• Creating an ew or alternative mix/version of a preexisting track (also say thats what a bootleg is)

• Bootleg - an unofficial recording of a song or performance that is sold or distributed without the consent of the original artist or copyright owner

• Difference is a remix is official and a bootleg is unofficial

• Originally all bootleg version had stereo and/or accapellas and instrumentals

• Djs love edits - kinda like a bootleg (Don't have stems)

• Edit - Editing/rearranging tracks

• History - Dub coming from reggae (Producers taking songs and getting creative with mixing desk/effects)

• Watch Dub Echoes documentary

• Dub techniques developed for remixing

Benefits of a remix doing well

• Gaining fame/putting artists/songs out there

• Beneficial for income and business

• Relevance/new audience

In this lesson we are learning about

• Exploring sampling and sampling techniques

• developing an insight and understanding into what music sampling is and it's origins

• Take an insight into sampling techniques that you can implement into your creative process

History of sampling

• Audio sampling is a technique born in the 1940s with musique concrete, revolutionised music by enabling artists to reuse recorded sounds in new compositions

• Popularised in hip-hop & electronic music

• Used to have to use phase cancelation to get isloation instruments/vocals in tracks

• Moises - app for stem splitting

• Waveforms are the starting point of synthesis - and of all sound

• In a synthesiser an oscillator creates a repeated signal of a waveform - this waveform is what gets alter through synthesis

• There are different kinds of waveforms in different shapes that create different sounds

Sound Basics (Robehmed, 2019)

• The frequency of a sound wave releases to the pitch of the sound we hear

• Waveform oscillations can move at different speeds, or frequencies - The faster they move, the higher frequency they have the higher the frequency, the higher pitched the resultant sound is to our ears

Sine Wave

• A sine wave sounds like it look, smooth & clean

• Its the most basic sound wave

• Only made up of one thing - known as the fundamental

• Every other waveform can be created by adding up a series of sine waves

• Good for a smooth sub bass sound - deep tone

Square Wave

• Square wave is not fundamental like the sine wave

• A square wave sound richer & buzzier

• The square wave contains harmonics

• Harmonic - a partial tone

• In a square wave these harmonics occur in whole odd-number multiples of the fundamental frequency

• the harmonics combined with the fundamental give the wave a square shape

• Good to make aggressive, crunchy kick drum sound

Triangle Wave

• A triangle wave contains the same odd harmonics as the square wave

• Unlike square waves the triangle tapers off as they get further away from the fundamental - giving it it's triangle shape

• The triangle sound somewhere between a square & sine wave

• Not as buzzy as a square or as smooth as a sine

• It sounds clearer slight brighter then a sine wave

• Similar to a recorder or breathy recorder

• Good to make lead melody lines

Sawtooth Wave

• Also called a saw wave

• Much more jagged then the other wave forms

• It is the buzziest sounding of all the wave

• It's the richest in terms of harmonics

• This can be a great choice when you're working with subtractive synthesis

• subtractive synthesis - when you construct a sound by filtering out frequencies rather then adding them on

• Good to create detuned, phasing sounds

A Snapshot Of Synthesis

• The process of creating sounds using synthesisers is call synthesis

• This is done through a process of creating sound waves through electronic signals

• Many softwares synths can replicate real sounding instruments

Additive

• Additive synthesis combines the use of multiple wave forms added together to create unique sound frequencies

• Adding two or more waveforms together can result in complex tones and harmonies

Subtractive

• Subtractive synthesis works in the opposite way

• Subtractive subtracts harmonics from the original wave form

FM

• FM = Frequency modulation

• FM is the process of changing the tone of a simple wave form (Square, triangle, sawtooth) by modulating it's frequency

• This process results in a more harsh, dark & gritty sound

Granular

• Granular synthesis is based on the same idea as sampling

• Uses the microsound time scale, the sound samples are split up into usually between 1 to 50 milliseconds called grains

• Many different sounds can be extracted from these grains using multiple different parameters

Wavetable

• Used mostly to create realistic, natural sounds

• Wavetable synthesis consists of isolating one loop of a wave and the synth then stores a digital representation of that sound in a table

Robehmed, N. (2019). Sine, Square, Triangle, Saw : Synth Waveforms - Perfect Circuit. [online] www.perfectcircuit.com. Available at: https://www.perfectcircuit.com/signal/difference-between-waveforms [Accessed 23 Jan. 2025].

yogasleep.com. (2021). Pink Noise vs. White Noise: What’s the Difference? | Yogasleep. [online] Available at: https://yogasleep.com/blogs/give-sleep-a-chance-blog/pink-noise-vs-white-noise [Accessed 7 Feb. 2025].

