| Page: 1 | Rating: Unrated [0] |
5 Tips For New Producers
| Good [+1]Toggle ReplyLink» nothingnopenope replied on Sun Jan 7, 2007 @ 6:21pm |
 Coolness: 201310 | This was originally posted on my site [ www.geardos.net ]
--- Considering the amount of feedback I get from people who are new to the music producing world, I thought it would be helpful to share some basic tips I have picked up over the years. Most of these tips have helped me a great deal. In this post I will explore the benefits of having a good pair of headphones, how to be patient when learning music, why you should be adventurous, why you shouldn’t just follow trends, and the principal of K.I.S.S. (Keep it simple, stupid!) Get a pair of good headphones As a music producer, you need a proper sounding system to work with. Computer speakers are generally not adequate for creating music, even though they may have impressive bass and loudness. I’d suggest to anyone who is getting into music production to look for a good pair of headphones to use. While a pair of professional studio monitor speakers is definitely an item to consider in the future, it might be too much of investment at the start. While you are learning to create music, the privacy of headphones may also help you feel less self-conscious if you live with others. You can get a good pair of headphones for about 150$, and even if music production doesn’t work out for you in the end, you will still have a nice pair of headphones to listen to music with. Some companies that make good headphones include AKG, Sennheiser, and Sony (and there are many others). Go to a music equipment store with a CD you enjoy and check out all the models they have there. If you are planning on doing recording with a microphone, I would suggest looking into models which are closed (they are generally tighter headphones which prevent sound from leaking out). As always, be careful with the volume levels! Be patient The process of learning to create music, especially if you do not have a background in music theory, can take some time. It took me at least a couple of years before I was really happy with the quality of my music. Some will learn more quickly than others, but what is really essential is to be patient. I’d suggest starting off with an easier program, such as fruityloops, reason, or garageband if you are using a Mac, because the large software studio programs such as Cubase and Logic Audio can be quite unforgiving at first. There are many elements to deal with in music production; the more technical aspects can take quite some time to master. Eventually you will have a breakthrough and it will all seem quite easy, in my case it took a couple of years. Be adventurous You won’t get anywhere hiding in your basement or bedroom and keeping all your art to yourself. If you want to gain some sort of a fan base you mustn’t be afraid to release your music, even if you think it sucks! When I first started producing I released almost every song I finished, and some of the ones which had the best reception where the ones that I thought were the worst! Hearing even one encouraging compliment on your music can really encourage you to produce more. You also should consider that some people will not like your music, don’t worry too much about them. Some people only like music that involves bamboo sticks for drums and melodies involving screeching hyenas; they might not like your trip-hop (unless it involves the former aspects). However, constructive criticism is always a good thing, especially from someone who is knowledgeable in the field of music you are into. As always, don’t make music to please others, make music to please you. The fans will come later. Don’t just follow trends If you are producing music, especially electronic music, it is important to be original. If you jump on a bandwagon you may risk becoming typecast later. When a trend dies, so does your audience. I remember when electronic music was a trend in itself, and people would like anything I made regardless of whether it was good or not. Most of them have now given up on the rave scene and now listen to emo rock and have bad tattoos. Ouch. Don’t spend all your time trying to sound like your favorite artist, it is an impossible endeavor! On the other hand, there is nothing wrong with incorporating elements from artists you respect and using them to inspire original music. If you like a certain style of drumbeat, incorporate it in your music! Learning to imitate certain elements of music is a good way to really push yourself to learn the most you can about the programs and technology available. For instance, programming synthesizers is sometimes easier if you have a certain sound in mind that you want. As you modify all the parameters, you will begin to learn more about the synth you are using and its features. It is possible you may end up creating the kind of sound you want, or something new and original. K.I.S.S. K.I.S.S. stands for “Keep It Simple, Stupid!â€. I learnt about this principal when I was taking high school math classes, but I find it can apply to art as well. In math it means using the simplest method to solve a problem, in music it is about keeping your production simple but efficient. You do not want to swamp yourself with too many details when you first begin creating music. This is one reason I suggest using a simple setup at first (a computer, midi controller, and software) instead of taking out a second mortgage on your home and building a studio before you know how to create a drumbeat. You should start off with a simple program and a few software synthesizers, but try and master them the best you can. If you are a guitarist, I suggest purchasing one of those small soundcards with a guitar input which are available from companies such as m-audio. Don’t buy a new piece of equipment until you really need it. This will also help you save money in the long run. I hope these tips were useful, stay tuned for more. |
| Good [+1]Toggle ReplyLink» Deadfunk replied on Sun Jan 7, 2007 @ 7:17pm |
 Coolness: 153090 | yeah, i know people who bought lots of gears, and didnt even finished 1 complete medium sounding track... |
| I'm feeling angelkoreish x 10000 right now.. | |
| Good [+1]Toggle ReplyLink» rawali replied on Mon Jan 8, 2007 @ 3:04pm |
 Coolness: 140770 | uuuh... wtf is anyone else seing what i see? |
| I'm feeling a storm brewing right now.. | |
| Good [+1]Toggle ReplyLink» bob_ replied on Mon Jan 8, 2007 @ 3:54pm |
 Coolness: 102290 | pretty cool Scott :) |
| I'm feeling pfft heheh right now.. | |
| Good [+1]Toggle ReplyLink» regimental911 replied on Mon Jan 8, 2007 @ 5:46pm |
 Coolness: 134355 | yes i see .
