how do u make high quality sounds?

chronicrecords · Post by **chronicrecords** » Tue Jul 28, 2009 2:25 am

All my sounds that i make from massive and other free synths, and programs and such all do not sound very good quality. for starters i dont have a pair of moniters, just using a decent pair of home speakers with a sub. and im not sure if my sound card is good enough or whether it is making any difference.

I think my soundcard is called something like realtek high definition audio.

Also if you have any personal methods of making really crisp well defined sounds please let me know. thanks.

norman swashbuckle · Post by **norman swashbuckle** » Tue Jul 28, 2009 2:31 am

filter,compress,eq

norman swashbuckle · Post by **norman swashbuckle** » Tue Jul 28, 2009 2:31 am

filter,compress,eq

norman swashbuckle · Post by **norman swashbuckle** » Tue Jul 28, 2009 2:31 am

filter,compress,eq

sesshin · Post by **sesshin** » Tue Jul 28, 2009 2:39 am

You have to have a proper listening environment first off, or everything you try to get sound right will be skewed.

Mostly it just boils down to EQ though, making everything sit balanced in the mix by cutting and boosting specific frequencies in each of the sounds. For instance you might want to scoop out certain midrange frequencies if you have a vocal so that it doesn't get muddy in that area.

also yeah proper use of compression in the right places makes everything gel together. you can't overdo it though.

bugsky · Post by **bugsky** » Tue Jul 28, 2009 2:42 am

When it comes to Dubstep, you want to create some Fx Channels with reverb on them (plate reverb tends to work nicely) and maybe some distortion. Then send ur synth to the fx channel and tweak the send amount till it sounds organic.
Get a frequency analyiser (i use PAZ Analyser) and look at the frequencies that are involved in ur basslines. Open up a Q editor and boost the key frequencies / cut un-needed ones.

Tip; Cutting freqs in the 400-800 range tends to make ur blines less muddy.
Boost some freqs in the 1000-3000 range and you can make ur blines RIP!
Just make sure u check your blines 'natural' freqs that u want to tweak.

Don't worry about making your bass sound massive in the synthesis stage. Just try and create stable sounds that have movement and character. Making them sound 'crisp' comes in the processing stage of adding Fxs, eq'in, compressing, etc.

I'm not exactly a synthesis wordsmith genious, but I have made some break-throughs recently with making my basses sounding 'crisp' and making them 'rip'. Mainly through learning about compressing, eq'in and using a tasteful amount of REVERB and DISTORTION (hint hint).

crutch · Post by **crutch** » Tue Jul 28, 2009 1:30 pm

bugsky wrote: Don't worry about making your bass sound massive in the synthesis stage.

i would say the complete opposite, i try to get my baselines to sound as good as possible in the synth. i tend to use effects to fix problems rather than sound design as you run the risk of watering down the sound (especially with the wobble)

crutch · Post by **crutch** » Tue Jul 28, 2009 1:33 pm

bugsky wrote: Don't worry about making your bass sound massive in the synthesis stage.

i would say the complete opposite, i try to get my baselines to sound as good as possible in the synth. i tend to use effects to fix problems rather than sound design as you run the risk of watering down the sound (especially with the wobble)

bugsky · Post by **bugsky** » Tue Jul 28, 2009 1:43 pm

crutch wrote:
bugsky wrote: Don't worry about making your bass sound massive in the synthesis stage.
i would say the complete opposite, i try to get my baselines to sound as good as possible in the synth. i tend to use effects to fix problems rather than sound design as you run the risk of watering down the sound (especially with the wobble)

Sorry, I dont think I was clear with what I was tryin to say.

If you read what I say earlier, it makes more sense.... "Just try and create stable sounds that have movement and character. Making them sound 'crisp' comes in the processing stage of adding Fxs, eq'in, compressing, etc"

Personally, I feel that getting your sounds STABLE is most important. This involves having acurate settings for the different variables, e.g; cut-off, resolution, lfo, automation, etc.

