'EQ'uality!

4 July, 2009 - 17:36 — hydrocarbon

Hello,

Thanks for all the feedback on the music.
I'd really like to 'set the levels' on the track as suggested; how is mastering/equalising in FLstudio8 done>?
How do i make a track sound crisp and professional?
How to mix the different sound levels of various synths and adjust them to the required level?

Thanks.

Music Production Software

4 July, 2009 - 19:36 — IngridTornado

I hate to say it, but I don't think FL is that great for mastering. I know this might spark great debate, but then again the last time I used FL was FL5, so may have improved (but I doubt the overall interface has changed). I personally like something with very extensive and clear routing options, like Reaper, where you can control absolutely everything about the signal chains. I can't remember FL being good in that dept but dunno may have changed since. Love, Ingrid

4 July, 2009 - 21:06 — DJ Caesar

You did spark debate Ingrid!
I don't agree. With the mixer and infinite routing and automating possibilities, FL Studio is more than enough.
Plus, Reaper is freeware (right?), FL Studio is not, so theoretically FL Studio has better "technology".
Let's give Hydro Carbon some help shall we; Assign each element to a mixer track, and then open up Fruity Parametric EQ (or any other EQ plugin) and modify the levels of the different frequencies.
Main tip for EQing: try to lower the secondary freq levels for each element. Example: if you have a pluck lead, the main sound is in the higher freq, so lower the bass freq so that it's doesn't interfere with other elements of the track. You'll get more experience by practicing.
Now the levels: add a compressor to each mixer track but make sure the compressor is the last plugin for that track.
Learn more about EQing and compressing on Wikipedia or look for Youtube videos about FL Studio mastering.
Cheers!
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www.DJCaesar.Tk

4 July, 2009 - 22:14 — IngridTornado

Sounds like it hasn't changed at all! But fair enough, I won't bag FL cuz that's what we have to work with....

The only 2 things I would advise to start with is 1. learning to adjust each track's levels with the mixer, and 2. learning how to adjust the EQ on each track (as well as the master). I would start with these b4 you attempt compression, limiting etc (Ceasar I don't quite agree each track needs a compressor for levels!?!?).

Your research on youtube etc should pull up heaps on this for FL (I guess). The EQ helps each track (or noise or instrument) having its own space in the mix, so it doesn't clash with other sounds. For example, you don't often hear a lead vocal and a searing lead guitar at the same time - they clash, and the ear doesn't know which one to try and make out.

A common mistake beginners make is selecting a bunch of tracks/instruments that are phat, bright and loud (and compressed Caeser!), and then the whole song sounds a muddy mess.

Love, Ingrid

4 July, 2009 - 22:14 — ed

hydro mixing and mastering are separate processes it really depends what you want to do i really recommend buying a book on mixing and one on mastering heres the best two i have read

this one is mixing and its a fantastic book with great examples of how to achieve space in your records

Mixing Audio: Concepts, Practices and Tools (Paperback)
by Roey Izhaki (Author)

and mastering this one

Mastering Audio, Second Edition: The art and the science (Paperback)
by Bob Katz (Author)

i have read quite alot on the subjects and other stuff dosent come close search them on amazon or i think there is an ebook.pdf perhaps

with regard to levels it really comes down to knowing your genre of music and moitor setup i wouldnt even worry about your eq at the moment as this is a part of the mixing process get your ideas down then worry about it

4 July, 2009 - 22:34 — DJ Caesar

Yeah, sorry, I may have made a mistake writing the comment...
I don't compress absolutely all the tracks, I usually compress the lead and the drums or anything that can make it to the redline.
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4 July, 2009 - 23:46 — Light3000

check p.m. could be useful.

4 July, 2009 - 23:55 — Light3000

googlin' around...
http://digul.net/content/bob-katz-mastering-audio-art-and-a-science
http://www.heroturko.com/tutorials/32529-focal-press-mixing-audio-concep...

5 July, 2009 - 15:26 — hydrocarbon

Thank you !
Well i'm fond of reading and i guess that's the way to go !

I just had this small doubt, hope it makes sense; How would i know which part of the freq range i need to adjust if a particular instrument/effect/bass is high in volume?

5 July, 2009 - 15:27 — hydrocarbon

Thank you !
Well i'm fond of reading and i guess that's the way to go !

I just had this small doubt, hope it makes sense; How would i know which part of the freq range i need to adjust if a particular instrument/effect/bass is high or low in volume?