Listening Exercise - My Bloody Valentine - Soon

• Keep in mind - EQ & Compression, Saturation & Distortion, Reverb & Delay, Modulation Effects, Instrumentation, Performance

• Distortion - Crackle in the intro & on electric guitar (Heavy) - delay/reverb

• Electronic Guitar

• Breathy vocals - Hi Pass on reverb - back in the mix

• Dry Drums - Compression - robotic/sample

• Petnnins/whammy Bar - Pitch bending

• Vocals feel like an instrument

• Dense Saturation - Dludgy

• 
  

Dub Version - The Roots Of The Remix

• Most musicologists would agree that the roots of the modern remix lie in Jamaica's Dub Reggae

• Late 1960s/ early 70s, Jamaican record labels such as studio 1 & Treasure Isle, began to release 7" singles of vocal tracks with instrumental 'dub' versions on the B-side

• This was mainly a tool for DJs - would improvise lyrics over the instrumental versions

• This became popular & studio engineers could creatively play with the instrumentals versions - adding elements of the vocals w/ extra reverb & delay - cutting different elements in/out of the mix, using the mixing desk in way that it never had before

• Pioneering Dub producers such as king tubby, Lee 'Scratch' Perry & Scientist took the art further - making Dub versions of tracks that became more popular then the originals

• The influence of Dub Reggae can been seen across many contemporary genre (From hip Hop - Dubstep) & helped inspired producers to experiment with remixing popular tracks

• Tape delay - spring reverb (good for dub mixes)

In this lecture we are developing;

• An understanding of programming Midi 

• An ear and understanding of how we can make midi organic 

• An understanding of how to print VST instruments into organic stems and groups. 

• Velocity refers to the speed at which a drum head is hit, a string is plucked or key is struck, etc

• The higher the velocity you use to perform one of these actions, the bolder the resulting sound will be - not louder but change the character

  
  

MIDI

• Range - 1 to 128

• Techniques - Quantise, edit velocities, play in with keyboard

• Whys it useful - Allows for precise control & sync of instruments & software

• Time management

• Keyboard skills

• Music Theory

• Confidence

• Mix/Mastering

SWOT Analysis

Strengths:

• Planning

• Creative Effects

• Songwriting

Weaknesses:

• Mixing/Mastering

• Creativity In Production

• Live Production/Recording

Opportunities:

• University

• Shadowing a Recording Session

Threats:

• Confidence

• My Knowledge - Music Theory

• Being Able To Play An Instrument

Development areas

• Techniques - Keys/omnichord playing

• Production - Corrective Effects

• Songwriting - Collecting my random ideas and turning them into songs/collections

• Live Performance & Presentation - Showcasing/sharing my work

In this week we are exploring the history of synthesisers in popular music - looking at classic vintage synths & how their made. the differences between mono & poly synths & whether you can really tell the difference between analog & digital.

Pre 1960s

• The term 'synthesiser' in relation to musical instruments was first coined in the mid 1950s by RCA for their Electronic Synthesizer Mark I

• Before instruments such as the Theremin & Ondes Martenot pioneered the use of electronics in sound creation

1960s

• The 1960s brought in the era of modular synths

• They were huge & could fill an entire room

• Made of individual control modules for each element of sound

• This became the precursor to the modern popularity of Eurotrack synths

• The grandfathers of this modular were Moog & ARP

1970

• Increased popularity of the synthesiser made finding a cheaper & more portable version a necessity

• Moog - Classic Minimoog - which provided a small, compact version of their modular synth

• With the success of Minimoog other companies starting making smaller, more affordable synths

1980s

• 80s is often considers the decade of the synthesiser

• At the start of the decade polyphony was still on the increase

• The Oberheim OB-X & Roland Jupiter 8 were considered classic analog poly synths of the early/mid 80s

• The introduction of the digital microchip completely changed the sound & affordability of synthesisers

• The Yamaha DX-7 - wavetable synthesis techniques - take over popular music in the late 80s

90s & Beyond

• the effects of the 80s bleeds into the growing Dance music of the 90s

• Genres such as Techno, Acid, House & Jungle found new ways to translate synthesis to the dance floor

