How To Use Equalizer | 7 Effective Tips for Mixing

Equalizers have always been one of the main tools that are used in mixing and mastering. Their role is to control the harmonic spectrum of our sound. An Equalizer employs various types of filters to attenuate, boost or remove a range of frequencies. The common DAW Equalizer is a parametric equalizer that would have a few filters that can be applied and controlled independently of each other. Thus we can use these filters to control multiple frequency bands at the same time. In this article, we will take a look at 7 steps that will help us to bypass a lot of confusion and get good results. These techniques are not absolute in their applications. Feel free to experiment with these tips to get different results.

Step 1: Rolling off undesirable bass frequencies

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It is important to EQ out all the low rumble of certain instruments with a high pass filter. In the picture above we can see an Equalizer with a high pass filter engaged, filtering out all the frequencies below 140Hz on a mid-frequency dominant percussion hit. This will help our sound sit better in the overall mix because the unwanted low frequencies will not clash with our bass or kick. Making our low end as tight as possible helps us to achieve better results on mediocre speakers that struggle to produce bass frequencies cleanly. Background vocals, claps, guitar melodies can muddy up our lows and low mids if we don't roll off their low end. Moderation is key here we do not want to overdo this bass roll-off. Check where the fundamental frequency of your instrument lie. If we filter out our fundamentals then the character of our sound will change. If this is not desired then only filter up to the point where you can hear the signal audibly changing from there onwards.

Step 2: Find troublesome frequencies and remove them

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A sound will usually not have nice sounding frequencies all across the frequency spectrum. There will be certain frequencies that create harshness or muddiness in our tone. If we look at the images above, the Equalizer at the top is highlighting unpleasant frequencies in our signal. In the EQ on the bottom, we are attenuating these frequencies in a controlled manner to make them quieter in the mix. To detect problematic frequencies you will need to use a bell curve with a high Q value so that we can pinpoint them and control them without affecting other frequencies. You can always lessen the Q value to broaden it once we have identified them. We need to keep ourselves in check because it is very easy to overdo the number of cuts. This might lead to a thin-sounding tone, lacking in character.

Step 3: Boosting with a broad Q and Cutting with a narrow Q

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As a general rule of thumb, cuts work better than boosts in an Equalizer for many reasons. Boosting can harm our headroom if we don't have much to spare initially. In that case, we would have to turn the volume of our signal down. Boosting can also add distortions and artifacts while reducing the resolution when pushed. Provided we have enough headroom, it is wise to boost with a lower Q value so that the frequencies are boosted along with their neighboring frequencies, giving us a more natural-sounding result. Cutting with a broad Q does not work as well. A wide-cut can attenuate a lot of frequencies in our mix that are required for the character of the sound. It can also make our instrument much quieter in the mix. As a result, narrow EQ cuts work much better as it preserves the tonal characteristics of our signal.

Step 4: Don't let high-frequency harshness get too overwhelming

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Certain instruments do not require top-end presence in our mix. Sub-bass for example does not require an abundance of high frequencies. A lot of noise can creep into our mixes if we do not control the top end of every instrument. Clearing out the highs will make space for our cymbals, hi-hats, and crashes. No listener never appreciates ear-piercing sounds in a song. Using a low-pass filter in every situation is also not a feasible solution because a scenario might arise where the maintenance of the tonal characteristic of a signal would mean that we cannot use a low-pass, as the same time the sound might be conflicting with perhaps a hi-hat; in that case, we would need a high shelf to attenuate the high-end of our sound, while not completely eliminating it.

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As we can see in the image above, we are using a high shelf to attenuate the high mids and highs of the signal. We are not using a low pass because then the frequencies from 3KHz to 5KHz might be removed. This is the area in the spectrum where a very important tonal characteristic is lying, that is why we wanted to preserve it.

Step 5: Using different Equalizers together

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Different types of Equalizers have different characteristics. Our stock EQ plugin sounds absolutely different from a plugin emulation of an EQ. Instead of using different types of curves on a single EQ, you can do the narrow cuts with your stock Equalizer and your wide boosts with plugin emulation. This technique can add a lot of subtle details to our sound.

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In the images above, we are using the first Equalizer to do all the correctional work, while the second EQ is just gently boosting the top end overall so the signal is more present in the mix.

Step 6: EQing on the Bus

Equalizers can add a similar sound profile to a group of instruments that are being sent to a bus. This technique helps us to maintain the tonal characteristics of each layer/instrument along with adding a similar overall frequency spectrum so that they sound related to each other and work better in the mix. EQing your FX bus is also important so that you can control any low-end issues or frequency masking issues with your dry sounds. Automations work great on Bus EQs because it adds a layer of extra tone sculpting abilities. For example, we can have a higher presence for our vocals in the chorus and then we can roll back the presence in the other sections of the song.

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As you can see in the image above there is an EQ placed on the drum bus that is being used to boost and attenuate certain frequencies, so everything in the group sounds better in relation to the other instruments. The change in the EQ is very mild (less gain and low Q value) because we do not want to drastically change the sound of our drums. Think of this EQ as a Fine-tuning EQ which will help us to set the right values.

Step 7: EQing your FX

A reverb placed on a return track can make your instruments/drums sound muddy. Adding an EQ on the return after your Reverb can help us attenuate the problematic frequencies, thus making space for our dry sounds. Similarly, you can use your EQ as an insert FX after distortion in your tack to control any nasty frequencies being added. You can also experiment with adding your EQ before the FX to shape the sound going in. This can be useful to sculpt a signal going into perhaps an autotune effect so that only the required frequencies are tuned. This will greatly increase the accuracy of your Autotune plugin.

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In the images above, you can see that we have added an EQ after our reverb. This gives us an extra level of control and sculpting opportunities for our sound.

7 Essential Tips for Delays

Delays keep our production from sounding boring. Delays create an echoing effect according to a set delay time and feedback control. The delay time determines the space between the repetitions of our signal in the echo and the feedback controls how long these repetitions last. In this article, we will look at a few tips with delays to create detail and liveliness in your track.

1. Sidechaining the Delay

Delays like reverbs can easily create overlap among two melodic phrases in a performance. If this overlap is not intentional then it might create dissonance or ruin the clarity of the phrase. A simple compressor side-chained to our main lead inserted after the delay can resolve this problem. In this case, the delay will duck under the main lead when notes are being played and the delay level will swell up when there is a silence in the playing. We can sculpt the swell of our delay using the release of the compressor.

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In the image above, we are using the sidechain compressor to make the main bell melody clearer and then adding a slow-release so the delay has almost a fade-in effect.

2. Compressing the Delay

There might be a situation where we are trying to use a delay to add some subtle detail to our sound. These details can get easily lost in a busy mix. Using a compressor on our delay helps us to add more presence to the delay tail by lowering the threshold and adjusting the ratio as required. Always remember to use your ears and not overdo the fine-tuning. Another situation that comes to mind is when we have a delay with high feedback but the decay ends a few beats before the next section begins. You can use a compressor here to slightly increase the amplitude of your delay tail so that we can hear it sustain to the next section in the mix.

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In the image above we are compressing the delay tail of some glitchy blips and bloops to make it more present in the mix, especially in the busier sections.

3. Filtering the Delay

This tip will hold for most delays and reverbs. When we feed the full harmonic spectrum of our sound into the delay input, a lot of problematic frequencies that were previously quite in the mix might get boosted. If we are applying a delay on our drum loop to create an interesting groove, then you should use a highpass filter pre-delay so that all the lows are prevented from going into our delay. This will keep our track clean and not throw off the groove because of the kick being affected by the delay. Similarly, we might want to tone sculpt our delay tail so that it stands out from the original sound in the mix. In that case, an EQ inserted post delay can help us achieve our goal. You can also use the internal pre/post EQ in your delay plugin, provided it has that feature.

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In the image above we are sending a drum loop to delay inserted in a return track. As you can see we are using a highpass filter pre-delay to remove all the low and mid information being affected by the delay. Then we are also using a modulated bandpass filter provided in our delay to further shape our sound. This setup is being used to create subtle ghost notes to enhance the groove of our drum loop.

