Sound quality

[sparschaeler]

I generally like my sound ideas, but the quality eventually seems to be way off professionally produced tracks.
Here is where I want to go: http://soundcloud.com/marc-antona/marc- ... ock-spider

And here is where I am:
http://soundcloud.com/caprylic/caprylic-splendid-float

I've tried changing instruments, eq-ing, sample rates, compression...

[rajmond]

Dude, first of all. you're on the right track wanting to learn to mix. Secondly... Mastering. Read up on it, though normally nothing you do yourself.

Send me a note if you need more input. cheers.

[sparschaeler]

rajmond, thanks. it seems you know something about these things. would you be in for a 'beef-up' of one of my tracks?

[mridlen]

Sidechain compression is probably what you are looking for.

[sparschaeler]

nope.... but I found a nice article by joachip on buzzwiki. Gonna try that.

[vacuum]

I thought about sidechaining too when I listened the first time, but it's probably a simple fade(s) that makes it apear like sidechaining.
There's also some fine work with the volume levels and probably electronicly generated drumsounds etc, but I'm not sure.

I made a bmx that might give an idea on how to do something. It's just some playing with inertia for cheapo amp and joachims tethys.
.. I just experimented with fading bass sounds, but it's related enough to post here I think.

[Per Lichtman]

@sparschaeler A big part of the issue is the sound you're starting off with.

The file that vacuum attached will definitely get you closer than where you started out, but I would suggest taking the following things into consideration as you look for a generator/plug-in that's setup to get you closer still.

Your original sound was much to low, narrow and dark. That's part of the reason why the combination of exciting and and chorusing that vacuum used helped. But there's also the question of the original sonic spectrum used.

Try finding demos of a VSTi that you like and is popular. Listen through expansions for it that are closer to what you want. Deconstruct it a bit and then look at applying some of the techniques vacuum used to expand upon it.

Like I said, many, many VSTis have presets that can start you off a lot closer (or general tendencies that make it easier to program the sound you want) but if you're having trouble knowing where to start, here's one that a fellow sound designer I used to talk to made.

http://www.robpapen.com/subboombass-mp3.html

[sparschaeler]

thanks! especially per and vacuum. I got so lost in my crackle and noise exercises that I forgot that there are still sounds that need to be the fat basis of a track. I'll now put the crackly and noisy things a level higher and alter my qsamo presets (btw just imitated a number of sylenth presets with qsamo - easy and good).

next track is due!

[sparschaeler]

well there's a new track where I used samples from bought packages, along with self recorded samples, along with some qsamos (where the oscs are tuned across at least 2 octaves and unison is fully active.

sound quality is essential to me as it changes the way i get inspired by the sound itself

[mute]

i dig your track actually.. dont see too much wrong with it because it fits the style.

since you referenced the marc antona song, i take it you want more natural movement/groove within the overall sound; yours is perhaps a little too consistent in volume and the dynamics/panning could be better.. some of the sounds could use more space.

[sparschaeler]

hi mute, you're probably right... I just haven't found the way yet to go into all of these subtleties. It's interesting - as volume is consistent, it resembles 'normal' house music much more. with dynamics changes, you get closer to antona's sound

[Per Lichtman]

Dynamics are a potentially infinite journey - one of the artists I work with will spend hundreds of hours per album on editing dynamics alone. It all depends on the style and the intent. Great dynamics make a big difference if you want to create something that future generations can enjoy.

One of my clients wrote a great article for Sound on Sound a decade ago about performance dynamics in the context of "how good does it sound to the listener" etc.

http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/may02/a ... olakis.asp

[Tiadiad]

Hey man, your stuff sounds GREAT! I think you're there already and just don't know it yet:p It sounds like you spend a long time on your tunes, a true perfectionist! I love it.

[sparschaeler]

thanks man new shit coming up soon! just wait until i go to holidays haha (hope snow&weather&girlfriend don't distract me too much).
right now I'm having a cold, I can barely hear anything with my swollen ears. maybe a good moment to create some really weird sounding tracks :-p

[Tiadiad]

Oh man, I hate when that happens, everything sounds muffled and fuzzy, can't hear anything above 10kHz...sucks, hope you get better soon.