How To Get Smooth and Open Top End On Your Mixes (Fabfilter Pro-Q3 and Weiss De-esser)

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Today I share a trick to get smooth, open, silky and controlled top end on your mixes. For this I use a combination of EQ and de-essing to boost up the overall high frequencies while keeping it controlled. I made sure to exaggerate this trick to show you how it works but feel free to use it as much or as little as you like depending on your own tastes. I recommend trying it on vocals and other instruments as well!
Hey, my name's Josh and I'm a mastering engineer at Viking Lounge Mastering and apart of the audio team at Tommirock Studios. I want to make videos that help you on your audio journey so you can release better quality music! Let me know if there's any topic you want to know about in regards to audio, production, recording, mixing or mastering and I'd be happy to make a video about it.

[@AdelSweezy]

waw ! impressevly transparant ! thanks for the video

[@Prodby_duke]

This is the best review I’ve seen for the Weiss de esser. Thank you 🙏🏾

[@Josh.Bartel]

Wow I’m glad you got some value from the video! Great to hear, thanks 🙂

[@devincrenshaw4865]

Lots of videos I've been looking for on this topic aren't helpful. But the before and after at the beginning is exactly what I'm going for.

[@JustinGamana]

Bro, you deserve more attention, your tutorials are really good!

[@user-qh5uy8xi5m]

Im really enjoying whit ur tutorial

[@Cefshah]

Nice video!! 🙂💛

[@ABS_AD77]

Hi Josh, great to know you are using the DS1 MK3 wondering if the plugin version is better than Fabfilter ProL2. Thanks for a great video. Thank you.

[@pvalenti]

There's no arguing the quality of the Weiss stuff. However, I am interested to know if you have explored De-Essing with the Pro Q3? I tried for hours to find a video that "properly" explains and illustrates it and the only thing I found was a video by some guy who used a thin band which almost nobody ever does. My experience tells me that a high shelf at 5k with a slight dip of maybe 1-3db and a threshold of -5db on the dynamic should give the approximate experience. Then of course adjust to taste. I was however frankly amazed not to see any videos on this?!

[@Josh.Bartel]

Wow since there’s no video I’d love to cover it! I have tried de-essing with the pro-q3 with similar settings to what you mentioned and it does work, but I personally wasn’t a fan. It sounded slightly more processed and less natural that the Weiss stuff. But maybe it would be cool to do some kind of shootout video for everyone to listen 🙂

[@pvalenti]

@@Josh.Bartel yeah my thoughts were to try and do a bunch of different types of de-essing and show it with a Multiband comp, a dynamic eq, and an actual De-esser. The Weiss stuff is incredible and while I have it and most of the other popular offerings, the heck of showing that is most folks won't have it. FabFilter Pro DS is a fairly decent mid-priced offering. There are several free offerings but they give dodgy results. I haven't heard anything that beats the Weiss though.