4. Using Multiple Delays

Delays can be timed according to a note duration or a frequency. Most mixes employ a few delays with different delay timings. This is done because a 1/4 note delay might sound good on our synths but it might create some unclear sounding overlaps on our vocals because of the way the phrases have been composed. Perhaps a 1/8 note delay would sound much better on the vocal. In this situation, we will require two separate delays, one with a 1/4 note setting and the other with 1/8 settings. Another perspective can be using two delay timings on the same sound to create interesting patterns. We can have one delay timed at 1/4 note while the other at 1/6 which is a triplet note duration to create an interesting polyrhythmic groove (shown in the image below).

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5. Creating Stereo Width with Delays

Delays can be used to create a stereo effect. If we are using multiple delays, we can pan these delays in various ways to add width to our sound. The simpler technique is to use a traditional delay plugin and have the left delay and the right delay set to trigger at different note durations. Another variation of this technique is to use the same delay timing in both left and right but offset them from each other by different values (both variations are represented in the image below).

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Another technique for creating a stereo width effect with our delays is to use two similar-sounding delays and pan them left and right. You can achieve this by using two return tracks, hard-panned left, and right or an audio effect rack with a delay in each chain. Then we can pan one chain hard left and the other hard right.

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One more simple technique for creating stereo width with our delay is simply using a ping pong delay. In a ping pong delay, the first repetition will occur in the left channel and the next repetition on the right.

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6. Adding Delay Throws

Delays are often used to fill up empty spaces in a mix. One common technique for filling up space is a delay throw. We do this effect by inserting a delay in a return track and then automating the level of our delay send to emphasize the last note or word in performance perhaps in a pre-chorus leading up to the chorus. This will create a smooth delay swell and the word on which we raised the send level will ring out in the mix, reinforcing the meaning and filling up some empty space at the same time. You can use automation curves to really sculpt the volume envelope of your throw.

7. Using a Reverb on the Delay

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Sometimes the repeats created by our delay can sound dry or lack a sense of space. Using a reverb in conjunction with our delay can be very useful here. The reverb adds ambiance to our delay repetitions and puts them in the same spatial environment as our original sound provided we are using the same reverb for both. You can directly insert a reverb plugin after your delay or you can also send the signal from the delay return to a reverb return by enabling the delay return to send control (you will have to enable it first by right-clicking in Ableton).

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Best Music Production Course in Delhi

Are You Looking for the Best Music Production Course in Delhi?

What do top artists like Dr. Dre, Kanye West, Metro Boomin, Calvin Harris, Skrillex, and DJ Snake have in common? They are masters in the art of music production. So, if you are a budding Rapper, Beat Maker, DJ, or EDM Producer, then you have come to the right place. Crypto Cipher Academy can help you by offering one of the best music production courses in Delhi. Our advanced courses have comprehensive modules on sound recording, editing, track arrangements, music theory, mixing, mastering, studio interconnection, and acoustics among many others that will bring any student up to par with industry professionals.

What Is Music Production?

Music Production is an inter-disciplinary process by which music is created, edited, perfected, and then presented to the public. In more concrete terms, music production refers to the song-making process from composition and arrangement to mixing and mastering. The music production process consists of mainly six steps:

Composition
Arrangement
Recording
Editing
Mixing
Mastering

What Does A Music Producer Do?

The role of a Music Producer is rather expansive and subject to change according to the genre and technology available. Crypto Cipher is regarded as one of the best music production courses in Delhi because we help budding music producers to create a vision and help them realize it. Our modules train the student in all the necessary skills that are expected from a music producer. These skills include:

Setting up recording sessions with the artist
Operating studio equipment
Operating a digital audio workstation or DAW
Songwriting and providing structure to the music
Maintaining sample libraries and plugin collections for access to sounds
Recording instruments and vocals
Mixing and Mastering or hiring a specialized sound engineer and guiding them.

Do I Need Training In Music Production To Become A Music Producer?

Getting professional training would be a smart move if you want to take up music production as a full-time vocation. With proper training and certification, you can get work in a studio, production house, club, or training institute as a paid employee or an intern. Obviously, there are many examples of music producers who never had any formal training but these artists are dime a dozen. Even if you already possess all the traits of a successful music producer, a proper education in the field can help you polish your skills and take them to the next level. Consult the flowchart below for a simplified look at the trajectory of a music producer from beginner to professional.

Why Select Crypto Cipher Academy for learning Music Production Courses in Delhi?

Our course is considered to be among the best music production course in Delhi because we compartmentalize the responsibilities of a music producer into comprehensive modules that come together to provide the students with a strong foundation. We cultivate knowledge in a way that a music producer can be self-sufficient and expertly navigate through all six steps of the music production process. We have separate modules that individually cover topics like recording, using a daw to make music, sound design, using different types of consoles, studio acoustics, mixing, and mastering in great detail. The students will be taught in state-of-the-art classrooms and studios with industry-standard equipment that the professionals use. They are taught by faculty members who are experienced in their respective fields and dedicate a lot of attention towards the development of each and every student. As a sample library developer Crypto Cipher is recognized worldwide. Our products are used by renowned composers and music producers for everything from Hollywood movies to game sound design.

What Would a Career in Music Production Look Like after Crypto Cipher?

Your music production career will get a kickstart after you complete one of the best music production courses in Delhi with Crypto Cipher Academy. There are many avenues to earn a decent living in this profession. As the industry grows bigger, every year a greater demand for skilled music producers is generated. Other than music production the students can take up vocations like mix engineer, mastering engineer, sound designer, sample library developer, beatmaker, live performance, live sound engineer, film dialogue related work, recording engineer, audio editor, film and TV composer, midi programmer, ADR work, audio post-production work and many more. The student can also seek employment in studios, sound rental companies, sound installation companies, radio and broadcasting, production houses, film/game sound design, and foley recording services. They can also start their own studio to provide services to clients and grow their own business. Another option is to work in other music-related fields like music marketing, working with labels & studios as skilled artists or managers, audio equipment dealers for marketing and demonstrations, and also work for acoustic treatment companies.

Frequently Asked Questions of Students and Admission Seekers

What Equipment Do I Need to Start in Music Production?

You do not need a lot of equipment to start music production. However, there are a few things that are absolutely necessary like a computer and a DAW which is compatible with your DAW.

What DAW will we learn?

We will be learning two DAWs. Logic Pro and Ableton Live ( Level 1 & 2 - Advanced )

Is Knowledge of Acoustics Necessary for a Music Producer?

The environment in which music is produced has a massive influence on the end result. Music is produced in a room most of the time. The room has a tone of its own that colors the output offer speakers. Not only does the room color the sound, but the placement of your speakers inside the room will also change your output considerably. This distorts our perception of the music we hear. At Crypto Cipher we offer a dedicated module on studio acoustics that provides the student with the knowledge that they can use to fine-tune their own production space and also build their own studio. Please read Acoustics Module for more details.

Is Knowledge of Mixing and Mastering Necessary for a Music Producer?

One can hire a specialized mixing/mastering engineer but they lose creative control of their music. More and more music producers opt to mix and master their own songs. A thorough understanding of the mixing and mastering process will be useful even if you do hire an engineer for the job because then you can guide them to realize the vision you have for your music. Although we encourage each student to learn "The Art of Mixing & Mastering"

I just want to learn DAW so is it okay if I don't like other modules?

For students who only want to master DAWs, we offer a 2 monthly course that will give you a strong foundation for music production but we encourage students to take Diploma courses as all the modules have been designed for a successful music career, not to mention you don't want to miss best music production course in Delhi which is carefully designed step by step process to make candidate powerhouse of Knowledge. Please read about Complete Music Production & Sound Engineering Modules details on Crypto Cipher Academy Website

How do I get my certification?

The student needs to pass all the exams for individual modules and also submit all the projects that are assigned. On completion, we will provide the student with our certificate.

Are there online classes?

We only offer online classes during lockdowns. Otherwise, classes are held at the Academy. A lot of topics cannot be covered properly with online classes. Module-like ones involving studio equipment require the student to be physically present in the studio to understand it to the best of their abilities.

What is the Eligibility for this course?

Besides having a genuine interest in the music-making process, students must have a general idea about computers, operating systems, and basic mathematics.

What are the facilities at the Academy?

At Crypto Cipher Academy classes are held at two of our project studios. Students are trained with equipment that is commonly used by industry professionals. Please visit Studio Equipment Page for further detailed information.