• Synths such as Access Virus, Roland Alpha Juno - famous 'hoover' sound & Roland TB-303 became the go to sounds of the decade

• As music became more computer based i the 2000s software synthesisers started to become available

Mono Vs Poly

• The difference between the two is the number of notes that can be played simultaneously

• Monophonic (Meaning one sound) synths can only play one note at a time

• if you try and play more than one note at a time the note you just played get overides the previous note

• Makes it impossible to play chords but does lead to melodic passages & bass lines

• Example of how well mono synths work within a track = Chameleon - Herbie Hancock

• Polyphonic synths introduce the ability to play more than one note at a time & is directly linked to the number of oscillators

• This made playing chords & separate left/right parts on synths possible

• Example track that features a monophonic Minimoog bass line along with polyphonic chords throughout = Billie Jean - Micheal Jackson

• Consider using both monophonic and polyphonic with limited polyphony to recreate those classic synth sounds

• When using a mono synth try adding some glide in between notes so that slide between each other

• This works especially well on slower bass lines and guitar-like lead patches

• Polyphonic synths try detuning each of the oscillators slightly for each note to give it that big 80’s chorused synth sound

How Synthesis Changed The Musical Landscape

• The adoption of synthesisers i popular music completely changed the way the public heard music

• Very early synthesiser were considered the sound of the future - used in 50s/60s TV & Movies

• This changed throughout the 70s were synths were adopted by a variety of genres

• Example = Here Comes The sun - The Beatles - Important synth line

• Also in the late 60s/early 70s electronic pioneer Wendy Carlos released her seminal 'Switched On Bach'

• Keep in mind - EQ & Compression, Saturation & Distortion, Reverb & Delay, Modulation Effects, Instrumentation, Performance

• Percussion delay

• Airy vocals contrasting with music - Gated vocals

• Piano back in the mix - Dampened, saturated, distorted

• Frequency range is well spread

• Balanced Mix - Separation

• Good dynamics

• Poetry-esce performance

• Drums treated

• Wonky rhythm

• 'pop-y' chorus

• Mulitsampling

• In this lesson we are experimenting with Samplers

• We started off being taught in Logic before I moved over to the DAW i'm mroe proficient in, Ableton

For this week we are looking into the purpose of remixing within contemporary music industry;

• To get a track heard by different audience

• To allow up-and-coming producers to demonstrate their skills

• For an established producer to remix an emerging artist

  
  

Reasons why producers might make bootleg remixes

• Remixing a popular song to help gain a following

• Using stems from another track as a starting point

• doing something creating to showcase skill/style

In this lesson we will develop

• An understanding of the importance of performance & pitch correction in production values

• An ear for production values

• An understanding of how to apply these correction techniques of your work

What is production standard?

• making music/track that sound as good as other music on streaming/radio

production standard in tracking

what is double tracking?

• recording technique that involves recording a part of a song twice (or more) to create a fuller, richer and more professional sound

• Tip: try panning double tracked harmonies hard left & hard right to create a rich, encompassing sound

• Consider what to change with each track; Amp, Pick-up, Tuning, Guitar, Voicing of part, Different mics or mic position

• Good to talk about tracking in padlet/writing

Performance Editing

• Editing can be used to make changes to audio files after they are recorded

• Generally comes between the recording - mixing stage

• This is to help clean/tighten the sound

Pitch Correction

• Real-time pitch correcting can be done with plugins like Auto-Tune or Waves Real-Time

• 
  

• Programmed drums

• Bright

• Vox slap delay - did tracked to metronome - contrasting to backing

• Arp synths

• Bass - Simple melodic

• Choir - sample

• Samples

• Backing vocals - vocoder

Difference between white & pink noise?

(yogasleep.com, 2021)

• In white noise the power is constant

• In pink noise as the numbers get bigger the difference in power becomes smaller so the higher-pitched sounds are softer

VCO - Voltage Controlled Oscilator

VCF - Voltage Controlled Filter

VCA - Voltage Controlled Amplifier

LFO - Low Frequency Oscillator

ADSR - Attack Decay Sustain Release

(Native Instruments Blog (2023)

Attack

• Attack controls how long a sound takes to ascend from Silence to peak volume

• This is the first part of the envelope to kick in

Decay

• Decay controls how quickly a sound dissipates after it's initial impact

• This comes after the attack

Sustain

• Sustain controls how loud a sound is when the key is held down

• Think Attack & decay are the opening moments & Release is the end - in between is Sustain

• Only parameter in an envelope that is stated in volume instead of time

Release

• Release controls how long a sound takes to fade to silence after the key is released

• The final stage of the envelope

• Long decays drift/fade while short delays end abruptly

• Ring Modulation - The sum difference of two frequencies

What should you consider when writing a remix commission?

