You Suck at Mixing #5: Analyzing a Track Using EQ

In this week's episode, we'll learn how to use an EQ to analyze an existing track and see how different instruments are distributed across the frequency spectrum. Wowzers!
Watch Will Marshall's video here: • Mixing Tips | Track An...
How should your mix sound like? Sure, you can use your ears, but when has that ever worked? Instead, having a couple reference tracks to go back to while you’re mixing down your track is incredibly useful in making sure you have a target with what you want your song to sound like.
Become a supporter on Patreon: / yousuckatprod. .
Watch more You Suck at Mixing: www.youtube.co....
Listen to Underbelly's Official Releases: open.spotify.c....
Join my Discord: / discord
Join my Subreddit: / wesuckatproducing
----
Follow Underbelly:
/ djunderbelly
/ underbeiiy
/ djunderbelly
/ yousuckatproducing
open.spotify.c....

[@doppelmeyer]

He sounds like he’s being condescending and understanding at the same time. This is a thing of beauty

[@leearmstrong9325]

Nailed it, guy is being cruel to be kind. Amazing tutorial

[@leearmstrong9325]

@@BrandonAdams1010 lol

[@NazAlex]

Just like my uncle Joe.

[@overundah]

The amount of knowledge dropped in this video tho.

[@JamesRamboPearce]

Makes other tutorials seem bullshit

[@skyboundzoo7529]

This whole series is enlightening

[@benja303]

EQ Tonal Balance - Track Analysis Tips -Analyze others tracks to learn what to do -Headphone Icon in top right allows you to isolate frequency band -If Kick and Bass are tuned to same note they may clash - Fundamentals and Overtones are Octaves apart and frequencies doubled is the distance between them. -Tuning Drums to key of song allows you to lock in tonality Basically what he is showing is how to sweep through a track and see where each sound really lives fundamentally and where thee overtones spread out to. -Full frequency sounds need there space and no competion Takeaway: Learn to compose your tracks so they dont clash.

[@bittygame]

That's an amazing summary. Thanks.

[@shabu5072]

Dude I edit sfx on Sony Vegas Pro 14

[@JohnPaulBuce]

deadmau5

[@angelov2878]

best tutorials on youtube, even a dingus could follow these techniques

[@BibleStorm]

A dingus might have a hard time translating this all from Ableton to a different DAW, but you are right. Quality explaining going on here, I just need to find a plugin that eq's AND tells you all the frequencies

[@rwalden87]

@@BibleStorm Fab Filter Pro Q 3 - changed my life. Logic user here. Logic stock eq is great, but FFPQ3 does it all and more. Transparent and easy to use.

[@ksj2936]

Wowzers

[@SeanMarsh]

The amount of shit I learn by being treated like an idiot Derek, whilst loving every single second of it is both amazing and humbling.

[@gilliangilliangillian]

i am satisfied,,, my skin is cleansed,, my crops are watered,,, my village was saved from famine,,,,

[@S_RANKYGO]

Gillian Halkola do I like the post or keep it at 69.

[@nate5051]

@oh no you evil man

[@jonvenanzi5951]

this should seriously be a standardized video for producers. great technique overview and compare/listen approach

[@yougotta2505]

your style of teaching ... you saved me so much time... thank you! so many videos on youTube of folks trying to show off and they either don't know what they're talking about or terrible at teaching. you saved me so much time

[@jeronic05]

Wow, great tutorial. Finally someone clears out some basic but essential eq-techniques.

[@Matias_Sosa_Music]

I just discoveres this chanel. It's a gold mine!!! Your explanations are simple and well done. Good job!!!

[@WillyJunior]

Oh queso check it.