What plugins will I learn during the course?

Students are taught using the best plugins available to music producers. We use various plugins from leading developers like Izotope, Native Instruments, Fabfilter, XFER, Waves, and UAD, among others. Please read Mixing & Mastering Module for detailed information

Top Sound Engineering Colleges in India | Crypto CipherⓇ

Top Sound Engineering Colleges in India | Crypto Cipherâ“‡

Are you passionate about audio technology? Do you like to tweak knobs on various audio gears? If the answer is yes, then you should be considering a career in Sound Engineering. Crypto Cipher Academy can help you create a strong foundation for the future because we offer one of the best Sound Engineering Courses in India. Before we delve into what our academy can do for you, let us understand what is sound engineering at its core and what are the required prerequisites for a successful career in the field.

What is Sound Engineering?

A sound engineer or an audio engineer controls the technical aspects a recording or live performance. They use tools like equalizers, dynamic processors, audio effects and sound reinforcement to shape the sound and make it suitable for film, television, radio, music, video games and live performances. Sound Engineers also use their knowledge of microphone placement, pre-amp settings and gain staging to record/conduct a performance in the studio or in a live setting.

Newcomers are often confused as to which career path between Music production and Sound Engineering would be correct for them. We at Crypto Cipher Academy have a slightly different approach to this confusion. We look at Music Production and Sound Engineering as two sides of the same coin. At any given moment we are dealing with audio in three different forms or domains when creating music. We deal with audio as physical sound waves in the air, as an electrical signal in the wiring of our equipment and as a digital signal when it enters the DAW. Music production mostly deals with the digital domain (Digital Audio Workstations, plugins, midi controllers, etc.) while sound engineering deals with all three domains. Our one year diploma course is considered to be one of the best Sound Engineering Courses in India because we train our student to control and manipulate audio signals in all three domains. They are individual modules on Acoustics, Interconnections and Audio Measurements which will train the students to control and diagnose problems in the acoustic, electronic and digital domains with ease. We look at sound engineering as an integral part of the music production process and not as something separate.

Duties of a Sound Engineer

The typical visual of a sound engineer is somebody who works the soundboard in a live show, tweaking various knob, faders and dials. This is not very far from the truth. The sound engineer deals with the available audio technology at a studio or live show. They design and manage audio levels and audio outputs. The sound engineer also maintains the audio equipment present in the studio, stage or any other location. Moving on from the technical duties, the creative duties of a sound engineer are also important. These creative duties include Editing, Mixing and Mastering. Our course at Crypto Cipher Academy is among the best sound engineering courses in India because we train our students in both the technical and creative aspects. There are specialised modules that train the students in managing and calculating audio levels accurately, keeping equipment in proper condition by following correct practices and controlling the environment around them to make it suitable for music creation. Our one year diploma course also includes modules like Synthesis and Sound Design and Mixing and Mastering, that train the student in the more creative aspects of sound engineering. Students are taught how to edit recorded performances, to pick the best takes and create an arrangement from those parts. They learn how to mix a track by adjusting sound levels and using audio effects to make sure the audio is pristine and one component of the music does not overwhelm others. Mastering is also taught to the students so that they can maintain optimal loudness and sonic quality over multiple songs or musical ideas that together make a project (album, film score, etc.)

To summarise we have listed the most important duties of a Sound Engineer below:

1. Recording
2. Editing
3. Mixing
4. Mastering
5. Operating Soundboards, consoles and mixers
6. Operating outboard gear or analog equipment
7. Creating an acoustically optimised space suitable for music making
8. Maintaining audio equipment
9. Understanding various audio signals and levels
10. Maintaining a clean and noise-free signal flow within the studio or stage

Eligibility for Sound Engineering

If you have an interest in music and audio technology, then Crypto Cipher academy can provide you with one of the best sound engineering courses in India. A basic educational requirement of completing 10+2 exam will prove helpful for the course. Other skills and interests can be bolstered with the following requirements:

1. Basic knowledge of Mathematics and Physics
2. Learning new technical concepts quickly
3. Interest and knowledge of technological development in the audio world
4. Understanding of audio and music
5. Problem Solving and Troubleshooting abilities
6. Communication abilities
7. A discerning ear for high quality audio
8. Attention to detail

Why Crypto Cipher Academy Offers the Best Sound Engineering Course in India?

Our course is considered to be among the best sound engineering courses in Delhi and all over India because we compartmentalise the responsibilities of a sound engineer into comprehensive modules that come together to provide the students with a strong foundation for their future. We cultivate knowledge in a way that the budding sound engineer can be self-confident and expertly navigate through their duties both in a studio and also on a live performance setting. We have separate modules that individually cover topics like recording, audio interconnections, volume level measurement, audio measurement and calculation, sound system design, using different types of consoles, studio acoustics, mixing, and mastering in great detail. The students will be taught in state-of-the-art classrooms and studios with industry-standard equipment that the professionals use. They are taught by faculty members who are experienced in their respective fields and dedicate a lot of attention towards the development of each and every student. As a sample library developer Crypto Cipher is recognised worldwide. Our products are used by renowned composers and music producers for everything from Hollywood movies to game sound design. As a result, students will already have a head start in their chosen field be it music production or sound engineering.

In the list below we briefly go over what modules we offer in our one year diploma course that makes Crypto Cipher Academy one of the best sound engineering courses in India (Please visit the Sound Engineering Diploma Modules section of our academy website for a detailed overview of these modules):

1. DAW operation - Students are taught two leading DAWs in the industry. Given the level of competition in modern day and age a sound engineer should know how to operate at least one DAW.

2. Studio Recordings - Recording a signal properly is one of the cornerstones of a Sound Engineers responsibilities. We study all the aspects of a professional quality recording in this module.

3. Music Theory and Composition - This module is important to train the Student's ear as to what good music should sound like. A well tuned ear is the biggest asset of any sound engineer.

4. Track Arrangements and Song Structure - Understanding arrangements and song structure helps the student to figure out dynamic changes between song sections. They also develop ideas regarding how to create contrast between separate sections. A sound engineer maintains the dynamics of a mix or live performance, so this module trains the sound engineer to control these aspects of any type of music.

5. Audio Measurements - In this module we develop the Students understanding of the fundamentals concepts of audio and electronics. This helps the sound engineer to maintain a better signal flow even when working with analog or vintage equipment. The student also learns various sound measuring techniques along with studio and recording equipment operations.

6. Studio Interconnections - This module deals with various audio signals and the connectors used to transfer them. Interconnections also teaches the student regarding studio wiring, audio electronics and inter-communication between different equipment systems. The sound engineer must have a good know how of all these topics for use both in the studio and the live stage.

7. Synthesis and Sound Design - This module deals with sound generation and creation. Sound Engineers can try various experimental techniques to create interesting tones and timbres by employing various techniques we learn in the course of this module.

8. Live Analog and Digital Mixers - Students learn how to operate various mixers in this module. We cover topics like signal flow, mixer routing, mixer block diagrams, setting monitor and headphone mixes, etc. Sound engineers who work in live sound, broadcasting, radio and console based studios can make use of these concepts extensively in their field.

9. Mixing and Mastering - This module deals with concepts that are of utmost importance to the modern sound engineer. Any student hoping to have a successful career in this field needs to develop their expertise in creating high quality mixes and transparent masters.

10. Studio Acoustics and Sound Proofing - Sound engineers need to control their creative space to create quality products. Any sound engineer or music producer must eventually construct their own commercial or home studio. In this module we teach students how to optimise their creative space even at less than ideal conditions. This module also helps in understanding the physics of sound, acoustic environments and studio design.

What Would a Career in Sound Engineering Look Like after Crypto Cipher?

Your sound engineering career will get a head-start after you complete one of the best Sound Engineering courses in India at Crypto Cipher Academy. As the industry grows bigger, every year, there are more and more avenues to earn a decent living in this profession. Students can take up specialized career options like mix engineer, mastering engineer, location engineer, live sound engineer, film dialogue related work, recording engineer, audio editor, ADR work, audio post-production work and much more. The student can also seek employment in studios, sound rental companies, sound installation companies, radio and broadcasting, production houses, film/game companies, and foley recording studios. They can also start their own studio to provide services to clients and grow their own business. Another option is to work in other related fields like studio manager, audio equipment marketing and demonstrations, acoustic treatment companies and acoustic/audio consultancy.

