I have just really started getting into producing my own music.
I have played in bands and DJed before, but mixing and mastering is a totally new field for me.
I can get my songs wrapped up and sh-mastered if you will, but they always seem so closed up. Professionally done tracks sound so much more open and breath a lot better.
Does anyone have any suggestions about how to open up my music?
Below is an example of a remix I have that sounds closed up.
Sometimes doing less can make tracks sound like you did more. Not always, sometimes getting crazy and doing lots of processing can work too, but more often than not if you start simple it’s easier to learn what your tracks need to get THAT sound.
I gotta be honest with you, when i first started out i put very little emphasis on the mix down process…and it shows. Now I’m convinced that not only is it one of the hardest parts of producing, its also arguable the most important. Im also convinced that this probably takes years to train your ears to get right. You really have to pick apart the songs you listen to in order to figure out how all that space is created and what proper levels sound like.
That being said, you just read that and went “great, but that doesn’t answer my question”
Ok, from a technical point of view you want to open up your mixes? You need to start working with the mid-side EQ. This will make a huge difference in getting those highs to pop out in the stereo field, while keeping the bass in the middle. Don’t over do it tho, an overly aggressive high section is just as annoying than a mix thats flat or too mono sounding.
Since I have two people who seemingly know a ton about production, I figured I would milk this thread a little more.
I have been doing a lot of production using an old amp I have that has analog reverb built it. It sounds beautiful running anything through it just to get that reverb.
The baseline reverb effect in ableton doesn’t even come close so I wanted to know if there was a (reasonably priced) reverb vst that comes close to that analog sound.
There are a lot of reverb plug-ins out there. None of them will sound exactly as your amp. Maybe you could route your sample/instrument trough your amp? Then route it back in the computer and record it.
