Knowledge Wednesday By: DAWsopenat7 No comments

Weekly words of Wisdom!

High Pass Filter – This tool allows you to attenuate/remove frequency content below the chosen frequency cut off, therefore allowing the higher frequencies to pass through. Try this with a parametric EQ plugin on your rhythm guitars to remove the unwanted low frequency content. Start by rolling off up to 80Hz to create space for the kick drum and bass guitar which will immediately have more clarity with this mix move and even increase as far as 120Hz if needed. This is a great trick to allow the bass guitar to sit nicely underneath the rhythm guitars. Below is generally what a high pass filter will look like.

Low Pass Filter – This tool allows you to attenuate/remove frequency content above the chosen frequency cut off, therefore allowing the lower frequencies to pass through. Try this with a parametric EQ plugin on your backing vocals to remove some of the unwanted high frequency content. Start by rolling off at 6-7KHz to put the backing vocals a little bit further back in the mix and allow the main vocal to be the dominant one. This is a great trick to easily create depth and space in a mix without using reverb. Below is generally what a low pass filter will look like.

Knowledge Wednesday By: DAWsopenat7 No comments

Wednesday weekly words of wisdom!

Parallel compression – Create a copy of your audio source in your DAW and add heavy compression (fast attack, slightly slower release, high ratio and pull down the threshold until you hear the compressor working, make sure the level is the same with the compressor bypassed) and blend in with the uncompressed track – try this on your drum buss for extra punch!

Parallel distortion – Create a copy of your audio source in your DAW and add distortion or saturation to this track and blend with the clean track – try this on your bass guitar track for extra bite and to help it cut through the mix and sit well with distorted guitars!

Mirrored EQ – Cutting a certain frequency band on one instrument and boosting on the same band on another – try a gentle cut around 65Hz on the bass guitar with a narrow/mid bandwidth and then boost with the same settings on the kick drum, this creates space that allows each instrument to sit nicely in the frequency spectrum in harmony. This technique can be applied both ways if you want your bass guitar to occupy more of the low end.

EQ in the mix as well as soloing – Use this technique when EQ’ing your drum overheads and room microphones to ensure you’re not removing too much of the frequencies that help them cut through! Switch between solo and full mix to hear them in context.

Automation – Automate your master fader to make your song more dynamic – A 1dB boost on a chorus can make a massive difference and grab the listener on that all important hook!