EQ and a Spectrum analyzer... Better mixes!

[Flip G]

Whats up FutureProducers,

I've been studying this forum and practicing for so long and was never able to get the clarity I wanted until now... After trying a million plugins, analog equipment, saturators, etc. it all came down to using EQ and a Spectrum analyzer.

these are my latest.... please comment and be critical.... my skin is thick and we can discuss techniques and experiences

 

[BlazenHotTracks]

1st - wack sounds hella off ' 2nd tracks more better vocals and beat are decent ' hook could be better ' 3rd track reminds me of a 2 pac beat 'not ur voice but the beat ,nice flow to it thou overall keep it up bruh

 

[Flip G]

Thanks for the input... my cuz said something sounds off with the 1st too but couldn't Identify it... what did you hear?

P.S. - on just the mixes what are your thoughts aside from the composition? (i'm open to advice too )

Thanks a milli

 

[Friz]

Spectrum Analyzer Question

Hey man, can you explain to me more how you use your Spectrum analyzer? I'll use it on the master track and occasionally on individual tracks such as the kick to find the peak frequency.. But I feel like I'm under utilizing the Spectrum analyzer.

 

[crimsonhawk47]

What exactly are you doing with a spectrum analyzer and eq? Are you looking at the curve of other tracks and trying to eq your track to make your curve similar? Because you don't need to be doing that at all. I recall a time a few years ago when I loaded 10 songs in Pro Tools and analyzed them all and tried to make my song like them. I can't remember who on here I emailed but they basically said "Just...stop."

I think you are thinking way too hard about what you need to be doing. A spectrum analyzer is, generally speaking, not the path to good mixes. More importantly, I don't think you need clarity in your mix. I can hear things fine, for the most part. The fact is, the sounds and the way the are used aren't that interesting. The bass is kinda whatever on Cloudz, and the kick just doesn't hit well with the bass. Get Low's beat sounds better, but again, the kick is just kinda there, not really doing anything. I'd wager that even if there was more clarity with that kick, it wouldn't sound that strong.

Your vocal verses actually sound pretty good. I keep imagining them over a different beat though. I also think the sort of chorusy "Clouds, clouds, clouds" part sounds underwhelming. Maybe because it's a little too dynamic for what you're doing. It sounds like you trail off in volume, which kinda makes it sound weaker. I think it could use more compression, but otherwise, I like your verses.

I think you just need to focus more on arrangement and sound selection than mixing. What kind of monitoring equipment and room do you have? I think a lot of this stuff would fall in place if you could trust what you were hearing.

 

[Flip G]

Thanks for your ears : )

The way I have been using the Spectrum analyzer as of late is by accentuating the peaks and valleys... to me it adds more clarity and removes some noise, overall making the sound more transparent. I also boost to try to flatten the frequency curve as well.

This is what I have come to after some experimentation... try this technique and let me know what your results are so I can see if its just me.

 

[crimsonhawk47]

I have done this in the past, and it's about as hit or miss for me as an eq preset would be. If it works for you, then great, but I think you won't like your mixes at all a week after they're done.

Having a balanced song doesn't mean every frequency needs to be at the same amplitude. I don't know of any songs like that. And it varies widely depending on music. Some music is more bass heavy than others. Drake is going to have more low end than Pharell's "Happy." And if you have a lot going on in the bass, you may end up mixing all bass instruments quieter than, say, a single subbass. A flattened frequency response is, in fact, the exact opposite of what you want. Music is about contrast, not everything being the same. Sounds are supposed to be louder than other sounds. How are you going to make one thing seem big if it's the same size as something else? More importantly, low end peaks higher than high end, so Eqing your song to be flat is not a good idea.

But perhaps MOST importantly, a spectrum analyzer tells you nothing apart from "somethings there.". That constant peak around 60 Hz could be a sub bass, or really bad low end rumble. Eqing it to be flat is non sensual.

If you can two songs you like that have completely flat frequency ranges, then that's something, but I have never seen that, except in the most obnoxious forms of music. And I don't mean heavy electronic or dubstep, I mean straight up noise.