In the list below we have listed some of the most popular jobs for new sound engineers after they get their certification completed at one of the best sound engineering courses in India, at Crypto Cipher Academy.

1. Studio Engineer - A studio engineer works in a studio along with music producers. In many cases the roles of a music producer and sound engineer is fulfilled by the same person.

2. Assistant Engineer - The assistant engineer also works in a studio but more in the capacity of an apprentice to the senior sound engineer.

3. Recording Engineer - The recording engineer focuses primarily on audio recordings and all the technology related to capturing audio.

4. Game Audio Engineer - A game audio engineer is responsible for background noises in a video game and different sound elements that are present in game menus and settings area.

5. Mix Engineer - A mix engineer brings together or balances the recordings and plugins based sounds in a track, using various effects and signal processors.

6. FOH Engineer - FOH or Front of House sound engineers work at live events. They are responsible for clarity and smooth functioning of a live performance.

7. Monitor Engineer - Monitor engineers also work at live events. They make sure that all the performers can hear themselves and each other. They also set up headphone and In-ear-monitor mixes during live shows.

8. Systems Engineer - The systems engineer sets up the entire audio system in a live show including the amps and loudspeakers. They work with FOH and monitor engineers to ensure a smooth and well balanced live performance.

9. Post-production Engineer - The post-production engineer works with dialogue and foley in films and television.

10. Corporate Media Tech - this work relates to seminars and speaking engagements in auditoriums and hotels organised often by corporate companies. The media tech also sets up the microphones and public address systems for such events.

11. Manufacture Specialist - Companies that manufacture audio gear need people to demonstrate their product to their customers. These demonstrations are the responsibility of the manufacture specialist who is well acquainted with the fundamentals of various audio gear.

12. Sound Installations Engineer - Malls, restaurants, clubs, bars, departmental stores will often have music playing in their premises, courtyards and parking lots. The sound installations engineer sets up these speakers, and maintains all of the technology used to power these speakers. The sound installations engineer also works at schools and offices to set up and maintain their public address systems.

13. Audio Forensics Expert - Audio forensics expert is a relatively new profession relating to the field of forensic science related to recording, analyzing, and evaluating sound recordings that may be used as evidence in a court of law. The audio forensics expert determines the authenticity of a sound, enhance anything that may be unclear or distorted, and interpret he evidence.

Frequently Asked Questions from People Seeking Admission

What Equipment Do I Need to Start in Sound Engineering?

You will need a decent computer, a DAW, scientific calculator (you can buy an app for this) and sound level meter (you can buy an app for this too).

I just want to learn the DAW so is it okay if I don't study for other modules?

For students who only want to master DAWs, we offer a 3 month course that will give you a strong foundation for music production but we encourage students to take Diploma courses as all the modules have been designed for a successful career both in music production and sound engineering, not to mention you don't want to miss out on one of the best sound engineering courses in India, which is carefully designed to make the candidate a powerhouse in the field of sound engineering. Please read the Complete Music Production & Sound Engineering Modules details on Crypto Cipher Academy Website.

Do I need to learn Sound Engineering if i want to become a music producer?

A producer has many roles like gathering ideas for projects, selecting songs and/or musicians for live performance or recording, coaching artists and musicians in the studio, controlling recording sessions, and bringing together the entire process through mixing and mastering. A producer is not just a musician. Renowned producers like Dr. Dre, Kanye West, Pharrell Williams are experts in audio technology and music production. As a result they could push the boundaries of commercial music over many decades. Learning sound engineering provides the music producer with an in depth understanding of the existing forms of audio tech and also equips them with the tools to learn new technology quickly and efficiently.

I want to make beats/dance music. Do i need to study sound engineering for that?

Making beats or dance music is definitely a worthwhile endeavour but without experimentation, the music would get boring after a while. We teach all the skills required to improve your own sound quality, no matter the genre. We teach the sciences that forms the base on which art is created and refined.

How do I get my certification?

The student needs to pass all the exams for individual modules and also submit all the projects that are assigned. On completion, we will provide the student with our certificate.

Are there online classes?

We do not offer online classes. Classes are held at the Academy. A lot of topics cannot be covered properly with online classes. Modules like interconnections, mixing and mastering, live analog and digital mixers require the student to be physically present in the studio to understand it to the best of their abilities.

What is the Eligibility for this course?

Besides having a genuine interest in the music-making process, students must have a general idea about computers, operating systems, basic physics and basic mathematics.

What are the facilities at the Academy?

At Crypto Cipher Academy classes are held at two of our project studios. Students are trained with equipment that is commonly used by industry professionals. Please visit Studio Equipment Page for further detailed information.

What plugins will I learn during the course?

Students are taught using the best plugins available to music producers and sound engineers. We use various plugins from leading developers like Izotope, Native Instruments, Fabfilter, XFER, Waves, and UAD, among others. Please read Mixing & Mastering Module for detailed information.

I need more information of Crypto Cipher Sound Engineering Diploma & Need to talk to someone who could guide.

Please visit Sound Engineering Diploma on this website, If you want to talk to our counsellor then please call 9910092983 or use chat on Home page if you are contacting on unofficial time. Our counsellor would love to guide you and help you out in this amazing Music & Audio Career.

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Crypto Cipher

7 Essential Steps for Bass Programming using Midi

Basslines can be tricky for beginners to program. The bass plays a significant role in our mix because it provides energy and thickness to the track. Any track would sound thin and weak if bass frequencies are lowered beyond a point in a mix. In this article, we will explore a few techniques that can help us to come up with catchy basslines for our songs.

1. Use your Chord Progression as a Guide for your Bassline

Choosing the right notes can be confusing for our bass sounds. Everything becomes much easier if we have a chord progression in mind. If you have your chords layed out on a piano roll, then the bottom note for each chord can be a good starting point for our bassline. You can try changing the bass notes to add a different colour to the chords playing on top. It is not necessary that you stick to only the root notes.

For our project, we will be using the chords Em, Am, Esus2, Bmin; as you can see in the image above. We will use the bottom notes of these chords to create our bassline. Do not forget to try out some different combinations. You can also look at the image below to analyse the bassline we have created. Our Chord progression is in Em, so feel free to look up what notes you can try.

2. Adding Glides

Glides can take your bassline from boring to lively in seconds. Look for a glide or portamento option in your bass synth. Once you activate it, adjust the glide time to your liking. Do not go overboard with the glide time as it can sound out of tune. We will be setting it around 120ms. To create glides, make sure your notes overlap, so the first note can slide up/down to the next.

If you look at the image above, you can see that we have added some glides to our initial bassline. Usually the Octaves and seven semitones up are good places to start. You can be experimental in this part to give a unique touch to your sound.

3. Choosing the Correct Kick and Bass Combination

Both the kick and the bass reside in low frequencies. This often causes clashes between the two sounds as they compete with each other for space in the mix. Sample selection and instrumentation is key here. If we select a kick and bass combo that sounds bad, then chances are even with a lot of EQing it won't end up sounding that good. So give yourself a strong start, choose a preset or a sample that sits well with each other even without any processing. This will ensure that they both can push through the mix without a lot of effort.

Take a look at the two EQs above. Our Kickâ€™s fundamental lies between 40-60Hz, while our bassâ€™ fundamental is at 80-100Hz. This ensures that our kick and bass will not clash from the beginning. We are also EQing out any unwanted low frequencies to keep the low end clean.

4. Sidechaining our Bass with the Kick

Another step to make our bassline work even better with the kick is using a sidechain compressor on the bass with the sidechain input is assigned to the kick. This reduces any type of masking issues when our bass and kick are triggered at the same time. Even with our bass having a higher fundamental from the kick, the attack of the kick is often overshadowed. Provided that our bass has been side chained to our kick, these problems can be prevented.

We have also activated the EQ and turned the frequency upto 1000Hz, so that only the attack of the kick is fed into the sidechain input. This helps us to have a much better control on our attenuation envelope. If your kick has some low rumble, then it may cause an unpleasant pumping effect on our bass. Be careful with the amount of attenuation you dial in. High ratio values on your compressor can make the sidechain effect audible, which is not always desirable.

