Music Production Tips

[Trevor]

I am working on some really dark, heavy and evil sounding tracks -- I guess they resemble hardstyle (I don't know many hardstyle DJ's) with a bit definate gabber influences bleeding through.

Anyways, I am wondering if anyone has tips for mixing tracks because some it definately needs some mixing because some of the sounds seem to blend together to much. I have a lot of sound samples (dinosaurs roaring, mechanical sounds, etc) and I am trying to mix them in fluidly.

Right now, everything sounds a bit chunky and some parts are distorted because it's not mixed properly.

I produced all of the sounds in the synths, vst's and some downloaded instruments on FL Studio 6.0 (fruityloops) and sequenced them accordingly in the playlist editor. The sounds are all custom so they need a bit of mixing, I think.

I can't figure out fruity loops mixer (I should DL a tutorial, I suppose) and I was wondering if there is a good program to mix with? Someone recommended reason to me but I wasn't sure.

Also, I have a hardware controller keyboard that I have been trying to use. It's an inexpensive ($125) M-Audio 88 (not the pro version) USB controller. It has a MIDI Out port but I have to buy a MIDI Out cable for it.

Can I use this just like a keyboard or is does it not work in the fashion on fruityloops?

Do I need MIDI Out to make this work?

I am new to producing music, I have been fucking with FL Studio for about a week.

Thanks guys -- I would post this in the Music Discussion but that never gets any looks.

What do you suggest when it comes to mixing with FL Studio?

[Trevor]

^^^


That was poorly written but I am still recovering from the weekend, oh well.

[rAvInPsYcHoNaUt]

My keyboard was more than that.

Eff Toi.

[natefrogg]

press f9 to bring up the mixer

reason sucks as a mixer

plop each sound onto a different channel in the mixer (that's what that number on the upper right hand corner of your sampler is for, for assigning that sample to a mixer channel)...next you need to plop in a spectra analyzer on the channels, this will let you see what frequencies the sound is using, if there are too many sounds that are using the same frequencies it will get muddy, drop an eq onto the channel to eliminate the frequencies that you need to cut, repeat this tweeking until things sound right and not all muddy...

please read the help files

[Trevor]

Originally Posted by natefrogg

press f9 to bring up the mixer

reason sucks as a mixer

plop each sound onto a different channel in the mixer (that's what that number on the upper right hand corner of your sampler is for, for assigning that sample to a mixer channel)...next you need to plop in a spectra analyzer on the channels, this will let you see what frequencies the sound is using, if there are too many sounds that are using the same frequencies it will get muddy, drop an eq onto the channel to eliminate the frequencies that you need to cut, repeat this tweeking until things sound right and not all muddy...

please read the help files

I read the help files but apparently, I didn't understand them. I will go home and try to use the mixer now, it never mentioned anything about a 'spectra analyzer', lol in the help files -- or I just passed over them. Either way I am an idiot.

The way they explain how to use my midi controller confused me even more than when I began.

3 I am a retard.

[natefrogg]

your keyboard should be able to work as a controller with the usb cable, you could use it to play in melodies and whatnot, if it has knobs you can assign the knobs to knobs or sliders in fruity and have the fruity stuff effected when you move the knobs

and yes, people do look at the gear and music sections, there are not that many people into that stuff as opposed to people into posting in the so cal section, that's why the numbers are much lower, but the people that care about what you're talking about do check those forums....i check it daily.

[Trevor]

Originally Posted by natefrogg

your keyboard should be able to work as a controller with the usb cable, you could use it to play in melodies and whatnot, if it has knobs you can assign the knobs to knobs or sliders in fruity and have the fruity stuff effected when you move the knobs

and yes, people do look at the gear and music sections, there are not that many people into that stuff as opposed to people into posting in the so cal section, that's why the numbers are much lower, but the people that care about what you're talking about do check those forums....i check it daily.

When I plug in the USB Controller, I select it in the Settings menu (the graphical interface) and then open the Remote Control window. It links it automatically for me, I believe.

I have tried using it with vst's, in the piano roller and on the keyboard that pops up under the channel.

I couldn't find any good tutorials about this on the internet and I have been looking.

[lazer]

i want to hear!

also, i wrote a GIGANTIC revue on you & emelie's theory, but i re-read it before i sent it and i thought it was awful... so i killed most of it, and currently am in the process of re-reviewing it. trust me, i've got atleast a little bit of change to chip in on that one.

also, i'm responding to your other message, i'm just working on the above mentioned first.

i'm lazy, sort of tired, REALLY hungry, and i need to smoke some greenery.

sooo, time to spark it

[natefrogg]

Originally Posted by Trevor

I read the help files but apparently, I didn't understand them. I will go home and try to use the mixer now, it never mentioned anything about a 'spectra analyzer', lol in the help files -- or I just passed over them. Either way I am an idiot.

The way they explain how to use my midi controller confused me even more than when I began.

3 I am a retard.

you are NOT an idiot, this is something new that you just don't have much kowledge about, it takes a long time to really know what you're doing with this sort of thing

a spectral analyzer is a plugin that analyzes frequencies

there are excellent flash based tutorials on the fruity website btw...

[Trevor]

Originally Posted by natefrogg

you are NOT an idiot, this is something new that you just don't have much kowledge about, it takes a long time to really know what you're doing with this sort of thing

a spectral analyzer is a plugin that analyzes frequencies

there are excellent flash based tutorials on the fruity website btw...

lol -- I just call myself one when I don't understand something.

It's all good -- it doesn't discourage me at all, lol. It helps me laugh about it otherwise I get frustrated. It's my little defense mechanism.

33

[Trevor]

Originally Posted by lazer

i want to hear!

also, i wrote a GIGANTIC revue on you & emelie's theory, but i re-read it before i sent it and i thought it was awful... so i killed most of it, and currently am in the process of re-reviewing it. trust me, i've got atleast a little bit of change to chip in on that one.

also, i'm responding to your other message, i'm just working on the above mentioned first.

i'm lazy, sort of tired, REALLY hungry, and i need to smoke some greenery.

sooo, time to spark it

I heart you Kyle. Emelie and I have a hell of a lot of research to do regarding it because we keep noticing little holes that need explanations (not to mention some of the vague words in our abstract).

How was your weekend? The moment I finish, I will post it somewhere. :P

[lazer]

Originally Posted by Trevor

I heart you Kyle. Emelie and I have a hell of a lot of research to do regarding it because we keep noticing little holes that need explanations (not to mention some of the vague words in our abstract).

How was your weekend? The moment I finish, I will post it somewhere. :P

lol @ me having to look all over the forums for this post after some general who shall remain nameless moved it...

anyway, my weekend; amazing... primal trance was pretty kickin' and the pvt afterparty was off the chain too.

i look forward to hearing some of the beats you're producing.
make sure and send em'