explaining a crucial solution to a common sound design problem but then showcasing a FREE solution is ballsy and invaluable to the community. good on you.
When the camera cuts away from him he's actually blinkin' up a storm making up for lost blinking time. If we could see it we'd see him blinking in 64th notes
Oh my god! That’s what it is 😂 I couldn’t quite put my finger on why I found this a bit weird to watch. The info is good! I thought maybe it was that he was standing to close to the camera? But it’s totally the blinking thing 😂 thank you!
thanks for being so clear about your technique being a general technique and not just a vocal mixing trick or pro audio engineering trick of some kind. i hate when people bait like that
♥️👊 yessss! It’s so important to understand the fundamental concepts and tools that can be used!! Allows you to solve many problems, many different ways!!
Awesome video. Once you “get” both the dynamic/sidechain concept and M/S separation with it, you start using it EVERYWHERE :) Send effects sidechain ducked with the dry signal are a great way to have nice and wet delays & verbs that don’t clutter the mix and yes, you can M/S those, too. One thing to bear in mind, though, is that when you for eg. lower the Mid, the Sides in relation get louder ie. the sound gets wider. If you use heavy Mid ducking, it doesn’t only momentarily scoop out from the range you’re scooping, but can easily make weird phasing artifacts or just sound strange as the sound pumps between normal and sudden stereo widening moments. I’m not saying not to use this technique, but to carefully listen to potential “weirdness” and also that a little goes a long way to clean up a mix, to make that vocal pop on top of a synth for eg. Just a couple dBs of ducked Mids is often enough and that won’t necessarily be (negatively) audible due to masking ie. ears tuning into the vocal, or anything that’s on top.
This is great! I was feeling a stuck with mixing right now and have been getting sick of so many search results for advice that are just copy paste eq settings and plugins. I always appreciate a good explanation of the methodology so I can build skills and apply them to the tools I already use. Awesome resource to have, definitely gonna have to dive into your channel more now!
Wow. I actually cannot believe the quality of this video. You are not PRODUCING you are TEACHING and I can't say I have seen this before in our production space here.
I greatly appreciate you saying that! I take a lot of pride in what we do here at cosmic!! I’ve been teaching for a while now (10+ years, 800 artists) and quickly learned it’s not about what “I” am capable of. That doesn’t help anyone. Instead, I need to find ways to make these topics, tools, and techniques valuable in everyone else’s music!! It’s a challenge I can’t get enough of!! Now I just get to do it with everyone on YT too haha ♥️👊
Mate literally all your videos correct me every mistake I'm actually making, I feel like you're polishing my skills lol greatest content out there, thank you so much for this!
Hahaha really happy that these videos can help! I’ve been lucky enough to work with so manyyyy artists over the past 10 years here at cosmic. It’s me helping them fill the gaps and holes in their knowledge and understanding of tools, topics, and techniques. This channel has now allowed me to help all of you too!! Appreciate you watching 👊♥️
This is a great tutorial, clear and concise. Also want to say how refreshing this plugin website is - no signing up, no checkout process, emailed download links, etc. Free plugins, just hit download and it downloads
That last line is an excellent line. Quality mixes are made by quality decisions. I say something like this a lot. That mixing is ALL ABOUT JUDGMENT. You can teach people how, you can teach people why, but it's up to them to decide when and where, and that's why some get it, and others don't.
@@hawaiirealmedia5610 I agree 100% It's actually sad how many musicians are trying to save a buck not going to an experienced engineer and instead wasting even more money, and more importantly their life.. year after year after year running in circles trying to learn how to get good recordings because they were sold the life that anyone could do it. Not everyone can be a world class guitarist Not everyone can make great recordings. That's just the way it is.
@@hawaiirealmedia5610 YOU CAN learn on your own, but the issue is this. Most people are sold plugins where the sounds are essentially pre-engineered, pre-dialed in. Drum samples that already have EQ baked in, guitar plugins with all harsh frequencies notched out already, the list goes on and on. These people don't actually learn anything. And even if they did learn some concepts, it's like saying "I'm a great cook" when really the only thing you've ever done is microwave a meal some other chef prepared for you. In order to learn engineering skills, you need to be doing this work CONSTANTLY and you need to avoid taking shortcuts and actually learn the process. How to mic various things up, dialing in stuff that sounds terrible and learning how to problem solve, learning how EQ, compression, de-essing, limiting, clipping and on and on and on the list goes, AND NOT THE EZ BAKE OVEN STUFF! I mean the proper tools with all the knobs that allow you to have great control or make a trash outcome, because it's only there that you'll figure it all out. These 1 knob plugins are why people never learn.
Man, I've been struggling for years trying to understand when to use Dynamic EQ and this video just blew me away! This was by far one of the best tutorials I've seen and you're a great teacher! Thanks for all the valuable knowledge and tips on this video. Keep up the good work!
Thank you for such a detail explanation. They way you addressed the static versus dynamic approach is spot on. Also, explain mono in the context of mid/side really helps understanding. Thanks!
This type of video is all I can ask for. I loveeeeeeeeeeeeee this format. Straight to the point, friendly person, insightful tips, teaching you what you should look up for... and not just '' Here is how my mix sounds good''. Thanks for explaining the process. 10/10 !
This whole "I'm not going to show you the result" thing is brilliant! You're explaining the how to in general and not a bunch of "best practice" things that tend to suite only specific cases. I love it! 🙌🔥
Really appreciate you watching and dropping this comment ♥️👊 You know what it is, we work with students who make alllll diff genres. I’ve had to learn how to make these concepts work for everyone! The way I like to think about it…If I teach you how to drive…you can drive any car, right?!
