| Slapping a whole load of sounds on top of each other | | | | it in your favourite sampler - voila! |
| usually results in a muddy incoherent mess so what | | | | 3) Synths: First off is good sound choice, choose your |
| are the secrets of creating a rich, full sounding, thick | | | | lead sounds carefully, a nice rich warm starting point |
| mix? We'll explore a few of the tips and tricks that | | | | will really help out as with all your layers. Once you've |
| you can use to clean up that mix. | | | | tweaked your first sound try adding another copy of |
| 1) Kick Drums: choose your sounds carefully, layering | | | | the same sound in a higher octave - this may really |
| several kick drums with the qualities that you like can | | | | help to thicken your sound. To achieve a different |
| result in a thunderous speaker flapping kick, so flick | | | | flavour try adding a third layer with different properties |
| through you sample collection and choose some | | | | to the first, say one with a rougher edge. Pro's routinely |
| favourites. Load them up into your sampler of choice - | | | | use 4 layers for my lead sounds, often in different |
| NI Battery is especially good for this since it gives you | | | | octaves to add depth to the synth mix. Experiment |
| easy access to individual controls for each drum hit. | | | | with panning here too - while this is outside the scope |
| Now comes the fun part: try tuning each kick | | | | of this tutorial it can really help separate sounds. |
| separately as well as filtering (high pass filters work | | | | Next separate your lead sound from your bass - this |
| great for cutting unwanted low frequencies from kicks) | | | | involves a hefty low cut or high pass filter. Start to cut |
| and balancing the volumes of each. You may want to | | | | around 200 Hz and adjust until your bass cuts through, |
| shorten some of the samples down so you only get | | | | but your lead sound isn't too thin and weedy. Camel |
| the portion of the sound that you like too. Compression | | | | Phat is a great tool for this, and of course gives you |
| with a high attack and fast release may also help to | | | | many additional control over your layered lead such as |
| give your layered kick extra 'smack'. Layering a closed | | | | distortion and a secondary filter. I'd recommend sending |
| high-hat on top may also help you get some serious | | | | all your chosen lead sounds to an Aux or Bus channel |
| impact here. Once you've achieved the sound your | | | | and processing them together. You may find that a |
| after it makes sense to re-sample (render, bounce or | | | | light dose of overdrive or even very very light bit |
| what ever your DAW software calls it) your kick | | | | crusher can help tighten up and bring out your sound. A |
| layers down to a single drum hit so you're only dealing | | | | limiter may also help the overall level of sound of your |
| with one sound, then re-import them into a single | | | | synth mix from spilling over. |
| sampler instrument. | | | | So some final points to bare in mind: |
| 2) Bass: This can be tricky, since low frequency | | | | 1) Be brutal - if it doesn't work dump it - even if it took |
| sounds have a nasty habit of clashing creating phasing | | | | you 2 hours. Start again! Experiment! |
| effects, while this can be pleasing in some cases | | | | 2) Use different sound sources - try sounds and |
| many dance genres require a constant driving bass | | | | samples from different synths, every synth has its |
| sound. | | | | own strengths and weaknesses and combining them |
| Start off with a low frequency bass that you like the | | | | can make a mighty combination. For example for lead |
| sound of, something warm and fat. Then try adding a | | | | sounds the Access Virus can be warm, wide and rich, |
| higher mid-range layer to thicken it up - you may find | | | | while reFX Vanguard can sound wimpy in comparison. |
| that they phase, to cut this out try using a high pass or | | | | However the Vanguard's sparkling top end can add a |
| low cut filter on your mid frequency sound. Try | | | | layer which will make your complete layered lead |
| adjusting the oscillator settings of the synths your using | | | | sound cut through your mix. |
| - this may really help to gel them together. A Little | | | | 3) Try using overdrive plugins and multi-band distortion - |
| detune on the mid-range stab may help too. This really | | | | used lightly these effects can really help shape your |
| is a black art and even seasoned pro's can have | | | | mix. |
| difficulty getting it right so experiment! You can try | | | | 4) EQ - use your ears! If it sounds wrong then hit |
| using multi band distortion on some of your layers, this | | | | re-set on your plugin and be gentle! On lead sounds try |
| can really add some grit so your sound if it's needed. | | | | pulling out these frequencies: 700 Hz, 1-2 kHz, 10-12 |
| Another trick some producers use if they make a | | | | kHz, these may help to add warmth, presence and |
| bass sound that they like which phases is to sample it | | | | high-end sparkle respectively. |
| - just sample a long note of the layered sound and use | | | | |