Rather Be Mixing and Mastering

Rather Be mixing and mastering

So what I did was I had to do was to pick a previous project to mix and master and I had chosen the first Cubase project which was rather be.

Fist I grouped my tracks so for when I go into the mixing desk I can just turn down the instrument that’s are grouped together. The only instrument tracks that I didn’t group together were the drum and bass tracks since there’s only one of them.

After grouping I started to add the suitable effects on for each track; like for the strings I added a small amount of reverb and add some compression.

For the bass I added a VST amp to get it have that “bassy” sound to it and changed the way it sounded by twisting the knobs like you would on a real amp.

All of the other tracks either have reverb or compression or both. This is because they don’t need that many effects on to make it sound decent.

                     

After all of the mixing of the tracks, I panned the tracks so some of the parts are playing in either the left or right ear, especially ones that have 2 parts such as the strings at the start where the string ensemble is coming through on the right side of the headphone and the contrabass strings are coming in from the left side of the headphones.

I’ve also added a multiband compressor on the main part of the mixer. This is so I can sort every track and make it sound more professional and cleaner. It also allows me to control each element that makes up the song such as the bass, the vocals the melody and the beat.

Link https://soundcloud.com/user-308391730/rather-be-mixed-and-mastered

Mixing and mastering

Mixing and mastering

Task 1

·      Setting up a project

·      Grouping tracks

·      Limiting: changing the EQ

·      Balancing

·      Effects: Reverb, EQ and Distortion

First I had to set up the tracks first by downloading them and then dragged them all onto Cubase 6. I then had to colour code the tracks and group the tacks (except for the piano, bass and the drums). The reason as to why I have colour coded and labelled my tracks is because it makes my project look more organised and I know what each track is without having to solo it and listen to it.

I used FX channels to group all of my tracks together and I have colour coded them so they match the colours on my tracks and that I know which set of tracks I’m changing the volume and effects on.

I had to change the EQ on some of the tracks because some of the frequencies on the tracks were either not pronounced enough or they were pronounced too much and they need to be turned down.

EQ is where you change the frequency of the track to alter the sound of it so you can make certain parts of the track stand out. For example: I have changed the EQ of the kick drum so it sounds more “bassy” and more pronounced and I have changed the EQ of the vocals to get rid of any of the unnecessary high pitch sounds.

I have added effects on all of my tracks. This is because I wanted to make the track sound more interesting and to make some of the tracks sound more live and not artificial.

Using effects is when you alter the sound of a track to make it sound different.

For example: the guitar solo has some distortion and reverb on it so it can stand out for when it does it solo and to make it sound like it’s live.

Another example is on the vocals where I have added reverb, which makes the vocals sound like its being performed in a room such as a hall, and it gives that “echoey” effect on it and its also there to make the vocals sound more “alive”. This also applies to the backing vocals since those where done by the same person.

I have added a VST Amp in the bass, which is another effect that I have used. What it does is that it creates a digital amplifier (which makes the bass sound like its been plugged into an amp) and it makes the bass sound less artificial and more “bassy”. I can also alter the sound of the bass by making small tweaks on the amp, like you would on a real amp. This includes altering the gain, bass, treble and many other features that you would on a normal amplifier.

I haven’t included this in the bass but by adding the VST Amp, it gives you more options such as microphones and pedals. The pedals would be better for the guitar tracks, especially for the guitar solo.

I have also added some compression to compress the tracks. What this does is compress the dynamic range of the tracks so it doesn’t sound so bombastic compared to the other tracks.

I also had to turn down some of the tracks since they were clipping.

If the entire track as a whole is clipping then it means that something is way too loud so it means that you need to go back to the start of the track and find out where it clips and turned down the track that has forte dynamics.

To get rid of the “clip” signal, you just have to click on it to get rid of the clip sign, however it will reappear if a track has caused clipping in the overall track.

It’s also difficult to control the clipping since your stereo out’s DB has to be on 0, so you really have to control your entire track DB and if that doesn’t work, go back to your EQ and change the EQ slightly.

Task 2

Before I could export the track, I had to alter the track as a whole and to pan each of my tracks.

Panning is where you shift the tracks into a certain direction so it comes out of that side of the headphones. (Example images are shown below)

I mastered by using the mixer and pressed on the “E” on the stereo out and then I had to add “multiband compression” and this allows me to change and control each sound and frequency level that the song has as a whole.

(Also, I was able to do some mastering on the Cubase project that I used for the mixing, which is what I am doing since I don’t have to switch between projects.)

 Trombone

Right hand side of the headphones

 Trumpet
Left hand side of the headphones

Afterwards, I had to export my track into a .wav file so I can put it into a separate Cubase file.

I did this by going into “project” and finding “export”. I then had to click on “Audio mixdown” and it allows to me convert my Cubase project into a file. However, before I can convert it, I have to make sure that all of my tracks are “highlighted” before I can do anything. What this does is that selects all of the tracks that aren’t muted and allows them to be heard when you convert them.

The final thing to do is to check that the KHz is set to 44 and that it’s on a 16 bit, otherwise its not going to work.

Once all of that is done then you can export it.

SoundCloud Link: https://soundcloud.com/user-308391730/stick-together

Composition

Composition

Structure/form

I have a pretty basic structure at the moment with my composition. I have a small introduction of ascending notes and then it goes into my verse, which consists of the chords C, D, E and F. Later on in my verse the last note changes into a B chord.

Then it goes into a bridge that has a series of chords that ascend. The chords are C,D,G and A and they repeat until the bridge ends.

The chorus comes in after the bridge, which is just a repeat of the verse but just without the hook.

After the chorus the intro comes back in so it can tell the people that we are back the verse.

Genre

I am unsure as to what the genre is of my composition is, however with the repetitive chord progression and its structure, it must be a pop song.

Statement

The hook in my piece is the melody line in the verse that has the very simple chord progression.

Repetition

My composition has quite a bit of repetition within it. This is heard in the verse and chorus where the chord progressions are the same but it just excludes the hook.

Inversion

I have not done any inversions in my composition. This is because I did not want to add any in since I didn’t want it sound off in within my composition.

Difference

What makes it different to other pop songs is that it has a small introduction that has a series of notes that ascends and is heard again before the verse.

Individuality

The song reflects my style in music and me as a person. Basic, simple but also a bit cheesy and I think that that is what my composition should be, simple and a bit cheesy. Also the use of a motif just before the verse.

Originality

This is original because of its use of repetitive chord progression and structure and has the use of samples like many other pop songs.

Composer’s rights

I have created this melody myself, I have not taking my inspiration from anywhere else except for the small introduction where I heard a song that has a chromatic introduction that ascends and descends.

Sampling

I have added some samples in my piece and this shown before and after my chorus.

These samples are from a K-pop (Korean-pop) song called ‘I got a boy’ by a female band called ‘Girls generation’. The parts that I have sampled from are some lines from one of the girls who say a few lines before the chorus comes in.

I thought that those lines would sound great for my composition so I got the audio from YouTube and cropped the track down to when she starts to say those lines.

Since there is no music playing for when she says these lines makes it possible for me to add this to my composition, since I do not want any of their music crashing with my composition.

However, to make this sample different, I have changed its frequency wavelength and added some reverb to it so it sounds like I’ve made it my own.

Waveform

I have changed the frequency waves on some of my tracks.

The frequency waves that I have changed are the first 3 tracks and the sample.

Link: https://soundcloud.com/user-308391730/comp