LuisSalgueiro
Joined: 06 Apr 2003
Posts: 1
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| kicks hum and stereo imaging |
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Hello.
I really don´t know what you mean about kick hum, but I can imagine that is some sound in the kick´s recording that you don´t like, isn´t it?? The eq. is the best way for you to cut this hum, there are some frequencies that when you cut in the kick, make some difference. This frequencies can be something about 200Hz until 600Hz. Try this, probably this hum could be in this region.
The compressor probably won´t help you.
About the stereo imaging - When you have a mixed sound is very difficult to change the stereo imaging. You´ve mixed all the instruments, they´re together now, is hard to change, unless you want to eq or compress the mix. In some cases the best to do is to remix the music.
Hope that helps..
I´m from Brazil. I think that my english is not so bad, probably you will understand.
LUIS SALGUEIRO |
Wed Apr 30, 2003 8:23 pm |
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SonicSi
Newbie
Joined: 05 May 2003
Posts: 9
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Hi there. Coupla things - first, the best bet of course is to get rid of the hum at source ( sounds like its too late for this. ) Its probably mains / ground looped hum, in which case it will appear at the frequency of your power supply ( 50 Hz in the UK ) and at multiple harmonics ( ie 100, 200 etc ) Otherwise it may be acoustic noise from source ( AC vents etc etc )
In either case, the best bet is to forget EQ and compression . Gating is where its at. Set a gate with a fast attack ( predictive if your running digital is even better ), fast release. set the range conservatively, around 20 db should do. More is pointless, as you're asking the VCA to go a LONG way in a short time span , and it wont track the kick.
The psycho acoustic masking principle, and the gate, should mean that hum is eliminated between kicks, and largely unnoticeable within them.
Far as stereo imaging goes, its a waste of time to pan a kick, and in most cases a bass. Again, basic psycho-acoustic theory tells us that the human ear wont accept the panning information accurately. Not only does the pan not work, it unbalances the mix, making mastering harder, and in all liklihood, reducing the RMS level you can achieve at the mastering stage.
Pan kicks and bass centrally, and gate em both for the hum. That should sort you out 90%. Otherwise, I'd say sample the best kick and retrigger it using one of several methods, depending on your system. If you have Logic and EXS24, it couldnt be easier. Heres the method, you could adapt it as you need to..
1) edit out the cleanest kick you have.
2) load that as a wav into EXS
3) run audio to midi convert on the recorded track in logic.
4) set the resulting midi part to play back the kick from EXS
Viola!
Note that logic WILL generate midi velocities based on the amplitude of each kick. Set the EXS ENV and AMP appropriately, and the dynamics will translate as well as the timing.
One other method, though life is probably too short for this..... sample the hum. loop it. reverse phase it. Bear in mind its a sine wave with a frequency of 50Hz, probably. run it parallel the drums. Add or take away part delay until it phases the hum out from your track. This wont work as well....... but if it does, you'll be smiling like the cat that got the cream..... |
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Mon May 05, 2003 5:35 pm |
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AUdIoCoUrSeS
Joined: 31 Oct 2002
Posts: 2014
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| Think Wide |
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HI.
SonicSi mentions some really good "first-hand" experienced knowledge there. Only area I disagree with, out of taste, or perhaps also a genuine production technique, is the kick panning and bass panning.
Stereo truely is a wonderful thing and though it can be over cooked, don't feel you have to get the bass "in the middle".
One really interesting example of this would be William Orbit's treatment of Track 2 of Madonna's "Ray Of Light". If you check this out you will hear two different kick sounds in left and right respectively. In fact Orbit often leaves space in the middle (removing bass) for vocal clarity.
Of course, George Martin took this hard panning to extremes, but I like this. We can get all a bit "traditional" in not carfeful.
One to think about.
Cheers
Chrish
P.S. The triggering of samples from a converted audio file is an excellent technique as SonicSi states. Works well! |
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Mon May 05, 2003 6:36 pm |
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SonicSi
Newbie
Joined: 05 May 2003
Posts: 9
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Good point Chris. Of course, if there are two kicks, the panning works better  Albums like the Madonna record you mention ( which I have and love to bits ) are mainly mixed for home / radio listening ( as much as its a dance oriented record, of course ). As a dance specialist, I must admit I do pan kick and bass to the middle almost automatically..... the reason is simple.... on a home stereo system, unusual panning creates interest etc, but in a club its a nightmare, mainly because with anything up to 50-60 feet of separation between speakers, the mix sounds completely different on each side. Mix a kick hard one side, and your record will sound limp to 50% of the people who hear it in a club context. I'd still insist that having kicks panned hard will make the mastering engineers job harder, but then , given the money he's earning, so what ?  |
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Tue May 06, 2003 12:11 pm |
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LilBuddy
Engineer
Joined: 17 Nov 2006
Posts: 49
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so when you say pan the kicks centrally...or to the middle...u mean don't pan them at all??? or am i missing the concept here?
yep yep |
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Wed Dec 27, 2006 2:59 am |
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wailingalleycat
Forum Manager
Joined: 07 Oct 2003
Posts: 694
Location: Jersey C.I (UK) |
| Pan Central |
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Thats right, they mean have equal amounts of the kick going to each speaker. so yes effectively no pan at all.
_________________
If In Doubt...Hit It With a Hammer, If Still In Doubt... Find a Bigger Hammer. |
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Wed Dec 27, 2006 3:09 am |
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