Production skills, tips, tricks and techniques

[AlexRodriguez]

Hello!
Can anyone teach me how to do this risers? It seems to be a sine or square wave, but i'm sick of trying and i cant get it
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9G1I16gJBvU @ 1:12 till 1:32
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gebHUoboZlk @ 2:15

Thanks!

[Alean]

The kick in Afrojack - Rock The House is freaking amazing: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2U_5WneKKX8

@1:43 for example

Is it possible to sample it since there's so many instruments playing at the same time? I've tried to cut the highs but that sounds weird.

I sampled that kick bro and it was from the last part but yea i tried cutting some stuff and it does sound weird, theres like some weird percussions or effects going on that doesnt let you sample it perfectly :/

Woah, my version of the track didn't have the outro. That made it a whole lot easier.
Btw, mind sharing the kick?

Edit: Nvm, I think I got it pretty good.

Hey Mate,

Do you think you could share it, I wasen't able to sample it properlly.

Yea sure as soon when i get back my Internet ill share you the kick, Im thru the phone bro

[Deljoi]

Hello!
Can anyone teach me how to do this risers? It seems to be a sine or square wave, but i'm sick of trying and i cant get it
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9G1I16gJBvU @ 1:12 till 1:32
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gebHUoboZlk @ 2:15

Thanks!

This forum has taught me how to make the best risers! I read this stuff, tried to create it and got great results. These two guys (SonniC & Fadi) are highly professional and know what they're talking about. All credit to SonicC and Fadi, follow their directions!

SonicC -
"The crazy [White Noise] comes from a phaser with an lfo, you automate the frequency of the lfo and the frequency of the phaser at the same time while bringing up the resonance and frequency on the filter."
- [White Noise] Can be anything in there [Sin Wave], [Saw Wave] etc, get a real aweasome sound.

Fadi -
"Since keeping secrets isn't really our style, I'll tell you how to do that wooosh noise stuff:

1. Get a white noise!
2. Get a flanger! (I've used Live's built in flanger)
3. Set polarity to negative, I've set the built in hi-pass to 303hz, 0.84ms delay time with 0.74 feedback (u can play with these to increase or decrease the base "pitch" of your noise), 100% wet ofc!
4. Get a pitch shift plugin (I've used SoundShifter from Waves), and automate it from -6st to 0st!
5. EQ it for your taste! (I've Auto-filtered it at 18kHz with 0 res and gave it a locut 144Hz)

Now u got a rising wooosh, if you want to make it "endless", then you should do that Shepard tone trick:

5. Triple your track!
6. Set one of your track's pitch shift automation to -12st to -6st, and automate the volume to fade in!
7. Set an another track's pitch shift automation to 0st to +6st, plus volume to fade out!
8. Leave the 3rd track alone!
9. Loop this stuff and be happy!

If you hear clicks at the end of the loops, try to move the automation points, sometimes there's a bit delay in automation which can cause that. Also make sure that the volume envelope of the noise is 0 attack and release, sustain at max.

Hope this helps, maybe I can do a video if this is too complex."

Believe this is the video link, my youtube is blocked here so I cant see,but just search Fasirozott youtube to find him.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ih0N202vka8

[breaktwister]

Hi guys, been lurking here for a while trying to read up on as much of this thread as I can - amazing stuff here so thanks to all the contributors!

I have a quick question about compression at mixdown. I'm preparing my track for mastering and the output is generally sitting around -3.5db, however there are certain parts in the track where this peaks up to around 2.5db, caused by some vocal phrases and some of the peaks on a lead synth.

I understand that I should be trying to control these peaks in the individual channels as it will enable me to get a louder master.

Should I be setting up a compressor with a fast attack to try and clamp down on the peaks (if so do I go for a low, mid or high ratio?) or do I go for a more general compressor to level out the volume of the tracks?

[Philippe]

i would do both, but be very careful not to overcompress

[AlexRodriguez]

Hello!
Can anyone teach me how to do this risers? It seems to be a sine or square wave, but i'm sick of trying and i cant get it
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9G1I16gJBvU @ 1:12 till 1:32
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gebHUoboZlk @ 2:15

Thanks!