I went into this video thinking I would get the usual tips but this was very useful and not only that, it’s very well explained and informative. The editing is amazing because I can see all the time what you are talking about. Great video!
Zach is my favourite Cosmic Academy member. They way he talks and his overall appearance kind of keeps me focused and enganged. Nice video with an important topic - nothing new to me personally, but very well explained and as long as necessary but as short as possible to not make people feel overwhelmed! Good one!
this was very insightful... im beggining orchestral production and alot of things compete with ech other and theres alot of both static and dynamic problems, but its not all mono and thanks to you... I now know that!
Whelp, that’s a sub. I’m sure I only understood this so well because I’ve been learning so much about mixing in the last 5+ years. Probably would’ve gone in one ear and out the other even just a couple of years ago. But, for an intermediate engineer/producer, this was absolute gold.
This is one of the best mixing tutorials I’ve ever seen (and I’ve seen way too many 😂), none of that ‘do this exact EQ then compress by exactly 2db’, this is a real practical technique explained in an engaging manner! Thank you !
Appreciate the well structured advice without getting into the trap of prescribing a generic hack that can mislead beginners. Analysing the problem first properly leads to the right solution.
I ment to get into this a long time ago as I kinda knew it would be important, but you explained it so good, I hope this free plugin has mid/side option otherwise I think Im gonna pull the trigger on Soothe finally... Expensive yes, but I think this is the step to get my mixes where I want them to be, I felt for a while that there is something that can be done on surten areas of my production and I think this is it.. Thx alot
I would say being an actual musician and knowing how to hear and have frequency comprehension helps a ton. I know a lot of bedroom "mixers" who don't play an instrument or have any music skill. And most don't know how to do any of this. I think your ears are the best way solve issues. Small amounts of processing go a huge distance. Also another point most do not bring up. Your source and raw tracks should always sound good coming in. I've seen sessions in Nashville where the song already sounded radio ready before they even touched an eq or compressor. It's crazy.
Great point! One question that perplexes me is how they managed to achieve the same mixing results without the "dynamic computation" power, using only "analog" tools..
Its all about targeting the right people. If ur main clients are amateurs, u gotta charge less and work more. But the mistake is in targeting, not just bad stems to begin with
This is fantastic! Would highly recommend Fuser, which is quite similar to Soothe, but helps detect m/s vs mono requirements. Also deals with phasing issues too. Doesn’t do the regular resonance adjustment aspects of Soothe2, but for de-masking, its the most complete IMO
Spectral mixing is a new meta. Seen it used few years for some amazing metal production. In Memphis May Fire's production, for example. Multiband mixing was somewhat metau before this. It was also used to bring up the synths when vocals are mute.
for anyone having installation issues with masker on mac for ableton and logic pro - when your device tells you it cant be opened as its untrusted, go to settings and click the allow anyway button in the privacy and security settings. Logic: upon opening it will still say it cant be used, press open and then search for it in plugin manager and click use then rescan your plugins. it should then appear alongside your other plugins. Ableton: the same message will appear, click open and then toggle "use vst3 plug in system folders" in plug in sources tab of settings. should then appear in plugins browser hope this helps :)
wow, this was an incredibly eye-opening tutorial. This is why I love youtube. This video randomly appeared on my feed, I watched it for a few minutes, and boom, it explained something I didn't know existed. Bravo, awesome job!
Imo, i think that, prior to all of that, the musical composition of the lead vocal and the synth (or any other part to one another) must musically let space for each other. I see this wonderful dynamic eq trick as a brute force way of fitting two parts together. In other words, if musically, the synth answers the vocal between the vocals intervention, you practically don't need to do this, and the music will be clearer, with a better play around each parts. (Very classical approach, because you can't "mix" in a live room, you "mix" in the composition)
Beautifully explained! Though I think this trick needs to be used with care. Even with dynamic problems, we might still want a static EQ for a more natural and musical sound where the channel’s frequency response isn’t constantly fluctuating in disregard to itself.
you can also use the default plugins in ableton to do this, sidechain and use a bandpass filter to only duck the synth when the vocal hits a specific frequency dialed in by the bandpass. Its a little less fancy but still effective.
Wooow! This works indeed! I watched this video after just having scooped away mids what I usually do for vocals. But now I used soothe2 to do this dynamically and in the center, and wow it sound more professional and I have much more control. Thanks a lot for this tip!
A good tip for those FL Studio users is using Patcher as an example, take a stereo shaper, split mid & sides, route TheMasker on the mid, problem solved :P Can't really much say how to do it on other daws!
Great video! Let me add that in my opinion the plugin "trackspacer" does an even better job than the two you mentioned. Yes it's 60€, but its dynamic with sidechain obviously, you can high-/lowpass and you can select mid/side or L/R focus. Also you are able to set attack and release times, which is useful for some cases, however I did never use it, as it does such a great job on more or less default settings.
Thanks!! I use Trackspacer too haha another good one. Little more of a broad stroke than soothe though. I find it to be less subtle, and more obvious sounding…which in some cases is exactly what I want!!
The problemi with mid side approach is Mid has also Side infoes, let's think a stereo track panned all hard left and hard right, with no center, and sum It. You see that Mid in generale is differenti from Center....
dynamic EQ is everything, using the mid/sides is a good tip. sometimes i’ll add a little high end to the sides on things like piano or arps that i want to stand out a little more
Soothe is not a dynamic EQ, but a dynamic resonance suppressor. Although I agree side chaining a dynamic EQ can be a tool when needed (shouldn't be a substitute for proper balancing and mixing), you won't get the same result from resonance suppression.
i havent watched the whole video, but the whole part about ''fixing a dynamic problem - with a static solution'' that is legit the best thing i heard in a while! it will definitely change my way of thinking!
