Welcome to Sage Audio. Today let’s talk about How to Make a Powerful Mix.
But first, If you have a mix that you need mastered, send it to us
to receive a free mastered sample of it with the link in the description.
First Fix Excessive Overlap
The tips in this video are in no particular order,
but I put this one first since skipping it is going to lead to a lot of problems.
Before we begin to amplify anything, let’s look at where our bass frequencies are
overlapping - I’m going to use the Pro-Q 3 for this since it makes it easier. I’ll place the
EQ on the bass and then side-chain the kick drum - then I’ll reduce where they overlap.
Some overlap will always exist, and so will subsequent masking, but controlling
it is incredibly important. Let’s listen and notice how it improves definition in the lows.
Ensure Mono Compatibility
Although a wide stereo image can be enjoyable, too wide of lows is a problem,
especially if you want a powerful, driving mix. So on my instrument busses, or maybe
even my stereo output, I’m going to attenuate the side image’s lows with a high pass filter.
This will make the lows mono, focused, and create a powerful low end.
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Dynamic Amplification of Fundamentals
Since we took care of excessive overlap in the lows in chapter 1,
we can amplify some of our fundamentals. I’ll do this to the kick, and vocal but where you apply it
is up to you - on each I’ll create a band over the fundamental and make it dynamic.
Notice that the kicks fundamental is static, whereas the vocal moves around - this is because
the notes of the vocal are variable. When that’s the case I’ll typically choose the root note.
Let’s listen with this EQ applied.
Advanced Saturation Pt.1
Let’s start looking at advanced techniques - with FabFIlter’s Saturn 2, I’m going to saturate my
drum bus but use these ideas on any signal. I’m going to create 3 bands of saturation,
then create an envelope follower, which I’ll switch to transient mode and shorten the ADSR.
I’m going to attach this to my drive dial
and adjust the amount that this follower affects the drive function’s dynamics.
I can then do this for each band to varying degrees,
creating program-dependent distortion that emphasizes transients.
I’m going to use this same follower on my dynamics dial - I’ll invert the value of
the follower’s effect, then increase the dynamics.
This creates a dense sound when things are quiet and a dynamic one when a transient hits.
Let’s take a listen to this on the drum bus,
and keep in mind how you can use this on other sources.
Advanced Saturation Pt.2
Let’s build on what we did last chapter by introducing stereo imaging - first
I need to enable M/S processing in the plugin.
For simplicities sake, I’ll use the same envelope follower and attach it to the
drive dial’s panning - meaning I can make my distortion dynamically centered or wide.
For the lows, I’ll make them dynamically more mono, similar to the EQ we used in
chapter 2. For the highs, I’ll make them dynamically wider. Again, let’s listen to
the drum bus and note how these additional parameters make for more powerful drums.
Aggressive Parallel Processing
When you’re making a powerful mix, you can’t be afraid of processing - but a parallel track
definitely helps take some of the edge off by letting you blend in the effects. On a
parallel track, I’m first going to use a transient expander to emphasize the details and transients.
I’ll use NewFangled Audio’s Punctuate for this
since it can create 26 independent bands of transient expansion.
Then I’ll use their plugin Saturate to hard clip the transients that Punctuate created,
driving the signal into its brick wall.
The result is a super aggressive sound. I’ll try this on drums,
and blend in the effect with the fader.
Even More Aggressive Parallel Processing
Let’s do the same thing we did in the last chapter, that is use the Newfangled
transient expander and clipper but then add in upward compression. By doing this I’m taking
all of the quieter details that got created from this processing and bringing it to the front.
Let's listen to the difference a low-level compressor will make to this parallel track.
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Important Mid Frequencies to EQ
We’ve focused a lot on lows, which of course have a lot to do with making a powerful mix,
but let’s also look at the mids. If you want a signal to be perceived as closer,
amplify a harmonic around 500Hz.
If you want that signal to stick out or cut through, amplify 3-5kHz
or the high mids. Let’s affect these frequencies on a vocal to better understand what they do.
Upward Compression on Mids
For this technique, I’m going to set up a parallel track again, and use a linear phase EQ
to isolate the mids with a bandpass filter. Then I’ll place my upward compressor on the track
and increase the low-level detail to whatever instrument I want to send to it.
So say my vocals are lacking power in the mids, I’ll send them to the bus,
same for guitars, synths, or whatever signal is sounding weak.
Let’s take a listen to how this track affects the mids and overall power of the mix.
Gullfoss
EQ on Mids
Similar to our lows, having balance in the mids is important - like in chapter one we could find
overlaps and attenuate those, but let’s look at a different albeit simpler way to balance these
frequencies. All I’ll do is insert the Gullfoss EQ and isolate the processing to the mids.
We could place this processor on a bus and send instruments to it like in the last chapter,
so let’s do that and notice how balancing the mids creates a more powerful mix overall.
If you have a mix that you need mastered, send it to us to receive a
free mastered sample of it with the link in the description. Thank you so much for watching.