5. Add Groove to Your Bass

Human beings do not appreciate a completely robotic sound. Having our bassline adhere to the grid, takes away from its humanisation. If you are playing your bass part on a midi keyboard remember not to quantise the whole performance. Use your ears and only quantise those parts that require it. You can also play around with your quantisation settings so that the quantise percentage is reduced, as a result, the sound will be not be fully locked in with our DAWâ€™s grid. If you are programming your bassline like we did here, you can use something like the groove pool feature in Ableton to inject a human feeling to your bass parts. Other wise, you can manually offset the notes as well if you want to be surgically precise. In that case you can turn your grid off.

If you look at the image above, you can see that some notes have been offset from the grid. You can also play around with the note lengths of each note to create variations in the groove.

6. Add Saturation and Distortion to Fatten up Your Bass

All DAWs come with their stock distortion/saturation audio effects. You can also find some free plugins on the internet that will help you. This step is important because it adds harmonics to our initial bass sound. Usually a bass sound as it is would be dominant in the lower frequencies. When played together with the rest of the track, these bass sounds tend to get lost. We have to listen quite attentively to hear them. In certain cases they become completely inaudible among all the harmonic richness in our mid and high frequencies. Adding some mids and high mids with a saturation plugin at this juncture can make our bass sound more present in the mix.

We are adding an overdrive and a saturator on our bass channel. You might be confused on whether to insert these effects pre or post EQ. Always remember to use your ears and listen to what sounds best, go with that. You are not also restricted to one EQ, you can use a pre and post EQ if you deem fit. For our project, we will use our overdrive and saturator pre-EQ, since these effects are creating some unpleasant low frequency harmonics which we are removing with our EQ.

7. Splitting up Your Bass Frequencies for Multiband Processing

Once you have the basic sound of your bass ready, remember to add some multi band processing to add depth to your mix. Multiband means we will split up our bass into two or more different frequency bands and process them independently of each other. This is useful when you want to add a modulation effect on your bass. Applying a modulation effect on the whole channel can mess up our low frequency response. We rather apply our modulation effect to mids and high mids, so that our low end is intact. Multiband processing on the bass also opens up our option for stereo imaging on the higher bass frequencies which can add a lot of presence to our bass.

We are not adding any processing on our lows other than to isolate them from the mids and high-mids. You can also make this layer mono if it makes the bass sound better.

We are then splitting the mids from 188Hz to 20KHz in High 1 chain, where we have added a flanger to create some movement in our bass sound.

We are creating another chain called High 2, where we are splitting the frequencies with a highpass at 325Hz. We are using an imager plugin to make the high mids a little wider in the mix, so that it is more audible.

An Introduction To Commonly Used Equalizers For Mixing and Mastering

Equalizers are among the most commonly used plugins in mixing and mastering tasks. Equalizers can be used for tone shaping, controlling problem areas in the frequency spectrum and enhancing certain frequencies to add presence. Equalizers have different filters that can attenuate or boost different parts of the frequency spectrum. In this article, we are going to take a look at the different types of Equalizers used in music production.

1. Parametric EQ

Parametric equalizers have multiple filters that can be assigned to different frequency bands. We can then work on these frequencies using the filter's gain and bandwidth (Q. Factor) control.

A parametric EQ contains various filter types. Let us get accustomed to them first:

a. Low Cut Filter (Highpass)

A low cut filter (shown in the image above) removes all frequencies below a set frequency also known as the cutoff. We can use this filter type to remove undesirable low frequencies on an instrument that might not require it, like a hi hat or a cymbal. You can adjust the dB/Octave curve on your EQ to roll off the lower frequencies gently, perhaps for processing a vocal performance. In the image below we are using a 12dB/Octave rolloff curve for our low cut filter.

b. Low Shelf Filter

A low shelf filter can boost or attenuate all frequencies below a set frequency. They are used for situations where we need to preserve the low frequency information but lower their presence in the sound by a certain amount. This amount is set by the gain control.

c. High Cut Filter (Lowpass)

A high cut filter removes all frequencies above a set frequency. Like our low cut filter we can also control our dB/Octave curve to control the character of high roll off. You can also use your resonance/bandwidth/Q control to boost or attenuate the cutoff point, for further tonal control. Lowpass filters are used to remove unwanted high frequencies from a sound.

d. High Shelf Filter

A high shelf filter boosts or attenuates all frequencies above a set cut off point. It is used is situations where the highs do not need to be removed, perhaps to preserve the character of the sound but they need to be lower in the mix.

e. Notch Filter

Notch filters attenuate a variable bandwidth of frequencies around a set frequency. We can control the bandwidth of the attenuation with the Q control. Notch filter are used for tone shaping and modulation effects (by automating the frequency control).

f. Peaking Filter

The peaking filter can attenuate or boost a range of frequencies around a set frequency. We can use the Q control to adjust our bandwidth and then the gain control to dial in the desired amount of attenuation or boost. Peaking Filters are very flexible they are used to boost or attenuate a broad range of frequencies with a low Q value. We can also remove harsh frequencies in the highs with a high Q value.

Parametric Equalizers can be both digital or analog. Most DAWs come with their stock parametric EQ. You can also fuse third party parametric Equalizers like FabFilter Pro-Q3. Analog parametric Equalizers are more expensive hardware although they have various plugin emulations that are relatively less expensive. The SSL G EQ is popular parametric EQ both in its hardware and plugin emulation forms.

2. Graphic Equalizers

Graphic Equalizers are a collection of frequency bands that have a fixed Q value. All the frequency bands have a bell curve on them. There are various types of graphic Equalizers like 31-band, 15-band and 10-band. 31 band Graphic EQs are the most flexible since they offer three bands per octave. Each bands gain can be adjusted by 12-15 dB depending on the model. Engineers often employ multiple bands together on Graphic Equalizers to create shelving curves. These Equalizers are used often for live performances to attenuate problematic frequencies. They are also present on various amplifiers and mixers to give tone shaping option to the user. The API 560 is a popular 10 band graphic Equalizers often seen in studios.

3. Linear Phase Equalizers

Traditional EQs introduce a a phase change in the signal by a small amount. These phase changes or smears as they are referred to, can cause audible artefacts and colouration which might not be desirable in certain situations. Normal Equalizers introduce minimum amount of phase and they sound good for the most part. In certain mastering situation and instrument recording correction, linear phase Equalizers can come in handy because they will not introduce any coloration induced from phase changes. They create a more natural sounding tone. However, linear phase Equalizers can introduce a lot of latency and CPU load, as a result they cannot be used while recording or mixing large projects. Linear phase Equalizers can introduce distortion to your signal that sound like ringing. This artefact is often not audible but a lot of picky producers like to avoid them for the most part. The Voxengo Marvel GEQ is a linear phase graphic Equalizers that you can download and use in your DAW for free.

4. Dynamic Equalizers

Dynamic Equalizers are a combination of an EQ and a compressor. A traditional EQ reacts and affects the incoming audio signal at all times when the track is being played. Dynamic Equalizers on the other hand react to the internal audio source or a sidechain/external input source. We can set a threshold level for a certain band and the incoming signal that exceeds this level will either be boosted or attenuated. Dynamic Equalizers also provide controls that are found on compressors, such as attack and release. The TDR Nova is a free dynamic Equalizers that you can use in your DAW. FabFilter Pro-Q3 and Izotope Ozone Dynamic EQ are both good options for paid plugins. These Equalizers are used a lot for processing dynamic performances on instruments like drums, guitars and vocals. They are also used to create separation between two competing sounds.

4 Types of Audio Compressors You Should Be Using

Choosing the right compressor for the right job can become confusing for a mix engineer who is starting out. Perhaps a basic understanding of the various types of compression that are commonly used and how they affect our sound can help you decide better. Analog Compressors are classified into 4 main types which have their own sub-categories, but in this article we will focus on the ones that are important for our understanding and how we can use that knowledge to get better mixes or invest in the correct plugin. Even stock plugins that come bundled with your DAW model these 4 main types in some form or the other.

