EQing layered synths

Sensus

New member
Hello everyone, hope you are fine
I have a question: how should I layer my synths:
1.Do I have to move the notes on each layer 1 octave up/down depending on the frequency spectrum?
2.Can I layer 2 sounds which have the same frequency spectrum?
3. And also, for example if I layer a sound for mid frequencies, do I have to completely cut out the highs and lows or leave them a bit?
Thanks
 
you can do that and have some good results but i would keep the note at the same spot and reach for your tuning knobs in your DAW or VST you can make sure that you've got a perfect mix of pitched sounds before you eq then buss or sum them down. then you'are just fine tuning in your EQ with high and low shelf or high and low pass filters. and keep it simple. use similar synth sounds with as little layers as it takes to get the sound you want. it will save you a lot of head aches in the mix down. it'll save you from going up and down the frequency spectrum with a peak filter looking for phase cancellation then eq then sweep then low pass and sweep again. if you just keep what needs to be where while your designing sounds or picking sounds you'll be better off. just keep it to 2 to 3 synth layer thats all you need for the effect. you have a sub bass mid bass to build your frequency spectrum dynamics with.
 
1. Each layer should serve it's purpose. If you need a layer an octave up, bring in a layer an octave up. If you need a layer at the same octave, bring in a layer at the same octave.
2. Again, each layer should serve it's purpose.
3. Depends on what sound you want. Though you can always try and see if it makes a bigger difference in the final sound. It's something I'd recommend trying, since you can make the sound less "hot". Though I think it's varying from case to case.

On a little sidenote. Whatever move you do in layering synths, you should have a goal with that move (or simply experimenting).
Don't layer something just to get a thicker spectrum coverage on the spectrum analyzers, or because you feel you're supposed to do so.
Listen to the sound you're making, and determine what needs to be added. In time, you'll learn your own different tricks that can improve your sound.
Many times 1 great made synthsound delivers better results than 4 okay layers.
 
you can do that and have some good results but i would keep the note at the same spot and reach for your tuning knobs in your DAW or VST you can make sure that you've got a perfect mix of pitched sounds before you eq then buss or sum them down. then you'are just fine tuning in your EQ with high and low shelf or high and low pass filters. and keep it simple. use similar synth sounds with as little layers as it takes to get the sound you want. it will save you a lot of head aches in the mix down. it'll save you from going up and down the frequency spectrum with a peak filter looking for phase cancellation then eq then sweep then low pass and sweep again. if you just keep what needs to be where while your designing sounds or picking sounds you'll be better off. just keep it to 2 to 3 synth layer thats all you need for the effect. you have a sub bass mid bass to build your frequency spectrum dynamics with.
But what if the synth I am using doesnt have eq knobs so I cant change the preset that much? For example, I use nexus quite often, but you cant change a lot there
 
1. Each layer should serve it's purpose. If you need a layer an octave up, bring in a layer an octave up. If you need a layer at the same octave, bring in a layer at the same octave.
2. Again, each layer should serve it's purpose.
3. Depends on what sound you want. Though you can always try and see if it makes a bigger difference in the final sound. It's something I'd recommend trying, since you can make the sound less "hot". Though I think it's varying from case to case.

On a little sidenote. Whatever move you do in layering synths, you should have a goal with that move (or simply experimenting).
Don't layer something just to get a thicker spectrum coverage on the spectrum analyzers, or because you feel you're supposed to do so.
Listen to the sound you're making, and determine what needs to be added. In time, you'll learn your own different tricks that can improve your sound.
Many times 1 great made synthsound delivers better results than 4 okay layers.
How do you usually do yourself?Do you keep the notes the same or transpose them?
P.S. everyone tells me that less is more in layering but whenever I look at famous djs' project photos they have like 100 tracks playing at the same time :D It confuses me a lot
 
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But what if the synth I am using doesnt have eq knobs so I cant change the preset that much? For example, I use nexus quite often, but you cant change a lot there

Use other plugins to do the EQing.

How do you usually do yourself?Do you keep the notes the same or transpose them?

This depends so much on the sounds themselves and how they're designed...as a simple example, you can also "transpose" by simply turning the oscillator pitch up an octave - the notes would still be the same. There's no one correct way to do this - you do whatever the situation calls for. I usually try to sculpt the sounds to fit together on the synthesis level (again, the osc pitch serving as a simple example on how to approach this), negating the need to heavily postprocess the sounds. Also, bear in mind that the goal is to make things sound good - and sometimes the interesting sound comes from those clashing frequencies. Don't over-engineer.

