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NEOGAF's Official Music Production Thread: calling all producers

U

User 73706

Banned
ekim said:
Some short thoughts about this from my own experience:
- keep your frequencies "gated", especially distribute the low end to bass and bass drum and keep the rest out of the low frequencies.
- listen to the song in different volumes. Monitoring too loud can trick you into false assumptions. Best is to get a good mix at a lower than average headphone/monitor volume
- shoot for between -3db and -5db on the 2bus (so no clipping anytime)
- raise the volume with a multiband compressor and/or exciter on the 2bus at the end of the mix to between 0 and 3db (depends on how much dynamics are left)
Click to expand...

This is huge. I tend to play my stuff through headphones, earbuds, TV, phone, car stereo, etc. to make sure it's not falling flat on specific hardware - it's also important because blasting some stuff in the car can cause higher frequencies to be harsh that aren't through regular headphones.
 
N

neurochasm

Banned
Heads up for anybody who wants to check out a full instrument suite but isn't ready to fork over the money for Komplete or Kontakt. If you buy Xpand!2 for 10 bucks on Plugin Boutique right now you can get the Air Music Instrument Expansion Pack 3 upgrade for 52 dollars. That means for $60 total you get 3 synths, a drum kit, a sampler with a 37gb library, a rompler, 3 keys, a Riser/Transition synth and bunch of preset packs. I messed around with Hybrid 3, Loom and Vacuum Pro this morning and they sound pretty damn good. Maybe not Massive or Monark good, but hey, it's 60 bucks.

http://www.pluginboutique.com/product/1-Instruments/64-Virtual-Instrument/1560-Xpand-2

http://www.pluginboutique.com/produ...Instrument-Expansion-Pack-3-COMPLETE-UPGRADE-

Once you register Xpand, you have to email support with your order number and serial and then they send you the key for the pack. Oh, and there is copy protection but it wasn't too much of a hassle and stuff seems to be working fine in FL Studio so far.

edit: skipping around this youtube while at work and Loom sounds really rad. Competition in VST land must be rough. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4S9GFutJQmA
 
P

Piercedveil

Member
Been busy lately but I'm still trying to make at least a few beats during the week and as many as possible on weekends. I feel like I'm getting to a point where I can inconsistently make fairly good instrumentals.

I still have trouble telling if something is "good" though. Especially because by the time it's finished, I have listened to it so many times already.
 
K

Kwansu Dudes

Member
So, I was playing around with Wavestation and I'm pretty sure I found the Arpeggio/Sequences that David Wise used in Donkey Kong Country 2. Might be common knowledge, but I laughed out loud.
 
H

Hamst3r

Member
Kwansu Dudes said:
So, I was playing around with Wavestation and I'm pretty sure I found the Arpeggio/Sequences that David Wise used in Donkey Kong Country 2. Might be common knowledge, but I laughed out loud.
Click to expand...

Those are always fun to find. My favorite is perhaps when I noticed a particular sample in a White Zombie song that was also in the Red Alert soundtrack and then later heard it in an Evanescence song. It was odd, but I didn't look into it, until I heard another sample on the Red Alert soundtrack that was in a Korn song. I had to know what was going on and found out they were from Sony's Methods of Mayhem Industrial Toolkit CD. Also on there are samples from the Postal and Half-Life soundtracks.
 
L

lazygecko

Member
Hamst3r said:
Those are always fun to find. My favorite is perhaps when I noticed a particular sample in a White Zombie song that was also in the Red Alert soundtrack and then later heard it in an Evanescence song. It was odd, but I didn't look into it, until I heard another sample on the Red Alert soundtrack that was in a Korn song. I had to know what was going on and found out they were from Sony's Methods of Mayhem Industrial Toolkit CD. Also on there are samples from the Postal and Half-Life soundtracks.
Click to expand...

Lots of mid 90's to early 00's game soundtracks pull from those AKAI loop libraries. Neo Contra also uses lots of those guitar loops from Methods of Mayhem. And for the China and GLA music in C&C Generals, pretty much their entire soundtracks are made out of library loops. Only the USA faction seemed to have gotten actual original music. Well, not that I'd really fault the guy for cutting corners when he was asked to compose more or less 3 soundtracks in what was likely a short period of time.