1. VCA Compressor

This type of compression is extremely common. The term VCA stands for Voltage Controlled Amplifier. This amplifier is housed in an Integrated Circuit (IC chip) on the compressor circuitry. This IC helps us in fine-tuning various aspects of the compression without introducing any colouration (for the most part). A VCA compressor will have knobs for controlling Attack, Release, Threshold, Ratio and Knee parameters, which makes dialling in the correct amount of gain reduction very easy. VCA compressors are extremely flexible. They are used both in mastering and mixing and sound good on various instruments, vocals and percussion. The fast attack and release times that are achievable on these compressors, can be used to control quick transients. The SSL G Series is an example of a VCA compressor used in many studios. If you look in your DAW, you will find a version of VCA compressor in your stock plugins (eg. Ableton's stock has a Glue Compressor which emulates the SSL G Series VCA compressor and Logic's stock compressor has three different VCA compressor characteristics packed in a single plugin while FL Studio has their own Fruity Compressor with a variable type setting which basically controls the Knee).

2. Optical or Opto Compressor

Optical Compressors use a light sensitive resistor and a light source (like an LED) to determine the level of gain reduction on a signal. The incoming signal and its level feeds the light source which increases or decreases in intensity according to the level of the input signal. The light sensitive resistor detects these fluctuations and informs the compressor circuit to apply a certain amount of gain reduction in a certain amount of time. The communication between the light source and the resistor takes longer than a VCA compressor leading to delayed attack times. Furthermore the release of an Opto compressor is logarithmic in nature meaning the greater the signal the faster the release (eg. the release time for first few dBs of gain reduction will be higher than the last ones). Optical compressors are said to be smooth sounding for this particular reason and is often used to round out certain vocals or lead melodies that will lose their dynamic characteristics with aggressive compression. Generally these compressors don't have an attack or release time control (exceptions do exist in this regard) because of the way they are designed. The Teletronix LA-2A is an example of a well-known hardware Opto Compressor that has numerous plugin emulations. You can find stock Opto compressors in your DAW itself. For Ableton users you can use your stock compressor plugin in RMS setting to make it act like an optical compressor while Logic's stock compressor has dedicated Opto mode.

3. Tube or Mu Compressor

Tube compressors are also called Vari-Mu or Delta-Mu, depending on the manufacturer. Like the name suggests, these compressors have tubes in their circuitry, that reduce gain depending on the amount of signal fed to the device. Unlike the LA-2A which employs tubes for colouration, in a Mu compressor the tube acts as the main component driving the gain reduction. As the input level increases in these compressors, the current sent to the compressor tube decreases, leading to a decrease in the overall signal level. Tube compressors add a lot of colouration to the signal while levelling it out smoothly. These sound good on mix busses and are also used to glue different tracks together. Most often Mu compressors have the least number of controls and a lot of times they don't even have a control for ratio. The Fairchild 670 and Manley Vari-Mu are two renowned vintage tube compressors. The Klanghelm MJUC jr. is a free tube compressor plugin that you can download and use in your DAW. Stock compressors usually don't have good tube compressor emulations.

4. FET Compressor

FET compressors are capable of incredibly fast Attack times while adding some colouration to the affected signal. FET stands for Field Effect Transistor which became popular as an alternative to Tube Compressors that had very slow attack times. FETs are less flexible than VCA and Opto compressors because of their tendency to create additional harmonics on compression. They are generally not used on master busses, but they sound very punchy and robust on individual instruments like drums and guitars. They can also add a lot of punch and character to instrument busses, as a result they are used quite a lot while mixing. In a FET compressor the signal being compressed is already affected by the internal circuit of the compressor, which results in a smoother output that is also predictable. Opto and Mu compressors are also smooth but they are not predictable, while a VCA cannot achieve as fast attack times as a FET. The UREI 1176 is an example of a FET compressor widely used in studios across the world. Some DAWs have FET compressors in their stock bundles (eg. Logic's Stock Compressor has two FET modes), but in case yours doesn't, the Analog Obsession FETISH is a free plugin emulation of the 1176 that you can download and use.

Final Thoughts

No matter what type of compressor you use, the quality of the sound is what matters the most to the listener at the end of the day. At the same time, efficiency is an important part of being a successful mix engineer. If you have a vocal that has a few words and phrases sung in quieter tone relative to the rest of the song, we can use the information to our advantage and pull up an optical compressor to level things out without wasting much time. Similarly if you have make two guitar layers sound more related to each other then a tube compressor can add some glue and similar colouration to both the layers so they work better together. This knowledge should help you in making decisions quicker when it comes to picking the right plugin or hardware for a specific job.

Creative Drum And Percussion Sound Design With Ableton Simpler

Ableton Live has a lot of tools for creative sound design. In this article we will explore an interesting technique to create your own unique percussion samples from scratch using any sample of your choice. This technique is extremely simple and effective for cooking up new perks quickly removing any need for incessant sample pack diving. We will be using Ableton's simpler for the main sound design aided with some audio effects.

Selecting the Sample

Theoretically you can use any sample you want but we will make the most out of this technique if we use loops or long samples that varies over time and has a lot of textures. Fx Loops are a great choice, so are vocal and bass loops. We have chosen the Acid Birds Ambience Fx loop from the Drive and Glow pack that comes with Ableton Live 11 Suite.

Processing the Sample with Ableton Simpler

Create a Midi track and then add your simpler from the Instruments section of the browser. Add the sample into the simpler.

Now set the start and end points of the Simpler in the correct position to cut to any silence in the beginning or end of the sample and then crop it from the context menu.

Turn the LOOP on and adjust the loop Start control to your liking by scanning the waveform. Also reduce the loop Length control to about 0.10%. Any value ranging from 0.5% to 0.10% will work the best.

We will create a Midi Clip in our Simpler track and add in some notes. I am using a C2 note. Feel free to use your ears and choose a note according to your liking. I have also changed the velocity of these notes using the clip Randomize control. This step will help us audition our percussion sounds easier.

We will shift over to the Controls tab of our Simpler and adjust the Amplitude Envelope. As you can see in the image below I have dropped the Sustain completely and drastically reduced the Decay and Release. Play around with the Decay control to fine tune the timbre of the click sound we have created. I have also dropped the Transpose down to -42st which will help us create some toms and kick drum type samples.

We will also adjust the pitch envelope to make it sound more like a percussion. I have set my envelope Amount to +32st. I have also altered the pitch ADSR. I have set Attack at 0.00ms, Decay at 90.6ms, Sustain at 0.0% and Release at 6.00ms. You can adjust the Decay and Amount controls to fine tune the snappy perc sound we have created.

Adding Some Fx Processing for Texture

Our percussion samples will really start taking shape from this point onwards. Add an Amp after you Simpler. I have selected the Lead setting on my Amp and adjusted my Gain and Dry/Wet controls. You can look at the image below for a reference. The Rock, Lead and Heavy setting work very well. The Amp provides a woody texture to our percussion.

I have also added an Overdrive after the Amp. The Overdrive also provides a lot of low mids to beef up our perc. I am putting the Overdrive around 107Hz with Tone at 35% and Dynamics at 25%. You can adjust the parameters as you like. You can create a wide range of sounds just by using these two effects.

We will process our sound further by adding some waveshaping. We will insert a Saturation effect in our Fx chain and select the Waveshaper setting from the drop down menu.

As you can see in the image above we have adjusted our Drive and Waveshaper controls according to our taste and then adjusted the Dry/Wet. If your sample is clipping a bit then turn on the Soft Clip option. The Saturator adds some character and harmonic richness to our sample.

Adding a Filter Envelope in the Simpler

Now is a good time to go back to the Simpler and add some filtration. You can go through the various filter modes and add some filter drive for some added texture. Also adjust the Filter Envelope according to preference. I like to set my filter cutoff Frequency at a lower value and the Filter Envelope amount at a moderately high value. I have also adjusted the Decay control which has an interesting effect on our percussion sound.

Adding Some Creative Fx Processing to Further Enhance Our Sample

The Erosion audio effect is an extremely handy addition for any percussion sound design. I am using the Noise setting to add some character and fill up the harmonic spectrum of the sound.

Another underrated effect for drum sound design is the Corpus Audio Effect. It is a physical modelling tool that imitates the sound of different objects being struck. Here we have chosen the membrane option from the drop down menu to mimic an actual percussive instrument. You can use the image above as a reference point. Play around with the settings because there is no fixed rule here other than keeping the Decay at lower value. The Bleed control also adds some interesting textures.