[@vvsmonte]

great tutorial, great shitsong

[@theLucasGavin]

I’ve been struggling to understand this aspect of eq. I know I needed to be doing it but I didn’t have a fundamental understanding as to why other then it’s making room for stuff. This helps a ton. Hey, thanks guy. 👍🏼

[@kieranunsworth3736]

Possibly the most valuable video in existence for producing EDM music

[@dawin6710]

The overtones of any bass note is always a perfect 5th above the bass note. Use your eq8 analyser and you'd see that I am right. So it's not SRILKEX that is doing anything by design(4:56). Play a single note e.g. A (108 Hz) you'd get an overtone A(216 Hz) an octave above A and also an E (334 Hz) a perfect 5th above A. I don't know why, that said. It's good to be able to analyse and thank you for showing me just that. Now let's make sure you understand what you need to understand from the result and are not getting more confused than you were before you started analysed.

[@loganadams2058]

I think he meant that Sirklixis decided to keep that frequency by making a further right low-pass. I don't hear any of the bass's overtones above 334 Hz, so there is a low pass after.

[@MrOhioutod]

The first overtone is always an octave. The second overtone is a perfect fifth above that octave. Overtones are whole number multiples of frequencies. If the fundamental is X, there are overtones at 2X, 3X, 4X, 5X, etc... Because our perception of pitch is logarithmic, as we go higher up the frequency spectrum, those overtones get closer together when viewed as notes on a keyboard. Having said that, Logan is 100% correct and you completely misunderstood what he was saying in the video, so maybe it's you who should not be more confused than you were before you started commenting.

[@groverv358]

second overtone is # times the fundamental, basically octave of the actual fifth.

[@worthlesscontentclub]

Theres nothin better than raging with the boys to some Srilkex and Herpstuck

[@MrAndersonDJ]

This man is a national treasure. And should be protected at all cost

[@MaclinB]

My favorite video of yours yet. Ty UB.

[@jaedii7287]

Wow never thought of tuning drums up in fifths.

[@mestresplinter2467]

wowsers*

[@theswamps6589]

@@mestresplinter2467 wanted to like but didnt want to destroy the beauty

[@datguy4104]

I never thought of tuning drum 😅

[@Itsmeitscharles]

Great tutorial and really well delivered as usual. Easily some of the best informative music production videos on KZbin - Thanks!

[@vicioussuspicious894]

I click on like before even watching these episodes. You know it's going to be good.

[@bonchbonch]

The exaggerated air inhalation before sentences cracks me up every time.

[@jonvenanzi5951]

dood i havent seen your vids for a bit and i love that you keep the same adlibs going but they sound even more natural now haha wowzerz

[@jaynaidu03]

even I was never ready to go to school and now I am watching your video :D I love your knowledge sharing .. keep updating us

[@RILCOMusic]

Please keep it up man, your tutorials are super helpful for me trying to produce my own record.

[@MattMosca17]

this is the most helpful video you've ever made. thanks dude!

[@EarGuru101]

Wow man. I agreed last year that I suck at mixing. now I agree even more.

[@dadadrew]

Great breakdown of instruments notes and frequemcies

[@kuhliloach8842]

Usefulbelly

[@Mind_Splitter]

Also, Would love to see an analyse series where you analyze popular tracks like this!

[@cippunk91]

Amazing tutorials man, that is exactly what I was looking for! Thank you so much for sharing this.

[@SVN62534]

Best channel on youtube, no debate.

[@hot_take_chops_breaks]

Dropping gems!! Couldn't have picked a more annoying song. Love it

[@KonqProductions]

Holy cow, this was super helpful, thank you sir underbelly

[@Del-Playa]

Sausage lengthener my favorite plugin

[@philippeduprez2593]

Interesting and funny as usual .Intéressant et marrant comme à chaque fois.

[@mikemikeson9174]

Sounds like when Derek s not ready to go to school. Man

[@Meth0dMan32]

this is ridiculously insightful, great video

[@Smogglymoff]

Solid advice, and entertaining. I'd rate 808/808.

[@iam.introspect8456]

Your videos are incredibly valuable. Thank you my friend.

