How do i make my samples sound thicker

T

TheMost

Guest
Almost everytime i sample, my beats dont sound as thick because of the sample. Even the drums seem to take the samples sound as they dont sound as crisp compare to when i do a beat with no sample.
I do Eq the sample in a way that i lose thebass of the original maybe that dosent help but still i listen to some beats and some dont lose that thickness to the beat.
 

LDB

Banned
ill o.g.
Battle Points: 73
You basically answered the question with your question! In order to make anything "thick" sounding you have to have some bass frequency's or do some creative layering. The real question is why do you feel the need to remove all the bass frequency out from your samples? I only make my samples "more thin" for certain chops of certain instruments, for example strings that aren't ensembles or some guitars maybe.

I'd eq and cut below say 140hz but I definitely wouldn't remove all bass if you want it thick. If you're thinning the sample out for clarity and presence, layer the thinned out sample on top or the original sample and pan each out a little. Don't totally make it a stereo pan but move each out say L15 R 17. This can make it sound "bigger" and more thick.
 

H&R

DJ Nice // Crack City
ill o.g.
You have to EQ your samples correctly and also you can add // layer in your own basslines
behind the sample ... Add in instruments // melodies over the sample as well ... Layering
will give you that thickness and you can also eq to get thickness.
 
T

TheMost

Guest
.

The real question is why do you feel the need to remove all the bass frequency out from your samples?
QUOTE]

Because if i wana add my own bassline to it or sometimes the kicks or something interfere with my drums
 
T

TheMost

Guest
Yeah i probably do because as far as creativity, finding samples or composing for scratch is not realy a problem.
 
The quick fix to thicken a sample is to add a delay that is very fast, around 32ms and pan the original slightly left and the delay slightly right, or you can use the scream distortion in a similar way. Both have there slight differences but can both thicken a sound. The hard way is by layering sounds that are in exactly the right key matching the sample note for note and quantised just right. To stop bass clash, you need to eq each element just right, kicks drop off around 70hz with a small boost at 85-95hz and dropping off the top end around 250-300hz , And basslines drop off around 40-50hz I use the bassline to cover the lower frequencies that the kick dont go to, equally the bassline drops off around 250hz. I could be a little wrong on exact frequencies as Im still trying to get the equing right myself, but thats just the way I do things.
 

Ash Holmz

The Bed-Stuy Fly Guy
ill o.g.
Battle Points: 207
if a sample need very extensive processing for it to sound the way u want it to u might be better off leaving it alone. anything with heavy kicks is a turn off for me ... but if bass is your problem why not just play ur own bass over the top? or just eq more bass in and use the bassline from the original sample. Some shit is just inflippable though .. half the battle is knowing when to sample and when to pass.
 

Lazy Eyes

The Beat Konduktah
ill o.g.
Battle Points: 7
if a sample need very extensive processing for it to sound the way u want it to u might be better off leaving it alone. anything with heavy kicks is a turn off for me ... but if bass is your problem why not just play ur own bass over the top? or just eq more bass in and use the bassline from the original sample. Some shit is just inflippable though .. half the battle is knowing when to sample and when to pass.

Right, when you get a sample which has off beat drumming.. Best leave that shit alone. It's almost impossible to chop that and replay it in a matter that will come out nice.
 

luxx

ILLIEN
ill o.g.
word ash that shit has to either work or be mega tight to spend time eq ing and trying 2fiddle wit
 

Shonsteez

Gurpologist
ill o.g.
Battle Points: 33
1. Find appropriate samples to begin with.
2. In Reason anyway, a quick fix to simply add more amplitude (not to be confused with what a compressor does) - is to go into the editor on the XT and highlight all samples in that patch>then copy those>and paste those back into the editor so that you have a clone of each sample.
You usually get at least 3db of gain after you do that and as long as the sound that you double arent effected individually later so that each pair still matches you shouldnt run into any phasing issues.
3. If you still need more oomph, try adding a compressor. The new M-Class really works good even though the old standard still does the job ok too. You have better attack and release ratios on the M-Class though IMO.
4. Also like 2Good said, you can add a really short delay to the signal as well and try panning the return around. This renders a different sound and feel though but it can still be effective if used at the right times on the right samples.

My 2 Yen.
 

LonChainy

ILLIEN
ill o.g.
Yes follow what Shon said...but how i like to do it, which is an oldschool trick with drums, but works great for samps.. is highlight all your chops in the XT and then copy that 2 times in the XT so you have 3 sections of the chops...then apply different filtering to each section..for example..have you first section a lowpass then your second section in the more middle freq's the the third on the hi end. Then just toy around with the different filter settings for each section till you get something that sounds like you want..oh and another tip...convert your samples to mono before importing into XT..it will squash some hi's (which you can always bring back out with eq)..and if you need things to sound a lil stereo you can always do the pseudo stereo with delay.....unroute the XT then create a delay right under it...run the L output of the XT into the L input of the delay...then the L output of the delay to the L input of the mixer..then take the R output of the XT to the R input of the mixer set your delay to ms at about 40 then toy with the feedback and the dry/wet knobs to get the spread you want..when said and done..apply some moderate compression to gel it
 

Shonsteez

Gurpologist
ill o.g.
Battle Points: 33
Compressors are to increase and decrease the dynamics of the song. it really wont help to thicken out the sample.

But people commonly perceive or more so refer to something sounding fatter or fuller once its ran through a compressor so for arguments sake I think if anything he helped add some positive feedback even though its not technically the 1st correct approach to making something sound fatter, but then what it is?...

Im just sayin that cuz theres always modern conventions that we all follow to start somewhere to approach acquiring a sound in your mix - but it is music and im a big advocate of experimentation and trying whatever the fuck u think of as long as in the end; sonically your not taking a shit on the song as a whole in regards to dynamics, frequency spectrum, phase issues, and maintaining the natural sound of the source files as much as possible.
 

wizard

ILLIEN
ill o.g.
Battle Points: 141
i mess around with the nnxt i use 2 of them and i mess around with the filters on the nnxt
my fisrt nnxt has a scream and a control efc-42

my second one has a default mastering suite and a scream
so there for i use one for my lows and a nother on for my high!!
a little trick too i do is turn the bass all the way off in the mixer in the one u want more highs in!
but u cant over do!! and a little vocoder usage will do fine!!
 
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