SOLID BUMP RECORDS

Last Nerd Alert we talked about mixdown leveling. I quickly introduced the idea that to help clear space in your low end, to allow the bass and kick to hit harder, you should consider using an EQ to roll off all your non-bass/kick channels below 200hz. The idea is that all frequencies require their own space in the mix. If you have multiple noises competing for the same space, that space will become congested, and all the sounds will mask each other making the mix sound muddy or flat.

To resolve muddy mixes, the first step is to be mindful of your arrangements. When writing your tracks, don’t allow too many elements to compete for a single space. A visual spectrum analyzer will help you learn where your noises live. Eventually your ears will get more attuned to knowing what is going on and you will begin compositions with these concerns in mind.

What is the most basic fix? Intelligent EQing. Even noises that seem to have no low end, such as a hi hat or percussion element (say 200k and below) may have low end resonance, especially synthetic sounds. Thus I recommend doing high pass filtering to all your noises that are not part of your kick/ bass combo. On that same note, if a vocal and synthesizer are both competing for the 5k space and making that area sound muddy, you probably need to do an EQ cut at 5k on the synth channel.Your vocal will suddenly sound much more clear.

This is called Subtractive EQ, and it relates to the last Nerd Alert about mixdown leveling. Your first instinct when something is not standing out in the mix, is to boost the EQ on it. Eventually you will end up with a bloated muddy mix. Instead, think about what might be covering up the noise you want to shine and then do some subtractive EQ. There are times where you may need a small boost, say on the hi hats to bring out a bit of shimmer on the real high end. But generally, if you think you need to boost, there is probably something in your mix that needs to be cut.

And remember folks, Nerd Alerts are just a brief, bite size introductions to ideas. There is a plethora of much more in depth articles written by far more professional nerds out there. Hunt them down. Geek on.