Thickening up your synths - ?!?

[amphibian]

Hey again everyone!

I've got a problem atm. I've created the main hook of my song with about 7-8 various basslines/leads.etc. and it's all sounding very good except for one problem - the whole track sounds "empty". I put this down to each of the synths not carrying enough weight. Problem is, the main tricks I use to thicken them up (compression, eq, distortion.etc.) isn't really helping. I've tried adding other oscillators above/below the sounds but then they lose the effect that I love atm. I was wondering if anyone had any ideas/tricks on how to expand them further? Most of them have reverb on them as well (basslines excepted).

[eldoogle]

Reverb usually thickens em when I've used about 25% wet, can you post a section of the song that sounds empty on soundcloud?

[Atac]

After splitting up the frequencies I've found that it helps to add some subtle stereo dynamics to whatever you see fit for a little bit bigger dimension.
And if you need to, you could bounce it back in mono but it will still keep some of the dimensional traits of a slightly offset stereo synth. Also (not sure if you're looking for further distortion) but I like adding a very quiet white noise oscillator to some of my basslines to give them some buzzy noise that adds a little grit to the overall feel.

Also just since it's sort of on topic, Dada Life's "Sausage Fattener" VST comes out tomorrow. It's notorious for fattening up the basslines that gave them their distinct sound so I'm curious as to what it can bring to the table for the average producer. This may or may not be a solution to your problem haha.

[Atac]

After splitting up the frequencies I've found that it helps to add some subtle stereo dynamics to whatever you see fit for a little bit bigger dimension.
And if you need to, you could bounce it back in mono but it will still keep some of the dimensional traits of a slightly offset stereo synth. Also (not sure if you're looking for further distortion) but I like adding a very quiet white noise oscillator to some of my basslines to give them some buzzy noise that adds a little grit to the overall feel.

Also just since it's sort of on topic, Dada Life's "Sausage Fattener" VST comes out tomorrow. It's notorious for fattening up the basslines that gave them their distinct sound so I'm curious as to what it can bring to the table for the average producer. This may or may not be a solution to your problem haha.

[amphibian]

thanks guys - and ham vst reference not missed Atac

[eldoogle]

Do you sort of layer the white noise over it, or is it mixed in like in FM synthesis?

[legend4ry]

Saturation.

[amphibian]

Do you sort of layer the white noise over it, or is it mixed in like in FM synthesis?

Additional layer. FM synthesis of white noise would give some bizarre results (interesting idea) hehe

[Atac]

thanks guys - and ham vst reference not missed Atac

Haha I guess I set myself up for this one.

Didn't even once think while posting that someone would bridge the gap between sausages and ham

[3za]

thanks guys - and ham vst reference not missed Atac

Haha I guess I set myself up for this one.

Didn't even once think while posting that someone would bridge the gap between sausages and ham

I was making sausage/ham jokes 6 months ago...

http://www.dubstepforum.com/viewtopic.p ... e#p2156086

[Atac]

The OG Meat Man

[stansharpe]

Duplicate what needs thickening and have it playing slightly after th other one a few miliseconds behind. Will really fatten it up

[paravrais]

thanks guys - and ham vst reference not missed Atac

It's actually a real VST XD

[amphibian]

lol paravrais. That, I do not doubt. Probably some DSFer being a smartass

Anyways, I took everyone's advice and my bass is noticeably thicker, so thank you all The send to a channel + delay a few milliseconds - that's a hell of a lot of fun to play with - and automating that delay creates some sick warping/phasing Thanks @stansharpe!

[monte-m]

lol paravrais. That, I do not doubt. Probably some DSFer being a smartass

it's for real
http://www.dadalife.com/?p=937

[lyons238]

wait so did you duplicate the bass line and put it slightly behind the first or??

and can you give us a sneak peak at what your working on? now you've got me curious.

[amphibian]

wait so did you duplicate the bass line and put it slightly behind the first or??

and can you give us a sneak peak at what your working on? now you've got me curious.

yup, about 8-10ms. 1-5ms created unwanted phasing. I then distorted the bussed, delayed bassline again, which created some more interesting goodness, plus some other FX. Also, I did actually end up going back to the drawing board initially. I cannot emphasize how important the initial oscillators and filters are. Made a HUGE difference in the quality of the sound.

As for sneak peak - no. lol. It'll go up in WIPs/finished tunes in a few weeks.

[efence]

wait so did you duplicate the bass line and put it slightly behind the first or??

and can you give us a sneak peak at what your working on? now you've got me curious.

yup, about 8-10ms. 1-5ms created unwanted phasing.

not always true, at different frequencys the phase will be at different ms

[djdeadb3ats]

use the fl version on there stereo widening device i think its called youma wow or somthing its like dimensional expander in massive

[Filthzilla]

Layer, boost gain, clone and pan one hard left and one hard right, EQ?