Use reverb to place ear candy in a bigger space
Problem: ear candy sounds too dry or disconnected
Adding reverb to ear candy elements helps them sit more naturally in the mix and gives them a sense of space. This is especially effective for glitchy or textural elements that might otherwise sound too dry or…
Experiment with different reverb settings for ear candy
Problem: ear candy lacks spatial depth
Different reverb settings can dramatically change how ear candy elements are perceived in the mix. It's important to experiment with various reverb types and settings to find the one that best complements the track. This…
Avoid over-processing ear candy to maintain natural feel
Problem: ear candy sounds too robotic or artificial
Over-processing ear candy elements, such as using too much reverb or robotic effects, can make them sound artificial and detract from the organic feel of the track. It's important to find a balance where the ear candy…
Adjust volume and reverb of ear candy elements for better integration
Problem: ear candy elements overpower the mix
Reducing the volume and reverb of ear candy elements ensures they blend well with the rest of the track. This is important to avoid overwhelming the mix, especially in ambient and mellow genres where subtlety is key. The…
Use delay on the mid band to add space without affecting low frequencies
Problem: delay causing muddiness in low end
Applying delay only to the mid band of a sound can add depth and space without introducing muddiness from low frequencies. This technique is effective because it avoids the risk of low-end frequencies clashing with other…
Use only a small amount of delay to avoid overwhelming the sound
Problem: overuse of delay causing clutter
Adding too much delay can make a sound feel cluttered and lose its clarity. The speaker suggests using a minimal amount of delay to achieve the desired effect without overdoing it. This approach ensures that the sound…
Use D-Beaver reverb with 50% wet/dry for a natural, thick reverb sound
Problem: reverb sounds too wet or unnatural
The D-Beaver reverb is used with a 50% wet/dry setting to maintain the dry signal while adding reverb. This approach allows for a thick, natural-sounding reverb without losing the original signal's clarity. The reverb is…
Use a small room reverb with fast decay on bass
Problem: bass lacks depth and space
Adding a small room reverb with a fast decay to the bass can add depth and space without making it sound too washed out. This technique helps the bass sit better in the mix by giving it a sense of environment without…
Pan piano tracks left and right to enhance stereo imaging
Problem: narrow stereo image, lack of spatial detail
Panning piano tracks to the left and right can help create a more immersive and spatially rich stereo image. The speaker demonstrates this by panning the piano tracks to the extremes, which helps in achieving a wider and…
Use ping pong delay for stereo width
Problem: narrow stereo image
The producer mentions using ping pong delay to add stereo width to the track. This technique helps create a more immersive and spacious sound, which is especially effective in bounce trance for enhancing the stereo image…
Use phasers before delay for added texture
Problem: delay sounds flat or static
The producer adds a phaser before the delay to create a more textured and dynamic sound. This technique adds movement and depth to the track, making the delay more interesting and less static. Phasers are a common tool…
Add washout effect for atmospheric texture in the track's end
Problem: track lacks atmospheric texture
The producer suggests adding a washout effect towards the end of the track to create an atmospheric and textural finish. This technique is useful for enhancing the emotional impact of the track and providing a smooth…
Use automation to shape the delay of vocal tracks
Problem: static vocal delay that lacks movement
Automating the delay of vocal tracks allows for dynamic control over the timing and spatial placement of the vocals. This can help create a sense of movement and depth in the mix, especially in trance and bounce trance…
Pan snare rolls left and right for stereo width
Problem: narrow, flat snare rolls
Panning snare rolls left and right adds stereo width and spatial interest to the track. This technique helps the snare rolls sit better in the mix and prevents them from sounding too centered or monotonous. The speaker…
Use wash-out effects with automation for atmospheric texture
Problem: lack of atmospheric depth
Applying wash-out effects with automation adds atmospheric texture and depth to the track. This technique is particularly useful in bounce trance and funk tribu styles to create a sense of space and movement. The speaker…
Consolidate vocal sections for delay effects
Problem: delay applied to entire vocal, lack of control
Consolidating vocal sections allows for more precise application of delay effects, especially on the ending parts of the vocal. This technique ensures that the delay is applied only to the desired portion of the vocal,…
