Elektron-Users

Justin Valer wrote:
would a midi recorder do the trick?

Not sure. I wonder if anybody has tried recording the machinedrum via midi then playing it back.

I'm tempted to write a 'real' song mode firmware for the Minicommand that does just this.

do that and I'll track down a midicommand for sure

I get a lot of people who record just stereo jams and send them to me to master, it's not that uncommon at all.

Tarekith wrote:
I get a lot of people who record just stereo jams and send them to me to master, it's not that uncommon at all.

so, just for the sake of this topic, if I sent you track, would you be able to master it so that it fits with other commercial music? I might actually consider that

Well, that's definitely the point of mastering, so yes that would be the goal. But I'd have to hear the wav file to see exactly what we're talking about before I could say for sure. At the very least, I could get you MUCH, MUCH closer to sounding like that.

Hi Trondc

About mixing / premastering... It's interesting to understand how to do this. Two good writings:

Mixing audio: Roey Izhaki. Excellent book! It covers everything...
"Mastering with Ozone" (though this is related to this vst [which is really interesting]).
Also, the "Internal mixing" and "Audio mastering" dvd from Tieschmeyer...

Bye

Xa

TrondC wrote:
on a somewhat side note, I've yet to try out the finesses of song mode in the elektrons, and I can't find this in the manual, but can the elektrons Song Mode work so that I simply hit record, and jam up a track structure (like I usually do), and the order of patterns/mutes and unmutes is recorded as the "song"? or would I need some software-based midi recorder for that?


Nope. You have to program these in Song Mode. You could though record your audio jam and then program the song to match the jam.

as I'm writing this, I think more and more that I'll just have to face it: getting good sounding tracks takes more effort that I thought.


Yep Making good-sounding commercially oriented EDM is a lot more challenging than people think.

I've considered sending tracks to a mastering engineer, but I've only got single-wav files since I don't multitrack, would an engineer be able improve even that? I'm currently getting in touch with a electronic music collective in my hometown (who would have known!) and my hopes are if I get a foot in, I might get some help in learning, since they have a full on worling studio, and are used to integrating hardware and software (I think they even have a MD)


It depends on whether you want to release your tracks and "compete". If you are just doing your own thing or Soundcloud, it's less necessary. If you want to release, it's more necessary.

I'd agree with Tib that you get a lot more options if you record separate tracks separately. I was doing something recently where there was a bass drum with a little too much boom. It needed a very specific EQ cut and a little noise gate. Couldn't have done that with just the stereo file.

When there's no chance to go back and tweak the mix to correct specific issues, I've had pretty good results copying the same mixdown to different tracks and applying to each track different EQ/filters. It's kind of like using a crossover filter to split the original file into multiple freq bands, so you can process them separately.
Careful with possible phase issues though, depending on the kind of plugins you use.

@TronDC - here's something you can try in Reaper to have louder tracks tonight.

Click on the FX button on the Master fader. Add the X-Comp (multiband compressor). Adjust the width of the bands if desired or leave as default for now. Pick compression ratio or start with something gentle like 2:1. Make sure auto gain make up is checked - this is where the loudness comes in. Lower the vertical bars so that some compression is being applied to the bands. Usually the vertical bars should be somewhat adjacent to each other or else the overall EQ will change. Lower them real far just for fun so you can hear the band get crushed - then, don't do that again Click to solo the band and then try to find the right level for that band. Repeat for other bands. Tweak vertical bars one last time to taste.

A/B your mix by clicking on the little circle next to the FX button. This will make the FX button turn red indicating it is bypassed. Turn on/off and tweak. If you don't like what you hear, then fix it.

Add FX again and pick a limiter. There are several to choose from. Might want to start with the simple one with the graphical bar showing the reduction. Ensure that the track doesn't exceed (for example) -0.1 db. You could change this to 0 db if you want to "go to 11" - the closer to 0 you get, the greater the chance of artifacts, especially using this basic approach. Make sure the limiter comes after the Xcomp.

Listen to everything and make sure nothing sounds overloaded. If it does, go back and fix it in the Xcomp or elsewhere. When everything's fine, render your file. Tada-if you have done it well there should be no audible distortion.

(Disclaimer - A professional master involves more than this, yada, yada, yada. I'm just trying to get you started.)

lcvl wrote:
When there's no chance to go back and tweak the mix to correct specific issues, I've had pretty good results copying the same mixdown to different tracks and applying to each track different EQ/filters. It's kind of like using a crossover filter to split the original file into multiple freq bands, so you can process them separately.
Careful with possible phase issues though, depending on the kind of plugins you use.

thats an interesting way to look at it. If you know the crossover frequencies of current pa systems. funktion one for example. you could build a track made to measure. This is kind of what the multimaximiser does by seperating bands and limiting/eqing or not where necessary. you can choose the crossover points. (sub,low mid, high mid, high) an insert effect/send on each band would be mental.

soloing each band is really interesting to hear how sounds like kick and bass interact. and what is going on in the crucial 200hz region.

chin stroke emoticon for scientific production technique waffle.

an insert effect/send on each band would be mental.

exactly...