Use contrast in reverb to create emotional shifts between sections
Problem: lack of emotional contrast between sections
By adjusting the amount of reverb in different sections of a song, you can create a sense of emotional contrast. For example, using drier, more intimate reverb in verses and wetter, more expansive reverb in choruses can…
Use reverb to create a sense of uplift in choruses
Problem: choruses lack emotional uplift
Adding more reverb in choruses can create a sense of space and uplift, even though long reverb tails are typically associated with lower arousal. The key is the contrast between sections — going from dry to wet or narrow…
Use chorus for subtle movement and width
Problem: synth lacks movement or width
Adding a chorus effect can introduce subtle movement and width to the synth, making it feel more dynamic and spatial. This is a common technique in melodic techno and house to add a sense of motion and depth to the…
Use chorus sparingly to add texture without muddying the mix
Problem: dry or lifeless arpeggiated leads
The speaker adds a subtle amount of chorus to a sound, demonstrating how it can enhance depth and movement. The key is to avoid overuse, which can cause phase cancellation and loss of clarity. This technique works well…
Use chorus for thickness and stereo width in mixing
Problem: thin or weak frequency elements
Chorus adds harmonic thickness and stereo width by modulating the signal, making thin elements sound more present. It’s a tonal enhancement tool rather than a creative effect, often used on leads and pads to carve space…
Use chorus/dimension effect for width
Problem: narrow synth chords, lack of stereo presence
Apply a chorus or dimension plugin to add stereo width to a synth chord. The speaker uses a subtle setting to avoid over-processing. This technique is particularly useful for pads and leads to make them sit better in the…
Adjust chorus attack/release times for smoother modulation
Problem: harsh or unnatural chorus effect
Increasing attack time (21ms) and decreasing release time (53ms) on the chorus creates a smoother, more natural modulation effect. This prevents abrupt changes in the guitar's tone and maintains a cohesive sound.
Use audio effects racks to organize and reuse processing chains
Problem: repetitive plugin setup, messy session
Audio effects racks allow you to bundle multiple plugins into a single container, making it easier to apply consistent processing across tracks. This saves time when replicating similar effects on other channels and…
Use reverb and chorus to widen the wub's stereo image
Problem: narrow, mono-like synth sound
The 'wide wub' preset incorporates reverb and chorus to create a more expansive stereo image. This technique is ideal for adding spatial depth and a sense of immersion, particularly in chill or ambient tracks where width…
Apply chorus with slight pitch shift and pan to sides on vocal
Problem: vocal lacks width or presence
Using a chorus plugin with a subtle pitch modulation and panning the duplicated vocal to the sides creates a wider, more immersive vocal sound. This technique adds movement and fullness without making the vocal sound…
Add chorus and reverb to widen the sound
Problem: narrow stereo image, lack of depth
Chorus and reverb are used to create a wider stereo image, especially noticeable on headphones. Chorus adds a sense of space and movement, while reverb enhances depth. This technique is common in Afro House to make the…
Use chorus sparingly to add width to pads without losing definition
Problem: narrow or overly defined pads
A small amount of chorus can enhance the width of pads while maintaining their harmonic clarity. The speaker emphasizes moderation to avoid blurring the sound. This technique is particularly effective for adding a…
Use chorus for stereo width in lead sounds
Problem: narrow or flat lead sounds
Applying chorus to lead sounds in Diva adds stereo width and spatial interest without muddying the mix. The plugin's chorus effect is particularly effective at creating a sense of space while maintaining clarity. This…
Use chorus and reverb for spatial dimension
Problem: lack of spatial depth in key sound
Adding subtle chorus and reverb creates a sense of space and depth, making the key sound more immersive. These effects add modulation and reflections that simulate acoustic environments, preventing the sound from feeling…
Start with the chorus or main hook
Problem: unclear direction or focus
The chorus is often the most important part of a song, and starting with it helps establish the emotional and melodic core of the track. This approach is common in genres like pop, trance, and house, where the chorus is…
Keep the track open and wide until the chorus hits
Problem: losing tension before the chorus
The producer keeps the track open and wide until the chorus hits, ensuring that the build-up to the chorus is effective and that the listener is not overwhelmed by too much information too soon. This is a common…
Use volume automation on instrument buses to emphasize the chorus
