Dubstepforum.com

Wrigzilla wrote:

serox wrote:Thinking about it Synkros hi hats remind me of Burials. Didnt Burial low bit rate samples?

Hmm, so maybe I need to re sample the hats in a bad quality lol.

Or you could wack a bit crusher set to 12bit and 2times downsampling, that'll add more grit to em.

Now if you're hi hats aren't gelling with the rest of the track, the first option to consider (as previously mentioned) is that you're using the wrong samples.

In the track you linked the hat's are not massively trebly so either Synkro chose hh samples that weren't that bright or he rolled some of the high end off.

Hope that helped.

More grit?! did you read what I said lol. Grit is not what I want at all! dist with only make them stand out more, thats the problem!

Your second comment was more like it. I think he has rolled them off quite a bit, everything is rolled off! makes them sit in the mix real nice. Its not the db level I dont think.

Pedro Sánchez wrote:Another tip I found is to turn your monitors down very low and if your hats are just about sitting below you snares in level, they should be in a decent spot in your overall mix, if they are the dominant sound at low level they are too loud in your mix.

Thanks for the help but I mix everything loud:) I am so use to playing music loud when DJ mixing and making tracks. I always compare things at the same db volume too;)

serox wrote:

Pedro Sánchez wrote:Another tip I found is to turn your monitors down very low and if your hats are just about sitting below you snares in level, they should be in a decent spot in your overall mix, if they are the dominant sound at low level they are too loud in your mix.

Thanks for the help but I mix everything loud:) I am so use to playing music loud when DJ mixing and making tracks. I always compare things at the same db volume too;)

bad idea to mix everything loud. turning things up can make them seem better regardless so if you get things sounding better when its quieter gonna be much better in the long run for your mixes and your ears.

symmetricalsounds wrote:
bad idea to mix everything loud. turning things up can make them seem better regardless so if you get things sounding better when its quieter gonna be much better in the long run for your mixes and your ears.

As far as I know mixing loud will not damage your ears unless there are harsh sounds, dist etc. I don't like harsh sounds so I don't think I am doing any damage really.

I don't think mixing my tracks loud make them sound better at all! The bass may sound better but I know that's becuase of the db levels:)

having the volume loud for extended amounts of time will definitely damage your ears, the quieter you can mix at the better. even though you don't realise it anything louder automatically sounds better. try it with someone, play them 2 identical phrases of a track and just make one louder than the other and see which they think is better. have a look at fletcher-munson curves.

symmetricalsounds wrote:having the volume loud for extended amounts of time will definitely damage your ears, the quieter you can mix at the better. even though you don't realise it anything louder automatically sounds better. try it with someone, play them 2 identical phrases of a track and just make one louder than the other and see which they think is better. have a look at fletcher-munson curves.

Will try mixing at lower volumes:)

symmetricalsounds wrote:having the volume loud for extended amounts of time will definitely damage your ears, the quieter you can mix at the better. even though you don't realise it anything louder automatically sounds better. try it with someone, play them 2 identical phrases of a track and just make one louder than the other and see which they think is better. have a look at fletcher-munson curves.

Plus playing quiet means you are far less affected by your room acoustics that loud, getting a truer sound. Unless your room is very well treated...

Loud now and again for teh vibes, generally quiet.

paradigm x wrote:

symmetricalsounds wrote:having the volume loud for extended amounts of time will definitely damage your ears, the quieter you can mix at the better. even though you don't realise it anything louder automatically sounds better. try it with someone, play them 2 identical phrases of a track and just make one louder than the other and see which they think is better. have a look at fletcher-munson curves.

Plus playing quiet means you are far less affected by your room acoustics that loud, getting a truer sound. Unless your room is very well treated...

Loud now and again for teh vibes, generally quiet.

I said I will give it a go, it does make sense.