1. Why are you commissioning that particular producer?

2. What genre of music do we want?

3. How much of the original song/structure do you want to remain intact within the remix?

4. What intellectual property rights splits are you offering a remix artist?

5. Provide basic information about the song, such as the original key, chord progression, tempo & meaning behind the song

6. Provide high-quality well labelled stems

In this lesson we will develop:

• An understanding of oscillation

• Understand the process of synthesis

• Be able to navigate a software or VST synthesiser

Sound fundamentals

• The frequency of a sound wave relates to the pitch of the sound we hear

• Waveform oscillations can move at different speeds or frequencies

• The faster they move the higher frequency

• High frequency results in a higher pitched sound to our ears

Type of synthesis

Additive

• Additive synthesis combines the use of multiple waveforms added together to create unique sound frequencies

• Adds two or more waveforms together - complex tones & harmonies

Subtractive

• Subtractive synthesis works opposite to additive

• It subtracts harmonics from the original waveform

FM

• FM stands for frequency modulation

• It is the process of changing the tone of a simple waveform (Sine, Triangle, Sawtooth) by modulating it's frequency with a modulator frequency

• This results in a more harsh, dark & gritty sound

Granular

• Granular synthesis is based on the same idea as sampling

• It uses the microsound time scale - the sound samples are split up usually between 1-50 milliseconds called grains

• They are then added together to make an audio file

• This can make many different sound using multiple different parameters

• Usually sounds quite raw

• You can blend a number of grains together to create interesting sounds

Wavetable

• Used mostly to create realistic, natural sounds

• Wavetable synthesis consist of isolating one loop of a wave & the synth then stores a digital representation of that sound in a table

Modulation, Filters, LFO's & Envelopes

• Modulation is a key concept that involves dynamic alteration of sound parameters over time

• Modulation can take various forms such as amplitude modulation (AM) & frequency modulation (FM)

• Filters play a crucial role in shaping the frequency content of a sound

• Acting like sculptors, filters allow musicians to selectively emphasise a specific frequency ranges - enabling the creating of bright, mellow or resonate tones

• Very important in crafting the overall character & texture of the sound

What can we apply from the 1950's in our own recordings?

• Try and get our records right in the first take

• Play songs all the way through

• Commit to any EQ choice before recording

• The 1960s came with major technological advances - multitrack recording

• This gave artist more sonic & creative freedom to layer parts which led to expansive production

• From 2 tracks to 8 tracks

What can we apply from the 1960s in our own recordings?

• Like the 50's getting it right first take was still key

• Don't rely on unlimited track sound - make sonic choices & bounce down

• Think about creative panning choices & practical effects such as reverse tape & reverb to create a larger depth in your recordings

• Both the 70s & 80s saw massive leaps in digital tech & electronic music influence

• 70s launches a multitude of socially led music genres: Punk, Disco & Funk, Mainstream Rock & AOR, Glam, New Wave, Prog, Hard Rock, Reggae, Ska

• 70s built upon the growing technological advances of the 60s: Multi-Channel Mixers W/ Fader Automation & Recall, Synths across many genres, Drum Machines, Automatic Double-Tracking, Track count explodes. (24, later 48), Accessible Effects, Vocoders, Fat Compression

• Common themes in 70s production: Lush vocals & harmonies, Creative baselines at the front of production, Dry drums (dry everything), Big production - full effects w/ string arrangements & multiple overdubs, stereo sound

• Top tips for 70s production: Keep it dry (Don't use too much revere or if you do have a short decay time), Use headphones to check mixes, double track, layer vocals guitar & drums parts for bigger sound, Keep EQ choices simple & natural, experiment w/ chaining 2 compressors together

• The 80s were personified by its use of technology within music

• Staple 80s Sounds: Synthesisers, Drums Machines, Rack Gear, Digital Equipment, Gated Drum Sounds, Classic Lexicon, Artificial Reverb

• The chorus effect was an 80’s guitarists best friend

• Drum machines also became popular & led the way with 808 and 909 drum machines

• One of the accidental but long-lasting sonic signatures from the 1980’s was the gated drum sound made famous by Phil Collins with “In The Air Tonight”.