Problem: chorus lacks impact, instruments not prominent enough
By automating the volume of an instrument bus at the top of the chorus, the producer can create a more impactful and dynamic section. This technique helps the instruments stand out during key moments in the song, adding…
Avoid overusing sub-bass in the chorus
Problem: sub-bass muddying the mix
The producer explicitly mentions not liking the sub in the chorus, indicating that too much low-end can muddy the mix and obscure other elements. This is a common mistake in mixing, especially in genres like trance and…
Add a crash cymbal for high-end energy in the chorus
Problem: chorus lacks energy or definition
Inserting a crash cymbal at the top of the chorus adds a sharp, bright sound that enhances the sense of movement and energy. This is especially effective in genres like trance and progressive house where the chorus needs…
Automate chorus and high shelf for tension/release
Problem: flat atmospheric transitions
Map a macro to control chorus depth and a high shelf filter. Automate the macro to gradually increase the effect during tension-building sections. This creates a sense of rising energy, commonly used in ambient and…
Use chorus with high pass filter to add width to bass
Problem: bass lacks stereo width
Applying chorus with a high pass filter (cutting low end) adds stereo width to bass without muddying the low frequencies. This technique creates a sense of space while maintaining the bass's punch. The speaker used this…
Tame the chorus for better impact
Problem: overproduced chorus, lack of dynamic contrast
Even if the chorus is reduced in length or intensity, it can still maintain its impact. This technique helps avoid overwhelming the listener and allows the rest of the track to shine. It's particularly useful in genres…
Reincorporate vocals in the chorus to emphasize the message of the song
Problem: vocals lose presence in the chorus or drop
The 8th place remix was praised for reincorporating the vocals in the second chorus, keeping the focus on the message of the song. This technique helps to reinforce the emotional and lyrical content of the track, making…
Focus on the vocals and message in the second chorus for emotional impact
Problem: losing emotional connection in the chorus
The 8th place remix was praised for keeping the focus on the vocals and the message in the second chorus. This approach ensures that the emotional core of the song is maintained, even as the production becomes more…
Incorporate vocals into the chorus by building chord stacks and stutters
Problem: chorus feels disconnected from the rest of the track
Instead of abruptly introducing a chorus, the producer used the vocal elements from the verse to build the chorus. This creates a seamless and tasteful transition, making the chorus feel like a natural evolution of the…
Use a seamless transition from verse to chorus by building the chorus from vocal elements
Problem: chorus feels abrupt or disconnected
Instead of introducing the chorus abruptly, the producer used vocal elements from the verse to build the chorus. This creates a smooth and natural transition, making the chorus feel like a natural progression rather than…
Make the chorus feel like a natural evolution of the track
Problem: chorus feels disconnected from the rest of the track
The chorus was not introduced as a separate section but was built from the vocal elements of the verse. This approach ensures that the chorus feels like a natural progression rather than a sudden change. It's a powerful…
Use chorus with 100% depth for width and vintage character
Problem: narrow or sterile synth sound
A heavy chorus setting (100% depth) adds spatial width and emulates the analog modulation of vintage synths. This technique is key to achieving the '80s pop resurgence sound, where chorused leads are a staple. The effect…
Use a wide bass with chorus for a modern pop sub-bass
Problem: muddy or undefined bass
A wide bass sound with heavy chorus adds depth and avoids the boxy, muddy character of a standard sub. This technique is essential for modern pop where the bass needs to be both felt and heard. The chorus adds subtle…
Use 10-30ms delay for chorus with LFO modulation
Problem: thin or monotonous synth/pad sounds
Chorus effects duplicate the signal and apply a short delay (10-30ms) to one copy. Modulating this delay with an LFO (e.g., 20ms delay with sine wave modulation) creates a detuned, rich texture. This mimics the natural…
Use ensemble chorus for massive, lush textures
Problem: insufficient depth or movement in pads/synths
Ensemble chorus uses 6-8+ detuned/delayed voices layered over the original signal. Each voice has slightly different delay times and detuning, creating a shimmering, 'alive' sound. Ideal for synths, pads, and strings to…
Choose chorus for thickness, flanger for extremity, phaser for motion
Problem: uncertainty in effect selection
Chorus adds subtle thickness and stereo width (ideal for synths, pads, vocals). Flanger delivers more extreme, metallic effects (great for aggressive sounds). Phaser creates psychedelic, swirling motion (perfect for…