Amazing and I’d totally use soothe 2 for that if it wasnt’ such a processor hog (rightfully so though) my 2019 MacBook Pro can’t handle more than like 2-3 instances 😂. Wish i could run soothe 2 in side chain on nearly every track though that plugin is freaking magical! Another trick i do is side chaining compressing certain instruments out of the way as a ducker (say lead guitar when the vocal is present). In general though side chaining is freaking amazing and under utilized for solving issues. This is a very detailed version of it that you got going on and it’s smart. I may rework some of my side chains to dynamic EQs in my template. I’ve used it before for certain things but didn’t think to widen the scope to this.
I use EQ after the dolby audio mix. Some people forget this part. My master channel never clips, but my main volume will always clip and never distorts. And it clips alot. I check the bass and mids in my truck and make sure my doors aren't rattling. If they're rattling, chances are there's distortion. I use the Q701's to help me detect distortion. They're the quincy jones limited editions. If you don't got them, get them. If you learn them, you won't look back I promise.
Wow, thank you for this excellent production tip. This is really helpful and gives me a much needed different perspective and approach to mixing. I especially appreciate you pointing out some key points about the difference between when to use dynamic eq as opposed to just using eq to balance between competing sounds or instruments. And hell yeah, Soothe2 is a really good tool but I. just can't give up that $209. There are other work-arounds as you've pointed out and I am reminded of an old adage a friend would often quote from his mom ... "necessity is the mother of invention".
I see an issue with the Soothe approach (or any other type of plugin that does the same thing): Soothe is indeed a dynamic plugin, but it's not technically a dynamic EQ (the way it's shown in this video), because its purpose is to work on problematic resonances (as stated in their website). What that means is that problematic resonances on the vocals are not necessarily what's masking the vocals when the synth is playing. The vocals could have a problematic resonance at 2kHz, for example, and Sooth would see that as a frequency to reduce, so it reduces it on the synth. That doesn't mean it will carve space on the synth. If anything, it will actually accentuate that frequency that's problematic, because now the synth's 2kHz is carved out, giving more space for the 2kHz of the vocals to "shine through". Maybe 400Hz is still being present on the synth, but not triggered by the vocals, because it's probably not seen as "problematic resonance" by Sooth, and those 400Hz is what's masking the vocals. So Soothe and similar plugins are not the answer to this problem (not totally and not the way it's presented in this video, at least). Plugins like TDR Nova or TrackSpacer are more appropriate for the job (even though TDR Nova is way more limited, because it has just 4 bands it can target compared to TrackSpacer's 32 bands). Maybe Soothe and similar plugins can achieve some kind of balance, regardless, but it's not because they are dynamically creating a "frequency game" between the vocals and synth (or other instrument) that way it's shown in the video. Hope it's making sense...? Another issue I see is the MID/SIDE approach. Yes, when things are being listened to in stereo, that makes sense. Why reducing the frequencies on the sides when the main instrument (in this case the vocals) only exist in the middle? The problem comes when we have the song collapse to mono (clubs, mono speakers like phones, etc). Whatever is on the sides is now in the middle as well, and since we didn't reduce the frequencies on the sides, we end up with the exact same problem. So I don't think this is a good technique. Also, our brains are only able to focus on an element at a time so when the vocals is the main focus, our brain is not paying attention to the synth and its frequencies. And if the ducking of the frequencies on the synth (or any other instrument) is so extreme that can be "heard", then I guess we can assume it's too much ducking. I don't think a balanced ducking will be that noticeable in a mix context. This is just my opinion and in no way negates the quality of the tips in this video. Dynamic EQs are indeed very helpful. I just think it's important to truly understand if we are using them "properly" or if we are tricking our ears.
Great video. Wise choice to discuss the process and concept instead of demonstrating the outcome. Most people are listening on a phone and can't hear the difference in the comparison, so videos A-B videos are often pointless. This way instead lets us try for ourselves.
THX for "The Masker" tip. I recommended ppl with smaller budget the Trackspacer from Wavesfactory. Only thing missing in this (except M/S) is the Low- and Highpass. Should be no big deal with another eq in front.
@@benreiter7218 You can choose between stereo- or M/S-mode. In M/S-mode, the Pan-knob behaves differently. If you choose M/S, the pan knob attenuates the mid-band (by turning it to the left) and it attenuates the side-bands (by turning it to the right). Ideal for kick and bass seperation (without compressor-pumping) or bringing vocals more out.
In Live you can also build a dynamic EQ (incl. mid side) by yourself, using Lives envelope follower. There is another Soothe clone available as free M4L device, called Boba. Works pretty well, even if in the higher frequencies Soothe 2 is better.
As a struggling bedroom musician I am total crap when it comes to mixing in particular I think. I enjoyed this video and like that you also provided a free resource as an option to the expensive plugin. I'll be checking this out and I subscribed to your channel and look forward to learning more. Thank you!
Thanks for pointing out the difference between static and dynamic issues. This was a concept I kind of understood subconsciously, so it's good to have words for that concept. I will check out The Masker!
Superb information! But I am wondering if this is really required, as mixes in the 70s and maybe 80s probably didn’t use it and still sound very appealing. My best guess is they often sacrificed transparency and dynamics to make space, balanced out via volume and then let the bus compressor and limiter figure out the rest. But actually I don’t know.
