Getting the best sound

[HERESY]

Not only the right equipment. You gotta know how to properly use that $hit also. Understand what everything means and what should be used for what,etc...


To try to acheive the best sound possible, I think the best thing to do is try to get it as best sounding as possible in the mixing stage like scandal said. If that means aquiring and using the best type of sounds possible, do it. I also think you shouldn't overdue anything in the mixing stage either unless your trying to acheive a specific kind of effect that stands out, use subtle amounts of whatever your trying to do. I think too many people go wild with EQ settings to try to "sweeten" up the sound when that might not even be a problem, you might just be thinning out your sound. Problems could be more with the dynamics and or how you place (pan) your sounds within the Stereo Image. I'm no pro at all, but I can personally hear how my own beats have gotten a lot better sounding. Don't only listen to your individual tracks SOLO and make adjustments to them while only SOLO, hear them how they sound combined with the rest of the tracks as well. For example, a track might not sound that good to you while SOLO, but when combined with the rest of the elements, it might sound perfectly fine. Use headphones as well, you can pick up on small detail.

So you're saying the mixing stage is more vital than the initial tracking stage?

 

[GHP]

What plugins do you know of that are EXACTLY like their hardware counterparts?

None that i can think of but i've seen them get pretty damn close, we compared some vintage compressors to their plug in counterparts at school and they were pretty close, then again i don't have like super trained dog ears just yet. by no means did the plug ins sound bad though

oops answered another dudes question, i'm milking by asshole company overtime for making me punch a time card now

 

[GasChamber707]

I use Reason for beats and ProTools for vocals....

At one point I had 50 compression plugin options! Which one sounds the best...? I got fed-up with how long ProTools took to launch with all the damn bullshit plugins loading, then how unresponsive Protools became...

Taking out all the plugins and going back to the basics helped me refocus on pulling character from the artist rather than inducing it with effects. Which totally changed my perspective on "plugin useage".

For vocals, I built a few compression profiles that I like. Same with a 4 band EQ and a rarely used echo. All using ProTools factory plugins. I do a few other tricks to the tracks to make them have THAT sound people keep coming back for. But nothing more than technique and craftsmenship.

In Reason.... Man, I get lost in the effects. Lost in a good way.... I use more restraint than moderation (because of my oath to produce more organic/authentic tracks).

Ultimately, it's not what you use, but how you use it. and don't do too much!!!!

You can qualify the relavence of my post by checking out the tracks I have posted on myspace.

 

[BOOBOO619]

I use Reason for beats and ProTools for vocals....

At one point I had 50 compression plugin options! Which one sounds the best...? I got fed-up with how long ProTools took to launch with all the damn bullshit plugins loading, then how unresponsive Protools became...

Taking out all the plugins and going back to the basics helped me refocus on pulling character from the artist rather than inducing it with effects. Which totally changed my perspective on "plugin useage".

For vocals, I built a few compression profiles that I like. Same with a 4 band EQ and a rarely used echo. All using ProTools factory plugins. I do a few other tricks to the tracks to make them have THAT sound people keep coming back for. But nothing more than technique and craftsmenship.

In Reason.... Man, I get lost in the effects. Lost in a good way.... I use more restraint than moderation (because of my oath to produce more organic/authentic tracks).

Ultimately, it's not what you use, but how you use it. and don't do too much!!!!

You can qualify the relavence of my post by checking out the tracks I have posted on myspace.

I like that TechnoTrance Beat and Down With It. They sound nice musical wise. I'm personally not much into the style of the other beats. Overall I suppose they sound good. You just can't judge the sound based on myspace, myspace has some horrible quality. You got tracks up on soundclick? Soundclick atleast provides better quality. I'm thinking about uploading my beats to SoundClick, but I'm seriously afraid of biters, I like my beats that much.