Mixing Loud with CTZ - Ep. 16 - Giving sounds their own focus in the spectrum

[@brandanleiter]

When I started making edm, I thought, because of umpteen YT tuts, that by dividing my sounds with surgical precision via steep eq curves, that I was doing myself a favor. After some time I knew it was taking the oomph outta my mix, but I kept doing it because I thought i had to in order to achieve loudness. I really wasn’t privy to some of the techniques used to blend those roll off points. Now I’m glad to see some vindication for my past suspicions of steep eq curves.

[@Theinnersearcher]

This is total GOLD. I thought i was to mak the sounds not overlap. This will be the biggest gamechanger for me.

[@TheFactoryOfMusic]

I have been producing music for nearly 10 years, and this is one of the only channels where I'm still learning new things every video I watch. Thank you for all of your great work! ❤️

[@_acixxx]

You are basically saving lives with these videos

[@cezarcimpeanu6439]

Love the series! Can`t wait for the depth and stereo field sound placement episodes. Everything till this point elevated my production a lot. Thank you very much for sharing all this information!

[@abrahamrodriguez1205]

finally. After years of trying to find info on fitting sounds into their spectrum pockets, one of my favorite tutors uploads this.

[@moosbeat]

Making sound fit together without either making the whole mix boomy or thin Is a really tricky thing to do and requires a lot of practive using the EQ Thanks for the video!

[@queenpurple8433]

Yay finally a video that’s short enough for me to have time to watch!

[@edwardkenemorales]

This amazing Baph - I can't believe you are giving away these knowledge bombs for free. I learn a lot from you vids vs other "masterclass" I bought before. I dont produce electronic music but mainly rock and metal and your advice here I believe is a principle that can be applied to mixing in general regardless of genre.

[@Baphometrix]

It can!

[@Baphometrix]

@@Positive_Tea I've had Metal producers/mixers report good results.

[@molloyvader]

You have a great way of explaining things in detail. Awesome video!

[@muffvn4060]

Heck yes, looking forward to this after work. Yesterday’s video had some huge insightful info. Thanks again

[@moritzathaher]

Love all your CTZ tutorial ❤️

[@pikzel]

Great stuff, and good that you point out that a lot of the tips are specific for Bass music, e.g low pass at 7k. In some genres you want your synths to cover the spectrum, and kick and snare are less important. But this whole guide is aimed at ”loud” genres, so it’s a fair assumption that’s what you’re after.

[@niicolondon]

Excellent, thanks Baphy 🙏

[@Nova_Afterglow]

Listen, all of these videos are important. This video is also very important. The #1 way to achieve professional tonal balance is to slot sounds to their own regions. My songs sound so good since I started slotting properly. Using the tech Baphometrix explains here, your tonal balance will damn near be in place, with very little adjustments needing to me made on the master track. If any need to be made at all. This video is not only good for achieving loud, but achieving a kind of loud that isn’t draining on the ears. A loud that can be listened to for long periods on end without feeling the need to stop listening.

[@cottoo1]

thanks! great advice as always

[@Dagardmusic]

He bakes the episodes...thank you

[@elijah7525]

My speakers get a good rinsing every intro 😎

[@z-boss]

Thank you for your videos Baphy! 🙏

[@us3r11]

Very informative. Thank you

[@purplepeople950]

Another super helpful video dude! Really curious to hear your thought process behind how you work through where to position overlaps. Eg Are you avoiding fundamentals or setting curves around them, do you start with low end as an anchor or a lead instrument and how do you decide where to compromise? Sorry so many questions! Typically I put too many sounds in and want them all to sound fat at the same time, really need some advice on where to begin to compromise and what to bring as main focus. Thanks again if you read this far 😅

[@Baphometrix]

It's a bit of an artform and subjective judgement, but overall the process is: solo the tracks of sounds that happen at the same time (overlapped or layered). Listen to the problem areas by soloing some spectral bands, and listen for the types of problems I talked about in this video and in the previous episode. If you hear problems, then try some EQ bracketing to help focus each sound in a way that minimizes those problems.