can you hook up some eq charts and mastering help. something that will help everyone and not just someone on his or her first day of production. |
| I'm feeling monster reggie right now.. | |
| Good [+1]Toggle ReplyLink» ufot replied on Mon Jan 8, 2007 @ 5:50pm |
 Coolness: 93185 | yea, looks like u used the kiss method to write that... but its positive and decent advice...
Ufot-better pass the pBj |
| I'm feeling we are dying right now.. | |
| Good [+1]Toggle ReplyLink» Screwhead replied on Mon Jan 8, 2007 @ 5:56pm |
 Coolness: 685675 | There's a guide floating around that's extremely precise about them, can't find it now and don't have time to look for it, but here's a good start:
Kick: Don't tune it too low, and take off the front head, unless you're going for a boxier sound. Take off any "dots" (from any drum, period) that mute the fundamental frequencies. Use those circular foam pads sparingly, if at all. A mid-sized pillow with a heavy weight on it, pressed slightly to the head works well for dampening. Mic off center and back 1 to 2 feet from the head. Experiment. Add 2 to 6dB at 2.5k to 5K, cut 2 to 8dB at 300 to 500hz, add 50 to 100hz. Mid frequencies shouldn't have too sharp of a Q (bandwidth). Snare: Use minimal padding, and tune the bottom head higher than the top head. Hit the snare (slow even quarter notes) and slowly loosen or tighten the snares to change the texture and resonance of the drum. Add 2 to 6dB at 8 to 15Khz. Add low mids at 150 to 300hz to taste. Maybe some roll off (cut) 50 to 60hz. Toms: Add 2 to 10dB at 8k to 12.5k. Cut the mid-bottom 2 to 8dB at 300 to 500hz. Add 2 to 10dB low end from 60 to 80hz, but don't let it get tubby or bloated (try using a peaking section of your eq vs. shelving). Go for a full but even low end. Double headed toms sound best, and I recommend Ambassador heads or Pin Stripe heads all around. The newer, the better. Stretch them out well before pressing the record button so they don't de-tune halfway into the song. Sigh. I don't compress drums. Lots of people do. The Beatles did. But when I'm mastering a project and they artist brings in their computer to go direct into my mastering system, I take off the compression from the drums (in almost all cases) if the artist has added it. So at the very least, wait till the mix to limit or compress, if it's needed or preferred. That way your tracks aren't locked into being over compressed. BEST: The drummer should focus on playing consistent volumes in most pop music. I know. You can replace all the sounds with V-Drums and Pro Tools. Isn't all that technology cool? Yep. Ah, but what about when you go to play live at your gigs, you want your drums to sound awesome? Best to have awesome drums without Pro Tools. It's worth it. Don't over-play. Record producers can hear a showoff a mile away. They can also hear a great groove a mile away, and that will get you farther in the long run. Forget impressing other drummers. Bass: Sheesh. This is the most challenging instrument to get right, next to acoustic piano. I get more low end problems in the mastering studio than anything. Remember, the kic should have more low-low like 50 to 80hz (unless you're doing 808 or hip hop stuff, in which case go for 120 to 180hz), and the bass should have more mid-bottom from 150 to 200hz, and from 1K to 3K for clarity. Use wide bandwidth. Too many times I see people using very sharp bandwidth on their eq. Be a little more conservative unless you're going for a really really rad gonzo sound of some sort. Optional to roll some highs off the bass from 7K to 12K, but not so much that it takes the overtones out. Compress the bass in tracking and mixing if necessary. Be conservative in tracking, and do whatever it takes in mixing. Bass should be consistent and even in the music. Bass amps mostly add a sound color. They're not the greatest in every case, but they can be cool. Oh yes. The clunker strings have got to go unless you want that retro blues sound. Play tight with the drummer. Compliment each other and use the best direct box you can find. Guitars: This is a very full-frequency instrument, whether it's acoustic or electric. Guitars should be clear, full, warm, tight, big... you name it. Be creative. listen, adjust, experiment and compare to commercial cds. Think wide mids from 150 to 400hz, but don't let it get boxy. If it sounds boxy, cut from 250 to 500hz. Add mids from 900hz to 3.5k for clarity and bite. Keep it smooth (and good mic pre's really help). Easy on the top end but add if it makes a subtle difference. Don't over compress the guitars in tracking - lean more toward doing that in the mix. Again, the clunker strings have got to go, unless you're going for that 50's Guild sound. Vocals: THE BIGGEST KEY FOR VOCALS IS TO USE A DE-ESSER. Yes a great mic and a great pre makes a big difference. So does a great headphone mix. But dig, a de-esser takes out the spitty sibilant sounds of the ss's and zz's and ch's... It's simply a high frequency limiter. When I'm mastering, I do a lot of de-essing, and it's really better to do it in tracking and mixing so that I'm not ducking other highs in the mix. Please, go out and buy one today! I know. You're saving up for that cool tube pre/eq/A-D/mega all-in-one-box goodie. Trust me. Go buy a de-esser first. Any brand. De-essers allow you to add upper mids and highs so the voice rises above the track but it doesn't spit at you whenever the singer sings an S. Just don't over do the de-essing because the voice will start to lisp. Add 12.5k to 15K for air and clarity. 