Pretty much the majority of C&C1 and Red Alert's synth instruments and drumloops are samples from Best Service AKAI libraries like XXL Pads, Robots & Computers, Dance Mega Electro, etc, if you're curious about that. I began really digging my teeth into this sort of stuff in 2015 when I decided that 90's new age rompler sound was really endearing and wanted to make music like that. I've since sporadically been working on music that's meant to seamlessly fit into the classic C&C soundtracks. Mostly been relying on Korg M1 and some era-appropriate drum machine samples rather than the AKAI stuff though.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/kyv5pkznengao1x/soil_2.mp3?dl=0
https://www.dropbox.com/s/3g5b1kw2n0mceic/traction.mp3?dl=0
https://www.dropbox.com/s/4o2cpa2mhwy72kz/fogofwar.mp3?dl=0
https://www.dropbox.com/s/zr4ojvgc90n3bmp/research & development.mp3?dl=0
 
A

Accoun

Member
Plus of course Akira Yamaoka. There've been entire threads on Silent Hill fan forums dedicated to tracking down samples used in SH soundtracks. And they've figured out A LOT of them.
 
K

Kwansu Dudes

Member
Hamst3r said:
Those are always fun to find. My favorite is perhaps when I noticed a particular sample in a White Zombie song that was also in the Red Alert soundtrack and then later heard it in an Evanescence song. It was odd, but I didn't look into it, until I heard another sample on the Red Alert soundtrack that was in a Korn song. I had to know what was going on and found out they were from Sony's Methods of Mayhem Industrial Toolkit CD. Also on there are samples from the Postal and Half-Life soundtracks.
Click to expand...

I heard a really obscure 90s Siren/Foghorn sample in a song that 99% of people don't know exist, which caught me off guard. The composition was kinda random, so I guess it made sense haha

lazygecko said:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/kyv5pkznengao1x/soil_2.mp3?dl=0
https://www.dropbox.com/s/3g5b1kw2n0mceic/traction.mp3?dl=0
https://www.dropbox.com/s/4o2cpa2mhwy72kz/fogofwar.mp3?dl=0
https://www.dropbox.com/s/zr4ojvgc90n3bmp/research & development.mp3?dl=0
Click to expand...

These are really good and fun to listen to. Thanks for sharing.

Accoun said:
Plus of course Akira Yamaoka. There've been entire threads on Silent Hill fan forums dedicated to tracking down samples used in SH soundtracks. And they've figured out A LOT of them.
Click to expand...

I recommend people check them out. You, too, can be like Akira Yamaoka (minus the talent and creativity).
 
P

Piercedveil

Member
I might be overthinking this but I'll ask anyway. I see a bunch of producers on SoundCloud making "clip" tracks which are parts of multiple tracks (without vocals on them) combined into one to give artists a short, varied sample of the producer's work (and so that people will not just rip full beats off of SoundCloud). Here is an example if you have no idea what I'm talking about.

My question is, when combining beats together in my DAW, would I have to automate the specific tempo for each track to play back accurately?
 
U

User 73706

Banned
so i'm doing like the 30th iteration of a mashup of mine and finally realized why these two tracks work so well together

their main repeating riffs (the pads, in the latter's case) are exactly the same notes, they're just offset by half an octave

Kwansu Dudes said:
So, I was playing around with Wavestation and I'm pretty sure I found the Arpeggio/Sequences that David Wise used in Donkey Kong Country 2. Might be common knowledge, but I laughed out loud.
Click to expand...

My favorite recent moment doing this was going through Maschine's libraries and finding, like, half of Aivi & Surasshu's beats.
 
D

Dimefan3

Member
Hi AudioGAF,

Any audio producers here have a website to share? I'm trying to get my own up (finally) and need a bit of inspiration.

Thinking mine would have a few pages covering music, media/post production (my day job), and links to YouTube and a blog.
 