This forum has taught me how to make the best risers! I read this stuff, tried to create it and got great results. These two guys (SonniC & Fadi) are highly professional and know what they're talking about. All credit to SonicC and Fadi, follow their directions!

SonicC -
"The crazy [White Noise] comes from a phaser with an lfo, you automate the frequency of the lfo and the frequency of the phaser at the same time while bringing up the resonance and frequency on the filter."
- [White Noise] Can be anything in there [Sin Wave], [Saw Wave] etc, get a real aweasome sound.

Fadi -
"Since keeping secrets isn't really our style, I'll tell you how to do that wooosh noise stuff:

1. Get a white noise!
2. Get a flanger! (I've used Live's built in flanger)
3. Set polarity to negative, I've set the built in hi-pass to 303hz, 0.84ms delay time with 0.74 feedback (u can play with these to increase or decrease the base "pitch" of your noise), 100% wet ofc!
4. Get a pitch shift plugin (I've used SoundShifter from Waves), and automate it from -6st to 0st!
5. EQ it for your taste! (I've Auto-filtered it at 18kHz with 0 res and gave it a locut 144Hz)

Now u got a rising wooosh, if you want to make it "endless", then you should do that Shepard tone trick:

5. Triple your track!
6. Set one of your track's pitch shift automation to -12st to -6st, and automate the volume to fade in!
7. Set an another track's pitch shift automation to 0st to +6st, plus volume to fade out!
8. Leave the 3rd track alone!
9. Loop this stuff and be happy!

If you hear clicks at the end of the loops, try to move the automation points, sometimes there's a bit delay in automation which can cause that. Also make sure that the volume envelope of the noise is 0 attack and release, sustain at max.

Hope this helps, maybe I can do a video if this is too complex."

Believe this is the video link, my youtube is blocked here so I cant see,but just search Fasirozott youtube to find him.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ih0N202vka8

That risers i can already make it, i was actually talking about how to make that ones i mentioned in the videos. But thanks anyway bro!

[SoulBiz]

Hello!
Can anyone teach me how to do this risers? It seems to be a sine or square wave, but i'm sick of trying and i cant get it
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9G1I16gJBvU @ 1:12 till 1:32
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gebHUoboZlk @ 2:15

Thanks!

This forum has taught me how to make the best risers! I read this stuff, tried to create it and got great results. These two guys (SonniC & Fadi) are highly professional and know what they're talking about. All credit to SonicC and Fadi, follow their directions!

SonicC -
"The crazy [White Noise] comes from a phaser with an lfo, you automate the frequency of the lfo and the frequency of the phaser at the same time while bringing up the resonance and frequency on the filter."
- [White Noise] Can be anything in there [Sin Wave], [Saw Wave] etc, get a real aweasome sound.

Fadi -
"Since keeping secrets isn't really our style, I'll tell you how to do that wooosh noise stuff:

1. Get a white noise!
2. Get a flanger! (I've used Live's built in flanger)
3. Set polarity to negative, I've set the built in hi-pass to 303hz, 0.84ms delay time with 0.74 feedback (u can play with these to increase or decrease the base "pitch" of your noise), 100% wet ofc!
4. Get a pitch shift plugin (I've used SoundShifter from Waves), and automate it from -6st to 0st!
5. EQ it for your taste! (I've Auto-filtered it at 18kHz with 0 res and gave it a locut 144Hz)

Now u got a rising wooosh, if you want to make it "endless", then you should do that Shepard tone trick:

5. Triple your track!
6. Set one of your track's pitch shift automation to -12st to -6st, and automate the volume to fade in!
7. Set an another track's pitch shift automation to 0st to +6st, plus volume to fade out!
8. Leave the 3rd track alone!
9. Loop this stuff and be happy!

If you hear clicks at the end of the loops, try to move the automation points, sometimes there's a bit delay in automation which can cause that. Also make sure that the volume envelope of the noise is 0 attack and release, sustain at max.

Hope this helps, maybe I can do a video if this is too complex."

Believe this is the video link, my youtube is blocked here so I cant see,but just search Fasirozott youtube to find him.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ih0N202vka8

That risers i can already make it, i was actually talking about how to make that ones i mentioned in the videos. But thanks anyway bro!

Hi man!