Apply chorus to bass for added movement
Problem: flat-sounding bass, lack of movement
Using a chorus effect on the bass adds depth and spatial movement, making the bassline feel more dynamic. The 'chorus classic' plugin is used here to subtly modulate the bass frequencies, creating a sense of width…
Use Arterias chorus on vocals, pads, and synths for rich modulation
Problem: lack of modulation depth or unnatural chorus effects
Arterias is praised as the best chorus plugin for its smooth, natural modulation. It works exceptionally well on vocals to add depth, pads to enhance texture, and synths to create movement. The speaker highlights its…
Use a bell sound in the chorus for ethereal texture
Problem: chorus lacks spatial interest
Adding a bell-like sound in the chorus creates a sense of space and adds a unique, slightly tacky character. This is a common technique in pop and indie music to make the chorus feel more expansive. The bell should be…
Layer vocals with pads and choirs for massive choruses
Problem: chorus lacks emotional impact
Adding ambient pads and choirs beneath the lead vocal creates a sense of space and grandeur. The pads should sit in the mid-range (800Hz-2kHz) while the choirs add high-end presence (2-8kHz). This technique is common in…
Use chorus for modulation in bass
Problem: static bass lacks harmonic movement
Applying a chorus effect to a bass layer adds subtle modulation and harmonic movement. This can be done by duplicating the bass track and applying a chorus plugin with a slow modulation rate. The result is a more dynamic…
Use chorus to add light stereo width to low-end
Problem: mono-heavy low end, lack of depth
The low-end is heavily mono, but chorus introduces subtle stereo movement. This adds depth without overwhelming the mix. The effect is minimal but perceptible, creating a sense of space for the bass. This technique is…
Avoid loud elements in choruses causing volume jumps
Problem: chorus volume disrupts track flow
Choruses with sudden loud hits (e.g., layered synths) can create abrupt volume changes. Use automation or compression to gradually build intensity, ensuring the chorus blends smoothly with surrounding sections. This is…
Use a right sample with a chorus pattern for energetic brightness
Problem: lack of rhythmic energy or brightness
Sampling a 'right' hit (common in pop/rock) and applying a chorus pattern creates a bright, energetic sound. This technique is used here in an 8-bit style (tch, tch) to add rhythmic drive. The chorus effect adds…
Use chorus on lead instruments to widen stereo image
Problem: narrow-sounding lead instruments
Applying subtle chorus to a trumpet lead increases stereo width without losing clarity. This technique helps the lead instrument sit better in the mix by creating spatial separation.
Pan guitar parts left and right for stereo width
Problem: narrow, flat-sounding guitar parts
Panning guitar tracks to opposite sides of the stereo field creates a wider, more immersive sound. Adding a subtle chorus effect on each track adds movement and prevents the guitars from sounding too static. This…
Widen bass with chorus for a bigger sound
Problem: narrow or flat bass
Adding a chorus plugin to a duplicated bass layer creates stereo width. Maximize the chorus mix and adjust parameters for a lush, expansive bass sound. This technique works best when the original bass is already…
Duplicate and adjust sections for verse and chorus transitions
Problem: lack of dynamic contrast between sections
To create a verse section, the existing drum and bass pattern is duplicated and adjusted in volume or intensity. This allows for a dynamic shift in the track, making room for vocal or melodic elements. This is a common…
Use an 808 on the biggest section of the song for maximum impact
Problem: lack of impact, weak low-end
Using an 808 on the biggest section of the song, such as the chorus or drop, can add maximum impact and fullness to the track. The speaker demonstrates this by using an 808 in Massive after the bass comes in. This…
Add strings to the final chorus to elevate the emotional impact
Problem: final chorus lacks emotional impact or grandeur
Adding strings to the final chorus of a song can dramatically increase its emotional weight and make it feel like a climactic moment. This technique is especially effective in genres like pop, trance, and melodic techno,…
Play the root or fifth note of the song with strings for a bigger chorus
Problem: chorus lacks emotional impact or fullness
Using the root or fifth note of the song's key with strings can add a sense of grandeur and fullness to the chorus. In the key of F, playing F or C repeatedly at a high octave can elevate the emotional impact of the…
Use white noise to make the chorus feel big
Problem: chorus lacks energy and space
Adding white noise during the chorus can enhance the sense of space and energy. It's a common technique in genres like trance and progressive house to create a more immersive and dynamic section. The white noise should…