• Gated reverb on drums

• Guitar solo - clean sound

• Main vocal - close/upfront

• Linn Drums

• Panning harmonies

• Sidechaining guitar to hats

• No chorus - just hook line

• No bass - almost never released

FM synthesis

• typically FM synthesisers don't incorporate a filter can generate subtractive synthesiser style

• Good but difficult to achieve with actual subtractive synthesis

• uses a modulator oscillator and originally a sine wave carrier

• the modulator oscillator modulates the frequency of the waveform

The importance of music theory for remixers

• Music theory - the foundation upon which music is built

• Identify key signatures

• Understand chord progression

• Create melodies

• Diatonic Harmony - a foundational concept in Western music theory involving the use of chords derived from a single major or minor scale

• Diatonic chord are considered consonant & harmonious because they fit naturally within the tonal centre of the scale

Basic Terms

• Major Scale - A seven-note scale with a happy or upbeat sound

• Minor Scale - A seven-note scale with a sad or melancholic sound

• Chord - A group of notes play simultaneously

• Triad - The most common type of chord consisting of three notes

• Diatonic Chord - A chord that contains notes from the diatonic scale

Pattern for constructing a major & minor scale

• Major Scale - tone, tone, semitone, tone, tone, tone, semitone

• Minor Scale - tone, semitone, tone, tone, semitone, tone, tone

• Tone - Represents two semitones

• Semitone - Represents one semitone

Useful resource when trying to figure out chords/scales - https://piano-music-theory.com/2016/06/15/major-scale-diatonic-chords/Links

Semitone formulas for major/minor chords

• Major Chord - Root + 4 Semitones + 3 Semitone

• Minor Chord - Root + 3 Semitones + 4 Semitones

Relative Minor

• A relative minor is a minor key with the same key signature as a given major key - the minor key is three notes lower than the major key

• To find the relative minor of a major key:

1. Identify the major key

2. Start on the sixth note of the major scale

3. Build a minor scale from that note

• Example: Major key - C major, Sixth note - A, Relative minor - A minor

Music production due 14th

Both plus two weeks for extension

MP should use research on artist you like/are inspired by & techniques

Primary research is first hand research you got yourself

secondary research is information through other researchers

must cite any actual source

qualitative

• information that can't be expressed as a number

Quantitive

• data that can be expressed as a numbered

  
  

  
  

  
  

  Citing – acknowledging a source within the text of your work from which you have taken ideas or information
  

  Bibliography or References – a list of sources you have consulted in carrying out your research

Secondary source example -

• The process of creating sounds using synthesisers is called synthesis

• This is done by creating sound waves through electronic signals that are converting into soul

(See video on canvas - The Art Of Remix - Week Seven for how to do these techniques in Ableton)

• Time stretching - Taking a piece of audio and stretching or shortening it to fit within a different tempo without changing the pitch of the original audio file

• Pitch Shifting - Changing the pitch of an original piece of audio by speeding up or slowing down the audio in a sampler and processing the pitch without changing the speed

• Micro Slicing - editing a vocal into very short transient slices that can be rearranged in a percussive way

• Micro Slicing combined with re-pitching, is particularly popular in many styles of house and garage but it can be used as an interesting element in any genre

• Pitch Correction (Autotune): Software forces a piece of audio into perfect pitch, creating a very specific sonic result

• This can be used subtly to improve the pitch of a vocal recording, for example, or more extremely to create a robotised electronic-sounding vocal that is particularly popular in certain genres, such as Trap and Afro Beats

• Vocoder: This is a type of synthesiser you can run audio through to affect the pitch and tonality of the audio

• Famously used to create an electro-robotised vocal sound, it can be an interesting way to manipulate a vocal track to create a different sound for a remix

  
  

In this lesson we will

• Have an understanding of the core fundamentals of corrective & creative EQ

• Understand wha Mid/Side EQ is & how we can use it in our mixing process

• Develop an insight into a variety of techniques that can be used to control the bottom end of your mix

Approaching EQ

• EQ allows us to just turn up or turn down individual frequencies and individual elements of that sound

• Every instrument has a fundamental note & overtones

• They give an instrument its tone or its character - its timbre

• By cutting or boosting frequencies you can change the timbre or tone

• You can't completely change the sound of an instrument

Mid Side EQ

• A mix that is perceivably fuller and wider will sound “better” to the listener

• A wide sounding mix can be achieved through a variety of panning and stereo imaging techniques

• Mid/Side processing is a highly effective way of making adjustments to the specialisation of a mix or master

The Theory

• The Mid channel is the centre of a stereo image

• When the Mid channel is boosted, the listener perceives a more centred (mono) sound to the audio

• The Side channel is the edges of a stereo image

• When the Side channel is boosted, the listener perceives a more spacious

• An audio tool (such as an EQ) that supports M/S processing creates two separate processes, one for the Mid channel and one for the Side channel

  
  

What do you need to prioritise?

