Not bad. Not bad at all.

Hi, been trying to make supersaws for melodic dubstep like culture code seven lions etc. When I make supersaws they always seem to either be to low and muddy/lack clarity or to high/thin/harsh. Even with layering multiple supersaws/synth layers still seem to have the wrong problem and I feel like it could be chord voicings. Can some please give some advice tips on chords for supersaws and how they process them, thanks

Making melodic dubstep supersaws that sound good is about being able to hear what needs to be added/taken away and doing that. If your supersaws are muddy then how about removing the 200hz with an EQ or lowering the layer that takes up those frequencies? If they're too thin then why don't you try added one more layer that specifically takes up the 60hz -100hz range?

Don't just stack a bunch of random layers. Each layer must have a purpose to fill out the frequency spectrum.

When it comes to chord voicing try to avoid small intervallic distances between the bass note and the middle voices. Having the two at least a fifth a way from each other well help keep the chords from getting blurry in lower registers.

It depends on the genre.

In progressive house yes.
In uplifting trance yes.
In dubstep no.
In d&b no.

See where I'm going here?

Yamaha HS8's. But I just ordered myself a pair yesterday.

So right now it's one of those Monitor controllers that let's you switch between two different monitors.

Today while working on my newest track I was having a tough time trying to get certain elements to fit within the mix. I had been working on the track all day and it sounded somewhat decent. I decided it was time to take a break.

2 hours later I come back with a fresh set of ears. Suddenly it becomes BLATANTLY obvious which elements of the track didn't fit and which ones did. I removed the ones that didn't fit because it was obvious that they just sounded forced and awkward.

I'm just amazed by how after listening to something for so many times on repeat you become sort of tone deaf to what sounds good and what sounds bad. I'm beginning to realize that the very best time to make a change or check a track for errors is the first time you listen to it after taking a break. After taking a long break it's like the "errors" just POP out right in my face. It becomes clear what needs to be done and progress is made faster than if I were to sit there tweaking an element trying to get it to fit within a mix down.

Can anyone else relate?

It's almost like the more you listen to something on repeat the faster your ability to differentiate between what sounds good and bad starts to deteriorate.

Quote from: Lydian on August 12, 2016, 07:30:31 am

Could you elaborate a little bit more on what you mean by less rigid boundary?

Sure! I can't remember where I first read the idea of "clear divisions, fuzzy boundaries", but it goes a little something like this:

You want to* have the different sections of your songs to be clearly defined from one another, so that someone could start listening at a random spot in the song and know where they are without any extra information. At the same time, you don't want to* have it feel like the song is just sort of going from section to section - "Okay we're in the intro. Okay now we're in the verse. Okay now we're in the chorus. Okay now we're in the verse. Etc., Etc." So like the first point you said about transitions, sounds don't always need to stop when you change sections. Conversely, sounds can be introduced before a section starts. A melody can start two beats before the new section starts, or switch from a synthesizer to a violin when you go from the chorus to the breakdown. Delay and/or reverb tails, reverses, and things like that help as well.


*: Standard songwriting conventions that can and should be ignored when it adds to the song creatively. e.g. a huge energy-filled dubstep buildup that suddenly cuts out so a vocal sample can play before the drop enters. The boundaries couldn't be more clearly defined, but that adds to the impact of the next section and just feels good.

Regarding your stance on the subject, I found this link that I think really helps compliment what you're saying. It's a very interesting perspective on transitions that I really got a lot of value from reading so i'll repost it.

https://makingmusic.ableton.com/fuzzy-boundaries

It's okay lunee.

I guess I'll add some more.

4. Experiment with muting instruments 1 bar before the next section.
5. Instead of removing an instrument try fading it out with volume automation instead.
6. Experiment with Filters

See a doctor. This isn't something the average person is qualified to help you with.