How to keep every instrument audible during playback

[Venommob108]

Hello, I'm new to the forums, as I try to master LMMS for Windows (Beginner), I have a problem. When finishing in the B&B editor, as I play my track in the Song Editor, I notice my kick drum and sub synth diminish my hi-hat, and cymbals during their playback.

I tried various side chaining vids/ tutorials to no avail, the corresponding sliders move with the kick, but the sound of the kick, and cymbal remains muffled, and muddy. The hi-hats simply fade out until the kick is finished. What am I doing wrong? Any help will be appreciated. Thank You.

[musikbear]

Hello, I'm new to the forums

Welcome to the forum Venommob108! Here are all our important links:
http://lmms.io/forum/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=4740
-And a few rules for Avatars, signatures, posting and using the right sub-forum :)

as I try to master LMMS for Windows (Beginner),

Perhaps my rookie-guide can interest you? Link in signature.

I notice my kick drum and sub synth diminish my hi-hat, and cymbals during their playback.

Yes. that called 'frequency-fighting'

I tried various side chaining vids/ tutorials to no avail

You could try my method:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ntzWiufjkko
-but also viewtopic.php?t=5363 would be a good way

[Venommob108]

Ha! The world famous Musikbear! Pleasure to hear from you! I will give your tutorials a shot, and report back.

[Douglas]

I've had trouble with mixing for over a year, and I just discovered this answer yesterday! I was bored in math class, just started doodling, and all of the sudden I had this masterpiece! This guarantees that all your intruments have enough room and don't fight with each other. What you need to do is draw a chart similar to this one, and for every instrument you create:

1. Open a Spectrum Analyzer
2. Use EQs until each frequency matches the volume in the chart shown above

As long as you keep everything below -4 db (to leave headroom for more mixing/mastering), this will leave room for all your instruments to shine. Keep in mind that you should NOT use a master limiter (!!!) because using this method already prevents any relevant amounts of clipping.

Another note: That's the first chart of this I ever drew, and I had to make many adjustments, e.g. clearing room for higher frequencies for the kick, making everything except the kick quieter, etc. With enough practice of drawing these, you will need to make less and less adjustments, until eventually you can create a perfect graph every time.

Other methods may be more helpful for you (I made this with the intention of making it Asperger's friendly), but hopefully this will aid you.

[musikbear]

Other methods may be more helpful for you

Yes thats the idea of frequency separation. Nice chart.
One of the 'other methods' are really much less technical, and that is panning to different stereo'areas' in the soundscape.
Also, the Spectrum Analyser is a little bit to simple, so a plugin like SPAN is better.
(BlueCat has a wonderful analyzer, but never save a project with it! You 'cant' reopen