P.S. everyone tells me that less is more in layering but whenever I look at famous djs' project photos they have like 100 tracks playing at the same time It confuses me a lot

There could be a number of reasons for having a hundred tracks, but most likely it isn't because they're layering a hundred sounds. If every single little spot effect and percussion has their own track, you quickly end up with a gazillion tracks (which I personally think is awkward to manage & gives you infinite choice, which ends up into lots of procrastination rather that Getting Shit Done™).
 
How do you usually do yourself?Do you keep the notes the same or transpose them?
P.S. everyone tells me that less is more in layering but whenever I look at famous djs' project photos they have like 100 tracks playing at the same time :D It confuses me a lot
No idea actually, I suppose it differs from time to time, sometimes i just happen to move up the MIDI-notes themselves, and sometimes I just happen to pitch up the whole synth leaving the notes at the same place as before. Same results, different approaches.
 
But what if the synth I am using doesnt have eq knobs so I cant change the preset that much? For example, I use nexus quite often, but you cant change a lot there

If you think you can't change a lot and that it "doesn't have EQ knobs" with Nexus, then you don't know how to use it.

Nexus has 3 separate individual dedicated EQ/filter sections ("EQ", "Filter Modifier" and "Master Filter"... Plus it has 2 simultaneous insert FX slots and 2 simultaneous master FX slots which can each provide additional EQ/filtering (not to mention the way you can change your sound in general with those 4 i/m FX)

...and on top of that there is additional reverb (with 90+ different impulse responses) and delay...

...plus the requisite "amp mod" envelope.


With Nexus, you can change as much as with most other synths... and you can change more than you can with many other synths.
 
In my experience when layering synths often you will make your mix "muddy", in ableton there is a built in plugin called spectrum and it shows you the frequency spectrum of the synth you're using. If you use that you can pin point the main frequencies the synth is in and EQ around that, most of the time using the eq for subtractive purposes in the mid to low end. :cool:
 
How many different octaves in your layers do you guys use in say a very energetic synth lead?

Ive been having trouble with it sounding dull even though the melodys very energetic, ive just tried using octaves 5 to 2 instead of 4 to 2 and seems to have helped. Just wondering what the norm is with leads?

Thanks
 
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better to design the lead sound to cover the range you want than doubling and tripling the synths into different octaves:

i.e. one sound being triggered by octave doubling or tripling (i.e the line is duplicated or triplicated in the one channel driving only one instance of the synth) will be better than many channels driving many synths which may bring in subtle variations in phase between each synth creating more issues than it fixes, unless you are able to synch all synth instances to trigger at the same time
 
better to design the lead sound to cover the range you want than doubling and tripling the synths into different octaves:

i.e. one sound being triggered by octave doubling or tripling (i.e the line is duplicated or triplicated in the one channel driving only one instance of the synth) will be better than many channels driving many synths which may bring in subtle variations in phase between each synth creating more issues than it fixes, unless you are able to synch all synth instances to trigger at the same time

ok thanks, i just cant get the sound im after even after hours of playing around. I tried boosting the eq's in certain parts but didnt help much, adding more octaves, taking away octaves, trying different synths... So frustrating when you know what you want it to sound like but just cant use what you have in front of you
 
Thank you captain obvious if you don't want to use the spectrum then don't ****ing use it. Go re-create seven lions and if you don't need to layer synths then good for you until then if you're not going to prove me wrong then keep it to yourself.

your ears can hear if their clashing.. for the most part.... and 4 leads for one pattern.. you need stronger sounds..
 
Thanks everyone for the tips. Also when I listen to some of the tracks of famous producers, there is like a bit phasing in their synths, does it mean that sometimes there will be even just a bit phase cancellation in your tracks?
 
Also if you're worried about the different layers of one synth working together, you can always use two or more instances of the synth (or bounce to audio) and treat them separately with plug-in EQ.

Generally if someone sends me a mix to do with lots of synth layers, I will ask them to split up the synth layers on to different tracks so that I can deal with them separately. I may want to pan them individually to get a better blend and EQ them differently. I'll also generally ask for a dry version with no effects so that I can blend the effects to taste (for example I may choose to have the lower frequency layers much drier and upfront).
 
Thank you captain obvious if you don't want to use the spectrum then don't ****ing use it. Go re-create seven lions and if you don't need to layer synths then good for you until then if you're not going to prove me wrong then keep it to yourself.

i layer synths.. but 4 is absurd.. get stronger sounds.. :4theloveofgod:
 
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