[@djkillertomatotv]

Keep up the good work!

[@a.t.onthebeat2016]

I low-key needed this still. Lol

[@thegroove2000]

THE BATH IS FUCKING KILLING IT.

[@NevilleDMusicTV]

I am a christian, but there is just no other way to say it, lol.

[@Jaburu]

@@NevilleDMusicTV lol

[@OrenK266]

Word of caution, just installed the new Kclip (3.5.0), they rewrote the code and changed the wave viewer in ways I did not like, and above all it seems cpu load went up. only checked it briefly but happy I saved a copy of old version pre install.

[@Baphometrix]

Good to know! Please give feedback to Kazrog!

[@tomaytto9407]

What version were you on before? Because 3.2.4 is causing havoc on my Windows machine in Studio One 5. A 3090 and a 5950x should be able to handle it!

[@Baphometrix]

@@tomaytto9407 This is very odd. I've been running 3.2.4 on Windows (in both Studio One and Bitwig) for a year and never had/have a problem.

[@tomaytto9407]

@@Baphometrix Strange indeed. I haven't owned it for long (got it on your recommendation a couple of weeks ago!) so I'm not too familiar with how it's expected to behave but it frequently causes my graphics to go haywire (all plugin windows blacked out, SO5 errors about GPU rendering and unresponsive GUI) and audio to cut in and out when I open the GUI or load a new instance. My default preset is set to 1x oversampling on playback so it's not like I'm pushing it with CPU cycles or anything. I'm going to try the new version out to see if that fixes anything but keeping hold of the 3.2.4 files just in case.

[@Baphometrix]

I did some testing of 3.5 vs 3.2.4. Deets here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/op28nICdr8afmsU

[@yuulian4776]

It is a good practice to use a sidechain eq for instruments or sample that I would normally cut above 250hz? I sidechain it to my 808. For example, I cut my sample (mid range instruments) with a low cut untill 100-150 and then just use a dynamic low shelf (808 is sidechained to it) for when the 808 hit.

[@Baphometrix]

It all depends on what you're trying to accomplish. If your 808 has some mid- and high-frequency content (harmonics) and you want to make sure those aren't masked by your other midrange instrument sounds, then yes, side-chain ducking those to the 808 hits will help.

[@yuulian4776]

@@Baphometrix thank you so much

[@azizarrahim6977]

Hey Baphy hope you're doing well. You've put out so many videos and I haven't missed a single one. I'd just like to say that it would be very nice if you de-essed your voice a bit more before uploading. I don't know if its just me but those ess-es of yours really poke my ears. other than that love that you're giving away this knowledge and that too for free ❤️

[@a.t.onthebeat2016]

QUESTION ❓ To solve frequency masking problems for the tracks I have routed to my SYNTH BUS, I've been using Trackspacer. Yay or Nay? I do understand that it will change the sound since there are attack and release settings, so would it be wiser to use Duck like I've been using to sidechain my KICK SNARE BUS to the SYNTH BUS and KICK to the 808?

[@Baphometrix]

Trackspacer is a very good tool for dynamically de-masking. So is smart:comp in spectral ducking mode. So are some other plugins out there that can do a kind of spectral sidechain ducking across the entire spectrum. I feel that a "spectral" solution (usually with a very large number of FFT bins) is more "surgical" and "precise" and "transparent" in the way it works. But before all the new spectral solutions came along, Trackspacer was the best because under the hood it basically has 31 (or 32?) dynamic EQ bands that are doing the same type of dynamic reverse ducking. In this context of "de-masking", don't worry about the attack/release times. My main advice is to be **gentle** with all these solutions and don't overdo it. The challenge of giving each sound its own focus in the spectrum is whether to do it with static EQ bracketing or with dynamic spectral de-masking. I feel pretty strongly that in MOST cases you want to do it with static EQ bracketing. With "vocals need to sit on top" being the main use case for dynamic spectral de-masking. Why? Because the vocals cover a VERY wide range of the spectrum, and you cannot really EQ bracket them or they sound unnatural.