I am learning a lot from this forum and this is my first contribution so I hope I can help you.

I believe the riser that you are talking about is a preset from a plug in called Synplant. The preset name is "NE Rubb Da Bassline"

[AlexRodriguez]

Hello!
Can anyone teach me how to do this risers? It seems to be a sine or square wave, but i'm sick of trying and i cant get it
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9G1I16gJBvU @ 1:12 till 1:32
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gebHUoboZlk @ 2:15

Thanks!

This forum has taught me how to make the best risers! I read this stuff, tried to create it and got great results. These two guys (SonniC & Fadi) are highly professional and know what they're talking about. All credit to SonicC and Fadi, follow their directions!

SonicC -
"The crazy [White Noise] comes from a phaser with an lfo, you automate the frequency of the lfo and the frequency of the phaser at the same time while bringing up the resonance and frequency on the filter."
- [White Noise] Can be anything in there [Sin Wave], [Saw Wave] etc, get a real aweasome sound.

Fadi -
"Since keeping secrets isn't really our style, I'll tell you how to do that wooosh noise stuff:

1. Get a white noise!
2. Get a flanger! (I've used Live's built in flanger)
3. Set polarity to negative, I've set the built in hi-pass to 303hz, 0.84ms delay time with 0.74 feedback (u can play with these to increase or decrease the base "pitch" of your noise), 100% wet ofc!
4. Get a pitch shift plugin (I've used SoundShifter from Waves), and automate it from -6st to 0st!
5. EQ it for your taste! (I've Auto-filtered it at 18kHz with 0 res and gave it a locut 144Hz)

Now u got a rising wooosh, if you want to make it "endless", then you should do that Shepard tone trick:

5. Triple your track!
6. Set one of your track's pitch shift automation to -12st to -6st, and automate the volume to fade in!
7. Set an another track's pitch shift automation to 0st to +6st, plus volume to fade out!
8. Leave the 3rd track alone!
9. Loop this stuff and be happy!

If you hear clicks at the end of the loops, try to move the automation points, sometimes there's a bit delay in automation which can cause that. Also make sure that the volume envelope of the noise is 0 attack and release, sustain at max.

Hope this helps, maybe I can do a video if this is too complex."

Believe this is the video link, my youtube is blocked here so I cant see,but just search Fasirozott youtube to find him.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ih0N202vka8

That risers i can already make it, i was actually talking about how to make that ones i mentioned in the videos. But thanks anyway bro!

Hi man!

I am learning a lot from this forum and this is my first contribution so I hope I can help you.

I believe the riser that you are talking about is a preset from a plug in called Synplant. The preset name is "NE Rubb Da Bassline"

Thanks a lot mate, i got it!

[focatoca]

hello guys question here.
i use fl studio, and you know how ones supposed to sample kick durms from existing tracks. well once you have done that.

1. how do you make it sound loud as it did in the track? because when i put it in fl the volume goes down.?

2. since its already been thru soo much compression and processing how do i avoid it from going thru my master channel still sounding loud? cause i know your not supposed to put more compression on it cause i'll flat-en the sound rite..?

you guys get what im asking rite?

BUT THANKS IN ADVANCE CHEERS!

Also wondering that to.

ANYYONE? PLZZ..

People, this was answered some 100 pages before

To avoid kick going through master limiter:
1. you set NO limiter on the MASTER.
2. You set eg. channel 2 to be Pre-Master,
3. than put everything but the kick on it
4. and add mastering plugs,
5. than route Channel 2 (Pre Master) to the Master,
6. than route kick directly to the master.
7. read the forum, Avicii enjoyed it, Max Vangeli did, AN21 did, Bart B More did, Dyro did, Anger Dimas did, Nicky Romero did! See where I'm going?
8. Take tips into notepad.
9. Print the notepad => perfect thing to read when you loose creative spark.

Also, FL uses channel 1 for previewing sounds, so avoid using that channel.

Cheers guys, and have fun learning, it's all about having fun, this is no 9-to-5 job!!

hey man i dont quite understand this part.. so there is actually a way of making ur kick samples sound as loud as they do in the original track?