• Putting my remix in time and working on the instrumental

• Starting of my You Strat written work

• Start Omnichord recording

Motivation

• Treats - food, items, etc

• Satisfaction of accomplishments

• Fear of failure

• Money

• Validation

Maslows hierarchy

• Actualisation

• Esteem

• Love & Belonging

• Safety Needs

• Physiological Needs

Why?

• I feel like I need a purpose in life

• I'm hoping to get a job I'm passionate about/enjoy

• I purely run off of being rewarded

How?

• Work on communication skills

What?

• Treats

• Validation

• Boredom

Procrastination Quiz

Warrior - 23

Pleaser - 5

Rebel - 22

Perfectionist - 15

• The biggest obstacle in the way of musicians currently when trying to play together remotely is latency

• Latency - Latency is the time it takes for data to pass from one point on a network to another

• When we record on our DAW, the latency between us playing a note and hearing it is dependent on our sound interfaces and the specifications of our computers

• What can help? - high speed internet with quicker downloads speeds

  
  

SAW Tips For Distance

• Screenshot Your Plugins - This makes the plugins your using sound the same on both sides

• Use Midi To Your Advantage - Include a midi conversion of any melodic or rhythm tracks as well as the audio (you never have enough information)

• Stems Are Key - Bounce stems for each track and make sure they are the full length of the song

• Listen Together - Make sure you listen to the progress of the track & highlight potential problems

In this lesson we are recapping the things we've learnt over the previous weeks

Main elements of a remix:

1. Rhythm: This element helps define the genre and serves as the engine of the remix. The choice of drums, loops, or samples will vary depending on the genre you're working on.

2. Vocal: Incorporating vocals is another key element. This can involve using an acapella, manipulating the vocals, and sampling techniques.

3. Chords: Provide the harmonic structure. - Have been explored earlier in the lesson where chords were put to the acapella.

4. Bass: Supports the rhythm. - Adds depth and groove to the track.

5. Effects: These include spatial effects and what the remix refers to as "ear candy," adding depth and interest to the track.

In this lesson we will be developing:

• An understanding of the core fundamentals of reverb in a mix

• An approach to using reverb as a stereo widening technique

• An in-depth understanding of using multiple reverbs along with compression to create space in you mix

How Can We Take Our Music Live?

Preparing You Set:

• Setting up your DAW for live work - One of the great points of Ableton compared to other DAWs is it's ability to be used live

• Ableton enables us to use its session view to construct a setlist with all of the songs you would want to play with all the stems included

• In Ableton you can map the tempo to each track meaning each song should stay in time when triggered

• You can also add in tracks for live instruments like bass, guitar & vocals to have a hybrid performance of live & playback

• When finishing a remix it's essential to bring everything together

Main Lesson Objectives

1. Arrangement Inspiration

2. Automating Filters

3. Transition Enhancements

4. Rhythmic Ear Candy

Tips:

• Reference professional remixes for inspiration on arrangement, transitions, and effects.

• Don't be afraid to experiment with different techniques and sounds.

• Listen to your remix objectively and make adjustments as needed.

In this lesson we are looking at:

1. Mixing Stage Considerations

2. Mastering Techniques

3. DIY Mastering

Understanding Loudness

• When mastering for streaming platforms - it's essential to understand the concept of loudness

• Loudness is measured in decibels (dB)

• In audio mastering with also have Roots Mean Square (RMS) & Loudness Units Full Scale (LUFS)

• Industry Standards - Average loudness is around -8RMS or -10 LUFS

• However it's generally recommended to mater your music to at least -14 LUFS

• Genre Variations - Loudness can vary by genre (EDM & Hip-Hop tend to be louder than Classical & Acoustic)

• Streaming Platform Normalisation - Many streaming platforms normalise music to a certain level of loudness

Tips For Mastering Fo rStreaming

• Use LUFS meters - These meters provide a more accurate measurement of perceived loudness.