[@a.t.onthebeat2016]

@@Baphometrix thnx man. Just letting you know I got the message

[@AllmedialabNl]

Hi @Baphometrix, What I'm wondering is say I have a track with a lead synth, do you peak the signal to 0 db (without any clipping), before it go's in to EQ, Compression etc? I understand that the clipping must be at the end of the chain, but what about the level at the beginning of the chain (out of Serum for example!) before and during processing in Compression, EQ etc. Hope you understand my question! Warm Regards David

[@Baphometrix]

You can do anything you want earlier in the device chain for any given track/bus. The dpMeter > Clipper pair always come at the very end of the chain. Process and sound design the signal. Then normalize its peaks to 0 dBFS with dpMeter. If it's too loud in the mix at that point, pull the fader down. If it's still not loud enough even with its peaks hitting 0 dBFS, then drive the input gain into the clipper.

[@AllmedialabNl]

Hi @@Baphometrix, Thanks for your reply! What do you mean with: "Then normalize its peaks to 0 dBFS with dpMeter"? You mean measure the results? I'm using Ableton Live.

[@Baphometrix]

@@AllmedialabNl I don't recommend using Ableton's "Normalize" feature (for audio clips) in the CTZ workflow. Everything is more flexible and adaptable if you use dpMeter5 like I show you in episode 6 of this series.

[@809rdl]

@@Baphometrix Can I instead of pull the fader down, if certain track is too loud in the mix after normalizing it to peak 0 dBFS, can I lower the Outpout in the Clipper? The thought is to only move the faders at the final stage of mix down, but meanwhile working with tracks, just lower the output on the clipper. Does this work or hurt the strategy?

[@Baphometrix]

@@809rdl The idea is to have all your clippers acting as somewhat "neutral" limiters that simply clip peaks that go over 0 dBFS on the pre-fader signals running through each track and bus channel. Things are a lot more simple that way. But if you want to make variations on the basic idea, by all means try them out if they make sense to you!

[@gianlucagranato4472]

Hi Bapho, thanks for sharing your knoledge! Do u know Waves Mv2? It's a compressor that rise low level signal. Useful to reduce crest factor, as u do. Is it good, or do u know alternatives?

[@Baphometrix]

I'm not familiar with that one, sorry.

[@azizarrahim6977]

@@Baphometrix baphy you should really try the MV-2 from Waves. It's a great upwards compressor. I use it almost always after saturation to bring forward little details and subtle nuances. and yes it does decrease crest factor but tbh I don't know how it works under the hood.

[@Jaburu]

Ozone maximizer also now has this

[@Shogunlaw]

Thank you again for this great episode! You don't seem to use any bell curves in the video to create spectral focus for the elements. Is there a specific intention behind that or did the material simply not call for it in this case?

[@Baphometrix]

A single Bell filter? That's not "bracketing" a range of the spectrum (by cutting away everything outside that bracket). A bell filter simply increases gain in that region of the spectrum.

[@kiko8u]

WOOHOO!

[@a.t.onthebeat2016]

Tbh, I was hoping to see how you utilize MIDSIDE EQ teach.

[@Baphometrix]

I'm not a big fan of Mid-Side EQ. I think there are better ways to place/spread sounds in your stereo field, and better ways to control mono-compatibility. I'll be talking about all this stuff in an upcoming episode very soon about giving overlapping sounds their own space in the stereo field.