Use trackspacer. Never look back! Very easy to use Transparent Has top & bottom frequency to only affect the area that matters Has attack and release Has mid side balance. Blend in with the main knob. An adjustment takes about 30 seconds and just WORKS.
I recently learned that side chaining exists and how to use it. It's a godsend for a solo, and especially for vocals. Thank you for making a video about it so we all can know about it and have better and easier mixing.
oh my god i did not know pro-Q lets you do the mono/side thing but that is a life changer. i have always had to do a bunch of annoying splits and routing to get the same thing. unbelievable how much time that will save lmao
yes, that is huge man. I was doing that manually the hard way, but the fact that sooth has it built in makes it unique and worth the money imo, at least if you can catch a sale.
After many years of mixing, I've already learned this. However, this is the first time since my many years of mixing that I've seen a video explaining this so well. Big ups to you!
You would think we would want to use this all the time then. But that's not the case. Thousands and thousands of mixes have been done without the power of digital dynamic EQ. Knowing WHEN to use it, that's the key. And i'm not sure i've got that figured out.
I try to think of the sound as energy: those parts u want it at a consistent level, reach for dynamic eq. Or when u want it to bounce around as dif sounds are triggered, then reach for static eq. You’ll want to achieve both methods at dif parts of the song, and likely depending on the genre too.
Well, fabfilter Q3 does the same thing and even more. If you use it on every track, you got an analize option where all the conflicts are which makes it easy to detect. Even the C3 you can use for this as it also has a frequency option. All with sidechain of course.
Pro-Q is def another option and tool! Although it doesn’t move as the frequencies move like soothe. All the different dynamic eqs have their strengths!
@@TheCosmicAcademy Yeah indeed, so many plugins and option nowadays. Remembering the days we only had an Akai S3200 sampler with an 8 track mixer making huge hits in about 3 days. Your ears were the only thing you could rely on,..in fact, it still does, lol ;-)
Thanks so much. I bought soothe2 a while ago and have just been using it on vocals. Your explanation has made me understand that i can use it on everything i need, mono and side and only where it needs it. Really interesting cheers
You sir, are a God. This is exactly what I've trying to figure out and so well put. I didn't search for it, was looking at something else and this link appeared on the side. So glad I clicked the link. Subscribing now.
I have no words lmao, i've spent countless hours hitting my head against the wall with all these different ways to do stuff, and this comes in and saves it all. Thank you!
this video fuckin rocks. I've been producing for years and I've recognised this issue, but never really considered the solution. Encouraging me to think outside the box, thank you!
Stuck with your music career? Need PERSONALIZED help and development? Apply to our program… www.cosmicacademy.com
What’s the cost of 5 week program?
explaining a crucial solution to a common sound design problem but then showcasing a FREE solution is ballsy and invaluable to the community. good on you.
Giving that free website full of plugins is a very helpful move too
Do you blink sometimes?
My mom swearssss I did…
…once 😏
@@TheCosmicAcademy 😂😂🔥
When the camera cuts away from him he's actually blinkin' up a storm making up for lost blinking time. If we could see it we'd see him blinking in 64th notes
blue eyes lol
Oh my god! That’s what it is 😂 I couldn’t quite put my finger on why I found this a bit weird to watch. The info is good! I thought maybe it was that he was standing to close to the camera? But it’s totally the blinking thing 😂 thank you!
thanks for being so clear about your technique being a general technique and not just a vocal mixing trick or pro audio engineering trick of some kind. i hate when people bait like that
♥️👊 yessss! It’s so important to understand the fundamental concepts and tools that can be used!! Allows you to solve many problems, many different ways!!
Awesome video. Once you “get” both the dynamic/sidechain concept and M/S separation with it, you start using it EVERYWHERE :) Send effects sidechain ducked with the dry signal are a great way to have nice and wet delays & verbs that don’t clutter the mix and yes, you can M/S those, too.
One thing to bear in mind, though, is that when you for eg. lower the Mid, the Sides in relation get louder ie. the sound gets wider. If you use heavy Mid ducking, it doesn’t only momentarily scoop out from the range you’re scooping, but can easily make weird phasing artifacts or just sound strange as the sound pumps between normal and sudden stereo widening moments. I’m not saying not to use this technique, but to carefully listen to potential “weirdness” and also that a little goes a long way to clean up a mix, to make that vocal pop on top of a synth for eg. Just a couple dBs of ducked Mids is often enough and that won’t necessarily be (negatively) audible due to masking ie. ears tuning into the vocal, or anything that’s on top.
wtf the legend himself
wait this is THE guy
great advice and addition to what was conveyed in this video
Thanks Darude!
tfw the song name posts a comment
This is great! I was feeling a stuck with mixing right now and have been getting sick of so many search results for advice that are just copy paste eq settings and plugins. I always appreciate a good explanation of the methodology so I can build skills and apply them to the tools I already use. Awesome resource to have, definitely gonna have to dive into your channel more now!
Wow. I actually cannot believe the quality of this video. You are not PRODUCING you are TEACHING and I can't say I have seen this before in our production space here.
I greatly appreciate you saying that! I take a lot of pride in what we do here at cosmic!! I’ve been teaching for a while now (10+ years, 800 artists) and quickly learned it’s not about what “I” am capable of. That doesn’t help anyone. Instead, I need to find ways to make these topics, tools, and techniques valuable in everyone else’s music!! It’s a challenge I can’t get enough of!! Now I just get to do it with everyone on YT too haha ♥️👊
@@TheCosmicAcademy Well if this is how you teach your students, I applied and I hope to hear back from you guys soon. Thanks for the awesome content.
AND, it's a good thing he has such good skin ;)
He is producing. He is producing better mixers!
