bringing out the best for vsts

[mickomoo]

I started out composing officially about maybe a year ago, and for the most part I've just been playing around, using a plug and play daw (mixcraft) and just been focusing on making songs, but now I'm somewhat interested in perfecting and mastering songs. How do I get the best out of my vsts. I'm for the most part using NI samples and such so I should possibly get a good sound if mixed properly right? A lot of mixes sound kind of muddy and thin I feel. I also realize that I also need to work on the timing of my songs but that's something that I know I can work out.

For example, how do I bring out a better sound for the trumpets in these songs (among others):

Also how would I go about making my songs sounding fuller, like the one below for example it doesn't really sound that full, I reverbed and thickened the bass but it doesn't sound full and broad. Also, the instruments don't sound that dynamic, I don't know if it's simply the vst I'm working with or if I'm not using them to their full potential:

[Rozovian]

Study the sound of each instrument and see what frequencies they have and don't have. If they don't have any highs you can boost with EQ, you'll need something else to cover the high range for a more clear sound. Highs cut through better. Same with any frequency range.

Study the frequency distribution of well mixed songs with roughly the same instrumentation. Did did they overcome these problems; if so, how?

There's some hard, practical things you can do, too. Higher velocities tend to be richer in high frequencies and thus cut through better. adjust the velocity accordingly.

You can use multiband compressors to force certain frequency ranges to be louder during dull notes in a way that you can't do with just eq. A multiband compressor can do a lot to even out your frequency balance overall, too.

Dynamics first come from the arrangement, not the instruments themselves. Just make your low range instruments ease up and possibly play an octave higher instead during softer parts and you should already have a noticeably more dynamic track.

There's some poorly arranged thoughts on what you could do.

[eilios]

I can give infinity +s to Rozovian's "dynamics come from the arrangement". You'd be surprised at how much of a difference you can make by editing the velocity of notes in various sections. It can turn an average mix into a great one if you know what you're doing. EQ's are very important, otherwise, in this respect.

And as for your latter comment, instruments are made more dynamic by making them more dynamic. You can have the best samples in the world, but if you don't arrange/sequence/mix them properly, it won't make that much of a difference.

[conyeezy]

+1 to both of the below comments! Even miniscule changes to velocity can have a dramatic effect on how the music is received.

I will add that reverb can go a long way to livening up any sampled/synthesized instruments. Don't go overboard, obviously, but a touch here and there helps immensely.

Add some width to your mixes by experimenting heavily with pan control and multiple takes of the same instrument. Overdubs and automation will thicken up your mix significantly.

[Ghetto Lee Lewis]

There are a lot of advanced techniques that pro's use that would be very difficult to explain here. Think about how thin an electric guitar sounds when it's played dry, and how it sounds big and huge after being put through an amplifier/cabinet. A lot of things happen when an amplifier processes the signal. For one thing, gain is added until the signal becomes big and distorted sounding. When a sound is distorted, new frequencies are added, and other frequencies are amplified. An amp also applies EQ to the signal to bring down certain frequencies that are taking up unnecessary space. Even between different guitar amps, you'll find a lot of variation on how a signal is processed. That is why certain amps are preferred by certain rock musics and better suited for particular genres.

How does this help your music? simple. By applying the right amount (and type) of distortion and EQ to instruments you can basically customize the way they sound. There are many free VST's and others that cost money that can do this. My favorites are FL Blood Overdrive, waveshaper, parametric EQ's, and Maximus. You'd be suprised how many kinds of sounds can be improved with the right amount of distortion (with eq applied afterwards). It's a difficult technique, but it can be mastered with practice.

Reverb can make things sound bigger, but the result is often more subtle. Low, short reverb can make synths sound more analog or fatten up basses, while high reverb is good for adding brightness. Longer decay and higher wet-dry basically makes things sound far away, not necessarily bigger. Really big sounds can be produced from a mix of long and short reverb (adding two to three layers of different kinds of reverb can be a good thing).

Lastly, it's important to be able to "see" the results of your mixing. Always use a spectrometer as much as possible. FL Wavecandy can give amazing results if you know how to use it right (though it has horrible default settings). By using EQ in combination with good spectral analysis you can really fill out your mix and increase the overall loudness.

[Nabeel Ansari]

Distortion may not be feasible for acoustic instruments. Sure, it sounds cool, but if you're shooting for realism or acoustic soundscapes, it'll drive you way off the mark.