Wouldnt a non limiter master result in clipping? And why would i wanna put all sounds in one channel, i want to eq them diffrently etc..

please describe anyone that knows, thx

[ajcblanco]

hello guys question here.
i use fl studio, and you know how ones supposed to sample kick durms from existing tracks. well once you have done that.

1. how do you make it sound loud as it did in the track? because when i put it in fl the volume goes down.?

2. since its already been thru soo much compression and processing how do i avoid it from going thru my master channel still sounding loud? cause i know your not supposed to put more compression on it cause i'll flat-en the sound rite..?

you guys get what im asking rite?

BUT THANKS IN ADVANCE CHEERS!

Also wondering that to.

ANYYONE? PLZZ..

People, this was answered some 100 pages before

To avoid kick going through master limiter:
1. you set NO limiter on the MASTER.
2. You set eg. channel 2 to be Pre-Master,
3. than put everything but the kick on it
4. and add mastering plugs,
5. than route Channel 2 (Pre Master) to the Master,
6. than route kick directly to the master.
7. read the forum, Avicii enjoyed it, Max Vangeli did, AN21 did, Bart B More did, Dyro did, Anger Dimas did, Nicky Romero did! See where I'm going?
8. Take tips into notepad.
9. Print the notepad => perfect thing to read when you loose creative spark.

Also, FL uses channel 1 for previewing sounds, so avoid using that channel.

Cheers guys, and have fun learning, it's all about having fun, this is no 9-to-5 job!!

hey man i dont quite understand this part.. so there is actually a way of making ur kick samples sound as loud as they do in the original track?

Wouldnt a non limiter master result in clipping? And why would i wanna put all sounds in one channel, i want to eq them diffrently etc..

please describe anyone that knows, thx

its just like bypassing the kick so it won't be mastered (compressed and limited) again. you can still eq individual tracks. your just routing everything into 1 channel so you'll end up with 2 channels, 1 for the kick, 1 for everything else (this is the pre-master channel he's talking about). you can probably just put a limiter on the master so it won't go red just to be safe. hope this helps

[E-Tjen]

Hey guys! I am still having problems with my kick drums. In the DAW software (FL Studio), they sound perfectly fine, just how I want them. But when I export and listen in a player, the kick sounds very "subby". Perhaps this has something to do with compression. The EQ is fine, I'm pretty sure. Thanks.

Which compressor are you using? I'm noticing with some compressors that if you just render the track they bump out the whole thing slightly differentl.. but, when you save your master and just play the track (click on the floppy disk on your master) then it'll sound just the same as if you were playing it in FL studio.

I haven't had the issue with kicks being subby but with clicks and cracks (at a low volume) sometimes occuring in the track.

Anyways, are you using any EQ'ing on your master channel? Always cut the track starting at 30-40Hz, might remove some of the mud that otherwise is included in the rendering.

I'm using the Pro-C by FabFilter for the compressor on my kick drum. I never knew about this technique involving the floppy disk on the master channel. I didn't put an EQ on the master bus yet, so that could be why. But every time I do put an EQ on the master bus it completely interrupts the Limiter, making it go over the dB I have set it to. Is this supposed to happen? Thanks.

Make sure you always put the limiter at the end of your sidechain. Any EQ'ing afterwards makes the track clip ofcourse, since all frequencies are limited to a certain level and afterwards with EQ'ing you might exceed some of those levels, making the track clip at certain EQ's.

I don't see why your track would clip if you put the EQ in front of the limiter though..
Luke used live recording (the floppy disk) when rendering tracks, so he knew they would sound the same in FL studio as on mp3 format!

[E-Tjen]

Hey guys, I've got a question about producing,

Do you use during your whole song the same kick or do you change it after the drop, and do you leave your kick level at the intro also on 0 db. I'm just asking because I think that when you make the build-up for the drop it'd sound better when the kick is louder and more heavy after drop than before. What do you think?

you should low cut the bass before the drop, so it's not that bass heavy.
really depends on the song you're making though.
you should not lower the volume of the kick before the drop.
instead, you lower the master volume with around -2dB (can be more or less), and when the drop kicks in you raise the volume again back to 0dB.
this way your drop will hit harder. this is a trick laidback luke uses too! (he gave the tip on this forum )

ps. don't use another kick for the drop, it's gonna sound really odd.