U

User 73706

Banned
recreating / remastering something so accurately that layering it with the original sample produces flange is one of the most satisfying feelings in the world
 
V

vonStirlitz

Unconfirmed Member
[Redacted as the member no longer wishes to be associated with this website, and the reputational damage and distress caused by association with this website. In addition, the user considers that the action of the management, and the nature of the site and members of its community, renders the original terms and conditions of this site void, and it unconscionable for either side to be bound to them. The user reasserts their IP rights in all content and does not give any authority for its continued usage on this website. Despite requesting that the user's account be deleted, in accordance with data protection rules which apply to this website over multiple jurisdictions, the admin team have failed to delete this account, requiring the user to take its own steps to ensure the valid deletion of data.]
 
N

neurochasm

Banned
I have a hard enough time relieving my plugin G.A.S. to even think about acquiring analog hardware synths right now, but damn, that thing is cool.

edit: oh, it's mono and going for the same price as a Minilogue, that seems unfortunate.
 
L

lazygecko

Member
So Roland finally released a software version of the D50

https://www.rolandcloud.com/catalog/legendary/d-50-linear-synthesizer

Of course, they only make it available via a god damn cloud subscription. And naturally, their cloud software is a convoluted piece of shit that I can't even get to work properly. I downloaded the D50 pack through the manager but it still doesn't show up in the VST.

Time to uninstall and never bother buying anything from Roland again. What a piece of shit. Especially when the Korg equivalents work like a charm and are just one time $50 purchases.
 
P

panthapanda

Member
I seriously need to start recording melodies that pop into my head. Going to try and get into the habit of doing that.

Any recommended apps for something like that? I run iOS, otherwise, I'll just use the mic and hum into my phone like an idiot.
 
M

MadraptorMan

Member
panthapanda said:
I seriously need to start recording melodies that pop into my head. Going to try and get into the habit of doing that.

Any recommended apps for something like that? I run iOS, otherwise, I'll just use the mic and hum into my phone like an idiot.
Click to expand...

Apple's own Music Memos is the perfect app for this.
 
I

Icyflamez96

Member
panthapanda said:
I seriously need to start recording melodies that pop into my head. Going to try and get into the habit of doing that.

Any recommended apps for something like that? I run iOS, otherwise, I'll just use the mic and hum into my phone like an idiot.
Click to expand...

I do that all the time. I just use a regular recording app.
 
P

Piercedveil

Member
How the hell do people get their tracks this loud?

Mine are a fraction of this volume. Is it really just the difference between my amateur mixing/mastering skills compared to having professionals handle that?

panthapanda said:
I seriously need to start recording melodies that pop into my head. Going to try and get into the habit of doing that.

Any recommended apps for something like that? I run iOS, otherwise, I'll just use the mic and hum into my phone like an idiot.
Click to expand...

You could try GarageBand on your phone if you want to actually play things out. I just messed with it the other day and I was surprised to see how many features it has.
 
T

Teknopathetic

Member
"Mine are a fraction of this volume. Is it really just the difference between my amateur mixing/mastering skills compared to having professionals handle that?"

I doubt much more is going on in this mix than some compression/limiting on the master.
 
P

panthapanda

Member
Thanks for the recommendation. I'll start putting this to use. Too many times have I come up with something that I think sounds great to just forget what it is later.
 
P

Piercedveil

Member
Teknopathetic said:
"Mine are a fraction of this volume. Is it really just the difference between my amateur mixing/mastering skills compared to having professionals handle that?"

I doubt much more is going on in this mix than some compression/limiting on the master.
Click to expand...

I must be doing this step horribly, horribly wrong then :( more tutorials for me.
 
T

The Kree

Banned
The difference between a low frequency and a high frequency is speed and energy consumption. Low frequency sound waves move slower and consume more energy. Loudness is perceived in the upper frequencies. You're gonna have to lose some bass before you start compressing and limiting that drastically. It's a balancing act.

A T-Rex is never going to chase down a cat.
 
E

ekim

Member
MadraptorMan said:
Apple's own Music Memos is the perfect app for this.
Click to expand...

+1. I use it all the time.


Piercedveil said:
How the hell do people get their tracks this loud?

Mine are a fraction of this volume. Is it really just the difference between my amateur mixing/mastering skills compared to having professionals handle that?
.
Click to expand...

Teknopathetic said:
"Mine are a fraction of this volume. Is it really just the difference between my amateur mixing/mastering skills compared to having professionals handle that?"

I doubt much more is going on in this mix than some compression/limiting on the master.
Click to expand...

