What instrument fills up the high end of the spectrum?

[innerdreamrecords.co]

Re: What instrument fills up the high end of the spectrum?

Try this out:

http://mixonline.com/recording/applications/audio_mixing_drums/

 

[PFDarkside]

Re: What instrument fills up the high end of the spectrum?

Multiband compression, and specifically correct compression on kicks and snares can really make them pop out of a mix without drowning out the mix. I also keep the bass pretty strong, unless you've got a Van Halen or Jimi like rhythm/lead going on I find the guitars need to be backed off a touch.

 

[JB_From_Hell]

Re: What instrument fills up the high end of the spectrum?

I know nothing about recording, but I know one of my favorite mixes is how the Who did Live at Leeds, with the guitar on one side, bass on the other, and drums/vocals down the middle. Everything is super clear that way.

I also dig the old Van Halen "guitar on the left, reverb on the right" mix. Again, super clear.

 

[Virtual Kevorkian]

Re: What instrument fills up the high end of the spectrum?

Cymbals, crack of the snare/toms, click of the kick, sparkle on vox/guitars, if any.

 

[Animal]

Re: What instrument fills up the high end of the spectrum?

I also dig the old Van Halen "guitar on the left, reverb on the right" mix. Again, super clear.

Listening on headphones to that kind of mix can get a bit annoying though.

 

[tone4days]

Re: What instrument fills up the high end of the spectrum?

Cymbals, crack of the snare/toms, click of the kick, sparkle on vox/guitars, if any.

this is the guy who is gettin it ....

it isnt as if any one instrument sits entirely in a single frequency band ... they all extend, to varying degrees, in all the frequency bands ... the ratio, if you will, of how much of any given part of the signal is in one band vs another is what makes instruments sound unique ... think of an acoustic guitar with new strings ... all that 'zing' is high frequency ... play that same guitar for a while as the strings deaden ... same guitar now has less high frequency component ... and the bass drum too - you have a high frequency component in the attack then all that low frequency part that caves your chest in ... EQ is for enhancing/reducing parts of sound, not entire sounds ..

 

[sosomething]

Re: What instrument fills up the high end of the spectrum?

Cymbals.

I'd like to congratulate Keith on posting the 6th post in this thread and being the first to spell "Cymbals" correctly.

 

[innerdreamrecords.co]

Re: What instrument fills up the high end of the spectrum?

this is the guy who is gettin it ....

it isnt as if any one instrument sits entirely in a single frequency band ... they all extend, to varying degrees, in all the frequency bands ... the ratio, if you will, of how much of any given part of the signal is in one band vs another is what makes instruments sound unique ... think of an acoustic guitar with new strings ... all that 'zing' is high frequency ... play that same guitar for a while as the strings deaden ... same guitar now has less high frequency component ... and the bass drum too - you have a high frequency component in the attack then all that low frequency part that caves your chest in ... EQ is for enhancing/reducing parts of sound, not entire sounds ..

Hmmm. Not to sound confrontational but instruments have a fundamental frequency and a harmonic frequency. To know what those are is very important in making good clear mixes that are not fatiguing to the ears.

Here is some light reading: http://www.glenbrook.k12.il.us/GBSSCI/PHYS/Class/sound/u11l4d.html

The main thing is to eliminate offending frequencies and enhance pleasing frequencies. Just saying add sparkle to a guitar or vocal is not how to approach mixing. There is masking that goes on and subtractive eq is the best practice in the opinion of most to achieve clear and well executed mixes.

If you do eq harmonic frequencies it's best to know what to go for and use it sparingly.

From another source on this chart:

What it doesn't show is the overtones, the harmonic frequencies, that give instruments their characteristic sound — their timbre.
Harmonics are what let you tell instruments apart. Without them, similar instruments that played the same frequencies would sound the same.

 

[astrozombie]

Re: What instrument fills up the high end of the spectrum?

Hmmm. Not to sound confrontational but instruments have a fundamental frequency and a harmonic frequency. To know what those are is very important in making good clear mixes that are not fatiguing to the ears.

Here is some light reading: http://www.glenbrook.k12.il.us/GBSSCI/PHYS/Class/sound/u11l4d.html

The main thing is to eliminate offending frequencies and enhance pleasing frequencies. Just saying and sparkle to a guitar or vocal is not how to approach mixing. There is masking that goes on and subtractive eq is the best practice in the opinion of most to achieve clear and well executed mixes.

There is no point in trying to eq instruments outside of there respective ranges as mostly that is detrimental.

LIGHT reading...? :laugh2:

 

[astrozombie]

Re: What instrument fills up the high end of the spectrum?

Subtractive EQ'ing?

Less is more?

 

[innerdreamrecords.co]

Re: What instrument fills up the high end of the spectrum?

Subtractive EQ'ing?

Less is more?

Frequencies "mask" other frequencies amongst different instruments. Finding where the low end of the fundamental frequency of a bass guitar for example and rolling off those frequencies below that fundamental will open the spectrum up for the kick drum as an example. That said you need to decide which instrument takes priority between the kick and bass. If the bass plays an important roll in the track you may want to emphasize it's low end verses the kicks low end.
If you take a track and just roll off all frequencies above and below the fundamentals of each instrument you will understand what subtractive eq is about. It becomes subjective after a while and that's the art part. As an example, "how much of the harmonic frequencies do you boost or cut to make the instrument have it's voice in the mix"?

Not my favorite book but not terrible either. It gives a good visual reference of mixing styles.

http://gear1music.com/The-Art-of-Mi...froogle&utm_medium=organic&utm_source=froogle

 

[astrozombie]

Re: What instrument fills up the high end of the spectrum?

Frequencies "mask" other frequencies amongst different instruments. Finding where the low end of the fundamental frequency of a bass guitar for example and rolling off those frequencies below that fundamental will open the spectrum up for the kick drum as an example. That said you need to decide which instrument takes priority between the kick and bass. If the bass plays an important roll in the track you may want to emphasize it's low end verses the kicks low end.
If you take a track and just roll off all frequencies above and below the fundamentals of each instrument you will understand what subtractive eq is about. It becomes subjective after a while and that's the art part. As an example, "how much of the harmonic frequencies do you boost or cut to make the instrument have it's voice in the mix"?

Not my favorite book but not terrible either. It gives a good visual reference of mixing styles.

http://gear1music.com/The-Art-of-Mi...froogle&utm_medium=organic&utm_source=froogle

So subtracting some frecuencies makes room for other intruments?

thanks for clarifying.

 

[astrozombie]

Re: What instrument fills up the high end of the spectrum?

Could i find those books in stores?

Hopefully... i guess.

 

[innerdreamrecords.co]

Re: What instrument fills up the high end of the spectrum?

Could i find those books in stores?

Hopefully... i guess.

That mixing book should be on amazon and other good stores. There is a book called "Mastering Audio" by Bob Katz that is dry as hell but excellent. It is not just a book on mastering but on all aspects of mastering the art and science of audio.

 

[Thunder7]

Re: What instrument fills up the high end of the spectrum?

LMAO OMG I can't believe I spelled cymbals wrong!!