Use chopped delay for walk-out transitions
Problem: boring vocal fade-out, lack of transition interest
Chopping the delayed vocal section allows for creative use of the sound in transitions, such as walk-outs. This technique adds rhythmic interest and helps the vocal fade out in a more engaging way. It's a common approach…
Use reverb and delay to add character and identity to the track
Using reverb and delay can help add character and identity to the track, making it stand out more. These effects can be used creatively to shape the sound and give it a unique personality. This is especially important in…
Use reverb with modulation and pre-delay to add character to hits
Problem: hits lack presence and depth in the mix
Adding reverb with modulation and pre-delay can give hits more depth and movement. The modulation adds a subtle, evolving texture, while the pre-delay (set to eighth notes) ensures the reverb aligns with the track's…
Use modulation and envelope followers to control reverb swell
Problem: reverb lacks dynamic control and responsiveness
Using modulation and envelope followers can help control the swell of reverb, making it more dynamic and responsive to the track. This technique allows the reverb to swell in time with the notes or samples, creating a…
Use ping-pong delay with dotted eighth notes for rhythmic movement
Problem: delay lacks rhythmic interest and sits poorly in the mix
Applying a ping-pong delay with dotted eighth notes adds rhythmic interest and a galloping effect to the sound. This technique helps the delay move in a way that complements the track's rhythm without clashing with the…
Cut low and high frequencies on delay to shape the sound
Problem: delay is too muddy or harsh in the mix
Cutting the low and high frequencies on the delay helps it sit better in the mix by reducing muddiness and harshness. This allows the delay to complement the main sound without clashing with other elements. It's a common…
Automate reverb decay and size for dynamic spaciousness
Problem: breakdown feels too tight or static
To add a sense of urgency and spaciousness in a breakdown, automate the reverb decay and size on a clap or other percussive element. This creates a more dynamic and immersive listening experience. It's a subtle but…
Experiment with reverb and delay settings to find the right sound
Problem: lead lacks character or space
Adjusting reverb and delay settings is an essential part of shaping the lead's character. This process involves trial and error to find the right balance between space and clarity. It's important to listen critically and…
Use subtle feedback on delay for added depth
Problem: lead lacks depth or movement
Adding a small amount of feedback to the delay can create a sense of depth and space without overwhelming the lead. This technique is particularly useful in melodic techno and trance, where the lead needs to sit well in…
Use parallel channels for lead reverb
Problem: lead lacks space and depth
Creating a parallel channel for reverb allows the lead to retain its original character while adding spatial depth. This technique gives more control over the reverb's presence in the mix without affecting the dry…
Route reverb to a separate track for better control
Problem: difficulty controlling reverb level and character
Routing the reverb to a separate track allows for more precise control over the reverb's level and character. This method is particularly useful when working with complex reverb settings, as it keeps the original signal…
Use pancake two on reverb to add movement
Problem: static reverb, lack of movement
Adding pancake two to the reverb channel introduces subtle movement and spatial variation by modulating the reverb's characteristics. This technique allows the reverb to shift between channels, creating a more dynamic…
Add reverb to a dry vocal to enhance spatial depth
Problem: dry vocal lacking spatial depth
After the vocal has been processed for dynamics and frequency balance, adding reverb can help enhance the spatial depth and make the vocal sit better in the mix. Reverb can add a sense of space and dimension to a vocal…
Use a bus to apply reverb and delay to a vocal without over-processing
Problem: vocal overwhelmed by reverb and delay
Instead of applying reverb and delay directly to the vocal track, use a bus channel to route a portion of the vocal signal. This allows for more control and prevents the vocal from being overwhelmed by the effects. By…
Cut low and high frequencies on the vocal before sending to reverb bus
Problem: reverb sounds muddy or harsh
To prevent muddiness and harshness in the reverb, cut the low end (200Hz) and high end (5kHz) of the vocal signal before sending it to the reverb bus. This ensures that only the mid-range frequencies are affected by the…
Use a compressor on the reverb bus to duck the reverb when the vocal is present
Problem: vocal lost in reverb
To keep the vocal present and avoid it being lost in the reverb, use a compressor on the reverb bus that is sidechained to the vocal. When the vocal plays, the reverb is momentarily reduced, creating space for the vocal.…