It's not that easy. The basic mix needs to be clean. I did also not get my tracks that loud until I started mixing very cautiously when it comes to frequency distribution. Don't be shy to cut the lower end on everything that is not bass. Also try to not have too many elements playing at the same time.

What DAW are you using?
 
T

Teknopathetic

Member
"It's not that easy. The basic mix needs to be clean. I did also not get my tracks that loud until I started mixing very cautiously when it comes to frequency distribution. Don't be shy to cut the lower end on everything that is not bass. Also try to not have too many elements playing at the same time."


I mean, I wouldn't really call it a good mix, so maybe I'm being dismissive and reductive out of hand. But it's really not hard to get a mix "loud" for loudness sake if you just slam it really hard into a limiter. And that mix really doesn't sound like much else was done to it.
 
E

ekim

Member
Teknopathetic said:
"It's not that easy. The basic mix needs to be clean. I did also not get my tracks that loud until I started mixing very cautiously when it comes to frequency distribution. Don't be shy to cut the lower end on everything that is not bass. Also try to not have too many elements playing at the same time."


I mean, I wouldn't really call it a good mix, so maybe I'm being dismissive and reductive out of hand. But it's really not hard to get a mix "loud" for loudness sake if you just slam it really hard into a limiter. And that mix really doesn't sound like much else was done to it.
Click to expand...

With a really bad mix you would hit distortion levels pretty fast. If you can push your mix to a high volume without distortion, the mix is good at least in terms of frequency management. Doesn't mean it sounds good generally. But I first need to hear the referenced track.

Edit: listened to it and yeah it's a bad mix. There is also not much going on in the track, so getting the volume is easy.
 
O

Outdoor Miner

Member
Sweetwater pulled the link. Either they jumped the gun or someone from Behringer looked at early reaction and went "WTF? Maybe we should come in at $399 now."
 
T

Teknopathetic

Member
"Sweetwater pulled the link. Either they jumped the gun or someone from Behringer looked at early reaction and went "WTF? Maybe we should come in at $399 now.""

I don't think Behringer will go up to 399, that's too close to the Roland SE-02 which isn't getting the internet backlash the Model D is getting while being in the same wheelhouse.
 
P

Piercedveil

Member
Anybody do their mixing in FL Studio? Feedback on my tracks seem to be repeatedly "muddy". My method usually involves panning all sounds however I think sounds good, EQ, and of course leveling. I may do some compression but I often don't hear the difference so I don't use it or use only a little.

I feel like boosting my volume with the limiter at the end is killing my mix. Any ideas?
 
C

Chris Metal

Member
Piercedveil said:
Anybody do their mixing in FL Studio? Feedback on my tracks seem to be repeatedly "muddy". My method usually involves panning all sounds however I think sounds good, EQ, and of course leveling. I may do some compression but I often don't hear the difference so I don't use it or use only a little.

I feel like boosting my volume with the limiter at the end is killing my mix. Any ideas?
Click to expand...

Try using a few reference tracks, and volume match to your mix get an idea about where your problems are rising. Panning stuff usually won't be what solve it. If people are giving feedback saying your mix is muddy, that's usually an EQ issue with too many conflicting frequencies fighting for space. panning won't always fix that. Muddy I've found is low mid > bass frequencies fighting for room as there's not as much space in the frequency spectrum down there for low frequency instruments to share like kick/bass/sub and some synths. Panning can help a bit, but subtractive EQ on certain elements also. Also it could be that mid> high frequency element are getting too buried in the mix by low frequency elements.
 
P

Piercedveil

Member
Chris Metal said:
Try using a few reference tracks, and volume match to your mix get an idea about where your problems are rising. Panning stuff usually won't be what solve it. If people are giving feedback saying your mix is muddy, that's usually an EQ issue with too many conflicting frequencies fighting for space. panning won't always fix that. Muddy I've found is low mid > bass frequencies fighting for room as there's not as much space in the frequency spectrum down there for low frequency instruments to share like kick/bass/sub and some synths. Panning can help a bit, but subtractive EQ on certain elements also. Also it could be that mid> high frequency element are getting too buried in the mix by low frequency elements.
Click to expand...

Thank you! Good advice. I'll spend some more time on my EQ step next time and see if I can get everything sounding a bit better.
 
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