[@Esben.music1]

Hi Baphometrix. Thanks for your tutorials. I have a question because I always encounter the same issue with vocals. Because always when I mix kick and vocals together than at some point there is distortion. Even on low volume on vocals. Is there anything I really missed? Do I handle vocals and kick differently because I can't side chain the shit out of my vocals ^^

[@LifeSurf123]

So far what I got is that you should use a spectral sidechain like smart comp or track spacer to separate the lowend vocal and sub And a shorter sidechain for the vocal

[@kiko8u]

Hey Baph, have you tried Reference by “mastering the mix”?

[@Baphometrix]

I have. It's not bad by any means. But I prefer the metering and functionality of MetricAB, myself.

[@sahandmz4212]

does masking over 5khz Matters ?

[@Baphometrix]

It's not **masking** so much as resonant build up that contributes a sense of "harshness" (which is different from the piercing harshness you get around 3 Khz).

[@SlayerDarkRaver]

I understand the 7k cut. But I always feel that I'm missing a TON of information when doing that, making the mix feel dull. Even when cymbals are playing at the same time. Which makes me feel that I don't want to do that cut 😕

[@Nova_Afterglow]

7k is a ballpark. I use it as a baseline but when I’m actively mixing, I eq my sounds while the entire track is playing. Baphy taught me that. You can find that perfect place to start rolling off the highs of your tonal sounds. I will also have Tonal Balance pulled up, so I can see how my decisions are getting me farther or closer to my reference. Tonal Balance allows you to import a reference song, so you can see how yours differs. Using this + good slotting is a very powerful way to get your songs sounding professionally produced. If you just don’t roll off any highs on your synths, you will see your Tonal Balance will be way off, with your high end far above where your reference is. A lot of ppl sleep on high end control, but imo it’s just as important as low end control.

[@Baphometrix]

Even with a gentle low pass at 7Khz, a lot of the sound above 7Khz is still there, just attenuated. If you have several sounds all with a lot of energy up there, the attenuation helps to prevent too much resonant build up around that 6-8 K region. And it helps that airy part of the cymbals to have their space in the mix. That said, this is all to personal taste, and every song is different. In some cases you might choose to push the low pass filter point higher, or use a high shelf, or not filter out other sounds at all. Some songs in the dance genres don't really even use hats and cymbals--or shakers, in which case it's all bets off and **something** has to fill out that area of the spectrum. So.... it's just a guideline, and something to consider when you are featuring a lot of bright, aggressive midbass sounds in your mix. Also, as Nova points out, your spectrum analyzer (or Tonal Balance Control, if you use that) can help you understand when there might be too much build up above 7 Khz. It's hard sometimes to hear the buildup because once you're up there it's all just "hiss" and "air"... you don't really hear annoying resonances as pitched whistles quite the same way you do in the tonal regions **below** Khz.

[@SlayerDarkRaver]

@@Nova_Afterglow thanks for answering. Haven't used tonal control. I try to reference using span. I'll experiment with this, perhaps try the demo of tonal control 👌 Every part of the spectrum needs to be controlled, so nothing to really snooze on there in my opinion. Perhaps my ears are shit in the high end so visual guidance might be a sure win :)

[@SlayerDarkRaver]

@@Baphometrix thanks for answering. I looked into my tracks where I've tried this, and turned it off. I've used more steep curves. So that's something I'll change and try again. Also I like the guidelines part you said. Also I might not even get a useful representation of the high end in my ears, so visual guidance with tonal balance could definitely be worth a try, I do reference with span. But reference itself is an artform, so definitely room for improvements there. Thansk for this great series 👏

[@nastika888]

like olweis xd blessed

[@jordanhansell6439]

but what if your clap has low mid information that you dont want? not sure the full spectrum rule applies to all snares and claps

[@Baphometrix]

There are always exceptions to any rule/guideline/best practice.

[@nimck-y2z]

Where did this video mention claps being full spectrum anyway?

[@hitdrumhard]

@@nimck-y2z kzbin.info/www/bejne/mHeZmqpqp9KAg7s

[@j.r.a.inthacut8148]

​@@nimck-y2z 3:57 😏