• Consider dynamic range - While loudness is important, don't sacrifice dynamic range. A track with a good dynamic range can be more engaging to listen to.

• Experiment with different mastering techniques - Many different mastering techniques can be used to achieve different sounds.

• Get feedback - Ask friends, family, or other musicians for feedback on your mastered track.

By the end of this week I plan to have a fleshed out draft of my case study for Your Strategy

Reflection:

• Explain how the tracks illustrate contrast range within the context of your chose styles

• What types of research have you carried out & included?

• What have you learnt from this research

• Summarise your contribution

• Examine the learning that's taken place during this module

• Put in a GIBS reflective learning cycle in Padlet

Make sure you proofread/listen to your tracks!

Don't submit work late as it will be capped

In this lesson we will develop:

• An understanding on what mastering is

• An idea of the types of mastering available to use & the pros & cons of each

• An understanding of how to approach a basic mastering process

What Is Mastering?

• Mastering is the final step in audio post-production

• the purpose is to balance the sonic elements of a stereo mix, optimising the playback across all systems and media formats

• Traditionally using EQ, Compression, Limiting & Stereo Enhancement

What Happened?

This project required me to produce two tracks, one being a remix. For my original track I created a reimagined version of Kill Her Freak Out by Samia using my Omnichord to add ambient texture to the track. For my remix I used two Belinda Carlisle track, I Get Weak & Heaven Is A Place On Earth, focuses on vocal manipulation.

Feelings

What Were You Thinking & Feeling?

At the start of this project I felt excited & motivated, especially at getting to incorporate my new instrument that I'm learning. However as the project progressed, especially with the remix,I started to feel overwhelmed. It didn't help when I encountered some technical issues and had my own medical issues. Ultimatly I do feel disappointed with my remix as I don't think it reflects my full potential or creativity.

Evaluation

What Was Good & Bad About The Experience?

I feel happy with my reimagined track & feel like it sounds how I imagined. I applied my technical knowledge that I already had & that I gain throughout this term to this project. On the other hand, I think my remix sounds rushed and unresolved, which is sad for me as I'm normally quite comfortable in remixing. But after struggling with the drums and already putting a lot of time into my Padlet on this certain track I felt trapped in what to do.

Analysis

What Sense Can You Make Of The Situation?

For me the difference between the two tracks highlights how important planning and emotional investment are to my music production. For my reimagined track I had a strong concept for what I wanted to do and felt motivated to complete my vision. Whole I did have an original idea for my remix, after time that spark died & as a result I felt more stressed and fatigued by the track.

Conclusion

What Else Could You Have Done?

While I worked to the projects requirements, I feel the contrast between the projects is stark & has taught me the importance of engagement & planning. Throughout this process I've learned a lot about my own creative process & how I respond to stress. Despite my disappointment with the remix I'm still happy I finished this project.

Action Plan

If It Arose Again What Would You Do?

In my next project if this problems arise again I will:

• Select work/material I'm interested in/have strong ideas for

• Breakdown a more manageable timeline with specific goals

• Document my process more clearer and consistently to reduce the stress of having to catch up later in the module

• Seek more feedback from peer or tutors to have some support and ideas

In this lesson we will develop:

• An in-depth understanding of how to use compression creatively in our mixes

• An understanding of how compression can consolidate our mixes and make them hit harder

What Is Parallel Compression?

• Parallel compression is a powerful tool for shaping your dynamics

• Heavy compression results in unnatural dynamics & can lack punch that becomes dense in the mix

• Parallel compression offers a way around this

• (Often used on drums)

  
  

• Specific - Apply vocal manipulation techniques (E.g. pitch shifting, splicing) in my remix

• Measurable - Techniques should be clearly audible in my track

• Achievable - I've already started to experiment with pitch shifting in my DAW

• Relevant - Vocal manipulation is a great took to use in remixes and very often used in remixes I listen to

• Time - I should be finished by the end of this 10 week project

Maintain Weekly Development Diary Entries

• Specific - Update my Padlet with weekly development & also include screenshots and audio

• Measurable - 10 complete weekly entries plus a development week by the deadline

• Achievable - I've already begun documenting and feel more prepared after doing it in my last project

• Relevant - Supports my reflection and shows my progression

• Time - Each weeks update should be completed by the following week - with catch up time on the weekends