I like to have my bass made up a maximum of 4 oscs, generally. This can make everything sound a bit muddy. But once I've got the 'movement' in and given it 'character', I then start eq'in out the unneccessary frequencies and compressing it (if needed),. There is only so much you can do with the filter in some synths. This final stage is what makes it sound more alive and 'crisp'.

When I mean 'crisp', I am refering to how it sits in the mix and it's eventual 'punch'.

At the end of the day tho, everyone works differently to achieve their outcomes.

daft cunt · Post by **daft cunt** » Tue Jul 28, 2009 2:58 pm

Shit speakers will be a problem when it comes to mixdown but it shouldn't keep you from making SFX or bass sounds imo. Nor does the soundcard.
Good sound system won't help if you have no idea what you're doing and/or have no ear.

You gotta a) get a solid knowledge about the basics of synthesis, b) keep asking yourself what you're trying to achieve and how you're gonna do that & c) go through lots of trial & error

Seriously, RTFM, read articles (Sound On Sound, CM, etc), read books about synthesis, learn about layering, about effects, watch tutorials, use the search function of DSF or DOA, etc.
You chose Massive, smart move, now focus on it and make sure you really know all the functions. Not just what filters/fx there are, but what they're doing to the sounds, why and how you can use them creatively.

Then, go step-by-step. Start with a single waveform, try all sort of filter/fx combos. See what's doing what.
Think, don't just push buttons.

And do some ear-training!

daft cunt · Post by **daft cunt** » Tue Jul 28, 2009 3:12 pm

Oh and while I'm here, I'll share my secret to killer pads & SFX.

1 - Open Massive and select one of the digital/hybrid waveforms.
2 - Automate the Wt-position with a LFO
3 - Add filters/FX/modulation to taste
4 - Render to wav
5 - Feed that to Paul Stretch and stretch 8x or more
6 - Edit if necessary / keep the bits that sounds good.
7 - Load that into Shortcircuit sampler
8 - Process and EQ to taste

Replacing step 1 & 2 by any quality samples also works well.
Experiment.

But learning the freakin' basics!!

chronicrecords · Post by **chronicrecords** » Tue Jul 28, 2009 5:19 pm

some really informative responses in here so far. thanks guys.

ketamine · Post by **ketamine** » Tue Jul 28, 2009 8:26 pm

I tried everything, and until I stopped being lazy and began to "Bounce > FX > Bounce" my sounds were never the quality I wanted. Best thing you can do. Try it.

crutch · Post by **crutch** » Tue Jul 28, 2009 9:53 pm

bugsky wrote:
crutch wrote:
bugsky wrote: Don't worry about making your bass sound massive in the synthesis stage.
i would say the complete opposite, i try to get my baselines to sound as good as possible in the synth. i tend to use effects to fix problems rather than sound design as you run the risk of watering down the sound (especially with the wobble)
Sorry, I dont think I was clear with what I was tryin to say.

If you read what I say earlier, it makes more sense.... "Just try and create stable sounds that have movement and character. Making them sound 'crisp' comes in the processing stage of adding Fxs, eq'in, compressing, etc"

Personally, I feel that getting your sounds STABLE is most important. This involves having acurate settings for the different variables, e.g; cut-off, resolution, lfo, automation, etc.

I like to have my bass made up a maximum of 4 oscs, generally. This can make everything sound a bit muddy. But once I've got the 'movement' in and given it 'character', I then start eq'in out the unneccessary frequencies and compressing it (if needed),. There is only so much you can do with the filter in some synths. This final stage is what makes it sound more alive and 'crisp'.

When I mean 'crisp', I am refering to how it sits in the mix and it's eventual 'punch'.

At the end of the day tho, everyone works differently to achieve their outcomes.

oh right i see

86. · Post by **86.** » Tue Jul 28, 2009 10:08 pm

does everybody here generally throw a spectrum analyzer on audio channes before you EQ, or is it by ear? i don't at all....but I was thinking today how it would be a very sensible thing to do

deadly_habit · Post by **deadly_habit** » Tue Jul 28, 2009 11:42 pm

spectrum analyzers are nice but yea i trust my ears more
best used in moderation imo

how do u make high quality sounds?

how do u make high quality sounds?

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