Mixing mastering question

[brandystarbrite]

After using my ears (just muting tracks) and the spectrum analyzer, it seems the biggest problem are prob the three bassline tracks.

Three basslines?
Wooah!
Now you're packing some serious basslines.

I don't think I can cut frequencies on the basslines, with out killing them. I have put quite a lot of effort into those basslines, to make them sound good.

Tip: Try this experiment for fun.
Hopefully it works. (Don't forget to lower the volume a bit too, when doing this.)
Add an Lmms Bass booster to each one of those basslines.
Listen to each one, one by one and tell me what you think. He! He!
Play around with the knobs too.

[slipstick]

I'd say Brandy has it right there....three bass lines all essentially competing for the same space in the frequency spectrum is always going cause some difficulty.

Another trick to get an idea of what you're doing to your mix is to quickly make a new track with the sound you like best but copy the notes from all 3 bass lines into that one track. Note if there are times when 2 or 3 instruments are playing exactly the same note (not good!). Then mute the 3 originals and listen to what a combined version sounds like.

Steve

[Gps]

I will try for sure, but wont that make the problem even bigger? I want the kick ( two kicks) to stand out more.
It does not surprise me the kicks and bassline are fighting each other over a place in the spectrum.

I am using the hard kick and a custom kick from musicbear, which are playing at the same time.

I think I am gonna upload the track to lmms share, then you guys and girls can have a look ?

https://lmms.io/lsp/?action=show&file=8477

[Gps]

I deleted the file after I realized, that there are to many non default lmms sounds used.

A bassline and kick will always be tricky, because there are in the same frequencies, just like slipstick already said.
The one thing I can try, is to make the bassline notes shorter. ( not so much in the piano roll but within synth1 and zynaddsubFX envelope settings.

I also listened to some songs and paid attention to the kick and bass.
One example, a disco classic, which has some trance music elements in it.
Amy Steward Knock on wood. (I think I hear an arpeggio synth bassline, like I have in mine),
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ThWQda_Gzxs

I need to make a choice between the kick and the bassline. If I want to have the kick to stand out more, there is no other option then to do something with the bassline, or not a make trance track.

I also noticed that disco and trance are not that different, at least to me. Boom, Clap, Boom, Clap with faster hi-hats on top.
Back to my track, if I mute two of the bass lines I have, the kick is back instantly.


Off topic if I am not mistaken, the below link, is is the original knock on wood.
I like the original too, but I like the disco version more.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=92NpzXXpQtg

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Knock_on_Wood_%28song%29

[slipstick]

Back to my track, if I mute two of the bass lines I have, the kick is back instantly.

That's what we said....too many things fighting to fill the same area of the frequency spectrum.

Of course if we had true sidechaining you could probably get away with just ducking the bass lines when the kick plays. That lack is one of the reasons why these days I'm spending more time working with Reaper than with LMMS (though for me nothing beats the basic LMMS instrument line-up ).

Steve

[musikbear]

I deleted the file after I realized, that there are to many non default lmms sounds used.

That i do not understand should be a problem, but you decide :)
Bass and kick- But what type of bass are we talking about?
Have you made a melody bass, that actually does play notes over the bass? Then i can see that some sounds could be overlapping
The typical bassline is off-beat, whereas the kick is on-beat.

Code: Select all

1000 1000 1000 1000 kick
0010 0010 0010 0010 bass

Unless the length of the sounds are really long, then they should be spacial'y separated, a sidechain would make that even more distinct.

[Gps]

That's an interesting point you bring up, about a typical bassline being off beat mine is not.

All three of them are not. lol

Two synth1 apreggios, one of them is an octave higher, and a ZynaddsubFx bassline (short notes)

I just deleted one synth1 track, that did hurt, but its better in the mix.

I can re upload the track, if people are interested, but I have expansion packs of zynaddsubfx and synth1.
And some non standard drumsounds. All those track can be silent.

[musikbear]

I can re upload the track, if people are interested,

you dont have to upload your project, a sample on soundcloud of the part that gives grief is sufficient
-btw, just mute tracks you have put work into, you never know when / if you like to 'fall-back' :p
That is also where version control -eg 'Save-as-new-version' is a super feature of LMMS -I recommend, and uses this a lot.

[brandystarbrite]

I can re upload the track, if people are interested,

you dont have to upload your project, a sample on soundcloud of the part that gives grief is sufficient
-btw, just mute tracks you have put work into, you never know when / if you like to 'fall-back' :p
That is also where version control -eg 'Save-as-new-version' is a super feature of LMMS -I recommend, and uses this a lot.

Yep.
What musikbear said=true.