Mate literally all your videos correct me every mistake I'm actually making, I feel like you're polishing my skills lol greatest content out there, thank you so much for this!
Hahaha really happy that these videos can help! I’ve been lucky enough to work with so manyyyy artists over the past 10 years here at cosmic. It’s me helping them fill the gaps and holes in their knowledge and understanding of tools, topics, and techniques. This channel has now allowed me to help all of you too!! Appreciate you watching 👊♥️
This is a great tutorial, clear and concise. Also want to say how refreshing this plugin website is - no signing up, no checkout process, emailed download links, etc. Free plugins, just hit download and it downloads
That last line is an excellent line. Quality mixes are made by quality decisions.
I say something like this a lot. That mixing is ALL ABOUT JUDGMENT. You can teach people how, you can teach people why, but it's up to them to decide when and where, and that's why some get it, and others don't.
Spotttttt on!!! ♥️👊
@@hawaiirealmedia5610 I agree 100% It's actually sad how many musicians are trying to save a buck not going to an experienced engineer and instead wasting even more money, and more importantly their life.. year after year after year running in circles trying to learn how to get good recordings because they were sold the life that anyone could do it.
Not everyone can be a world class guitarist
Not everyone can make great recordings. That's just the way it is.
@@hawaiirealmedia5610 YOU CAN learn on your own, but the issue is this. Most people are sold plugins where the sounds are essentially pre-engineered, pre-dialed in. Drum samples that already have EQ baked in, guitar plugins with all harsh frequencies notched out already, the list goes on and on.
These people don't actually learn anything. And even if they did learn some concepts, it's like saying "I'm a great cook" when really the only thing you've ever done is microwave a meal some other chef prepared for you.
In order to learn engineering skills, you need to be doing this work CONSTANTLY and you need to avoid taking shortcuts and actually learn the process. How to mic various things up, dialing in stuff that sounds terrible and learning how to problem solve, learning how EQ, compression, de-essing, limiting, clipping and on and on and on the list goes, AND NOT THE EZ BAKE OVEN STUFF! I mean the proper tools with all the knobs that allow you to have great control or make a trash outcome, because it's only there that you'll figure it all out.
These 1 knob plugins are why people never learn.
Man, I've been struggling for years trying to understand when to use Dynamic EQ and this video just blew me away! This was by far one of the best tutorials I've seen and you're a great teacher!
Thanks for all the valuable knowledge and tips on this video.
Keep up the good work!
Thanks! Always happy to hear it helped! 👊♥️
Thank you for such a detail explanation. They way you addressed the static versus dynamic approach is spot on. Also, explain mono in the context of mid/side really helps understanding. Thanks!
Trackspacer is also a valid option here. I use it in M/S mode for vocals and low end instruments
Was using Unmask from Izotope or Pro Q3 for this then finally decided track spacer is a lot easier to use alongside its more resource PC friendly
This type of video is all I can ask for.
I loveeeeeeeeeeeeee this format.
Straight to the point, friendly person, insightful tips, teaching you what you should look up for... and not just '' Here is how my mix sounds good''. Thanks for explaining the process. 10/10 !
So glad! Appreciate you watching and dropping the comment ♥️👊
Too hyperactive feeling for me. I had to stop the video. Same issue on all american stuff. Best regards calmness lover slow Finn. 🤗
he said so many words to fill up 6 minutes to say one word in all of that: Automation.
just made a lightbulb go off for me. This is so damn clutch. THANK YOU
Let’s gooo! Happy it helped! 👊♥️
I mean... This is hands down one of the best music production tutorials I've seen in my life. Excellent job mate, and thank you very much for this
Means a lot ♥️👊 thank youuu!! Always happy when these vids can help
Oeksound thanks you for the endorsement.
You explained the ‘frequency field’ the best I’ve ever heard/seen. Stellar stuff man!
I love your energy bro. Youre a positive and funny guy. Great tips here, Im gonna apply them to the two tracks Im working on right away.
This whole "I'm not going to show you the result" thing is brilliant! You're explaining the how to in general and not a bunch of "best practice" things that tend to suite only specific cases. I love it! 🙌🔥
Really appreciate you watching and dropping this comment ♥️👊 You know what it is, we work with students who make alllll diff genres. I’ve had to learn how to make these concepts work for everyone! The way I like to think about it…If I teach you how to drive…you can drive any car, right?!
I went into this video thinking I would get the usual tips but this was very useful and not only that, it’s very well explained and informative. The editing is amazing because I can see all the time what you are talking about. Great video!
Zach is my favourite Cosmic Academy member. They way he talks and his overall appearance kind of keeps me focused and enganged. Nice video with an important topic - nothing new to me personally, but very well explained and as long as necessary but as short as possible to not make people feel overwhelmed! Good one!
this was very insightful... im beggining orchestral production and alot of things compete with ech other and theres alot of both static and dynamic problems, but its not all mono and thanks to you... I now know that!
I can't consider subscribing to your channel until I see you blink.
😂😂
😂😂😂😂😂now I can't stop staring 😂😂😂
I was wondering if it was a good AI
He uses 3 eyelids to blink, he can't do it in front of us
😂😂😅
This finally made it click why this can be so difficult. People are attacking 3D problems with 2D tools
Happy it clicked!! I also loveeee that saying haha
Been using TRD dynamic EQ for couple of years and its good one. I like your mixing videos
Whelp, that’s a sub. I’m sure I only understood this so well because I’ve been learning so much about mixing in the last 5+ years. Probably would’ve gone in one ear and out the other even just a couple of years ago. But, for an intermediate engineer/producer, this was absolute gold.
