Post Production Tips -ACID Product Family - MAGIX Community Forums Archive

Subject:Post Production Tips Posted by: Sifter Date:4/19/2005 10:39:50 AM Over the weekend my band hooked up a Multitrack recorder to a Laptop and recorded a few songs which we ultimately want to give out to local pubs/clubs and get some gigs (spare time stuff, not looking for a record contract). I have a basic knowledge of ACID 4 and imported each track into ACID. I then adjusted the volume levels to get a nice balance and duplicated some tracks, added some panning for effect. However, I have received some comments that the finished product sounds a bit 'dry'. Can anyone give me some tips that will stop it sounding 'dry'? I'm about to experiment with Standard Reverb effects but have not found this particulary easy to get to grips with. Any quick tips? The songs feature Drums, Bass, Guitar and vocals on separate tracks.
Subject:RE: Post Production Tips Reply by: Illogical Date:4/19/2005 1:41:49 PM got a link to the track, homie? reverb seems a good place to start, but hearing it would make things a lot easier.
Subject:RE: Post Production Tips Reply by: Klirrfaktor Date:4/19/2005 2:27:04 PM use mastering tools. compressors, limiters, eq's and maybe the psp vintage warmer to get some nice character. for sure you also have to use delays and reverbs to get a wideness on single tracks.
Subject:RE: Post Production Tips Reply by: jumbuk Date:4/19/2005 5:41:12 PM Let's not get too carried away. The first thing to do to remove the dryness is add reverb. Add an FX Bus (see manual) and add one effect, the Sony reverb. Select a basic preset that matches the kind of space you might be playing in (say a small hall). Then you want to change the multi-function slider on the tracks so it adjusts FX send 1 instead of Volume or Pan. You can use this to set the level of reverb for each track. Most of us tend to use too much reverb if we are not careful. I would add very little (probably none) on the bass guitar, none on the kick drum (if you have a separate track for it), a bit on snare and cymbals, a bit more on guitar and vocals - more on backing vocals than lead vocal. You would normally keep the bass guitar, kick and lead vocal panned to the centre. Don't spread the drums too much or it will sound like the drummer has 10 foot arms. You might need to use track EQ to stop the sound getting muddy, with too much in the bass frequencies. There is lots more of course - there are books and websites on mixing techniques.
Subject:RE: Post Production Tips Reply by: Sifter Date:4/20/2005 3:26:57 AM Thanks Jumbuk. We recorded the tracks using an electronic drum kit wired straight into the multitrack, so I wont be able to mix the individual drums seperately. However, all your other advice makes alot of sense and I'll give it a go. Thanks again!

Subject:Post Production Tips

Posted by: Sifter

Date:4/19/2005 10:39:50 AM

Over the weekend my band hooked up a Multitrack recorder to a Laptop and recorded a few songs which we ultimately want to give out to local pubs/clubs and get some gigs (spare time stuff, not looking for a record contract).

I have a basic knowledge of ACID 4 and imported each track into ACID. I then adjusted the volume levels to get a nice balance and duplicated some tracks, added some panning for effect.

However, I have received some comments that the finished product sounds a bit 'dry'.
Can anyone give me some tips that will stop it sounding 'dry'?
I'm about to experiment with Standard Reverb effects but have not found this particulary easy to get to grips with.

Any quick tips?
The songs feature Drums, Bass, Guitar and vocals on separate tracks.

Subject:RE: Post Production Tips

Reply by: Illogical

Date:4/19/2005 1:41:49 PM

got a link to the track, homie?

reverb seems a good place to start, but hearing it would make things a lot easier.

Subject:RE: Post Production Tips

Reply by: Klirrfaktor

Date:4/19/2005 2:27:04 PM

use mastering tools. compressors, limiters, eq's and maybe the psp vintage warmer to get some nice character. for sure you also have to use delays and reverbs to get a wideness on single tracks.

Subject:RE: Post Production Tips

Reply by: jumbuk

Date:4/19/2005 5:41:12 PM

Let's not get too carried away. The first thing to do to remove the dryness is add reverb. Add an FX Bus (see manual) and add one effect, the Sony reverb. Select a basic preset that matches the kind of space you might be playing in (say a small hall). Then you want to change the multi-function slider on the tracks so it adjusts FX send 1 instead of Volume or Pan. You can use this to set the level of reverb for each track.

Most of us tend to use too much reverb if we are not careful. I would add very little (probably none) on the bass guitar, none on the kick drum (if you have a separate track for it), a bit on snare and cymbals, a bit more on guitar and vocals - more on backing vocals than lead vocal.

You would normally keep the bass guitar, kick and lead vocal panned to the centre. Don't spread the drums too much or it will sound like the drummer has 10 foot arms.

You might need to use track EQ to stop the sound getting muddy, with too much in the bass frequencies.

There is lots more of course - there are books and websites on mixing techniques.

Subject:RE: Post Production Tips

Reply by: Sifter

Date:4/20/2005 3:26:57 AM

Thanks Jumbuk. We recorded the tracks using an electronic drum kit wired straight into the multitrack, so I wont be able to mix the individual drums seperately. However, all your other advice makes alot of sense and I'll give it a go.

Thanks again!