At this point you should have a realistic woody sounding percussion sample that is completely unique and made from scratch.

Adding Some Final Touches

As a last step to our sound design, I like to group everything into an Instrument Rack. If you look at the image below then you will see that I have also mapped Simpler Decay and loop Start controls to Macro 1 and Macro 2 respectively. This technique really shines at this step because now we can adjust our loop Start macro (S Start in the image) and create huge variation of different percussion sounds. We had chosen the initial sample because it had a lot of variation over time. Playing around with the Start will play different parts of the whole sample, creating different sounds and textures. You can also adjust the decay to create different characteristics in your percussion.

Feel free to map other controls to the macros. Pitch Envelope Amount and Decay controls are also useful as macros. You can look at the image below for a reference of all the different macros you can map. After you are done, you can save the preset. You can recall this preset at different projects and replace the sample inside the simpler to come up with new percussion sounds.

Please download this preset and a bonus sample pack with one shot samples created using this preset for free from the Downloads section of our website or visit the link given below.

Download Link: Click Here

Creative Automation Tips And Tricks For A Better Mix

All DAWs, no matter how basic, implement some form of automation. Automation means having a computer take control of a parameter within a DAW and change it's value over a period of time set by the user. Automation can refer to the turning of a knob, the sliding of a fader and the toggling of switches within our audio workstation. To carry out any form of Automation the user draws automation curves in the DAW timeline (commonly in an automation lane) which defines the movement of the selected parameter for a certain duration defined by the user. In this article we will explore some creative automation tricks and tips that will improve your mixes.

1. Creating Variations For Programmed Instruments

There are countless advantages of using MIDI, but one of the areas where this technology fails to deliver is in the realm of humanization. A programmed instrument most likely would have all notes playing in the same velocity, with the same articulation. A real instrument played by a person would naturally have a lot of variations in dynamics and articulations. The same can be done for MIDI instruments but the process often takes a lot of time and patience. Automations can be a great tool to create these variations quickly and efficiently. Automating the volume of a hi hat for example can help make it sound more natural, letting some hits be louder than others, similar to accents performed by a drummer. The pitch can also be automated to simulate articulations like vibrato and pitch bends. The pitch can also be automated in cents for instruments like drums to simulate the drum stick striking different regions of the drum skin. These techniques can add a lot of expression and dynamics to robotic MIDI sections.

2. Automating The Volume Fader

Automating the volume fader is one of the most common mixing techniques used by music producers. It is often referred to as "riding the fader", which means to correct the dynamics of a performance in realtime using the console channel strip fader. This technique is widely used to correct the dynamics of vocal performances, where the music producer would use the channel fader to duck or raise certain words, phrases and sections of a performance to add more expression. This technique is also used on live drum recordings, apart from vocals. An example would be, when the drummer plays a lot of ghost notes on the snare, there might be parts of the song where the ghost notes need to be quieter or louder in the mix. The music producer would simply automate the volume fader in a way that the accented snare hits are louder in the mix and the ghost notes are quiter in certain sections and in others where the range is reduced. This technique can also be used to create volume swells at transitional sections of the song which can help to break the monotony. Swells are quite common in genres like EDM and Hip Hop because it adds a motion to otherwise robotic sounding programmed beats. You can also automate the faders of a mix bus or the master bus itself to create dynamics within the mix, having the intro and bridge played at a lower level that the verse and choruses bringing it closer to an actual live performance.

3. Varying The Stereo Image Or Stereo Placement Of A Sound In The Mix

Variations in the stereo field can add a lot of expression to any song. Having some stereo width in the chorus sections creates contrast from the verses of a song, making the chorus stand out. Automating the pan parameter of any track would vary the stereo placement of the sound. Panning helps us to create space in the centre and reduce masking. If we have instruments that have been double tracked, then panning can be used to vary the stereo width of an instrument as well. One common technique to make choruses stand out, is to widen the double tracked instruments with in the mix like guitars and backing vocals. For example if you have vocal double panned at 50% in the verse, perhaps you can change it to 75% for the chorus, making the vocals sound bigger in the mix. Another common panning technique often used in fills and transitions is to have a sound start playing mostly on one side and by the end of the section it slowly moves to the other side. You can achieve this by panning thing like hi hat and snare rolls from left to right or vice versa. If you want to automate the stereo image of multiple tracks together, then you can add then to a buss and use a stereo imager plugin to automate it's width. For individual instruments panning automations an also be achieved through plugins like Autopan in Ableton Live.

4. Automating Reverb And Delay

Reverb and delay are two of thew most common audio effects used while mixing. But, overusing them can lead to loss of clarity. A bit of automation can clean up these problems with ease. Using a separate bus for the Reverb, we can automate the send level of the channel where the reverb is required. This gives us the option to manually reduce the send level at the beginning of a signal, therefore bypassing any leftover reverb tail from the previous signal in the channel. This is very common in vocals where the sends can be raised at the end of phrase to fill silences or gaps in the performances, similarly we can also bring the reverb send level down for a busier section of the performance where more clarity is required. Similar techniques are used for delays as well known as "delay throws", where a delay in added to a bus with a quarter note or eighth note setting. The delay send can be raised for particular words and phrases which would ring out in the mix for a longer time. This is a great way to fill empty spaces in a performance, add some ear candy to the mix and also hold the audience attention during the quieter sections of a track. When using reverbs and delays in this way it is common to have the timing synced to the project tempo.

5. Automating the Tempo

Any live performance will have lots of tempo variations. It is only natural for musicians to play quieter sections of a song at a slower tempo, in relation to the the louder parts of the song that tend to increase in tempo as the volume level increases. This change in tempo will be missing for songs composed within a DAW for obvious reasons. Most DAWs give their user the ability to automate project tempo. This feature is useful to make a studio recording feel more like a live performance. The tempo can be lowered during the intro and outro sections while during the choruses the tempo can be increased to give the feeling of a rise in intensity. It is recommended that the tempo automations are gradual and have a diminished range. Drastic tempo changes are only used if that is the intended effect. In case of a live performance the change in tempo is a natural consequence of the situation, hence it is not intentional. Keeping the tempo changes mild will emulate this phenomenon much better in the context of a mix.

Conclusion

Automations have a huge impact on how an audience perceives a recorded track. By implementing the aforementioned tips your mixes will feel more lifelike than robotic. If automations are done well, then the listening experience transports the listener into an environment where it feels like the song is being performed live in front of them. The tips and tricks mentioned in this article are the basics for any music producer who is just starting out. Feel free to experiment and look for more creative ways in which automations can be used to make your mixes sound more natural.

How To Make A Lofi Hip Hop Beat: 6 Easy Steps

Lo-Fi is a type of music where imperfections are introduced into the audio signal deliberately to achieve texture or character. Lo-Fi is an abbreviation for Low Fidelity, so music producers often employ plugins that artificially degrade the audio to give their sound a vinyl quality. In this article we will explore 6 easy steps to compose a lo-fi hip hop beat.

Step 1: Creating the right Chord Progression

Lofi chords are a huge part of their sonic quality. Most loft producers sample old jazz and soul records to create a nostalgic feeling. We will be creating our own progression from scratch and then we will sample ourselves. Lofi hiphop can be anywhere from from 70-100 BPM, sometimes even slower than that. The BPM for our project will be 75 BPM. For sound selection, try to remember what type of instruments old jazz and soul records would use. Using those sounds to create our sample will help us create a more old timey vibe.

Look at the chords that we have drawn in the image above. We are using a rhoads preset to create these chords. You can use an acoustic guitar or any other instrument but the way you create your chords will change according to that instrument. Here we are using the chords Em7 - Am7 - CM7 - GM7 for the first four bars, in the second four bar cycle, we are substituting Em7 with Emadd9. You can experiment with the added notes on these chords, also use vinyl or modulation fx on the channel to make things sound more aged.

We are using the phaser-flanger device of ableton, as shown in the picture above, to modulate our Rhoads sound.

Step 2: Turning Your Chord Progression Into a Sample

Once you are happy with how your chords are sounding, freeze and flatten them to convert into audio. There are a few ways we can sample this. You can do manual edits in your Daw to create MPC like chops.