This is one of the best mixing tutorials I’ve ever seen (and I’ve seen way too many 😂), none of that ‘do this exact EQ then compress by exactly 2db’, this is a real practical technique explained in an engaging manner! Thank you !
you're very welcome! appreciate you watching and dropping the comment! means a lot ❤️👊
Appreciate the well structured advice without getting into the trap of prescribing a generic hack that can mislead beginners. Analysing the problem first properly leads to the right solution.
Wow! So after 15 years of making music, I’ve never heard this explained so well!
I ment to get into this a long time ago as I kinda knew it would be important, but you explained it so good, I hope this free plugin has mid/side option otherwise I think Im gonna pull the trigger on Soothe finally... Expensive yes, but I think this is the step to get my mixes where I want them to be, I felt for a while that there is something that can be done on surten areas of my production and I think this is it.. Thx alot
Happy it can help! Trackspacer is another cheaper option that has mid side capabilities! Worth exploring. See if they let you demo or trial it!
@@TheCosmicAcademy So you didn't hate mixing before discovering side-chaining dynamic EQ?
Dude, this is just about the most valuable tutorial I've ever seen for mixing. You rock, man! 🤘🙏
I would say being an actual musician and knowing how to hear and have frequency comprehension helps a ton. I know a lot of bedroom "mixers" who don't play an instrument or have any music skill. And most don't know how to do any of this. I think your ears are the best way solve issues. Small amounts of processing go a huge distance. Also another point most do not bring up. Your source and raw tracks should always sound good coming in. I've seen sessions in Nashville where the song already sounded radio ready before they even touched an eq or compressor. It's crazy.
Great point!
One question that perplexes me is how they managed to achieve the same mixing results without the "dynamic computation" power, using only "analog" tools..
Its all about targeting the right people. If ur main clients are amateurs, u gotta charge less and work more. But the mistake is in targeting, not just bad stems to begin with
This is fantastic! Would highly recommend Fuser, which is quite similar to Soothe, but helps detect m/s vs mono requirements. Also deals with phasing issues too. Doesn’t do the regular resonance adjustment aspects of Soothe2, but for de-masking, its the most complete IMO
Fuser is an insanelyyyyy good plugin!! It’s seriously becoming goat status in my eyes!! 🐐
Spectral mixing is a new meta. Seen it used few years for some amazing metal production. In Memphis May Fire's production, for example.
Multiband mixing was somewhat metau before this. It was also used to bring up the synths when vocals are mute.
for anyone having installation issues with masker on mac for ableton and logic pro - when your device tells you it cant be opened as its untrusted, go to settings and click the allow anyway button in the privacy and security settings.
Logic:
upon opening it will still say it cant be used, press open and then search for it in plugin manager and click use then rescan your plugins. it should then appear alongside your other plugins.
Ableton: the same message will appear, click open and then toggle "use vst3 plug in system folders" in plug in sources tab of settings. should then appear in plugins browser
hope this helps :)
wow, this was an incredibly eye-opening tutorial. This is why I love youtube. This video randomly appeared on my feed, I watched it for a few minutes, and boom, it explained something I didn't know existed. Bravo, awesome job!
Thank you for this golden content, getting into Jungle and granular synthesis
Fantastic video! One of the best on the Internet regarding EQ.
Imo, i think that, prior to all of that, the musical composition of the lead vocal and the synth (or any other part to one another) must musically let space for each other. I see this wonderful dynamic eq trick as a brute force way of fitting two parts together. In other words, if musically, the synth answers the vocal between the vocals intervention, you practically don't need to do this, and the music will be clearer, with a better play around each parts. (Very classical approach, because you can't "mix" in a live room, you "mix" in the composition)
Beautifully explained! Though I think this trick needs to be used with care. Even with dynamic problems, we might still want a static EQ for a more natural and musical sound where the channel’s frequency response isn’t constantly fluctuating in disregard to itself.
I think this is a really great tip. Ducking specific frequencies and just the mid (bypassing the sides), that's as precise as you can get. Brilliant!
discovered Dyn EQ years ago, it really made my mixes amazing sounding.
Yesss! Great tool 👊
you can also use the default plugins in ableton to do this, sidechain and use a bandpass filter to only duck the synth when the vocal hits a specific frequency dialed in by the bandpass. Its a little less fancy but still effective.
Wooow! This works indeed! I watched this video after just having scooped away mids what I usually do for vocals. But now I used soothe2 to do this dynamically and in the center, and wow it sound more professional and I have much more control. Thanks a lot for this tip!
Absolutely BRILLIANT video ! 👏 "Dymanic problems require dynamic solutions" is soo clutch, have wondered about this for yearrs. Thx so much!
A good tip for those FL Studio users is using Patcher as an example, take a stereo shaper, split mid & sides, route TheMasker on the mid, problem solved :P Can't really much say how to do it on other daws!
Patcher is some plugin ..Anything can be solved with Patcher ..
i never thought about mid side eq... thank you
I love how you do your videos, this is the first one and instantly subscribed. good work.
Great video! Let me add that in my opinion the plugin "trackspacer" does an even better job than the two you mentioned. Yes it's 60€, but its dynamic with sidechain obviously, you can high-/lowpass and you can select mid/side or L/R focus. Also you are able to set attack and release times, which is useful for some cases, however I did never use it, as it does such a great job on more or less default settings.
Thanks!! I use Trackspacer too haha another good one. Little more of a broad stroke than soothe though. I find it to be less subtle, and more obvious sounding…which in some cases is exactly what I want!!
