How to get samples/synths to "melt" into the mix.

[Meteo Xavier]

Well, that particular project was full of really old songs I did on commission for game guys who, for the most part, really didn't know what they wanted or were doing (and expected me to puppet their visions of music), and so I just wanted to clean up the mixing and literally get it out of my system.

All the same, I still could use all the help and teaching on transitions and non-robotic feel that I could possibly get, so I definitely need to take a look at those links. Transitions and realism I'm still fairly weak on.

Thanks Avaris

[Garpocalypse]

Ok Meteo, listened to the examples. Two big things jump out to me:

1. Transitions, or lack there of (in your tracks it just feels like, oh hey there is a new sound in here; and oh yeah this sound was just dropped. It makes the adding/subtracting of sounds and parts feel jarring)

Some good tutorials w/ audio examples:

http://audio.tutsplus.com/tutorials/arrangement/arrangement-tips-and-tricks-fills-and-transitions/

http://audio.tutsplus.com/tutorials/arrangement/arrangement-tips-and-tricks-part-2-automation/?search_index=10

2. The sounds themselves, mainly the realistic instruments sound a little too robotic. This makes them stick out in a bad way. (that added to the lack of transitions makes your example songs focus the listeners attention in an area that is strong)

Some quick tutorials on improving the composition and feel of natural instruments:

http://audio.tutsplus.com/tutorials/production/how-to-achieve-realistic-spatial-imaging-in-cubase-using-kontakt/?search_index=12

http://audio.tutsplus.com/tutorials/production/quick-tip-getting-realism-in-orchestral-music/?search_index=16

http://audio.tutsplus.com/tutorials/mixing-mastering/an-introduction-to-3d-mixing/

Also anything by this dude:

http://audio.tutsplus.com/author/george-strezov/

I hope those help a little bit. There isn't just one trick to solve your problem. It is a multitude of smaller problems adding up to create a larger glaring one.

Favorited. Thanks alot Avaris, some really good idea builders in those.

[timaeus222]

There are some things I find important when creating an (as) seamless (as possible) blend of instruments:

- Internal EQ for editing the EQ of the source/patch, rather than using external EQ to edit a static source/patch. Sometimes a sound is just missing a frequency, and it doesn't sound quite right. You can't just add it back using external EQ, so it's nice to be able to customize the patch's original sound.

- Reverb. I know this sounds general, but there are some facets to reverb that give a sound a realistic feel if done correctly. Probably the best reverb tool I've found is ArtsAcoustic Reverb. Although it costs money, it's completely worth it. You can use it to edit properties such as Spread, Room Size, Diffusion, Damping, Wet/Dry ratio, etc.

http://www.artsacoustic.com/images/aar_front.gif

- EQ. Essentially, make sure each instrument has as much in each frequency range as necessary; no more, no less. Let's say if the mids in a lead were less than -8dB loud, then the lead sounds like it's missing the mids. In that case, you have too little mids, and you're going to have to bump it up enough so it sounds full enough, but not too much so it takes up the space where other instruments could fit, like band passed pads for backup, or a decently loud, dynamic arpeggio that constantly shifts frequencies and, at some point, passes by the mid-frequency range.

- More about EQ. Make sure each instrument's EQ overlaps with others' EQ as little as possible, so that you don't get a "muddy" sound in a specific frequency range that's overloaded with multiple sounds of similar timbres. A trick I like to use is to put an EQ on the master track so I can evaluate what's going on. If I can see everything that's going on and recognize exactly when each instrument is playing, then the EQ is either really good, close, or already there.