2.5 to 3.5k for distinction and edge. 100 to 200 for warmth, but roll off the 50hz. And remember, people hear the beat, but they move to the groove relationship established by the vocals. Particularly, well placed syncopation. Insist on having the mix you want in your headset. Commonly, people take off one headphone so they can hear themselves live when tracking. Caffeine and alcohol dry out your vocal chords, so stick with water. Set the mic pre's a little lower, in case the singer belts a few surprises out. Watch for distortion carefully. It can happen in many different places along the way - the mic, the pre, the board, the compressor... just give yourself enough headroom because a great take may happen only once... Compress in tracking and mixing. Smooth tube compressors are nice, but not essential. Don't be shy about compressing in the mix. Listen to commercial cds, compare, adjust, experiment, repeat. Acoustic piano: Miking is the key. I know, you've got a great sampler. Cool. Piano, either way, can go from clear to warm to wide to tinny depending on the song. Stereo miking is best, usually using large capsule mics, but hey, an AKG 451 works nicely too. The mics should be a couple feet from each other pointing slightly away from each other, perhaps a foot or more away from the strings. The phase component of anything stereo is important, especially piano. I tend to put a little extra top end on when tracking - you can always pull off top in the mix and bring down noise at the same time. 2.5k is a nice place to get clarity, 60 to 120hz for bottom (keep it big, but even), 8 to 15k for overtones. But sometimes less is more. Two AKG C12s and a vintage tube mic pre plugged direct, no eq, to analog 30 ips tape... aaaahhhhh! Now that's sound! Less is more as we say. Synths: Ah, the sky's the limit. Direct signals can be awesome, or they can be sterile. The playing and the arrangement of the track is the key. Some things need compression, some don't. This one is too broad to attach any formula. Heck, none of this is a steadfast rule. Breaking the rules makes great recordings sometimes. So does going back to basics and practicing your instrument more. It's all good. Strings, horns, solo instruments: Well, the mics and pre's really make a big difference here. There's not enough time to go over every instrument, but as an example, I mic sax in front of the bell with a dynamic mic, and from the side (by the holes) with a U87 or other large-capsule condenser mic. The more combinations you try, the better. Experiment, compare to commercial cds, adjust, repeat. At the risk of repeating myself, comparing your mixes side-by-side with commercial cds is the most important part of this whole article. Do it over and over. Spend 30 minutes within a 4 hour mix listening to other cds. It's like having a million dollar reference at your fingertips, and it keeps you out of "mix blindness." Update » Screwhead wrote on Mon Jan 8, 2007 @ 5:57pm this is done mainly for recording instruments, but the techniques for the EQing can be used for electronic stuff. |
| I'm feeling craptacular right now.. | |
| Good [+1]Toggle ReplyLink» regimental911 replied on Mon Jan 8, 2007 @ 6:04pm |
| Coolness: 134355 | thank you soooo fuckin much FRED |
| I'm feeling lil' reg loc' right now.. | |
| Good [+1]Toggle ReplyLink» greatjob replied on Mon Jan 8, 2007 @ 8:08pm |
 Coolness: 282540 | hahaha, this rules! Im applying EVERYTHING Fred's talking about and everything seems to fall right in my LAP!
WOW!!!!!! |
| Good [+1]Toggle ReplyLink» volo replied on Mon Jan 8, 2007 @ 8:45pm |
 Coolness: 40955 | If Fred is falling right into your lap, he probably isn't talking much. |
| I'm feeling phuk'n gruuvin right now.. | |
| Good [+1]Toggle ReplyLink» nothingnopenope replied on Tue Jan 9, 2007 @ 12:08am |
| Coolness: 201310 | most of the article Fred mentioned is about recording though, if you are dealing with high quality drum samples you don't have to worry as much.
Reggie: Eq and mastering are very subjective it's not really possible to make a chart on how to do it, it's mostly from experience. Update » nothingnopenope wrote on Tue Jan 9, 2007 @ 12:10am for some reason the pasted text is fucked up, you should just read it off my site
direct link: [ www.scottyp-music.com ] |
| Good [+1]Toggle ReplyLink» HappyChop replied on Wed Jan 10, 2007 @ 2:47pm |
 Coolness: 36800 | .... good times! |
| I'm feeling less deep right now.. | |
5 Tips For New Producers
| Page: 1 |
[ Cumbre de Página ] |
Post A Reply |
You must be logged in to post a reply.
[ Cumbre de Página ] |
