Musicians Off-topic Discussion Thread v3 - Now with less dubstep and more trap

[FellowChive]

Hey guys! I've got a huge problem right now with loudness and I'm worried about having to stop making music. I'm currently living in a small city with many houses around me and I've got a neighbour under my room. As an electronic dance producer, I'm mixing my tracks myself and it's getting a bit louder sometimes but people are complaining about the bass. I'm using 2 yamaha's hs80m without any sub at +2db (you can switch up to -10db). Do you have any advice for me or had the same problem? I'm freaking a bit out right now, I don't want to stop producing at all because it's my favourite hobby.

(If you need a picture of my setup, I'll upload one)

[killerteacup]

use headphones..

[FellowChive]

[QUOTE=killerteacup;41424587]use headphones..[/QUOTE]

Mixing with headphones isn't a good solution. You'll get some good results but trust me, I've tried both and mixing with monitors is way more accurate.

[Healthpoint]

Mix quieter.

You don't need to mix EDM at an eardrum-rupturing loud volume.

[killerteacup]

[QUOTE=JackDestiny;41425569]Mixing with headphones isn't a good solution. You'll get some good results but trust me, I've tried both and mixing with monitors is way more accurate.[/QUOTE]

Then piss off your neighbours. If you're mixing in an enclosed space like that then you're going to have to make some sacrifices - and i'm sure i don't need to remind you that a good mix relies on your skill as a producer, not on the listening medium you use.

if you can't get good results with headphones you are either using the wrong headphones or just aren't used to the difference between sounds so you're fucking up the mixing - or you're just bad at producing

[Tezzanator92]

I cut my teeth mixing on DT770s. Yes mixing on monitors is better but once you have used a set of headphones for a while you can get equally good mixes, usually with a much more rich stereo soundstage. At least for me.

Just don't turn them up too loud, ear fatigue can happen pretty quick with drivers that close to your lug holes.

Other than that you will need to adapt your room, try working with your neighbours as you find a solution. Mass helps reduce bass frequencies transmitted through furniture and the floor. I've got my HS80Ms on a stack of engineering bricks (~32p a brick, cheap) which stopped my desk from rattling, my desk is made of steel (4 man lift!) so that's the second layer of mass.

Keep your speakers away from corners and walls if you don't already, that will yield an artificial bass boost.

To be honest though, a decent set of cans is the way to go I feel.

[Dead Madman]

[QUOTE=killerteacup;41425781]Then piss off your neighbours. If you're mixing in an enclosed space like that then you're going to have to make some sacrifices - and i'm sure i don't need to remind you that a good mix relies on your skill as a producer, not on the listening medium you use.

if you can't get good results with headphones you are either using the wrong headphones or just aren't used to the difference between sounds so you're fucking up the mixing - or you're just bad at producing[/QUOTE]

This post is perfect ;

I took an unmastered song of mine to my mate's house where he has a pair of Rokit 8's, and where I presumed it would be much easier to get a fresher sound from them JUST because they were professional monitors, I got a much better result from my headphones, because it's straight into your ear, and you can hear every little detail, speakers/monitors are only decent for producing a track, (i.e. mixing counts too) whereas mastering is much easier with my KRK headphones

[Healthpoint]

Sure, you hear every little detail, but mixing on headphones tells you nothing about how a track will sound in a room, which is one of the most important things to know if you ask me.

I would never mix [I]just[/I] on headphones, even if you're really familiar with them.

[Dead Madman]

[QUOTE=healthpoint;41427636]Sure, you hear every little detail, but mixing on headphones tells you nothing about how a track will sound in a room, which is one of the most important things to know if you ask me.

I would never mix [I]just[/I] on headphones, even if you're really familiar with them.[/QUOTE]

I do test my tracks on several systems before I send them off to Plasmapool, my mum's car, my dad's car (for measures) and my sister's Hi-fi, if I notice any qualities of the track that doesn't stand out/stands out too much, I adjust it accordingly until it sounds pleasant on all systems (sounds a pain in the ass but it's worth it).

[Tezzanator92]

The car test is an important part of any audio workflow. Along with a set of consumer grade Logitech rubbish as secondary "monitors". And then of course having a piece of reference material on a stereo DAW channel you can cue up to cleanse your ears.

Avantone mixcubes are pretty fun too.

[lawlavex]

[QUOTE=Tezzanator92;41427944]The car test is an important part of any audio workflow. Along with a set of consumer grade Logitech rubbish as secondary "monitors". And then of course having a piece of reference material on a stereo DAW channel you can cue up to cleanse your ears.

Avantone mixcubes are pretty fun too.[/QUOTE]

those things do look pretty cool, are they any good?

I always mix on some really terrible, broken Cyber Acoustics speakers that I've had forever. I also use Audio Technica ATH-M50's to check on frequencies, details, panning, etc. but I don't think I would be able to make a really good mix on nothing but headphones, speakers definitely have certain qualities that headphones can't replicate.

[FellowChive]

Thanks for the help, guys!

