When you're mixing down a sampled beat...

[Cell 2Dee]

Do you usually have the sample at a higher level or the drums? Or the same? Just a quick question...

 

[Relic]

Depends on how your using the sample, it all has to jell together..
Is it a break? Or a vocal? or some inst? Horns? Strings? Gtr?
It has to fit in the mix to me.

 

[Schizo-Manic]

It depend I try to keep everything balanced, but I like my drums to be out front

 

[LDB]

It depend I try to keep everything balanced, but I like my drums to be out front

yeah....I usually mix too and around my drums. This is hip hop/rap......shit, urban music period....the drums are always the show stopper imo.

 

[Cell 2Dee]

yeah....I usually mix too and around my drums. This is hip hop/rap......shit, urban music period....the drums are always the show stopper imo.

I guess so. Thanks for the advice fam, appreciate it.

 

[The Arkitekt]

Whatever sounds good/what your going for.

 

[Shonsteez]

Word, like LDB said, your drums, bass, and vocal are your power structure so you need to mix around those elements once you get them hittin right first.
Samples can be much trickier then synth stuff since theres going to be artifacts in the samples that often conflict with existing frequencies in your mix already....So the big trick with mixing samples is to determine what frequencies are unwanted and remove them via EQ.

 

[The Arkitekt]

Ya, good info. If theres a sound in the sample thats too low and you want to bring it up without effecting the other stuff, crush the shit out of it. One good tip I read about before is, start with all the faders down, turn the vocals up, then turn everything up around the vocals (id usually start with the kick, then snare, then hi hat, then sample, then other stuff).

 

[Cell 2Dee]

Word, like LDB said, your drums, bass, and vocal are your power structure so you need to mix around those elements once you get them hittin right first.
Samples can be much trickier then synth stuff since theres going to be artifacts in the samples that often conflict with existing frequencies in your mix already....So the big trick with mixing samples is to determine what frequencies are unwanted and remove them via EQ.

How can I tell what frequencies need EQ'ing? How do I determine the frequencies of a sample?

 

[Cell 2Dee]

Ya, good info. If theres a sound in the sample thats too low and you want to bring it up without effecting the other stuff, crush the shit out of it. One good tip I read about before is, start with all the faders down, turn the vocals up, then turn everything up around the vocals (id usually start with the kick, then snare, then hi hat, then sample, then other stuff).

Nice advice, I'll remember that. Thanks man.

 

[Schizo-Manic]

Its also good to have an idea on what direction your trying to go with the track, instead of just siting down doing everything randomly. If you want it to be dirty or grimey/ clean and smooth. It's like a chess game once you have everything sequenced and arranged then you gotta get everything to sound good but I usually do rough mix as I go so I'm not doing double work I'm just accustomed to that process. Every sample is different although I find it more challenging turning shit into sugar.

 

[The Arkitekt]

How can I tell what frequencies need EQ'ing? How do I determine the frequencies of a sample?

In short, graphic EQ and your ears.

 

[The Arkitekt]

Its also good to have an idea on what direction your trying to go with the track, instead of just siting down doing everything randomly. If you want it to be dirty or grimey/ clean and smooth. It's like a chess game once you have everything sequenced and arranged then you gotta get everything to sound good but I usually do rough mix as I go so I'm not doing double work I'm just accustomed to that process. Every sample is different although I find it more challenging turning shit into sugar.

ya good advice, it's really what your going for.

 

[Cell 2Dee]

I see. Anybody got any good links on mixing tracks in Reason?

And thanks again for all the advice peoples, I appreciate it alot, it helps.

 

[The Arkitekt]

I honestly don't know anything about Reason except for tweaking sounds, but i'd use a different DAW for mixing since reason doesn't support VST's. I use FL, but theres lots of different DAWs that are easy, try cubase, I remember it's mixer being mad easy last time I was using it.

 

[Cell 2Dee]

^^^ I've got FL8 so I guess I could use that.

 

[The Arkitekt]

It's all what you feel comfortable using. thedreampolice swears by Reason, says he can get any sound out of it.

 

[Cell 2Dee]

It's all what you feel comfortable using. thedreampolice swears by Reason, says he can get any sound out of it.

Well I used to mess with FL, so it should be easy enough to get back into it.

 

[The Arkitekt]

ya if your used to it then use that.

 

[LDB]

How can I tell what frequencies need EQ'ing? How do I determine the frequencies of a sample?

I wouldn't bank on the "use your ears" advice simply for the fact that it takes a trained ear to do so. You can start training your ears for it but you probably need a visual aid to help you until then.

Your visual aid would be a frequency analyzer. I don't think one comes with Reason. Once you get the hang of Ableton, finding a vst freq analyzer or using the one that comes with Ableton will help u. Even if you get your ears trained the listening environment may not be optimal to where you can trust what you hear. Having a visual aid and training your ears at the same time is the best approach I think. All u would have to do with the analyzer is solo that particular track that has the sample and you can visually see where in the frequency range it resides.

And don't go backwards and start using FL for that. Unless you have a serious catalog of sounds (which u don't) stick with Reason. Minus the ability to use VST you have an excellent music program. You just need to apply yourself and learn Ableton or another DAW like Logic, Pro Tools, Nuendo or Cubase.