[@troywakeman]

4:00 You mentioned the kick (G) and bass (E) are tuned to different notes so they can each be heard. However, most common advice always says to tune both your kick and bass to the root of the track. So what should you do? 3:15 Never knew that the reason why most EDM tracks are in E/F/G is because of speaker limitations in the low frequencies. That’s fascinating. I guess the thought is you want those bass frequencies playing the lowest note possible while still being reproducible, which would be an E (40hz).

[@Submachine_]

ears

[@Bittamin]

The level of knowledge is wowsers to me

[@fullstackdev95]

he : so checkit me: *checking everything*

[@poindextertunes]

this is fkn crazy I’ve been bass enhancing overtones for a decade w/ no clue why or how it worked 😂

[@darnellloyd376]

Wowzers. This really helped😄

[@drutgat2]

Many thanks for this.

[@JamesRamboPearce]

This was super useful, wow! Good shit

[@crimewavbeats5532]

This channel is informative and hilarious

[@dawin6710]

Ok, now how do you get the overtones of an E (3:32)bass note to occur in B (4:50)? . Using a Renaissance bass plugin or something? I mean it's good to analyse but it's even better to reproduce then. lol

[@someobscuremusic2553]

It just naturally happens. That's how instruments work. If it doesn't have that overtone, add some saturation/distortion to add extra overtones.

[@cowbless]

Most synths have at least 2 oscillators. You can tune one oscillator to a fifth easily.

[@Misayah29]

In case you still had questions, its due to the harmonic series. B falls in the harmonic series of E. You can find a calculator for it online if you need to. The harmonic series occurs naturally. When you play one note, you will hear overtones of many other notes. In E's case, you hear E E B E Ab B D E F# etc. The further from the original E you go, the closer those intervals become which is why you see Ab B D E and F# next to each other at the top. Those are the high harmonics which sit next to each other.

[@amonchhetri1053]

another great tuto..thanks!

[@JohnPaulBuce]

i like it when he just dropped the number in the thumbnail

[@SHIFTnopistons]

Thanks for another great video.

[@ozwaltreacts4709]

That was really helpful. Thanks man.

[@Mind_Splitter]

What would one do to add an overtone to the bass a perfect fifth up? Would you just have another sub/bass layer with the note changed (this case a B) and then highpass it so it doesn't fuck with the Lower sub note? or probably a bandpass filter?

[@Thefi5thdnb]

Create a duplicate track of your main bass then increase the pitch by 6 semi tones I think. Then spread it wider than your original bass sound for more girth. If you use serum you can remove fundemental in the wave edit part to save completely having to highpass it. :)

[@FdUpNews]

Great video!

[@MDWORMS]

never thought id enjoy something so condescending, wowzers indeed.

[@davidroberts5391]

I took a YSAP bath and it was good, I am worthless - thanks for re-affirming it.

[@rutgermurphy2992]

How this ended up in my recommendations?? Me: Trying to mix what I thought was a fire mixtape FBI guy:

[@B7musicstudio]

10:12 "I'm wonderbelly" ...don't know if that's what you meant to say, but it makes me kind of uncomfortable.

[@BibleStorm]

Wonderbelly hahaha. The belly of infinite wonders

[@Timbrook8gpb]

Great song choice :) very informative soup, keep up the good work ya dingus

[@billwarner213]

2:50 What does it mean that there is all that signal from 10Hz to 30Hz - wouldn't/shouldn't that have all been high-passed out so there's nothing down there? Just curious!

[@tomvaylo]

you absolutely awesome haha

[@davidmurray591]

What can you do when the key of your song changes a lot and you're trying to tune your drums to the right key? Do you have to make a new track with a new EQ that matches the key change?

[@b00ts4ndc4ts]

Watch a upload about the circle of 5ths and find what notes are in each scale. If your kick is tuned to E (for dance music) check E minor of E major scale.

[@maxschraven]

oh wowzers

[@sk8rdad]

excellent info

[@AceTheAlien]

Nice. I'll try to apply this in Reason.

[@jasmeerlabeer4591]

wow. my mind has been blown.