The problemi with mid side approach is Mid has also Side infoes, let's think a stereo track panned all hard left and hard right, with no center, and sum It. You see that Mid in generale is differenti from Center....
I think it worth mention that you can also do that for free with lives stock plugins ( env follower & EQ8, even with M/S etc)...
😅
dynamic EQ is everything, using the mid/sides is a good tip. sometimes i’ll add a little high end to the sides on things like piano or arps that i want to stand out a little more
it gives it a shine, or a sparkle almost if you do it right. and subtlety
Soothe is not a dynamic EQ, but a dynamic resonance suppressor. Although I agree side chaining a dynamic EQ can be a tool when needed (shouldn't be a substitute for proper balancing and mixing), you won't get the same result from resonance suppression.
This might be the most accurate tutorial I've ever seen. Thank you so much for the effort you put into tutorials like this.
Happy you enjoyed it. Really appreciate you watching and dropping the comment!
Finally understand what dynamic eqs do. Thank you, Zach.
You just got anew subscriber!! These 6 minutes were worth more than a whole year of my mixing classes!! 🔥 🔥 GOAT!
Happy it could help!! 👊♥️
Trackspacer or Smooth Operator are cheaper alternatives to soothe, though Smooth Operator has no mid/side, Trackspacer does.
i havent watched the whole video, but the whole part about ''fixing a dynamic problem - with a static solution'' that is legit the best thing i heard in a while!
it will definitely change my way of thinking!
great video! thank you so much for this, excited to see how my mixes improve
You've explained the subject matter very well (both what the real problem is and how to fix it). 👍
Amazing and I’d totally use soothe 2 for that if it wasnt’ such a processor hog (rightfully so though) my 2019 MacBook Pro can’t handle more than like 2-3 instances 😂. Wish i could run soothe 2 in side chain on nearly every track though that plugin is freaking magical! Another trick i do is side chaining compressing certain instruments out of the way as a ducker (say lead guitar when the vocal is present). In general though side chaining is freaking amazing and under utilized for solving issues. This is a very detailed version of it that you got going on and it’s smart. I may rework some of my side chains to dynamic EQs in my template. I’ve used it before for certain things but didn’t think to widen the scope to this.
I use EQ after the dolby audio mix. Some people forget this part. My master channel never clips, but my main volume will always clip and never distorts. And it clips alot. I check the bass and mids in my truck and make sure my doors aren't rattling. If they're rattling, chances are there's distortion. I use the Q701's to help me detect distortion. They're the quincy jones limited editions. If you don't got them, get them. If you learn them, you won't look back I promise.
Wow, thank you for this excellent production tip. This is really helpful and gives me a much needed different perspective and approach to mixing. I especially appreciate you pointing out some key points about the difference between when to use dynamic eq as opposed to just using eq to balance between competing sounds or instruments. And hell yeah, Soothe2 is a really good tool but I. just can't give up that $209. There are other work-arounds as you've pointed out and I am reminded of an old adage a friend would often quote from his mom ... "necessity is the mother of invention".
If you use fl studio, u can just create automation clips for your eq, so it`s dynamic
I see an issue with the Soothe approach (or any other type of plugin that does the same thing): Soothe is indeed a dynamic plugin, but it's not technically a dynamic EQ (the way it's shown in this video), because its purpose is to work on problematic resonances (as stated in their website). What that means is that problematic resonances on the vocals are not necessarily what's masking the vocals when the synth is playing. The vocals could have a problematic resonance at 2kHz, for example, and Sooth would see that as a frequency to reduce, so it reduces it on the synth. That doesn't mean it will carve space on the synth. If anything, it will actually accentuate that frequency that's problematic, because now the synth's 2kHz is carved out, giving more space for the 2kHz of the vocals to "shine through". Maybe 400Hz is still being present on the synth, but not triggered by the vocals, because it's probably not seen as "problematic resonance" by Sooth, and those 400Hz is what's masking the vocals. So Soothe and similar plugins are not the answer to this problem (not totally and not the way it's presented in this video, at least). Plugins like TDR Nova or TrackSpacer are more appropriate for the job (even though TDR Nova is way more limited, because it has just 4 bands it can target compared to TrackSpacer's 32 bands). Maybe Soothe and similar plugins can achieve some kind of balance, regardless, but it's not because they are dynamically creating a "frequency game" between the vocals and synth (or other instrument) that way it's shown in the video. Hope it's making sense...?
Another issue I see is the MID/SIDE approach. Yes, when things are being listened to in stereo, that makes sense. Why reducing the frequencies on the sides when the main instrument (in this case the vocals) only exist in the middle? The problem comes when we have the song collapse to mono (clubs, mono speakers like phones, etc). Whatever is on the sides is now in the middle as well, and since we didn't reduce the frequencies on the sides, we end up with the exact same problem. So I don't think this is a good technique. Also, our brains are only able to focus on an element at a time so when the vocals is the main focus, our brain is not paying attention to the synth and its frequencies. And if the ducking of the frequencies on the synth (or any other instrument) is so extreme that can be "heard", then I guess we can assume it's too much ducking. I don't think a balanced ducking will be that noticeable in a mix context.
This is just my opinion and in no way negates the quality of the tips in this video. Dynamic EQs are indeed very helpful. I just think it's important to truly understand if we are using them "properly" or if we are tricking our ears.
OMG, the overall quality of your video production is amazing!
I was blown away by this tutorial.
Great video. Wise choice to discuss the process and concept instead of demonstrating the outcome. Most people are listening on a phone and can't hear the difference in the comparison, so videos A-B videos are often pointless. This way instead lets us try for ourselves.
