My mixes sound too harsh...help!

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Subject: My mixes sound too harsh...help!

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Original Message 1/18 24-Jan-03 @ 09:05 AM - My mixes sound too harsh...help!

Jan

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My mixes always sound too harsh - My kicks never sound smooth like in other people's tracks. I compress them to give them thwack, but always too loud/harsh. Then there is a bass overload when a bass and kick come together. I compress everything, but how do I eq it to get it to gell and not sound so unpleasant?

many thanks,

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Message 2/18 24-Jan-03 @ 09:10 AM - RE: My mixes sound too harsh...help!

Maarten

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I have the same problem... this is why I use loads of distortion to hide it.

I dunno.. maybe it's your gain or other frequencies getting in the way?

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Message 3/18 24-Jan-03 @ 10:43 AM - RE: My mixes sound too harsh...help!

Dominic

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Try dialing in a 3db lo mid cut on both kick and bass, removing 260-360 hertz. Also compression helps loads.

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Message 4/18 24-Jan-03 @ 02:39 PM - RE: My mixes sound too harsh...help!

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unless the compression emphasizes the harshness

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Message 5/18 24-Jan-03 @ 03:07 PM - RE: My mixes sound too harsh...help!

milan

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Jan, can it be you are overdoing it? eqing and compressing everything for loudness and brightness? how does the mix sound with no compression or eq? have you tried making a mix just with fader volume and then slowly one by one removing unwanted frequencies, and adding just enough compression to remove any flabbyness? thing is, art of the mix consists of using the right sounds to start with, and then carefully tweaking things to blend better. removing instead of adding etc... take your time and take it easy, try not to hype things up too much just for the sake of doing it... good luck.

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Message 6/18 24-Jan-03 @ 03:28 PM - RE: My mixes sound too harsh...help!

BJT

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Try rolling of the hi end, try -3dB an octave.
Little known fact that a sound moved an octave higher is twice as loud. What program are you using for EQing? (just wondering about the filters, poor filter can make it sound harsh and digital).

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Message 7/18 24-Jan-03 @ 03:29 PM - RE: My mixes sound too harsh...help!

milan

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"sound moved an octave higher is twice as loud" say what? thats definitely a little known fact

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Message 8/18 24-Jan-03 @ 03:58 PM - RE: My mixes sound too harsh...help!

psylichon

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I think he means that human ears are more sensitive to higher frequencies, so it takes more power to make a low-frequency sound as loud as a high-frequency sound. I don't think it's 10 dB/octave though.

I'm willing to bet, Jan, that's you're simply mixing too loud. You get your drums rockin' but then you start adding other things and you keep nudging up faders until the fader creep has everything blasting, compressed, and lifeless.

Kill all your compressors, group all your faders and drop them all down 6 dB and work from there. It's ok if your main mix buss meters aren't hitting 0 dBfs... that's what a limiter is for! Digital headroom is really lame and is something you always have to keep in mind.

psy

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Message 9/18 24-Jan-03 @ 04:01 PM - RE: My mixes sound too harsh...help!

milan

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ah bollox. its louder if its in the mid range, but if you go past C5 or whatever its bound to get quieter as you move towards the other boundary of the hearing range. you're probably right about the clipping thing, that could very well be a part of his problem.

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Message 10/18 24-Jan-03 @ 04:37 PM - RE: My mixes sound too harsh...help!

psylichon

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yah, m, you're right. Fletcher-Munson curves and such.

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