If you find that your mixes always sound empty or aren't as full as they could be,
I'll teach you how to make your song or sound effect, sound full in this mixing tutorial.
The three main tips I'll talk about in this video
are how to use effect plugins like reverb and delay to fill empty space in your arrangement,
how to analyze the frequency spectrum to understand what elements to add,
and finally, how to properly add subti...
Subtitles, come on...
and finally, hhhhahahaha.
And finally,
how to properly add subtle white noise to fill the rest of the frequencies you just couldn't get into your mix.
[how to make a mix sound full - mixing tutorial]
Hey everyone, Jake from Transverse Audio here.
Now, of course, there is also compression and limiting.
But, since it's such a huge topic on it's own, that's gonna be for another video.
For now, let's get into this one.
I'll start with reverb.
This can be used for sound design when heavily applied
[example of how reverb can be used for sound design]
but also a way to fill up some of the silence after a sound, without creating a wall of audio.
[example of using reverb to fill a mix]
When used sparingly, you can keep the dynamics and make it sound more natural.
To get this kind of sound out of it, you'll want to keep some parameters under control;
I would keep the decay time between 1 to 2 seconds
but does depend on how long it takes before the next sound is played.
[example of how the amount of decay time should change depending on your arrangement]
And, although it may seem strange to remove something from a mix to make it sound full,
using the low cut/high pass feature on sounds with lower frequencies can provide more clarity
since reverb can start to blend things together down there.
[example of how reverb can ruin the low end]
[but how it can be saved with a high pass]
That's why it's not good to put reverb on bassy elements.
[example of a high-pass filter on the reverb assigned to the bass in a song]
It is important to fill the mix but it is more important to have definition on what you're filling it with.
If using reverb on something is overkill or is just making something bigger than you want it to be,
a delay effect is a great substitute.
Since these are essentially the same type of effect, a lot of the same principles apply.
Keep the feedback low so it doesn't carry on forever and interfere with other sounds.
This value can be very different depending on how you are using the sound.
And try to line up the delay time to match the rhythm of your song or sound effect.
[example of both extreme and subtle delay used to fill a certain element in a mix]
For both reverb and delay, you may want to solo the sound to reference how long it's actually going on for.
[example of how soloing a sound can show you how it is truly behaving]
Like I said, you don't want it to carry on longer than necessary.
Now we can move on to the next tip.
But before I do, press the like button below if you're enjoying this video so far.
And I just want to say thank you if you took the time to do so.
The second way you can make your mix sound full
is by observing what frequencies are not present in the entire mix
and in doing so, you'll get a better understanding of how to fill that part of the spectrum.
To help you do this, you can either use a parametric equalizer or a spectral analyzer like Span
which is free to download and I'll leave the link in the description below...
For example, you may be lacking a presence in the 1 to 2 kHz range.
To fill it you could either add in a sound like a wood block or a clap.
[example of different percussion in the 1-2kHz range]
Or simply apply an EQ to something that occupies the area around it,
like a snap, if you have one in your mix.
[example of different snap samples]
Then, you would boost the frequencies I was talking about,
to make up for the void in the range that isn't as full next to it.
Essentially, if its presence is really close to what you're lacking, you can nudge the frequencies over
so they cover the empty part.
So to sum it up, you'll need to have something in most areas of the frequency spectrum
to get a full mix.
It doesn't have to be the percussion or instrument you would expect either.
As long as it takes up the same frequencies, it should be okay to use.
Leave a comment below if you want me to make an in-depth video
that lists a bunch of instruments and sounds
that fit into each range on the spectrum,
along with where the bass, melody, and other stuff fits in.
And if I make that video, I'll try to remember putting it in the card to the top right of this one, right now.
Alright, once you have most of the spectrum filled with samples and instruments,
you can add subtle white noise in the background and automate it along the entire song
to fill up the rest of the frequency spectrum.
What you'll be automating is the volume to match the overall energy of each section.
You can also automate the cutoff frequency or bands on an equalizer applied to the white noise
to make most of its presence in what is lacking in that specific part of the song or sound effect.
[example of EQ Band automation in action]
Now be careful when using this trick, and it is a trick.
You're tricking the ear into thinking it's just coming from the other sounds in the rest of the song.
Basically, you're not supposed to be able to point out that it's actually white noise you're hearing
and this is more of a final touch.
You should only be able to notice it if you really, really try and focus on it.
And even then, you might not be able to recognize it.
[example of using white noise to fill the frequencies of a mix]
Although these are only a few ways that you can make your mix sound full,
I made a tutorial on mixing tips for beginners which goes over more!
Check that out to the left when it pops up in the video, I'm sure you'll like it if you enjoyed this one,
and as always, thanks for watching.