I've moved my monitors away from the walls and it did a pretty good job.
I have also bought two stands for them and placed some carpet underneath those stands.
She said it's ok now :)

[Agoat]

I'm no musician but I had fun mixing some songs together

[url]https://soundcloud.com/agoat/lets-dance-disco-inferno[/url]

Is this okay here?

[samh]

[video=youtube;9r6navLN_YQ]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9r6navLN_YQ[/video]

A good friend made his first drum cover, thoughts?

[killa101]

Anybody want to collab on a house track? I use FL studio.

Here's the only real house track i've ever made:
[media]http://soundcloud.com/wakethephantom/dreamingnext2u[/media]

PM if interested!!!

[NateDude]

Does anyone know of any [I]good[/I] tutorials for FL Studio? I'm sure it'll be easy to use in time, but as it stands I have no idea how to do anything other create (super short) beats with the default windows.

[t]http://puu.sh/3KfhX.png[/t]

[bradno]

[QUOTE=The Salmon;41547475][video=youtube;9r6navLN_YQ]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9r6navLN_YQ[/video]

A good friend made his first drum cover, thoughts?[/QUOTE]

some tight grooves, man, i love that kit. wish him well.

in other news i have started a band with two chums of mine and, fuck, jamming is fun

[KmartSqrl]

Preordered ableton push and bought ableton 9 suite yesterday. Fucking around with TouchOSC + LiveControl on my ipad until the push shows up. It's sooo rad. Getting more familiar with Ableton and kind of wish I had switched from Logic a lot earlier now.

I've had Maschine for a long time and really enjoyed using it but the process of getting from an idea sketched out on maschine to a proejct in a real DAW was always kind of a pain and felt really disconnected, so I'm fucking stoked to be using something akin to maschine that is paired with a real DAW soon. Can't wait for the push to get here!

[Zillamatic]

Sweet, let us know how it goes Kmart! Push looks very interesting. I've also got a maschine and I completely agree with you. The disconnect is frustrating, especially as I'm trying to finish a few maschine drafts for an EP.

Also, how do you guys come up with album art for your releases? I'm coming close to needing art for a release.

[Tezzanator92]

Played my biggest gig to date on Saturday:
[t]https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/286964/Photos/pic121.JPG[/t]
I've played a few festivals before but never this big.

Would be interesting if any FPers went to this, Festwich 2013 in Manchester.

[Thaard]

just myself a second hand electric bass. anyone know any good sites for tutorials and shiz?

[Martti010]

Does anyone know any good resources on FM synthesis? It seems like it's used a lot in Dubstep, I'm a Dubstep producer myself, and I want to learn it.

I always get crappy sounds cause I don't know what I'm doing so I want to get a grasp on what I'm acutally doing. I'm using FM8 btw.

[QUOTE=NateDude;41572951]Does anyone know of any [I]good[/I] tutorials for FL Studio? I'm sure it'll be easy to use in time, but as it stands I have no idea how to do anything other create (super short) beats with the default windows.

[t]http://puu.sh/3KfhX.png[/t][/QUOTE]

thenewboston on YouTube is currently making some tutorials, he's popular for his other tutorials but his FL ones seem pretty good as well, aside from the fooling around. Doesn't cover every essential yet though.

Why not read official FL Studio Bible?

[editline]31st July 2013[/editline]

Also does anyone else synthesize their drums? I always do it.

[killerteacup]

I dont think FM8 is very good as a synthesizer, even for FM synthesis

FM synthesis is complex but it should still sound better than FM8 ever does

[Dead Madman]

[QUOTE=killerteacup;41655055]I dont think FM8 is very good as a synthesizer, even for FM synthesis

FM synthesis is complex but it should still sound better than FM8 ever does[/QUOTE]

I think it only started properly selling around 2011 because Skrill said he uses it for his growls

little did people know about a little thing called "processing"

so what they do instead is get a saw wave in FM8 and use the talking filter in the effects tab

"my god i'm skrill already!!"

[Martti010]

Ah, I've used Massive for a long time and sometimes Z3ta+ 2, I wanted to try and get different sounds I suppose. I don't want to make these stupid growls though.

[Zillamatic]

I'm going to be posting an EP here soon. I've seen a few people post their musical releases in GD, is that still alright to do?

[Bytecry]

[QUOTE=Zillamatic;41659633]I'm going to be posting an EP here soon. I've seen a few people post their musical releases in GD, is that still alright to do?[/QUOTE]

as long as it's not shit

[Zillamatic]

damn

[Dead Madman]

I don't think it's worth posting it in GD, people who post their shit in there usually don't get as much of a response as you'd get in MGR.

[Zillamatic]

I don't know about that, seems like they get way more replies than the EPs that slide off the front page in MGR without a response.
Uploading it to bandcamp at the moment, looking forward to the back end of this ep, took way too long.

[editline]31st July 2013[/editline]

welp, it got moved to hobbies > music :v
anyway, you can check it here
[url]http://music.mattkeenan.co.uk/album/decades-ep[/url]