Drying The Drumsĭrums are also fertile ground for the use of 'character' treatments. It's also well worth checking that any widened elements remain present enough when you're listening in mono your mono and stereo mixes won't ever sound identical, but even with a slightly different, drier, balance the mono mix still has to deliver the goods. Subtlety is the key to using stereo wideners effectively: they can sound seductive while you're setting them up, but pushing them too hard can create a very unnatural/phasey listening experience, especially on headphones. With a high-ish ratio (about 8:1), this ducked the reverb sound by around 4dB while the dry vocals were present, and the roughly 400ms release meant the reverb swelled up smoothly in between phrases.įinally, a gentle widening of the reverb track, courtesy of Waves' S1 stereo imager, created a little extra space in the centre of the mix for the dry vocals. To achieve this, I inserted another compressor after the reverb, this time setting Waves' C1 plug‑in to respond to an external side-chain signal sent from my vocal master bus. Rather than stopping there, however, I was keen to see if I could make the reverb even lusher and smoother, to the point where it would become a feature of the track in its own right, without obscuring the vocals or rendering the lyrics intelligible.
Valhalla vintage verb high pass pro#
Compressing the reverb a little with Pro Tools' BF-76 plug‑in gave the effect even more sustain. So I set Vintage Verb's low- and high-cut filters (to 4 Hz) and used Pro Tools' stock EQ III plug‑in for more detailed sculpting of the lows and to cut a little harshness. With a long reverb like this, you have to make sure that you keep the vocal sound, and the mix more generally, clutter-free. A long (85ms) pre-delay helped keep this reverb out of the way of the dry vocal sound, and I gave it a very long (6.82s) tail. To that end, I brought up Valhalla's Vintage Verb on an aux track. There are two vocals in this song, and it was immediately obvious that a long room reverb would enhance their atmospheric quality. Valhalla's Vintage Verb is great for long reverbs that can sound really present without muddying the mix, though sculpting the reverb with EQ can help it fit in even better. I'll describe how I used these techniques to add interest to the vocals and drums, before discussing the new elements that I added to this production and why I felt they were needed. Layers of acoustic drums, electric guitars, a brass ensemble and a few VST synths are topped with a dual male/female vocal. This song involves a four-minute atmospheric build to a crescendo, which is followed by a long, slow fade-out. To illustrate what I mean, I'm going to use examples from my mix of 'Silence' by three-piece indie/art-pop band Neue York. The sort of sounds that the listener might not always notice immediately, but which leave the song sounding that bit 'flatter' when they're removed. Rather, I'm talking about 'ear candy': subtle, sometimes momentary textures, layers and sound-design elements that will enhance the existing material. I'm not talking about overdubbing a face-melting guitar solo or splicing a whole new section into a song. In such cases, my first instinct is to reach for effects that can enhance what's already there, but if that doesn't cut the mustard I'll probably try adding in some new elements.
Valhalla vintage verb high pass full#
But sometimes my ears still yearn for a little something extra that will carry the production to its full potential. I'll try to define my role with the client up front, and when I'm paid to 'mix' a track, the job is often just what you'd expect it to be. In this role, I might offer advice on a melody or use my experience to help develop a section or sound, but without crossing the line into actually 'producing' the track. I'm very used to acting as both the engineer and mixer, but I also often slip in and out of a producer-like role that I refer to as 'creative engineering'. Technology and budgets mean that roles within the music industry have slowly blurred over the years. Mixing can be a creative as well as a technical role, and the right production effects can transform a track. Their debut EP NYXX is due to be released on 1st September 2020 on Radical Eye Records. Neue York are a three-piece band from Hertfordshire in the UK.