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I'm thinking about this and I'm not sure if it's a good idea.
Like having chords, drums, arpeggio, lead and and atmo just for the intro.. and some sweeping effects in the background.
Do i even need the chord progression in the background for my lead to fit in? I just can't get a "clean" sounding track with so many elements.

EDIT: Forgot the sub..

You don't specifically 'need' anything in particular, it's as much about how the elements you have interact with one another as it is about what you leave in/take out.

In terms of having the track 'clean', do you mean you've got some frequency bleed on the elements you've got? If so, work on your EQing/mixdown so that everything has it's own distinct space within the mix.

Imagine the track as a cube. The listener is in the middle of the cube. Fill the cube. You've got volume, panning, EQ to create space and have each element exist within it's only part of the cube. Too much in one part of the cube and it'll become squashed and cluttered. But an empty part of the cube that is deliberately empty can provide space for the listener to interpret as they see fit.

I guess automation plays a big part as well, if you want the clean sounds to swirl around the listener, allowing for a more organic vibe and evolution to things.


There are a few threads of this nature in Search, have a look using the word 'filling' and see what comes up. For example;

How to 'Fill'? a track?
Filling up the mix (Harmony, Added Elements, Percussion)
Am I over layering my sounds??
Filling "empty spaces" in a mix

Have a read through those and think about them in terms of the issue you're trying to solve. What can be taken away? What needs to be added? What can remain, the same but different?

wub wrote:You don't specifically 'need' anything in particular, it's as much about how the elements you have interact with one another as it is about what you leave in/take out.

In terms of having the track 'clean', do you mean you've got some frequency bleed on the elements you've got? If so, work on your EQing/mixdown so that everything has it's own distinct space within the mix.

Imagine the track as a cube. The listener is in the middle of the cube. Fill the cube. You've got volume, panning, EQ to create space and have each element exist within it's only part of the cube. Too much in one part of the cube and it'll become squashed and cluttered. But an empty part of the cube that is deliberately empty can provide space for the listener to interpret as they see fit.

I guess automation plays a big part as well, if you want the clean sounds to swirl around the listener, allowing for a more organic vibe and evolution to things.


There are a few threads of this nature in Search, have a look using the word 'filling' and see what comes up. For example;

How to 'Fill'? a track?
Filling up the mix (Harmony, Added Elements, Percussion)
Am I over layering my sounds??
Filling "empty spaces" in a mix

Have a read through those and think about them in terms of the issue you're trying to solve. What can be taken away? What needs to be added? What can remain, the same but different?

Your explanation is perfect. It's just the more elements you have, the harder it is to keep your track clean.

Soundcloud

A perfect example of a track with nice amount of elements sounding clean.

The mix down...empty sounding tracks. Tracks w too much going on. I still struggle w all this. Ive read tons on these subjects. They best thing I did for myself was to keep making tracks and practicing. I dont really think there are any big secrets you are missing. Its a matter of practice and training your ear.

Google eqing inside the box on dndbscene.com. best eq/mixdown article ive read.

Icetickle wrote:It's just the more elements you have, the harder it is to keep your track clean.

Which means you need to work harder on the mixdown, or else remove some elements that are unduly shoehorned into the track.

wub wrote:

Icetickle wrote:It's just the more elements you have, the harder it is to keep your track clean.

Which means you need to work harder on the mixdown, or else remove some elements that are unduly shoehorned into the track.

The thing is, I don't really want so many shit going on. Like quality over quantity?

Icetickle wrote:

wub wrote:

Icetickle wrote:It's just the more elements you have, the harder it is to keep your track clean.

Which means you need to work harder on the mixdown, or else remove some elements that are unduly shoehorned into the track.

The thing is, I don't really want so many shit going on. Like quality over quantity?

So take out the bits you don't want.

fragments wrote:Google eqing inside the box on dndbscene.com. best eq/mixdown article ive read.

Reading this atm. Thanks!

wub wrote: Imagine the track as a cube. The listener is in the middle of the cube. Fill the cube. You've got volume, panning, EQ to create space and have each element exist within it's only part of the cube. Too much in one part of the cube and it'll become squashed and cluttered. But an empty part of the cube that is deliberately empty can provide space for the listener to interpret as they see fit.

^Mustard way of putting it! I always have an image in my head when I'm working on a track; usually like a landscape kind of image - I try to picture the foreground, background, sky/air, floor etc. and have each of these parts represent sounds within the track im working on. Sounds stupid I know, but it's a nice way of working for me lol.

Wub's cube description is spot on!