Author Topic: How do I make my leads sound more smooth and not so raw? (Read 18309 times)

RylanT · « **Reply #15 on:** January 08, 2016, 07:55:18 am »

Quote from: Kinesthetics on January 08, 2016, 07:39:38 am

Sounds counter-intuitive, but give removing some of the high end a try.
In a lot of cases where sounds like this are stacked, removing some the high end with either a low-pass filter or shelf filter helps alleviate all that treble stacking up, which is what it sounds like is happening in the clip.
If you're using white noise to carry the very highs (10khz and up), try cutting that area and above back on the other layers. You'd be surprised how often this works (especially on pads) to let the highs breathe a little, but still shine through.

^ This, I cut saws/leads alot at like 14k, and let white noise carry it.

Zenkrey · « **Reply #16 on:** January 08, 2016, 08:49:05 am »

Another important thing: smooth down peaks around 3-5 kHz because those are the most sensible frequencies for the human ear. I always cut a little bit aroind there with a wide gentle bell on my supersaws or leads, and, to compensate the cut, I add sparkle with a gentle high shelf after 10kHz, so they sound cleaner and less unpleasant to the ears.

morgan · « **Reply #17 on:** January 08, 2016, 09:22:40 am »

Quote from: FRISSONT on January 07, 2016, 01:30:34 pm

OTT your main chord stack/ distort them to taste with fabfilter saturn

the synths playing chord notes could be raised in level/made stereo.

if you're using nexus the LD angel one preset is airy enough to occupy your mid-top end. space it with valhallaverb.

you could definitely flesh out a more interesting bassline with regards to midi - try going up an octave with portamento in the last 1/4 of each bar.

don't underestimate using a distorted saw bass instead. it adds meat to the mix

although OTT is very efficient and fast/intuitive - i think manual multiband compression is a more effective and precise method for controlling lead sounds, for example fabfilter pro-mb is very surgical and even allows upwards multiband compression

Chromatrope · « **Reply #18 on:** January 08, 2016, 09:40:02 am »

First of all, really nice work. Secondly, the lead feels like it's too robotic. Try adding a little bit of vibrato in, and try adding some portamento to a couple spots. Those two usually do the trick in getting something to sound more natural. Now, as for the sound itself by itself, I would recommend mixing in a completely unprocessed mono saw in the middle, just turn it up to where it's noticeable, but not obvious. Making your supersaws too wide and too huge is a bit of a pitfall, and bringing in some more pure tone in the middle can help fix that.

Zenkrey · « **Reply #19 on:** January 08, 2016, 10:17:37 am »

Quote from: morgan on January 08, 2016, 09:22:40 am

Quote from: FRISSONT on January 07, 2016, 01:30:34 pm
OTT your main chord stack/ distort them to taste with fabfilter saturn

the synths playing chord notes could be raised in level/made stereo.

if you're using nexus the LD angel one preset is airy enough to occupy your mid-top end. space it with valhallaverb.

you could definitely flesh out a more interesting bassline with regards to midi - try going up an octave with portamento in the last 1/4 of each bar.

don't underestimate using a distorted saw bass instead. it adds meat to the mix

although OTT is very efficient and fast/intuitive - i think manual multiband compression is a more effective and precise method for controlling lead sounds, for example fabfilter pro-mb is very surgical and even allows upwards multiband compression

Definitely. OTT gives the sound a very metallic accent. Also, it's really bad when the sound has some reverb on it, because it distorts it a little bit.

natre · « **Reply #20 on:** January 08, 2016, 10:32:06 pm »

Quote from: Kinesthetics on January 08, 2016, 07:39:38 am

Sounds counter-intuitive, but give removing some of the high end a try.
In a lot of cases where sounds like this are stacked, removing some the high end with either a low-pass filter or shelf filter helps alleviate all that treble stacking up, which is what it sounds like is happening in the clip.
If you're using white noise to carry the very highs (10khz and up), try cutting that area and above back on the other layers. You'd be surprised how often this works (especially on pads) to let the highs breathe a little, but still shine through.

Great idea! Thanks a lot for that tip! Will surely try it out!

Saffron · « **Reply #21 on:** January 10, 2016, 01:41:30 am »

a lot of times a lead just doesnt have enough white noise to fill the mix up, and it thus actually becomes really bare
and obnoxious

Saffron · « **Reply #22 on:** January 10, 2016, 01:43:44 am »

it could also be that your lead has transient peaks that are really piercing and need to be flattened so that the lead
can have the desired volume without killing your ears. It could be those transient peaks that are irritating you

EQing is also a big factor. EQing is almost always the answer to every issue when it comes to mixing. never underestimate it.

Author Topic: How do I make my leads sound more smooth and not so raw? (Read 18309 times)

RylanT

Re: How do I make my leads sound more smooth and not so raw?

Zenkrey

Re: How do I make my leads sound more smooth and not so raw?

morgan

Re: How do I make my leads sound more smooth and not so raw?

Chromatrope

Re: How do I make my leads sound more smooth and not so raw?

Zenkrey

Re: How do I make my leads sound more smooth and not so raw?

natre

Re: How do I make my leads sound more smooth and not so raw?

Saffron

Re: How do I make my leads sound more smooth and not so raw?

Saffron

Re: How do I make my leads sound more smooth and not so raw?