Hi,
I'm using FL Studio.
When designing sounds, I like to use lots of effects to make trippy and interesting sounds. Think Shpongle, or Ott.
However, certain effects that I really like, such as delay, phaser, flanger, filter etc., at certain settings they cause the sound to peak at certain points, and then go quiet at others.
Over the time I've been producing, I've managed to get things to sound a lot better than they once did, but the sounds and the clarity are still lacking.
I use compressors, multiband compressors, limiters, trying different ordering and combinations of the two, and although I can get the waveform a little flatter I can't stop peaking without the limiter, but the limiter will make it sound a bit naff at points when the input sound is clipping and details in the sound get a bit lost due to the limiter. I try EQing after to give the sound more presence at various frequencies in the spectrum. I've also experimented with FL's Maximus considerably, adjusting stereo separation in different frequency bands, as I've found that can help bring certain details out. I also experiment with removing frequencies from the sound that don't make a difference in the context of the other sounds playing around it.
So if I ease up on the limiter so that there's not so much distortion and loss of detail when the waveform gets louder, while the individual sounds don't clip, the sum of all of the sounds cause clipping, but if I turn it down such that it doesn't clip, it just sounds really quiet and lost in the mix. I also route melodies into their own channel and limit the spikes, and do the same with drums, bass, and other classifications of sound, which does help considerably.
But I still can't get certain sounds to stand out, and on anything other than my good headphones, just sound like what could be described as 'blurry', e.g., not clear?
I also add a little distortion to sounds too which often helps.
What are some tips so I can get flatter waveforms with all these effects and stop the clipping and hear more details in the sound?
------------------------------------
Another issue I have is with the filter, I really like how some noises sound after applying a low-pass filter, and sounds really good on decent headphones and details can be heard, but on anything else the sound is lost and you just can't hear detail, it just sounds like a droning noise with no gaps.
Is it simply that due to the low-pass, the high-mids and highs are gone, but are required to give detail to a sound, or is there another trick that can bring out the details?
I listen to the epic noises of Shpongle, and the waveform just sounds flatter, and details poke out, and I can hear he makes extensive use of these effects, so obviously there is a way to flatten these sounds.
Any pointers or tips would be hugely appreciated!
Thank you all in advance.
I'm using FL Studio.
When designing sounds, I like to use lots of effects to make trippy and interesting sounds. Think Shpongle, or Ott.
However, certain effects that I really like, such as delay, phaser, flanger, filter etc., at certain settings they cause the sound to peak at certain points, and then go quiet at others.
Over the time I've been producing, I've managed to get things to sound a lot better than they once did, but the sounds and the clarity are still lacking.
I use compressors, multiband compressors, limiters, trying different ordering and combinations of the two, and although I can get the waveform a little flatter I can't stop peaking without the limiter, but the limiter will make it sound a bit naff at points when the input sound is clipping and details in the sound get a bit lost due to the limiter. I try EQing after to give the sound more presence at various frequencies in the spectrum. I've also experimented with FL's Maximus considerably, adjusting stereo separation in different frequency bands, as I've found that can help bring certain details out. I also experiment with removing frequencies from the sound that don't make a difference in the context of the other sounds playing around it.
So if I ease up on the limiter so that there's not so much distortion and loss of detail when the waveform gets louder, while the individual sounds don't clip, the sum of all of the sounds cause clipping, but if I turn it down such that it doesn't clip, it just sounds really quiet and lost in the mix. I also route melodies into their own channel and limit the spikes, and do the same with drums, bass, and other classifications of sound, which does help considerably.
But I still can't get certain sounds to stand out, and on anything other than my good headphones, just sound like what could be described as 'blurry', e.g., not clear?
I also add a little distortion to sounds too which often helps.
What are some tips so I can get flatter waveforms with all these effects and stop the clipping and hear more details in the sound?
------------------------------------
Another issue I have is with the filter, I really like how some noises sound after applying a low-pass filter, and sounds really good on decent headphones and details can be heard, but on anything else the sound is lost and you just can't hear detail, it just sounds like a droning noise with no gaps.
Is it simply that due to the low-pass, the high-mids and highs are gone, but are required to give detail to a sound, or is there another trick that can bring out the details?
I listen to the epic noises of Shpongle, and the waveform just sounds flatter, and details poke out, and I can hear he makes extensive use of these effects, so obviously there is a way to flatten these sounds.
Any pointers or tips would be hugely appreciated!
Thank you all in advance.
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