Tbh, my speakers are setup for mixing records so they are near my decks

ie, the speakers are on a wall behind me, to the side:/ I am not watching the mix down too much in my room. I get a better idea from hearing the track played elsewhere.

get them in the classic either side of screen setup and it will make a difference. i had my speakers off to the left at right-angles to me for a while it does make a difference getting them in the right situation. but i will still listen to the track where the sound isn't ideal i.e wandering around the room, also turning it up and listening to it from the other room or downstairs.

symmetricalsounds wrote:get them in the classic either side of screen setup and it will make a difference. i had my speakers off to the left at right-angles to me for a while it does make a difference getting them in the right situation. but i will still listen to the track where the sound isn't ideal i.e wandering around the room, also turning it up and listening to it from the other room or downstairs.

I do that all the time. I often stand up so will have the speakers to the side if I do that;)

I dont think it is that much of an issue right now for me. I cannot even make hi hats I like at the moment make nice drums/baas but if the hats are shit the track is weak.

you might be surprised at how much easier it becomes when you get your setup right.

symmetricalsounds wrote:you might be surprised at how much easier it becomes when you get your setup right.

I can imagine:)

would prob save hours of "up n down comparing mixes" instead of just making the track lol.

I need to buy some more speakers really so I have two pairs, 1 for production and 1 for mixing records on and that is expensive:)

indeed it is, so when your limited to one set you decide which is more critically dependant on good positioning and which one can get away with not being ideal

serox: to answer your original question...

what I try to do is isolate the frequency (with plain old e.q.) of the hat and push it (light compression helps) so when it does cut through it's very present, but not too loud or "in your face"

FSTZ wrote:serox: to answer your original question...

what I try to do is isolate the frequency (with plain old e.q.) of the hat and push it (light compression helps) so when it does cut through it's very present, but not too loud or "in your face"

isolate the frequency, what for? to then add some gain to it? this sounds like it is only going to make the hats stand out more and not help blend them into the mix...

Did you check the Synkro clip?

i don't know if i'm missing something from that youtube clip but those hats sound very standard, samples that could be easily sourced and that you probably already have.

serox wrote:

FSTZ wrote:serox: to answer your original question...

what I try to do is isolate the frequency (with plain old e.q.) of the hat and push it (light compression helps) so when it does cut through it's very present, but not too loud or "in your face"

isolate the frequency, what for? to then add some gain to it? this sounds like it is only going to make the hats stand out more and not help blend them into the mix...

Did you check the Synkro clip?

I know how his hats sound... very 2steppy and almost murky

compress the a hat a bit, and eq so only the natural sound of the hat cuts through, but not too much...

this works for me

you don't have to follow my advice, just trying to be helpful

solo your drums and percussion-- they should feel like they're working together in whatever capacity you want them to. regardling frequencies, yes, instruments fit into different ranges-- ie, the hats & shakers are up top, snares,congas etc are in the middle and your kicks are at the bottom-- but have them work TOGETHER. sure, if your hats are too bright, shave some off or brighten up everything else. If the snare has far too much impact, compress it, if the kick is too subby cut it, or if it's too dark in context boost it-- but treat them as a group, and make the decisions in context. Far easier to make mix decisions in context-- the sound of those hats don't exist alone, whether or not they cut or are in the background is entirely dependent on what's happening behind them.

There's a reason why mix engineers make great $ and bang out only 1-4 mixes over a 12-hour day-- it's hard work!

good post sharmaji. like you i try treating my rhythm section as a whole and building it as such. recently ive been grouping my percussion to effect it, light compression and reverb on the whole section to make it more cohesive. and yes i roll off top and bottom end where i deem it necessary. i have very sensitive ears so i probably cut a lot of frequencies that others might leave in, esp.on the top end and esp. on my hi hats.

and serox i completely agree with you that hihats are the unsung hero of any beat and dont get the respect or care that they deserve
your average listener might not realize but the hats are what drive the track and add that bounce that makes your head nod.

Yes I always liked malas hats for that kind of heavy but clean sound. In that synkro tune theres some wierd filtered kind of noise in the background doing a similar pattern to the hi hat. I think thats filling the right kind of frequency and might be tricking the ears. You could try layering subtle non hatt sounds and play with milisecond timing to get them sucking and clicking together.

Edit: Comparing my hats now its pretty disapointing, i should follow my own advice