We've all pretty much been there. We make music early in our lives, and show it to critics with our heads held high, and are stunned by how much we didn't do. We're told to master a bit more, and learn music theory, we are told that the mixing... Downright sucks.
Believe me, it's not shameful. It's a fact that mixing takes months getting used to, and years to master, just like any trade ever. The key to a good track ultimately lies in the mixing.
What exactly is mixing? Well the term is broadly called "mastering", and it is (in it's bluntest definition) "making the song sound good". But what it actually entails, is using a mixer, and assigning individual instruments to separate mixer tracks, equalizing them, compressing them, adding effects, and above all making it so that they sound good with every other mixed instrument.
Another thing about mastering is (once your song is completed) to put a limiter on the master track set at 0 db, and this will ensure the volume does not go above 0 db, which is the volume needed for a track to clip.
You can view countless tutorials on mastering, and there are an unlimited amount of ways to mix. In fact, any track you make has many different ways to be mixed "perfectly." Do you want it majestic, or airy? Flushed, or dense? Loud or dynamic? Do you want to change the whole theme of your track during the middle? Mixing is the FINAL element to music creation in a DAW, and you'd be surprised how much it can effect your track. There have been many times that I have begun the mastering process, and the song was barely resemblant of what I was working on.
So the point is, mastering is important, and unfortunately, most mastering tools AREN'T CHEAP. Thankfully though, the best ones are! From EQ's to limiters, compressors to reverb, maximizers to stereo wideners, and anything in between, below is an extensive layout of tools that work 100 percent with LMMS, COMPLETELY FREE, and will make your tracks that much better! Good luck, and I hope to see the amazing stuff you guys can do with this!
[Equalizers] Are audio processors that cut out certain frequencies of a mix. They are useful for leaving headroom for the rest of the mix, and cutting out unwanted frequencies.
Nyquist EQ
Stats: Parametric, Visual
Bands: Five
Nyquist EQ: Is probably one of the most useful plugins I know. It will NEVER crash LMMS, NEVER clip, the CPU load is practically non existent, it is ridiculously easy to use, and you can load as many instances into LMMS as you would like! They all stack as well, so if five bands isn't enough, just add another one in the FX chain! This is good for the master track, and shedding off some of the insane low end that LMMS generates, giving a TON of headroom for your mix!
Link: http://magnus.smartelectronix.com/
Electri-Q (Posihfopit Edition)
Stats: Parametric, Visual, Anolog and Digital
Bands: Starts with 4, 6, or 8. Can have up to 64! O_O
Electri-Q (Posihfopit Edition): Is a ridiculously, unbelievably, unashamedly powerful parametric graphic equalizer that almost never crashes LMMS (I would save it for the master track though). It has every fall off type imaginable, can process digital (can't clip) or anolog (can clip, but sounds more vintage and realistic) sound, all at 32 bit, with up to 64 bands of pure magic! Seven is standard by the way, 64 bands is just insane... Anyway, it's one of the most amazing free vst's out there, and is definitely in league with some of the best commercial gear out there!
Link: http://www.aixcoustic.com/index.php/pos ... tion/30/0/
Melda Production (MEqualizer)
Stats: Parametric, Visual
Bands: 6
MEqualizer: Is an incredibly smooth, visual parametric EQ with untapped frequency response! I love using it for the sake of having immediate, high quality results. Out of all of these eq's, it is probably the highest quality. That also means it has the highest CPU usage. Until LMMS gets a better internal processor, or better vst plugin support, or both, just use this on the master track for now
Link: http://www.meldaproduction.com/freevstp ... alizer.php (This comes in a vst pack, you get all of Melda's other freeware stuff in it as well. One thing to note, these all have an optional payed version, that gives you incredibly epic features. But they are already complete without paying a dime)
ReaEQ
Stats: Parametric, Visual
Bands: UNLIMITED!!!
ReaEQ: Harnesses and embodies all that a professional equalization plugin is... FOR FREE! It is unbelievably powerful and can handle any frequencies you throw at it. A word of caution however, if the volume it outputs exceeds 0 db, it may clip! If you like feeling like a god when producing, or even just want to have some fun, this is the plugin for you Save the best for last right? Best part? No matter how many instances you run, it will NEVER bog down LMMS, and it will NEVER crash! Talk about power! Enjoy this one guys! XD
Link: http://www.reaper.fm/reaplugs/ (This one also comes in a vst pack)
This concludes the first part of chapter one of improving lmms I will come out with part two of mixing tools soon, so stay tuned! I hope these tools help you to create the best music you possibly can! I look forward to hearing what you all have to offer! Thanks!
