(FL Studio) Weird volume changes between sounds.

GRiiM

New member
I'll keep it brief.

There's this apparent glitch happening while i'm creating my track, and i'm wondering if any of you have an idea on what it is and how to get rid of it, because it's blowing my mind.

I'm in my mixing phase and I have a kick layered with, and sidechained to a bass kick(not an 808). When I play the pattern with the master track selected it sounds like there's phasing problems between the two kicks, and the bass kick has a little distortion on it, but when i click track 1 those phasing problems magically go away, and the bass kick has no distortion on it. BUT, when i click track 5, the kick sounds lower than track 1, and the distortion the bass drum had when i had the master fader selected returns. Also, when this initially started happening i thought it was because i was using an older version, so i got a newer version of fl studio, and low and behold the problems still remain......WTF??????

Please help me guys. This is getting me down so much. I'd appreciate some advice. Thanks.
 
Just to make things a little clearer.

You click on a track. Not a button, or anything else, but you just click on some random part of a track to select it and the sound changes? So, you're not turning any sounds or channels or tracks on or off, you're just clicking on it to select it?
 
And what are the compression settings you are using? Where is the "make-up gain" set? What happens if you take it out (no side-chain)?
 
Just to make things a little clearer.

You click on a track. Not a button, or anything else, but you just click on some random part of a track to select it and the sound changes? So, you're not turning any sounds or channels or tracks on or off, you're just clicking on it to select it?

Yes. Absolutely right, with or without sidechaining. Also I forgot to mention thAt I'm using studio headphones hooked up to an audio interface.
 
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Have you looked at the CPU meter while you are working? If the CPU meter is getting near 100 cracks and glithes will start appearing because your computer is trying process everything correctly but is lacking in CPU-memory.

Do you own a audio interface (soundcard) that is not the one that came with the computer? Larger projects usually require a more advanced audio interface then the default installed.

If you own a more advanced audio interface, have you tried increasing the sample rate? Low sample rate can usually create pops and cracks, increasing it increases latency but also increases sound quality.

Other than those tips above I would have to guess that the kick and bass are overlapping frequency-wise and you need to increase the sidechain-power or do some more in-depth EQing.

Good luck!
 
Have you looked at the CPU meter while you are working? If the CPU meter is getting near 100 cracks and glithes will start appearing because your computer is trying process everything correctly but is lacking in CPU-memory.

Do you own a audio interface (soundcard) that is not the one that came with the computer? Larger projects usually require a more advanced audio interface then the default installed.

If you own a more advanced audio interface, have you tried increasing the sample rate? Low sample rate can usually create pops and cracks, increasing it increases latency but also increases sound quality.

Other than those tips above I would have to guess that the kick and bass are overlapping frequency-wise and you need to increase the sidechain-power or do some more in-depth EQing.

Good luck!

I have it on the lowest buffer size(edited) possible and there's no underruns at all. And i'm fairly sure my eqing and sidechaining parameters are pretty solid. This is confusing lol.
 
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I'm desperate enough to post the project on here just so you guys understand what i'm experiencing. If any of you would like to help out let me know.
 
UPDATE: Sorry for the double post. I found out what the problem was. Learned what gainstaging is. I just didn't know wtf i was doing with the mix. All is good now =).
 
I'll keep it brief.

There's this apparent glitch happening while i'm creating my track, and i'm wondering if any of you have an idea on what it is and how to get rid of it, because it's blowing my mind.

I'm in my mixing phase and I have a kick layered with, and sidechained to a bass kick(not an 808). When I play the pattern with the master track selected it sounds like there's phasing problems between the two kicks, and the bass kick has a little distortion on it, but when i click track 1 those phasing problems magically go away, and the bass kick has no distortion on it. BUT, when i click track 5, the kick sounds lower than track 1, and the distortion the bass drum had when i had the master fader selected returns. Also, when this initially started happening i thought it was because i was using an older version, so i got a newer version of fl studio, and low and behold the problems still remain......WTF??????

Please help me guys. This is getting me down so much. I'd appreciate some advice. Thanks.

This happens when the lower frequency noises interfere with each other. Notice it doesn't happen to higher pitch sounds, what i do is usually play with the FL Para EQ 2 and play with the first 3 knobs. They Say don't really drag them up, drag them down so you can lower sounds, but usually just go with your artistic stand-point. Also You can go to the Wav Settings And make the Kick and the Bass Kick Cut each other, with the cut-self method. That should do it I think :P
 
This happens when the lower frequency noises interfere with each other. Notice it doesn't happen to higher pitch sounds, what i do is usually play with the FL Para EQ 2 and play with the first 3 knobs. They Say don't really drag them up, drag them down so you can lower sounds, but usually just go with your artistic stand-point. Also You can go to the Wav Settings And make the Kick and the Bass Kick Cut each other, with the cut-self method. That should do it I think :P

Thanks. Appreciate it.
 
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