How to give a song a bit more "drive"

[DjB3NA]

Hey there,

While i've been trying to manage tracks they aren't in my respect "phat" enough, for example say when you listen to 'Years- Alesso ft. Matt'

Watch this.



For example @ the start it's nice

Then @ 1:16 it has a LOT more drive.

My question how do you give a song that much drive or such...

It's hard to explain hope someone could answer

[poizone]

That just sounds like a few layered sounds. He started with a piano, then at 1:16 jumped into a huge multi-voice saw on top of it.

[PjAndreasson]

The bassline gives alot of drive. It's a typical bassline that you hear in many edm tunes, like feenixpawls "in my mind" or sebastian ingrosso "losing my mind". The bassline is heavily sidechained with a high ratio. Try adding a bit of distortion maybe.

[poizone]

The bassline gives alot of drive. It's a typical bassline that you hear in many edm tunes, like feenixpawls "in my mind" or sebastian ingrosso "losing my mind". The bassline is heavily sidechained with a high ratio. Try adding a bit of distortion maybe.

This too. Big wide open chords make for big, wide open sounds. The bass as the root, then float everything else on it.

[Kill.I.am]

That just sounds like a few layered sounds. He started with a piano, then at 1:16 jumped into a huge multi-voice saw on top of it.

Definitely true. When trying to make saw-chords big it also helps a lot to spread chords in different registers or just to add the lowest note of the chord to 2 lower octaves. Hope this was understandable

[PjAndreasson]

And good EQ:ing/mixing of course. Each instrument needs it's own frequency "room" if you're going to mix sounds together. Otherwise they will just bash together and create a bit of a chaos. Check out Tarekith's mixing guides, they're REALLY good!

http://tarekith.com/assets/mixdowns.html

[DjB3NA]

Ok thanks everyone for helping me

[AlexZander]

It definitely has a lot to do with mixing and layering, but also note the addition of the kick drum on every beat starting at 1:16. Before that, the drums are way quieter with the emphasis being on the melody. Bringing in any amount of kick and bass at that point would give it more drive.

[JesusJuice]

It definitely has a lot to do with mixing and layering, but also note the addition of the kick drum on every beat starting at 1:16. Before that, the drums are way quieter with the emphasis being on the melody. Bringing in any amount of kick and bass at that point would give it more drive.

definately agree with this statement... also the drop has something to do with it. when a track builds up and then drops with a good punch, it gives your track more balls.

[tekki]

For me adding drive usually is all about bass and percussion layering. More or less the locomotive/train sound that has a big drive.

The higher synths/layers/etc add more texture and definition to the track.