the mix with clarity and presence.
URM Academy
Making kicks punchy with sidechain compression
Dan Braunstein demonstrates how to achieve a punchy kick and better separation in a mix using sidechain compression with the FabFilter Pro-C 2 on bass. By sending the kick signal to the compressor's sidechain input, Braunstein ensures that the bass ducks out of the way, allowing the kick to cut through the mix with clarity and impact. He starts with extreme settings and dials them back to achieve 3-6 dB of gain reduction. This technique enhances the mix's overall movement and clarity, making the kick more prominent without overwhelming other elements. Braunstein also uses the FabFilter Pro-Q 3 to EQ the kick and bass, deciding whether the bass should occupy the sub frequencies and the kick the low mids, or vice versa. He ultimately prefers the kick to dominate the low end, giving the bass more harmonic presence. This strategic frequency separation reduces muddiness and enhances the mix's overall balance.
URM Academy
Using Trackspacer for punchier drums
Joey Sturgis demonstrates using Wavesfactory Trackspacer to achieve punchier drums by enhancing the kick and snare's presence in a mix. Inspired by the key spikes technique, Sturgis creates "Track Spacer Blips" by sending ultra-short, one-millisecond bursts of the kick and snare to a sidechain input on Trackspacer. This setup allows the plugin to duck the rest of the mix momentarily, giving the kick and snare a clear, focused moment to shine. By setting the Trackspacer's attack and release to the fastest possible settings and adjusting the effect to around 4-5%, Sturgis ensures the effect remains subtle yet impactful, especially on small speakers. This technique prevents frequency masking, allowing the kick and snare to cut through the mix without overpowering it, resulting in a competitive drum sound.
Mix with the Masters
Sidechaining kick and 808: Clean low end, loud mixes
Jaycen Joshua demonstrates the power of sidechain compression and multi-band compression to achieve a clean and loud low-end mix, particularly when working with bass, kick, and 808 elements. By using the Oeksound Soothe plugin, he effectively controls unwanted frequencies and ensures clarity and separation between these low-end components. Joshua emphasizes the importance of identifying the main kick drum and removing unnecessary layers to avoid clutter. He duplicates the kick track, placing it just below the bass, and uses it to trigger the sidechain compression, allowing the bass to dip subtly when the kick hits. This technique not only prevents frequency masking but also gains additional headroom, making the mix louder without sacrificing quality. He also highlights the versatility of sidechain compression across genres, from subtle applications to more pronounced effects in EDM.
URM Academy
Low-end clarity through kick-bass sidechaining
Will Carson demonstrates his approach to using sidechain compression in the low-end, drawing inspiration from Jason Joshua, to craft a powerful, punchy low-end while maximizing headroom and loudness. By applying the Oeksound Soothe plugin on the bass bus and all low-end elements like 808s, Carson ensures the kick drum cuts through the mix. This technique ducks the bass whenever the kick hits, allowing the sub frequencies of the kick to dominate without overwhelming the mix, thus preventing muddiness. This method is essential for achieving a punchy, clear low-end that feels substantial without actually increasing the low-end content, optimizing headroom and overall loudness in the mix.
SonicScoop
Taming distorted vocals with surgical EQ and compression
Stuart White showcases how to add stylistic distortion to vocals and then tame the resulting harshness using a combination of notch EQ, compression, multi-band compression, de-essing, and tape saturation. He starts by applying distortion to inject energy and vibe into the vocals, but this also introduces harsh frequencies. To address this, White uses the Waves Q10 to surgically notch out problematic frequencies, and the Waves C1 and C4 compressors to control spiky peaks, ensuring smoother transients. De-essing is employed to manage exaggerated sibilance from the distortion, while tape saturation adds warmth and helps the vocals sit well in the mix. By using a slower release on vocal's main compressor, White ensures the vocal blends seamlessly with the track's texture and vibe, achieving a polished yet edgy sound.
DJ Mag
Creating vocal pads from chopped harmonies
Jordan Rakei demonstrates how to transform chopped vocal harmonies into lush vocal pads using a combination of sound design and signal processing techniques. He begins by singing and chopping different harmonies, then layers and loops them to create a textured pad. To enhance the pad's texture, Rakei applies delay and reverb, rolling off the low frequencies to prevent muddiness and ensure clarity alongside the main instruments like the Rhodes. He uses a digital delay for an old-school vibe and adds reverb to create a lush, expansive sound. Finally, Rakei employs sidechain compression, subtly ducking the pad with the kick drum to carve out space in the mix. This technique ensures the vocal pad integrates smoothly, adding depth and texture without overwhelming the track.
Mix with the Masters
Sidechain reverb swells for dramatic vocal depth
Catherine Marks demonstrates her 'Swell Reverb' effect on vocals using Valhalla VintageVerb and Avid BF-76 for sidechain compression. By applying a long decay reverb and typically keying it off the snare, kick, or a click track, Marks creates a dynamic swelling effect that adds dramatic depth and interest to the vocal track. Even with the return level kept low and subtle, this technique effectively enhances the vocal dimension without clouding the mix. Initially used with subtlety, it became more pronounced in Manchester Orchestra's album 'Million Masks of God', where vocal reverbs prominently swell and pump in the background, enriching the overall sonic landscape.