THX for "The Masker" tip. I recommended ppl with smaller budget the Trackspacer from Wavesfactory. Only thing missing in this (except M/S) is the Low- and Highpass. Should be no big deal with another eq in front.
So you’re saying that Trackspacer has a mid/side mixing ability?
@@benreiter7218 You can choose between stereo- or M/S-mode.
In M/S-mode, the Pan-knob behaves differently.
If you choose M/S, the pan knob attenuates the mid-band (by turning it to the left)
and it attenuates the side-bands (by turning it to the right).
Ideal for kick and bass seperation (without compressor-pumping) or bringing vocals more out.
I cant believe you delivered so much, so well, in so little time, without feeling rushed at all. Genius content producing
In Live you can also build a dynamic EQ (incl. mid side) by yourself, using Lives envelope follower.
There is another Soothe clone available as free M4L device, called Boba. Works pretty well, even if in the higher frequencies Soothe 2 is better.
Very useful reply, thank you!
Love the clarity of your videos... and length is just perfect for my short attention span ADHD brain. BIG THANKS...keep'em coming ⭐
Thank YOU! Appreciate you watching and dropping the line to me! 👊♥️
As a struggling bedroom musician I am total crap when it comes to mixing in particular I think. I enjoyed this video and like that you also provided a free resource as an option to the expensive plugin. I'll be checking this out and I subscribed to your channel and look forward to learning more. Thank you!
Thanks for pointing out the difference between static and dynamic issues. This was a concept I kind of understood subconsciously, so it's good to have words for that concept. I will check out The Masker!
Superb information! But I am wondering if this is really required, as mixes in the 70s and maybe 80s probably didn’t use it and still sound very appealing. My best guess is they often sacrificed transparency and dynamics to make space, balanced out via volume and then let the bus compressor and limiter figure out the rest. But actually I don’t know.
Great info in this! Thanks for sharing!
This is a life-changing video!! Thank you sir!
Thank you, one of those rare times when an instructive video on TH-cam is actually helpful
Use trackspacer. Never look back!
Very easy to use
Transparent
Has top & bottom frequency to only affect the area that matters
Has attack and release
Has mid side balance.
Blend in with the main knob.
An adjustment takes about 30 seconds and just WORKS.
Wow. This changed my perception on mixing a lot! Subscribed, thank you so much for great content
I recently learned that side chaining exists and how to use it. It's a godsend for a solo, and especially for vocals. Thank you for making a video about it so we all can know about it and have better and easier mixing.
oh my god i did not know pro-Q lets you do the mono/side thing but that is a life changer. i have always had to do a bunch of annoying splits and routing to get the same thing. unbelievable how much time that will save lmao
3:10 Trackspacer is a great plug in that does something like this that is not so expensive and fun to use.
You can do Dynamic EQ within Ableton with an Envelope Follower easy...
yes, that is huge man. I was doing that manually the hard way, but the fact that sooth has it built in makes it unique and worth the money imo, at least if you can catch a sale.
After many years of mixing, I've already learned this. However, this is the first time since my many years of mixing that I've seen a video explaining this so well. Big ups to you!
You would think we would want to use this all the time then. But that's not the case. Thousands and thousands of mixes have been done without the power of digital dynamic EQ. Knowing WHEN to use it, that's the key. And i'm not sure i've got that figured out.
I try to think of the sound as energy: those parts u want it at a consistent level, reach for dynamic eq. Or when u want it to bounce around as dif sounds are triggered, then reach for static eq.
You’ll want to achieve both methods at dif parts of the song, and likely depending on the genre too.
5:45 Could you please explain how to make it work with the Masker and other plugins? If the paid plugin is out of our budget
Well, fabfilter Q3 does the same thing and even more. If you use it on every track, you got an analize option where all the conflicts are which makes it easy to detect. Even the C3 you can use for this as it also has a frequency option. All with sidechain of course.
Pro-Q is def another option and tool! Although it doesn’t move as the frequencies move like soothe. All the different dynamic eqs have their strengths!
@@TheCosmicAcademy Yeah indeed, so many plugins and option nowadays. Remembering the days we only had an Akai S3200 sampler with an 8 track mixer making huge hits in about 3 days. Your ears were the only thing you could rely on,..in fact, it still does, lol ;-)
Solid and super useful tips, hard to see something like this that's not clickbait and useless these days. Thank you.
Happy you enjoyed this!! 👊 appreciate you watching and dropping me the line!
Dope lesson Sir. I truly never looked at the stereo field in that way.
Thanks for sharing your wisdom!
Thanks so much. I bought soothe2 a while ago and have just been using it on vocals. Your explanation has made me understand that i can use it on everything i need, mono and side and only where it needs it. Really interesting cheers
Man. I've been making music for years. My mind is blown away right now. This is pure gold.
The fact youve got the evil villain look nailed down paired with the fact that (until this comment) you had 666 comments just makes this perfect
Fantastic quality and approach.Your delivery is on point sir. Thank you
Seems like I literally just need Soothe 2 and a Shure SM57 mic, and I'll be in thr big leagues
Nice one bro! Sidechaining the subdominant sound using the pro-c is also a great help
👊♥️
You sir, are a God. This is exactly what I've trying to figure out and so well put. I didn't search for it, was looking at something else and this link appeared on the side. So glad I clicked the link. Subscribing now.
I have no words lmao, i've spent countless hours hitting my head against the wall with all these different ways to do stuff, and this comes in and saves it all. Thank you!
this video fuckin rocks. I've been producing for years and I've recognised this issue, but never really considered the solution. Encouraging me to think outside the box, thank you!