5 July, 2009 - 17:07 — IngridTornado

One simple way is to adjust it while playing your track and seeing what the results are. Here's an old article I found that is not too bad and gives an idea: http://kubton.com/eq.html

Love, Ingrid

5 July, 2009 - 21:48 — Light3000

i like your link Ingrid, very clear and useful. t.y.

6 July, 2009 - 08:59 — denis mt

mastering mastering mastering...
well, I've spent hours reading books and articles about this matter, and made experiment with a lot of softwares and plugins...
here's what I've learned:

the most important tool is YOUR EARS

try to get a good mix and you wont need to "master" anything
I just maximize the volume, and sometimes use a compressor

about fl, I agree with Ingrid, but since they introduced the multiband compressor, things have become more interesting

6 July, 2009 - 10:13 — IngridTornado

It was not made for this kind of stuff originally. I remember when FL first came out it was the real "kids toy" of music making, and they have since added features, but their overall interface is still there. I don't think people were meant to master on it originally, it was very basic. I know you can now make good music on it, but I don't remember it being very intuitive for mastering. Love, Ingrid

7 July, 2009 - 04:27 — MarCoast Beats.

Honestly... If you know how to use FL Studio as a ReWire Slave/Multi-Out VSTi, then I'd throw all my mixer tracks into REAPER(my choice) or similar audio/mixing program and add my effects there..

FL Studio is the BEST for beat making, but not so much as far as AUDIO handling, manipulation, and non-destructive editing, which is REAPER!

I recently got REAPER about a week or two ago, and I must say.. It's convinced me! I don't make beats with it.. I use it for mixing and dealing with the audio side of production, not so much as midi... well not yet!

Check out all of my BEATS

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7 July, 2009 - 04:40 — hydrocarbon

Assuming i got Reaper, how does one transfer, say an flp file into reaper?

7 July, 2009 - 05:38 — DJ Caesar

You don't transfer .flp files into reaper. You have to render your instruments into wav or mp3 files and then import them into Reaper.
Please correct me if I'm wrong.
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www.DJCaesar.Tk

7 July, 2009 - 06:59 — denis mt

if you want a good masering use wavs not mp3s

7 July, 2009 - 07:01 — DJ Caesar

Surely DMT, but both can be used...
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7 July, 2009 - 07:37 — MarCoast Beats.

No you just ReWire/insert FL Studio as a Multi-Out VST in Reaper..

I'm going to make a quick vid and post it here on this thread as a gif.. pay attention! lol

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7 July, 2009 - 09:48 — IngridTornado

Yeah that's true and would be a pretty awesome combo - make your beats in FL, and master and add effects and edit audio in Reaper. FL will essentially act like a VST in Reaper and open up as a track/s in rewire mode. I do this with Reason in Reaper, as a rewire.

Like DJ Cearser says too, you can also bounce your songs to a WAV file and then open them in Reaper there. Just need to remember what tempo to set it to. I do this all the time - for instance if I have a Reason song, I might bounce it into 4 WAV files (say kicks, hats, snare, shaker each - just by soloing the one I am bouncing) and put them in Reaper as a WAV file each for chopping and fx'ing and mastering, then add synths in Reaper as a VSTi track and editing midi. Reaper also easily records vox and guitars etc.

Your set up depends on what you are trying to achieve and how you best work creatively, but I agree with what MarCoast says is a good combo. And Reaper if freeeee (kinda).

Love, Ingrid

7 July, 2009 - 11:34 — MarCoast Beats.

Here's the link to my gif explaining how to put fl into reaper..

http://www.mediafire.com/?f1wadfaoweg

You should do that instead of bouncing wavs because:

1. It saves space.
2. If you wanna make a change you can do it right then and there.

But whatever works, works!

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8 July, 2009 - 01:26 — MarCoast Beats.

FL Studio Multi-Out VSTi into Reaper.gif

Check out all of my BEATS

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8 July, 2009 - 04:00 — Teddy Brazello

teddy says...

fl stuido is pretty much the worst program i ever used trying to mix a track down.. I only fully mixed down one track with fl 8 and it was straight annoying to do cause everytime i clicked on a different audio fader it completly changed the sound of the entire song.. I assume that whatever audio track you have selected gets louder so you can hear what your doing but that aint vere practical for mastering.. if i gotta mix a track made with fl now i rewire into live 7 and track it out.. then use live to mix it down.. My favorite combo for beatmaking is live and reason.. I always do drum rhythems with reason and some instruments.. all vst instruments with live obviously... it gets the job done.

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8 July, 2009 - 13:20 — MarCoast Beats.

Yea i feel you on that, seein as how I came across a program like REAPER that mixes.. beautifully..

You'll be hearing my REAPER-laced music soon!

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