[@cassettepat]

Tickles me everytime he says wowzers

[@dinkopetrov5154]

This dude is what imagine Dewey from Mlacolm in the Middle becomes.

[@mason8117]

intro song sounds like a quick tempo sample from Animal Crossing and I love it

[@bboymac84]

This was great!! Thank you!!

[@smcmanus13]

This is great. Thank you.

[@FingerPOPInc]

Oh wowzers

[@gavinwhitford5145]

I wonder what person named Derek hurt him there is a lot of hate in Derek and we’ve never heard that backstory

[@jonnohup]

If I'm doing all this by design (the tuning of different pitches of the 'same' sound) - do I therefore need entirely individual bass/kick tracks and channels (with plenty of EQ) for stuff to really snap together ???

[@jonnohup]

--different kick/bass tracks tuned to their respective keys and freqs?

[@cuubed1398]

shit this opened my eyes dude, circle of fifths is fucking everywhere.

[@Kasador]

5:10 Roooooasted! hahaha

[@Ege-h6u]

thanks bro!

[@indiakimakiiiiiiii]

Wow, nobody called me poor in that style before!

[@KingCosmoTheGreat]

Wowzers!

[@anonwhite5056]

god bless you

[@PeterStrijbos]

Dude, thx again. Just one quick question: Is it just me or do your eyebrows keep expanding each tutorial?

[@Stadsjaap]

Genius!

[@wayne5757tw]

and thank you for giving it to us ya dingus!

[@Mushroomhead88]

Wowzers

[@earlgrey2130]

It's funny how he talks about shitty laptops speakers breaking down around 150Hz just as i was writing a comment on how i can't even hear anything around 100Hz. On my laptop. Video is fucking on point.

[@CarterCovers55]

Derek-any frequency below 30Hz?

[@SoundsBy80K]

from #1 to #5 :o

[@MoomooJuice1]

wowzers

[@EarGuru101]

8:44 HAHAHA

[@MonsterDubClub]

Hi Uncle underbelly, Derek here... ...did you say the word "soundcunt" by accident at 7:36? That's no way to talk to the G# who is the major third above E. This note is our friend in the bass world..Ther're intrestign. ps. do you want your slippers back yet? pps.. [EDIT: 7:33 ...]

[@cjthenoisemaker]

Wowzers.

[@homeschooledrapper9174]

Poor Derrick. I'ma pray for him to find a place to be quiet in the background/corner.

[@lunelmo5667]

Hey, is it normal with my macbook pro 2017 the eq 8 is laggy ?

[@RitmosArtesanales]

thank you! now i know that if i heard a screaming child in school hour he has to be around 580Hz

[@vicioussuspicious894]

How can the kick and bass have a lower and upper tone? Is it layerd perhaps?

[@SHIFTnopistons]

Check out "overtones" on wikipedia. Perhaps a little of what you say as well. You could also check out the physics of a drum if you're really interested. The drum skin is tightest near the rim, I think. However, all of it resonates, so you have slightly different rarefactions coming from the same drum hit.

[@vicioussuspicious894]

SHIFTnopistons I see that my question is a bit vague. I ment, how can you automate lower and upper tones within a kick or snare. Layering, pitching and eqing seems to be the only ways. Perhaps bussing a layered instrument and eqing it towards the desired note.

[@BassikMusic]

If its a bass sound, you could have a clean sine fundamental at on osc 1 and the desired sine wave overtone pitch in osc 2 (like a fifth/third higher) or you could find a wave (wavetable synth even) that has the specific overtones you want. For the kick, you might need to eq it to bring out the specific tone and remove others or use other layering techniques. Idk if this is what you meant tho

[@vicioussuspicious894]

Abe Bennett Yeah of course, makes sense. Thanks!

[@xddddxdd119]

9:36 Herpestrakt? lmao

[@pyroghost11]

oookaaay socheckit!

[@radhakrishan7384]

THANKS

[@rvoros]

the moment he starts coughing uncontrollably... :D