Steve Brian Producer Tips part 1(from GER into ENG)
hey folks,
if found this on a german trance forum - some tips by Steve Brian - who some of u maybe know from his remix of Fire Sign:
i think he knows what he's talking about.
this is part 1. there are more tips about how to work on the different elements and the arrangement - but the amount of text is so much that i decide to translate it in parts to english.
BASSDRUM:
> 50-100Hz adds sub
> 100-250Hz makes "the sound round"
> 300Hz cleaning up the muddiness
> 400 Hz if u wanna reduce the the "paper-sound" of the bassdrum
> 250-800Hz another muddiness range - peak them away a bit
> 5 kHz will add more attack to the bassdrum
> 5-7kHz boost that range slightly to add presence in a mix
> 5-8kHz presence again
> 8-12kHz noise/ hiss in a kickdrum - u hear that when u execute the Infected Mushroom Bassdrum Tutorial that there is something missed. this is the range where to most hat samples where placed in the vengeance kick which we all use - and its also important for creating ur own kickdrum from samples from the ground of.
SNAREDRUM( COULD ALSO FOR THE CLAP - IT SHOULD BE SIMILAR!):
> 60-120Hz boost it if the snare is a bit weak in the mix
> 100-250Hz adds fullness
> 6kHz banging sound
> 6-8kHz presence
TOM:
> 400Hz reduce that range to minimize the paper sound of the tom
> 5kHz adds attack
HIHAT:
> 200 Hz reduce to eliminate the gong sound of the crashes/cymbals
> 300Hz muddiness - reduce!
> 400 Hz reduce to to get the room sound of the overheads and the cymabals reduced
(overheads are the signals what u get when u sitting in front the drums and which is in front of ur head and above)
> 250-800Hz muddiness
> 3kHz adds brilliance
> 1-6kHz presence
> 6-8kHz definition of the sound
> 10kHz boost to get the cymbals harder in the mix
> 8-12kHz brilliance
BASSLINE:
> 50-100Hz adds sub
> 60Hz adds body - Warmness to the bassline
> 100Hz boost to create a harder bass sound for deeper frequency instruments
> 100-250Hz makes "the sound round"
> 200Hz boost to get clearity in it(specially if u listen to it quietly)
> 300Hz muddiness
> 250-800Hz muddiness
> 800-1kHz its like the meat when u listen to it on small speaker(800Hz adds Punch and clarity to the Bass)
> 1,5kHz boost to add clarity and also to achieve a crunchy feeling
> 5kHz boost to add picking-sound(if u have one in ur bassline) to the bassline
> 6kHz boost if u need the bassline more presence in the mix
> 1-6kHz presence
> 6-8kHz height frequency presence
> 8-12kHz hiss
PIANO:
> 50-100Hz Body
> 100Hz boost to get the piano sound warmed
> 100-250Hz makes the sound "round"
> 300Hz Who would have thought, reduce it! :P - muddiness
> 250-1kHz muddiness range analysing and reduce it
> 3 KHz boost it for more attack to add fullness for deeper piano parts
> 5 KHz boost to achieve more attack for the piano
> 1-6kHz presence
> 6kHz boost to add definition of the piano
> 6-8Khz clarity
> 10 KHz boost to make it softly and brilliant
> 8-12kHz „stringy„
E-GUITAR:
> really important it depends on ur mix and the recording u used maybe!
> 100Hz reduce if guitars are bumping =results iin a more clearer sound
> 100-250Hz defines the body
> 300Hz reduce range if u want a clean sound - but if it should be dirty then leave it - it depends on what sound u are using
> 250-800Hz muddiness again
> 800 Hz reduce if u want to lost the imagination that the guitar sound is cheap
> 1,5 kHz reduce to get it less dull/hollow
> 3 kHz adds more attack if u boost slightly
> 3kHz add "edge" to the sound when u boost or u reduce then it can be add Transparency to the sound
> 1-6Khz Presence
> 6kHz boosting result also in a good presence in a mix
> 6-8kHz clarity
> 10kHz brilliance
> 8-12kHz hiss
ACOUSTIC GUITAR:
> 100-250Hz defines the body
> 100-300Hz search range for muddy frequencies and reduce them
> 800Hz reduce to avoid to let the guitar sound cheap
> 1-3kHz little reducing will help you to set the sound higher in the mix
> 1,5kHz reduce to get it less dull/hollow
> 3kHz adds attack when u boost
> 3kHz reduce if the guitars where a bit out of tune to conceal it(the same for vocals)
> 5kHz adds attack
> 5kHz reduce if u want ur silently guitars more softly
> 5kHz boosting adds more presence
> 6-8kHz brightness/crispness
> 10kHz boosting if u want ur guitars more gently and brilliant
> 8-12kHz brillance
STRINGS/PADS:
> Hier gilt: komplett von Sound und Mix abhängig
> 50-100Hz adds deepness
> 100-250Hz Body
> 250-800Hz Muddiness
> 1-6kHz „crunchy„
> 6-8kHz lucidity, brightness and clearness
> 8-12kHz brillance
VOCALS:
> its hard because its depending on the mic which was used for the recording session
> 100-250Hz will push the voice in front in the mix
> 300Hz boosting or reducing - there is no rule because it depends on the Song/track and the Mic which was used
> 250-800Hz muddiness analyse reduce or boost it
> 3kHz boosting to get the vocal clearer and harder
> 3kHz reduce to get the background vocal more airy and soft
> 3kHz reduce to conceal vocals which are out of tune
> 5kHz boost to add more vocal presence in the mix
> 6kHz add only a bit to achieve some kind of clarity/ crispness
> 7kHz boost to make hollow/ dull vocals more clearer
> 7kHz the is the well know frequency for the consonant s which will be killed by the process of the desessing - we can also prevent them a bit when we reduce this frequency slightly
> 10kHz boost to improve the birthness of the vocal
> 10kHz reduce to enhance overall the sharp S-Sounds
> 15kHz boost to add airy flavor to the vocal
i hope u guys enjoys this part1.
i'm planing to do the rest in some weeks - its a lot of work for me.
so stay tuned and get familiar with ur EQ.
Last edited by Artic; 24-03-2011 at 23:01.
Reason: utube link vided! :)