Any tips on layering synths?
- Thread starter sansansan
- Start date
bandcoach
Zukatoku - Mod Scientist
same tips you get for orchestration
placement in the stereo field is important - no two instruments can occupy the same physical space so no two sounds should be in the same logical space
note use in each register/octave should follow the basic plan as follows
below the E below middle C (E in the middle of the bass clef staff) distance between notes is at minimum a 5th and better as an octave
below the E an octave below the one above (E beneath the bass clef staff) minimum distance is 1 octave or two octave or an octave and 5th
above the E below middle C the distance can be a 3rd or smaller - as with any clusters make sure that you avoid unwanted dissonances
in addition consider fatback layering vs chordal layering
fatback has the line in two or three octaves with the lowest octave doubled
chordal is just as it sounds, each note is played out as a chord, so you are also needing to be aware of harmonic clashes as you move through the line, make your choices according to how much or how little the harmonisation is dissonant to the underlying harmony
see these posts for more info
https://www.futureproducers.com/for...echniques-fatten-my-orchrestral-stuff-351377/
https://www.futureproducers.com/for...mixing-mastering/brass-section-mixing-471931/
https://www.futureproducers.com/for...k-approach-chordal-approach-bandcoach-406701/
https://www.futureproducers.com/for...ng-better-brass-melodies-trap-hip-hop-484387/
also take the time and watch this video carefully to learn more about the harmonisation approaches you can use
https://www.futureproducers.com/for...ry-lindsay-jazz-voicings-master-class-469343/
placement in the stereo field is important - no two instruments can occupy the same physical space so no two sounds should be in the same logical space
note use in each register/octave should follow the basic plan as follows
below the E below middle C (E in the middle of the bass clef staff) distance between notes is at minimum a 5th and better as an octave
below the E an octave below the one above (E beneath the bass clef staff) minimum distance is 1 octave or two octave or an octave and 5th
above the E below middle C the distance can be a 3rd or smaller - as with any clusters make sure that you avoid unwanted dissonances
in addition consider fatback layering vs chordal layering
fatback has the line in two or three octaves with the lowest octave doubled
chordal is just as it sounds, each note is played out as a chord, so you are also needing to be aware of harmonic clashes as you move through the line, make your choices according to how much or how little the harmonisation is dissonant to the underlying harmony
see these posts for more info
https://www.futureproducers.com/for...echniques-fatten-my-orchrestral-stuff-351377/
https://www.futureproducers.com/for...mixing-mastering/brass-section-mixing-471931/
https://www.futureproducers.com/for...k-approach-chordal-approach-bandcoach-406701/
https://www.futureproducers.com/for...ng-better-brass-melodies-trap-hip-hop-484387/
also take the time and watch this video carefully to learn more about the harmonisation approaches you can use
https://www.futureproducers.com/for...ry-lindsay-jazz-voicings-master-class-469343/
Last edited:
pyramidpower
New member
Create space, rather than taking space. The ear can only fixate on a small number of sounds.
Find one synth in mid range, one in low and maybe another one in high. Adjust the volume on each differently, if all come at the same volume, they sound muddy. Also make sure if the synth has any kind of effects like mod wheel, reverb, vibrato, etc, if they aren't used right adding one synth like that can muddy up the whole sound.
Sk1nZ
Ableton Addict
could panning be used to improve the sound of the different layers? high's to the side, lows in the middle etc... Im trying to find out how the wide sounding electro basses are made and wondered if panning has a lot to do with it
Ametrine
Audible Chocolate
I don't necessarily like the idea of panning to improve the way layers blend together. What happens when you play a track back in mono? All of the problems panning may have seemed to avoid will still be there.
EQ'ing and proper volume control will go a lot father than panning will if you want to make layers fit well. Panning is great for giving sounds space, but it does not solve frequency issues.
"Wide sounding electro basses" may actually be the result of chorus. Basses, in particular, are generally kept dead center, since they're often the main drivers of rhythm in a track. But you can add chorus to your higher frequency basses to make them seem more "wide" and spread out. With a simple sine wave sub underneath, it can sound really nice.
EQ'ing and proper volume control will go a lot father than panning will if you want to make layers fit well. Panning is great for giving sounds space, but it does not solve frequency issues.
"Wide sounding electro basses" may actually be the result of chorus. Basses, in particular, are generally kept dead center, since they're often the main drivers of rhythm in a track. But you can add chorus to your higher frequency basses to make them seem more "wide" and spread out. With a simple sine wave sub underneath, it can sound really nice.
bandcoach
Zukatoku - Mod Scientist
using panning to shift freq ranges is not going to be as useful as simply panning individual instruments - actually made me think of a multiband panner which may or may not exist as a vstFx - individual instruments will always have a combination of frequency ranges rather than be limited to a single range and you would just place the instrument for best effect, same goes for synth patches......
as for ametrine's concerns re panning and mono playback: the issues that panning seeks to address are not just frequency issues
- most frequency clashes are down to poor orchestrational choices not poor sound placement/eq
-- in fact, trying to eq your way out of an orchestrational problem rarely works, as the underlying cause is still present and can still be heard
- reread my post and the linked posts above to better understand the issues and concepts involved
as for ametrine's concerns re panning and mono playback: the issues that panning seeks to address are not just frequency issues
- most frequency clashes are down to poor orchestrational choices not poor sound placement/eq
-- in fact, trying to eq your way out of an orchestrational problem rarely works, as the underlying cause is still present and can still be heard
- reread my post and the linked posts above to better understand the issues and concepts involved