Layering problem

[Notul88 Profile Website]

I'm having a problem layering bass, synths and breaks. I program a break that I like and then add compression and distortion, then I try and add a bassline or synth part and it all cracks up or falls apart. Can anyone tell me where I'm going wrong?

[rtificial Profile]

What software are you using? Is your CPU overloading when you have everyting running at one time?

[Notul88 Profile Website]

Thanks for the reply..

I use Fruity Loops 8, it seems to do it even when I only have fruity loops running, but I'm not 100% sure. Do you think my generous use of compressor could be to blame?

[producer_snafu Profile Website]

the problem could be that your frequencies are all over the place and not controlled.

your bassline is important make sure the mid frequencies are not clipping, mids need not to be soo high, just loud enough to get the idea.

it could be that your distorted break is too loud.

if youlevel you samples right you don't really have to worry about frequencies clashing, aslo you might wanna look into side chaining

i still have allot ot learn about eq myself but i am getting confident that i am getting to the point of content, just not a perfectionist.

[Notul88 Profile Website]

I think you might be right, I've never taken frequencies into account as I don't know anything about them.

Also, I do tend to use very loud breaks, when I compare them to a released track it sounds silly loud. I just find that power diminishes when volume is lowered.

What is side chaining?

[rtificial Profile]

Side chaining to put it quick and simple is using compression that is triggered by another sound. For example having some bass compression being triggerd by a vocal so that the bass lvl drops when a word/sound is spoken in a track. That way the vocal isn't all muffled and hidden. There are some tutorial videos on youtube for FL that show various ways and tricks to doing it. I think its rather troublesome doing it in FL from what I've seen and much easier doing it in Ableton. The rewards for learning it are: less muddy sound, cool effects and cleaner audio.

[Notul88 Profile Website]

Sounds good, thanks for the tip. I'll check it out.

[Foetus Profile]

I'm having a problem layering bass, synths and breaks. I program a break that I like and then add compression and distortion, then I try and add a bassline or synth part and it all cracks up or falls apart. Can anyone tell me where I'm going wrong?

Your biggest problem is that you have no idea what you're doing and are so incapable of teaching yourself or understanding the basics that you're resorting to asking other people that have no idea what they're doing for help. It's quite sad really. My advice: just give up. Seriously, it's obviously not for you and you'll never really get anything worthwhile out of it so save yourself a lot of time and quit now. You'll thank me in the long run.

[kvkvg Profile]

Your biggest problem is that you have no idea what you're doing and are so incapable of teaching yourself or understanding the basics that you're resorting to asking other people that have no idea what they're doing for help. It's quite sad really. My advice: just give up. Seriously, it's obviously not for you and you'll never really get anything worthwhile out of it so save yourself a lot of time and quit now. You'll thank me in the long run.

WTF???

notul - while your mixing, try to keep everytihng as low as possible on your mixing desk. give yourself as much headroom as possible on all channels, including the master channel. compenstae by cranking your amp and speakers up. this really makes a diffrence for me. you will have far more room to play with sounds and things will balance out better. when your happy with your mix. export the whole thing to another audio file and then normalize the living bitch out of it.

[Notul88 Profile Website]

WTF???

notul - while your mixing, try to keep everytihng as low as possible on your mixing desk. give yourself as much headroom as possible on all channels, including the master channel. compenstae by cranking your amp and speakers up. this really makes a diffrence for me. you will have far more room to play with sounds and things will balance out better. when your happy with your mix. export the whole thing to another audio file and then normalize the living bitch out of it.

Cheers, I'll give that a go!

After reading the advice posted here and reading a previous post on the importance of frequencies my tracks are already sounding better, more more lower end etc.

Foetus is really funny, eh? Cool name too, very shocking!

[kvkvg Profile]

WTF???

notul - while your mixing, try to keep everytihng as low as possible on your mixing desk. give yourself as much headroom as possible on all channels, including the master channel. compenstae by cranking your amp and speakers up. this really makes a diffrence for me. you will have far more room to play with sounds and things will balance out better. when your happy with your mix. export the whole thing to another audio file and then normalize the living bitch out of it.

Cheers, I'll give that a go!

After reading the advice posted here and reading a previous post on the importance of frequencies my tracks are already sounding better, more more lower end etc.

Foetus is really funny, eh? Cool name too, very shocking!

lol, good luck.

[trebushet Profile]

I'm having a problem layering bass, synths and breaks. I program a break that I like and then add compression and distortion, then I try and add a bassline or synth part and it all cracks up or falls apart. Can anyone tell me where I'm going wrong?

Your biggest problem is that you have no idea what you're doing and are so incapable of teaching yourself or understanding the basics that you're resorting to asking other people that have no idea what they're doing for help. It's quite sad really. My advice: just give up. Seriously, it's obviously not for you and you'll never really get anything worthwhile out of it so save yourself a lot of time and quit now. You'll thank me in the long run.

kill yourself.
really.
You'll thank me in the long run.

[cuttingagent Profile]

Foetus is really funny, eh? Cool name too, very shocking!

i just hope he's not making tracks under that name, or j.g. thirwell will hafta come down here and show him what's up.

[Dr. Bastardo Profile]

From what you say I would suggest using less distortion. Distortion always munches head room i.e. volume and does not leave any frequency space for any other parts. You say your breaks sound louder than commercial releases. This is because the distortion is creating the effect of loudness by expanding the amount of frequency content in your break. If you have too much frequency in your breaks then there is no space in the over all mix for other parts. This is a particular problem in the low to low mid area. This is where most of the fundamentals of the percussion happen. If you distort this it means there is less space for bass parts. When you turn the bass up it then clips the whole signal as there is not enough head room for the combination of the bass and distorted break making the whole thing sound like shit. If you eq out some of the lo and low mid then you should have some more room for bass parts.