Use a FET compressor with a fast attack and release for reverb ducking
Problem: reverb ducking not responsive
When using a compressor on the reverb bus, a FET compressor with a fast attack and release is ideal for ducking the reverb when the vocal is present. This ensures that the reverb is quickly reduced and then released,…
Apply the same EQ settings to both reverb and delay buses for consistency
Problem: inconsistent frequency response between reverb and delay
To maintain a consistent frequency response between reverb and delay, copy the same EQ settings from the reverb bus to the delay bus. This ensures that both effects are processing the same frequency range, resulting in a…
Use reverb and ambient elements to support the bridge
Problem: lack of atmosphere in transitions
Using reverb and ambient elements during the bridge helps create a sense of space and atmosphere. This is especially effective in trance and house, where the use of reverb and ambient textures can enhance the emotional…
Use delay to add depth to the bridge
Problem: bridge feels flat or lacks depth
Applying delay to the bridge section can create a sense of space and dimension. This technique is particularly useful for adding a 'wider' or 'echoey' feel to the vocals or other elements in the bridge. The delay should…
Use reverb to enhance the emotional impact of the bridge
Problem: bridge lacks emotional depth or atmosphere
Adding reverb to the bridge can help create a more immersive and emotional atmosphere. This technique is especially effective when used on vocals or key instruments in the bridge. The reverb should be applied with care…
Use delay plugins to enhance chopped vocal bridges
Problem: chopped vocals lack depth and space
Applying a high-quality delay plugin like Banta can add depth and space to chopped vocal sections. The delay can be used creatively to stretch and manipulate the chopped vocal slices, giving them a more atmospheric and…
Experiment with different delay settings instead of using defaults
Problem: default delay settings lack creativity
Rather than relying on default delay settings, producers should experiment with different parameters to find the most unique and effective sound for their chopped vocal bridges. This approach allows for more creative…
Use EQ and delay modulation to evolve chopped vocal bridges over time
Problem: chopped vocals lack evolution and movement
Modulating the delay and EQ of the back part of the chopped vocal elements over time can add a sense of movement and evolution to the bridge section. This technique helps in making the bridge feel more like a drop by…
Use convolution reverb for unique texture
Problem: bass lacks depth and uniqueness
Applying convolution reverb with a specific impulse response, such as 'growlish', can add a unique and cool texture to a bass sound. This technique is useful for adding depth and character to the bass, making it stand…
Use hyper dimension for a clean stereo effect on bass layers
Problem: bass is too centered or flat
Applying hyper dimension to a bass layer can help create a clean stereo effect, adding width and depth to the sound. This technique is useful for making the bass sit better in the mix and avoid being too centered or…
Apply reverb sweeps on bass for spatial interest
Problem: flat bass, lack of spatial interest
Using reverb on the bass, especially in the silent sections of the pattern, can create a sense of space and depth. The speaker suggests low-cutting the reverb to avoid muddiness and automating the wet/dry knob to create…
Add gritty, stereo-wide bass layers for texture
Problem: narrow or one-dimensional bass
Including gritty, stereo-wide bass layers adds texture and width to the bass section, making it more engaging and dynamic. This technique helps create a more immersive low-end and prevents the bass from sounding too…
Use multiple guitar tracks for width and punch
Problem: narrow, flat guitar sound
Using multiple guitar tracks, especially with different amp tones, helps create a wider and more dynamic sound. This is especially useful in rock and metal genres where a punchy, wide guitar sound is desired. By layering…
Use reverb to increase arousal
Problem: track lacks emotional impact or feels too dry
Adding reverb can increase the sense of arousal in a track by creating a more expansive and immersive soundscape. However, too much reverb can have a subduing effect by masking transients and reducing clarity. The…
Use two-dimensional sound for higher arousal
Problem: track lacks intensity or presence
Creating a more two-dimensional sound by pushing elements forward in the mix can increase the sense of aggression and intensity. This is useful for genres like rock or aggressive electronic music where a more…
Use bright and wet reverb for higher valence
Problem: track feels too dark or negative
Combining bright frequencies with wet reverb can enhance the positive emotional valence of a track, making it feel more uplifting and serene. This is useful for genres like ambient or chill-out where a more positive and…