In the image above, you can see that we have made quite a few edits to our original sample after freezing and flattening. Have your metronome on for this section as it will help you to flesh out interesting patterns. We are also applying crossfades at clip edges to prevent any clicks and pops. Alternatively, you can add your freeze and flattened sample into a simpler and use the slicing mode to create patterns using midi.

In the image above, we have added our sample into a slicer and then turned on Slicing Mode. You can play around with the sensitivity and slice by settings for different sets of chops. You can now program you sampled melody using midi.

These are the notes we drew in with our piano roll for the simpler. We are going to use this as a variation on the main melody.

Step 3: Drums that sound old

The tone of your drum samples play a huge role in lofi hiphop. The drum programming itself is fairly simple. Go for drum sounds with some audible background noise, You can use some processing to lessen the high frequency response of your drum sounds. We also like to add distortion to our drums to make them sound more crunchy. Once you have your drum sounds selected you can arrange them directly on the track according to our grid, but we will use a drum rack. We are using a kick, snare and hit for our beat.

This is the pattern we have created, shown in the image above. Do not forget to vary the velocities of your hits as required. You can also use some saturation on the drums to fatten them up and add some more character to the sound. You can also experiment with different grooves on your drums, which will offset our midi from the grid, giving the beat more human touch.

We are processing our drums using Ableton's drum buss to add more harmonics and punch to our track.

Step 4: Creating a Groovy Bassline

Bassline in this genre of music is very different from one song to another. Tonally the bass sounds mellow and has much rhythmic variation built into it. Select a preset that has a solid low end with some subtle harmonies in the mids. For the notes in your bassline, you can follow the root notes of the chord, and then develop it further from there. We like to use a lot of octaves and melodic runs to keep things interesting.

As you can see, we have added our bass notes along with some melodic and rhythmic variations. Do not forget to add some processing to your bass if it is too quiet in the mix even when the volume is unchanged. We are using a saturator on our bass channel with the settings shown in the image below.

Step 5: Adding Fx and Foley

Textures are a major part of Lofi sound. The signature vinyl crackle is present on every track to give the listener the perception, that the song is being played from a vinyl record player. We are using a little bit of vinyl distortion on our main sample to simulate the vinyl crackle (image below).

You can also layer your sounds with foley to create more texture along with the vinyl crackle.

As you can see in the image above, the drums that have been programmed with midi is being layered with different foley samples to add depth and character to our drums. Vocal chops and one-shots also spice up your beat in a major way, making it more memorable for the listener. You can sprinkle in some more details with risers and down lifters for transition sections.

As you can see in the image above we added an impact sample and a white noise riser sample for our project. The impacts are placed at the beginning of every 8 bars, while the risers are placed at the 7th bar and 15th bar with varied lengths.

Step 6: Mixing Your Beat

Mixing a lofi beat is fairly easy. Make sure to balance your faders first and then you can experiment with the pan pot. As long as your sound is well balanced in terms of levels and stereo image, you are halfway there. Kicks and Snares need to be able to punch through the mix. Keep the drums as dynamic as possible. Your bass would also be mixed rather loud in the mix. Other instruments and synths can be balanced according to your taste. EQ out any undesirable low frequencies to make space for your bass sound. Getting rid of the lows in your hiatus, cymbals, fx and instruments, will also reduce muddiness of the overall mix. Sidechain compression is also used in this genre often as an aesthetic tool rather than a tool for mixing. You can sidechain various instruments to your kick and exaggerate the sidechain effect to emphasise on the lofi character of your track.

As you can see in the two images provided above, the side chain settings on my melody sidechain and bass sidechain are different. The melody sidechain has more exaggerated and audible sidechain compression happening to create movement in the sound, while the bass side chain is much more focused on attenuating our bass sound whenever the kick strikes without being necessarily heard. You can also experiment with some subtle saturation or soft clipping on you master buss to further drive in that lofi feel of your track.

If you want to follow along with our Ableton project file, then click on the link provided below to download the .alp file:

Crypto Cipher Academy_Lofi Beat Tutorial (Ableton Project Download)

How to Make Melodic Trap Beats_Part 1 (Drums)

Trap Drums are not complicated at all. There are a few basic elements that we need to make a bouncy trap beat. A trap drum kit consists of a kick, clap and hi-hat at its core. You can add other snares, vocal one-shots and percussion samples to fit your style. Our three core drum sounds need to be punchy and short. Trap beats have a tempo of 140-160BPM. We will make our beat in 140BPM.

1. The Kick

Trap kick drum selection is extremely important. The kick needs to sit perfectly with our bass/sub in the mix. A short kick drum with a very emphasised attack would cut through the mix much easier than a sub heavy low-kick. Drag your sample into an audio track and start laying them according to Ableton's grid. You can turn the metronome on for reference.

As you can see in the image above, we have altered the clip gain of a few kicks to give them a human feel. We are also using fades on the tail to articulate a few samples differently. We are not altering the clip gain of the kick on the first beat of the sample to create an accent.

We are also adding a transient shaper on our kick track to enhance its attack. You can use any transient designer plugin, but we are using Bitter Sweet V3 which is a free plugin. You can analyse the settings we are using, for reference, in the image provided below. Do not push your transient designer too much, it can easily make things sound worse. We are pushing the attack just by 6% to maintain the characteristics of the original sound.

We are also adding a saturator on our kick to add some more girth and presence. Distorted kicks are staple in the trap genre.

2. The Clap

The clap acts like an anchor to our beat. Select a clap sample with some punch. You can also use an 808 style clap with a little bit of distortion. Drag your clap into an empty audio track and lay them on every third beat of the bar.

As you can see in the image above, we are using fade to vary our claps. You can use the clip gain here too, to create variations. We are also high passing our clap at 346Hz to eliminate the undesirable low frequencies. Always listen to your sound while high passing. If you are too drastic with your filter then it will make the clap sound thin and weak.

3. The Hi-hat

We are using midi for our hat because it will easier for us to create rolls and and pitch variations later. Drag you hat sample into the device view of an empty midi track in Ableton. your sample will open up in a simpler.

We are using a 808 style closed hat sample here. We are laying down a very simple 8th note hat pattern as a starting point.

As you can see in the image above, we have varied the velocities these hats, keeping an accent on the fist beat of every bar.

Another characteristic of any bouncy trap beat is a hi hat roll. We are using some pitch and velocity variations on these rolls, to make our beat interesting.

If you hat sample has any low rumble in the spectrum then use a high pass filter to preserve the frequencies we require.

4. The Snare

A lot of trap beats use different snares to create variations and add bounce. We are using a short high-pitched snare for our beat. Drag your snare sample into an empty audio track. We will use the clip gain and fade to create some variation. We will also have the snare much lower in the mix, than our clap so that it almost sounds like a ghost-note. You can adjust the level of your snare according to you liking.

We are also high passing the snare track to remove the unrequited low frequencies.

5. The Percussion

Percussion samples will make your track stand out from the rest. Interesting percussion samples easily spice up any boring trap beat. You can use multiple percussion hits at different velocities to add some uniqueness to your sound. Percussions can also be used to create transitions and fills in your beat, although that technique is quite common among producers. We will be using a cowbell for our percussion requirements. Certain perc sounds like cowbells can be tuned to the key of our beat. We will program our cowbell hits first by dragging our samples into an empty audio track and then inserting a tuner on the same channel. Now when we play our cowbell, the note will show up on the tuner. Then we can use the clip transposition setting to set the pitch correctly. For our project we will tune the cowbell to an E note. Look at the image provided below for reference.

6. The Full Beat

Once you have programmed the individual parts you can go in and make some fine tweaks. You can also add some processing. We will be grouping our drums to keep the arrangement view organised.

As you can see in the image above, we have added a drum buss on our Drums group to add some harmonic excitement and punchiness to the beat as a whole. This adds some similar characteristics to every sound in the groove, giving them a similar colour. It is very important to be very moderate with your processing at this stage. We can fine tune the settings once we have finished the whole beat, then we will have a context for our drums should sound.

Watch this space for Part 2 and 3, where we will go over the bass and melody programming for a trap beat. We will also upload the whole project (Ableton Live Set) as a free download, once all three parts are uploaded.

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