Depends on the drop, other tip I can give you is put your kick around -6dB so it's not pushing away any other sounds.. it's usually the level i keep it at.. sometimes higher.. sometimes lower.. depends on the track.

Thanks for the tips, but I will need the kick as hard as possible, since I'm right now working on a dutch house track, so there is the kick, snares, melody and bass after the drop, no atmoshpheres or anything ... and melody and bassline are sidechained to the kick ... So I just want the kick as hard as possible and the drop should really hit you

For example: Chuckie - Let the bass kick ... I think that the drop gets better when you don't have kicks in the build up, but just snares ...

I understand, but that's where EQ'ing also comes into place. You want that bottom end of the kick to sound like a real phat kickdrum, so having a good sample with a peak under 100 Hz really helps.. EQ the kick in a way that you filter some of the 2khz frequencies and boost it around 70 Hz and around 200 Hz.

The exact boosts depend on the kick itself ofcourse.. but play around with EQ'ing.

I usually have a layering of 3 kicks and when I have a break going on or something i just lower the release of the subby kick..

[ASAD]

Hello!
Can anyone teach me how to do this risers? It seems to be a sine or square wave, but i'm sick of trying and i cant get it
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9G1I16gJBvU @ 1:12 till 1:32
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gebHUoboZlk @ 2:15

Thanks!

This forum has taught me how to make the best risers! I read this stuff, tried to create it and got great results. These two guys (SonniC & Fadi) are highly professional and know what they're talking about. All credit to SonicC and Fadi, follow their directions!

SonicC -
"The crazy [White Noise] comes from a phaser with an lfo, you automate the frequency of the lfo and the frequency of the phaser at the same time while bringing up the resonance and frequency on the filter."
- [White Noise] Can be anything in there [Sin Wave], [Saw Wave] etc, get a real aweasome sound.

Fadi -
"Since keeping secrets isn't really our style, I'll tell you how to do that wooosh noise stuff:

1. Get a white noise!
2. Get a flanger! (I've used Live's built in flanger)
3. Set polarity to negative, I've set the built in hi-pass to 303hz, 0.84ms delay time with 0.74 feedback (u can play with these to increase or decrease the base "pitch" of your noise), 100% wet ofc!
4. Get a pitch shift plugin (I've used SoundShifter from Waves), and automate it from -6st to 0st!
5. EQ it for your taste! (I've Auto-filtered it at 18kHz with 0 res and gave it a locut 144Hz)

Now u got a rising wooosh, if you want to make it "endless", then you should do that Shepard tone trick:

5. Triple your track!
6. Set one of your track's pitch shift automation to -12st to -6st, and automate the volume to fade in!
7. Set an another track's pitch shift automation to 0st to +6st, plus volume to fade out!
8. Leave the 3rd track alone!
9. Loop this stuff and be happy!

If you hear clicks at the end of the loops, try to move the automation points, sometimes there's a bit delay in automation which can cause that. Also make sure that the volume envelope of the noise is 0 attack and release, sustain at max.

Hope this helps, maybe I can do a video if this is too complex."

Believe this is the video link, my youtube is blocked here so I cant see,but just search Fasirozott youtube to find him.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ih0N202vka8

That risers i can already make it, i was actually talking about how to make that ones i mentioned in the videos. But thanks anyway bro!

Hi man!

I am learning a lot from this forum and this is my first contribution so I hope I can help you.

I believe the riser that you are talking about is a preset from a plug in called Synplant. The preset name is "NE Rubb Da Bassline"

Thanks a lot mate, i got it!

Been looking for the riser sound for a while, amazing, thanks

[Deljoi]

Hey I searched the forum I don't think anyone posted this yet but here's a great find on production skills, tips, tricks and techniques. It's from Deniz Koyu the man who produced "Tung", "Hydra" and many other huge records. He gives some good tips, loving his master chain. So true if your mixdown is proper I believe all you need is a maximizer and some limiting to get your track nice and loud.

https://www.facebook.com/notes/deniz-koyu/producer-qa/289066984481651

[Maven]

Very nice things on Deniz Koyu's Q&A. He is true about all the things he says. Pretty much everything can be created with the tools your DAW gives you. No need to have 10 different synths, 10000 samples to do quality stuff.