Keep spreading the music!
DJ Striden
Believe me, it's not shameful. It's a fact that mixing takes months getting used to, and years to master, just like any trade ever. The key to a good track ultimately lies in the mixing.
What exactly is mixing? Well the term is broadly called "mastering", and it is (in it's bluntest definition) "making the song sound good". But what it actually entails, is using a mixer, and assigning individual instruments to separate mixer tracks, equalizing them, compressing them, adding effects, and above all making it so that they sound good with every other mixed instrument.
Another thing about mastering is (once your song is completed) to put a limiter on the master track set at 0 db, and this will ensure the volume does not go above 0 db, which is the volume needed for a track to clip.
You can view countless tutorials on mastering, and there are an unlimited amount of ways to mix. In fact, any track you make has many different ways to be mixed "perfectly." Do you want it majestic, or airy? Flushed, or dense? Loud or dynamic? Do you want to change the whole theme of your track during the middle? Mixing is the FINAL element to music creation in a DAW, and you'd be surprised how much it can effect your track. There have been many times that I have begun the mastering process, and the song was barely resemblant of what I was working on.
So the point is, mastering is important, and unfortunately, most mastering tools AREN'T CHEAP. Thankfully though, the best ones are! From EQ's to limiters, compressors to reverb, maximizers to stereo wideners, and anything in between, below is an extensive layout of tools that work 100 percent with LMMS, COMPLETELY FREE, and will make your tracks that much better! Good luck, and I hope to see the amazing stuff you guys can do with this!
[Equalizers] Are audio processors that cut out certain frequencies of a mix. They are useful for leaving headroom for the rest of the mix, and cutting out unwanted frequencies.
Nyquist EQ
Stats: Parametric, Visual
Bands: Five
Nyquist EQ: Is probably one of the most useful plugins I know. It will NEVER crash LMMS, NEVER clip, the CPU load is practically non existent, it is ridiculously easy to use, and you can load as many instances into LMMS as you would like! They all stack as well, so if five bands isn't enough, just add another one in the FX chain! This is good for the master track, and shedding off some of the insane low end that LMMS generates, giving a TON of headroom for your mix!
Link: http://magnus.smartelectronix.com/
Electri-Q (Posihfopit Edition)
Stats: Parametric, Visual, Anolog and Digital
Bands: Starts with 4, 6, or 8. Can have up to 64! O_O
Electri-Q (Posihfopit Edition): Is a ridiculously, unbelievably, unashamedly powerful parametric graphic equalizer that almost never crashes LMMS (I would save it for the master track though). It has every fall off type imaginable, can process digital (can't clip) or anolog (can clip, but sounds more vintage and realistic) sound, all at 32 bit, with up to 64 bands of pure magic! Seven is standard by the way, 64 bands is just insane... Anyway, it's one of the most amazing free vst's out there, and is definitely in league with some of the best commercial gear out there!
Link: http://www.aixcoustic.com/index.php/pos ... tion/30/0/
Melda Production (MEqualizer)
Stats: Parametric, Visual
Bands: 6
MEqualizer: Is an incredibly smooth, visual parametric EQ with untapped frequency response! I love using it for the sake of having immediate, high quality results. Out of all of these eq's, it is probably the highest quality. That also means it has the highest CPU usage. Until LMMS gets a better internal processor, or better vst plugin support, or both, just use this on the master track for now
Link: http://www.meldaproduction.com/freevstp ... alizer.php (This comes in a vst pack, you get all of Melda's other freeware stuff in it as well. One thing to note, these all have an optional payed version, that gives you incredibly epic features. But they are already complete without paying a dime)
ReaEQ
Stats: Parametric, Visual
Bands: UNLIMITED!!!
ReaEQ: Harnesses and embodies all that a professional equalization plugin is... FOR FREE! It is unbelievably powerful and can handle any frequencies you throw at it. A word of caution however, if the volume it outputs exceeds 0 db, it may clip! If you like feeling like a god when producing, or even just want to have some fun, this is the plugin for you Save the best for last right? Best part? No matter how many instances you run, it will NEVER bog down LMMS, and it will NEVER crash! Talk about power! Enjoy this one guys! XD
Link: http://www.reaper.fm/reaplugs/ (This one also comes in a vst pack)
This concludes the first part of chapter one of improving lmms I will come out with part two of mixing tools soon, so stay tuned! I hope these tools help you to create the best music you possibly can! I look forward to hearing what you all have to offer! Thanks!
Keep spreading the music!
DJ Striden