GGD
Parallel compression for aggressive drum punch
Adam 'Nolly' Getgood shares his approach to parallel drum compression using the Slate FG-Stress plugin directly on the drum bus. He opts for a 20:1 ratio with a high-pass filter in the sidechain, allowing the compressor to focus on the midrange frequencies without the kick drum overly triggering the compression. This setup, inspired by Eric Valentine, uses a slow attack setting of 8 and a fast release of 2.5, achieving a punchy and exciting drum sound with a mix level around 32%. Nolly complements the compression with EQ using the Slate FG-N and Custom Series Equalizer plugins. He applies boosts at 12kHz and 5.5kHz to add presence and aggression, while occasionally enhancing the low end at 60Hz if needed. This EQ strategy, which he previously applied to the entire instrument mix bus, is focused solely on the drums, contributing to a bigger and more defined drum sound. By integrating these techniques, Nolly achieves a drum mix that is both weighty and aggressive, with a presence that stands out in the mix.
Sound On Sound
Spice up drums recordings with parallel processing
Vance Powell demonstrates how to enhance drum recordings using parallel tracks with analog effects, creating a deeper and more characterful sound. He employs an old Ampex mic under the snare, routed through effects pedals for distortion and analog delay, achieving a triplet echo reminiscent of "When the Levee Breaks." This track, dubbed "Sprinkle to Taste," adds a unique texture to the drum mix. Additionally, Powell uses a "distorted kit" track, blending the entire drum kit through a distortion box, and a "mono kit" track, which compresses the kick, snare, and toms via an 1176 compressor, excluding cymbals. These elements are recorded directly into Pro Tools, avoiding excessive plugin use, and are layered with the original drum tracks to create a rich, dynamic sound.
Sound On Sound
Quick mix cohesion: Parallel compression on busses
Vance Powell shares his approach to parallel compression, a crucial element in his mixing workflow. He highlights the importance of setting up a gain structure that allows for efficient integration of parallel compression while maintaining the overall gain staging of the mix. Powell uses various busses to apply parallel compression to specific instruments, such as drums, vocals, and electric guitars. For drums, he employs a combination of the Neve 33609 and Empirical Labs Fatso, achieving a dynamic and tonally rich sound by blending compressed signals back into the mix. He also applies parallel compression to guitars and keyboards using a second Neve 33609 compressor, and to vocals with a GML 8900 compressor, ensuring each element benefits from tailored compression settings. Powell emphasizes the flexibility of his setup, allowing him to adjust or bypass compression based on the source material's needs.
Mix with the Masters
More exciting drum recordings with parallel compression
Sylvia Massy demonstrates the use of parallel compression on drum mics using the UREI 1176LN hardware compressor. By blending a compressed signal with the original drum tracks, she aims to create a sound that is more upfront, bigger, and more exciting. Massy highlights the impact of this technique by adjusting the levels of kick, snare, and room mics, showcasing the enhanced energy and presence it brings to the drum mix. This approach allows the drums to maintain their natural dynamics while adding a layer of intensity and excitement to the overall sound, already during recording.
Audiopunks
Making drum loops punch with compression and distortion
Stuart White demonstrates the use of compression, distortion, and spring reverb to enhance sampled drum loops, focusing on achieving a cohesive and characterful sound. By applying compression, Stuart brings the loop forward in the mix, adding punch and presence, which is crucial for integrating samples into dense arrangements. He highlights the importance of a fast compressor to manage transients, allowing for seamless layering with programmed kicks.
Mix with the Masters
Eq into compression: Pushing lows for vocal weight
Ben Baptie crafts a dynamic vocal chain for The Strokes using a Pultec EQP-1A to enhance both low and high frequencies, adding richness and presence to the vocals. By boosting the low end, he strategically shapes the behavior of the subsequent UREI 1176LN compressor. The 1176 compressor, set with a fast attack and release, manages dynamics by quickly grabbing peaks and exciting the lower range, making the vocal more engaging and weighty. The boosted low end from the EQ makes the compressor work harder, adding excitement and energy to the vocal. To ensure consistency, Baptie employs a Tube-Tech CL 1B with a slower attack and release as a leveler, smoothing out the vocal performance regardless of its intensity. Finally, an AMS Neve 1081 is used for its filters, applying a low-pass filter to remove any unwanted high-frequency sheen, ensuring the vocal sits perfectly in the mix with a textured, characterful presence.
James Hype
Multi-band sidechaining for club-ready kick-bass impact
James Hype shares his essential technique for achieving powerful kick and bass separation in dance music using sidechain compression with Cableguys ShaperBox. He emphasizes the importance of selecting the right kick for each track and demonstrates how to use sidechain compression to eliminate phase issues with the bass that can cause the kick to lose impact. By visually analyzing the waveform, he ensures the sidechain is perfectly timed to the kick's length, maintaining its full volume and presence. Hype further refines the process with multi-band sidechain techniques, allowing the upper bass frequencies to remain audible while ducking the lower signal parts to prevent phasing. This approach ensures both kick and bass retain their power, delivering a club-ready sound that slams every time.