Equalizing and Compressing Comping Instruments. AKA Please help me find the bounce.

C

CheckYourHead2727

New member
A lot of Hip Hop, Southern, Pop and Trap beats feature an instrument strings, piano, guitar, synth, that comes in and out of the track playing straight 8th or 16th notes and following the chord changes.

This always seems to be a problem for me. It throws off the groove of my beat. I program my part and choose my sound then the trouble begins.

So I have tried moving the fader up and down on the comping instrument to find a level where it will work to no great satisfaction.

I have tried using inversions to narrow the keyboard range of the chords used which will shrink the frequency range of the comping part. So not all chords are closed chords. Not effective.

I have tried equing the part but it results in the fundamental of chord (or lowest note of the inversion being louder than the others. Or the top end disappearing). (Maybe try a very small EQ Band?)

I have tried adjusting the velocity of notes a little bit but did not like it.

So Multiband Compression? What is general rule of thumb on comping instruments for Hip Hop instrumentals. Keep them out of the way of the drums and bass. Got that. What is the best way to keep them steady and even so I can find a volume level where it will groove nicely.

Any general tips on comping instruments also welcome!

Thanks FP!
 
Hey man, its hard to say what you need to do without being able to hear it but from what you're saying - is it more of a timing problem? Are you quantizing? Playing stuff in? From my experience playing parts in myself always yields a better feeling part than programming (depends on the genre though I guess)
You also didn't mention anything about space, have you tried verbs and delays? Sometimes the right reverb can help a part sit right in the mix, and and delay can help to find a groove etc.
I guess also theres the idea of using some tempo synced modulation effects like a phaser, flange, tremelo etc that help the part feel more locked in.
 
Audio Example & Notes



Note: This is not a tutorial. These are my step by step notes for a beat snippet I made. I tried to be detailed beacuse I want to know where I can improve. I am having trouble with groove of comping instruments. Any feedback welcome!


Trap Style Comping Project
DAW: FL Studio Version 10
Monitors: KRK Rokit 5 (Untreated Room)
Project Tempo: 140 BPM (Effective Tempo 70 BPM)
Key: A Minor


Project Notes:
I composed the short loop.
I roughly balanced it and bounced it to audio as a guide.
I then set all faders to zero. I bounced all tracks to audio with no fx.
I imported all audio tracks into a new fl studio project.
I labled each track and assigned it's own to a free mixer channel.
I used the channel volume function to set all tracks to -6db with the mix fader at zero. (I think this is called gain staging.)

I waited a day.

I added a reference track Gucci 2 Chains & Mike Will I lost it Set at -12db to compensate for mastering.
I Set up an 8th note delay bus.
I set up a long reverb bus.
I balanced the mix.

Took a break and checked it again.

I fed a small amount of piano into the delay.
I fed a small abount of lead into the delay and reverb bus.
I turned up the volume and adjusted the balance again.
I put a high pass on the lead and keys.

I Put a limiter on the master bus and turned it up 12db.
Printed it to mp3 upload to soundcloud.
Thats it!

Reflections:
Wow volume balance is really important. I should not try to mix and make beat at the same time. I don't want to be thinking about the parts and trying to set the final levels at the same time. I am still not happy with it though. The Drums feel ok. But the synth part feels off. I used two instances of 3xosc with two detuned square wave (different amounts) I also added a small attack to remove a pop at the beginning. I set the phase randomness to 50% to avoid that phaser sound. Could this be affecting that part?
 
i'm not quite sure i understand your problem

is it because you don't like the synth abruptly ending? in that case you can add more delay. i wouldn't think too far into. mixing while making the beat is fine, it's actually more suitable to me because you're creating room while fitting that sound your looking for in.

seems like something that will just get better with trial and error. read up on your effects. something you'd probably love would be sidechaining your kicks/durms.. google it. if you're having problems with frequencies of instruments crowding up your drums use your eq to find and locate them and turn them down, that'll make some room. also panning obviously gives instruments their own space
 
Hey man,

It sounds pretty well balanced to me. Great that you're referencing other tracks as you go.
Theres not a lot wrong with what I can hear, if it were my mix though Id let a bit more low end of the sub through possibly. The perc sound youve got on the offbeats sounds a bit over compressed to me, that could have a bit more life to it, some light distortion too maybe. In the comping I'd try randomising the paino a little more, it sounds pretty rigid. Id also maybe take the high pass of the ascending synth, if its got a sub osc on it let that through and give it a bit more grit.
 
grongk said:
Hey man,

It sounds pretty well balanced to me. Great that you're referencing other tracks as you go.
Theres not a lot wrong with what I can hear, if it were my mix though Id let a bit more low end of the sub through possibly. The perc sound youve got on the offbeats sounds a bit over compressed to me, that could have a bit more life to it, some light distortion too maybe. In the comping I'd try randomising the paino a little more, it sounds pretty rigid. Id also maybe take the high pass of the ascending synth, if its got a sub osc on it let that through and give it a bit more grit.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the feedback I will give it a listen again. Send me a link so I can give you feedback on something.
 
I think the problem here is that your piano sample is too dry and MIDI sounding, in other words it sounds too perfect and robotic. Try using a different piano sample, or hit the notes harder for different tone, add some subtle compression FX to make it more lively, pull some notes slightly off the grid so it feels more human, etc...
 
Your never gonna be able to mix properly till you have a treated room if I where you I'd spend your next 2 paycheck on some sort of treatment
 
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