Etherealurtz

Thanks for the replies so far guys, Imma give your ideas a read as soon as I have the time and go get started again on working on a song - hopefully I can get organized this time!

Hi guys! I've been tinkering around in FL Studio with mixing and music production, trying to refine my music making. I've watched tutorials on using VST's properly and mixing and others, but I just need some tips on this one question. What is the best start when making music? I can't seem to get started on a music track simply because of this question. The idea comes in my mind and I try putting it in notes first, but then I realize when the bass and other instruments come in, they all sound too muddy (they overwhelm each other, I don't get the sound I like) and I start thinking "Maybe I should've started fixing the mixing first." But then if I try starting mixing on a song by assigning tracks to channels, etc., I'm stuck with mixers and plugins ready to mix but no notes to translate. When I do start putting in notes, if they don't sound too well I go back to tweaking the mixer and I end up getting nothing done. The thing is, I can't seem to get organized because I seem to go back and forth between putting notes, thinking of the notes, mixing it, fixing it, etc. so much that I never finish anything. So long story short, can you guys share some advice on how to organize oneself to complete a song from conception to completion? I use FL Studio by the way, along with several VST's, such as Sylenth for synths, Kontakt 5 plugins for guitars and drums, etc. Oh, and the kind of songs I like to make are pure instrumentals.

Awesome in-depth analysis! Thanks! I will be taking SnappleMan's and your advice once I'm done with my exams and stuff to do this week. I'll upload the results of EQ editing for this same track. Essential Information: I just noticed recently, while mixing, I leave my laptop's Dolby Advanced Audio v2 feature on. Its default setting is just a flat EQ, but Dolby enhances the sound by making it louder, I'm not sure if it's compression or not. If anybody's familiar with it, do you recommend leaving it be or turning it off completely when mixing, leaving only Windows 7's default audio settings on while making music in FL Studio?

Thanks for the tips so far, gonna work on mixing Addictive Drums properly. Meanwhile, does anybody know how to make Shreddage more realistic? Shreddage, as far as I know, does not have keyswitches, so I can only rely on the modwheel and velocities as well as patches in achieving realism.

Hi there! Just wanted some tips and feedback on my original track, Final Audition: Origins (If anybody's familiar with the Pump it Up Dance games, it's my own prequel song to the Final Audition series) Do criticize any aspects of the song that are lacking, but please focus more on the mixing at the moment, because that is one particular part of the music making process that I seriously lack skill in. Here is the track: http://www.mediafire.com/?044s495ef9howp1 Info: Addictive Drums for Intro Drums Vengeance Essential Club Sounds for Other Drum Samples REFX Nexus 2 for almost every other instrument Instrument Reference: 0:00 Strings - Nexus 2 StringChoir Ensemble - No Mixing Done 0:19 Drums - Addictive Drums - Left as is, meant to sound like that 0:45 Bells - Nexus 2 Poppy Bells - No Mixing Done 0:56 Pad - Nexus 2 Beauty Combi - EQ'd with a filter that passes from 150Hz, climbs to 2936 Hz and ends at 11,924 Hz 0:56 Bass Drum - VEC Bass Drum Sample - EQ'd with a low pass filter from 60 to 405Hz, added Fruity Multiband Compressor in Default Preset 1:07 Synth Bass - Nexus 2 BA Basic Pulse - EQ'd with a filter that cuts off at 42Hz, boosts at 91 Hz, falls at 305Hz, slight boost at 837Hz and falls to 6972 Hz. General Hats and Snares: VEC2 Samples, no EQ'ing done. 1:30 Piano - Nexus 2 PN Powerful and Bright - EQ'd with high pass filter from 172 Hz, peaks at 504 Hz till 2862 Hz and falls to 8172 Hz. Added a Fruity Multiband Compressor at default settings. I know it's a mixing nightmare, because I just EQ'd here and there, added a compressor here and there, so please just tell me what I need to fix and how to do it - specifically using FL Studio as my DAW. Thanks everyone! Looking forward to your responses. P.S. The last bit is a sample from a separate mp3 song I did not make, so don't include that when you point out parts to fix.

Thanks man! All right then, I'm gonna take this one step at a time and use whatever I learn from mixing this unfinished rock track as a stepping stone for future rock tracks. Okay then, so first step would be, routing drums out individual channels right? Are you familiar with using Addictive Drums? If so, could you give me a step by step on routing the parts out individual channels and disabling its built in compressor so it doesn't affect the individually separated tracks? P.S. Do you know any good alternatives to Shreddage for Rhythm Electric Guitars, SnappleMan?

May I hear all your recommendations for everything about my rock track?

Nope. Also, like I said, my guitar skills are not yet sufficient to play some of the riffs in my head. But anyway, I'll deal with that another time, my focus right now is proper mixing - whether real guitar or VST, either method will pass through FL Studio and Guitar Rig 5, and so, while for realism the real guitar method is a no brainer, quality for both methods will depend on how well I mix the track.

I do play real guitar with decent skill. Unfortunately, my laptop does not have a line in track, which is necessary for properly recording guitar, and the distortion pedals I use are not mine, so I can only use it from time to time. As such, for lack of a better alternative, and simply because there are some of the riffs I compose that I cannot play properly or with enough skill yet, I resort to using VST's. And, yeah of course I didn't mean a literal copy pasting of the riff. It would be dull. I still go for that realism factor. Thanks for the tip!

Thanks! But the guitar riff is not recorded live. It happens to be the awesome Shreddage VST in conjunction with Guitar Rig 5. Completely virtual. But I will take that suggestion and make it double tracked like you say. ^^ Hope the volume doesn't get too loud though! Thanks! I guess the amateur EQing I did served me well. The only thing I added was the "Soundgoodizer" VST of FL Studio. THat must be it, it's a quick compressor tool. As for any other compression, I'm not sure if Addictive Drums has its built in compressor or if it's the limiter. Yeah, sure! I'll see what I can do. I haven't added the lead yet, because I'm still having trouble making a realistic sounding lead using Evolution Electric Guitar Strawberry.

Oh, here's something I was working on for everybody's reference: An Instrumental Rock Track. http://www.mediafire.com/?783t20xdaadeid8 - The original track. Everything just slapped together. No volume, panning, EQ or whatever. http://www.mediafire.com/?0eutr4w41q0ptas - The modified track. Here are some of the modifications. The rhythms are untouched. Bass: Drums:

Oh my, the great Snappleman of Malicious Fingers fame is here! Thanks so much for the reply! Thanks also everybody else! Am in a bit of a rush right now so will read and reply later.