Official beatmakers/producers tips and tricks open question thread

[Ian1362]

I spend lots of time randomly browsing gearslutz

taken from there, this is how I treat my samples to emulate the sound of the SP1200

First download Wavosaur, nifty little audio editor thats free and doesnt require install, just launch the exe:


Wavosaur free audio editor with VST and ASIO support

1. convert from stereo to mono
2. normalize the sample and then again to 2-4 db, to simulate the overdriving the SP inputs
3. resample to 80000 hz and select to only change the sample rate.
4. resample again to around 31000 hz, but this time don't select "only change the sample rate" (uncheck interpolation and anti aliasing filter)
4. convert from your 24bit or 16 bit to 8 bit (I read that SP-12 handled sounds internally with 8bit)
5. pitch down -18 for the piano sound and to -17 for the kick (uncheck interpolation here too)
I think when you play with the 80000 hz, the 31000 hz, you can get some different flavors of sound.

Play around with pitch shifting and resample rate (I usually resample to 26040 hz in audacity afterwards to match the sample frequency output of the sp1200) to find what you think sounds best.

 

[Tom Foolery]

After hearing all the talented beatmakers in the beat tourney I feel like there are so much talent on this site alone. We can learn alot from each other (without giving away our trade secrets) on here. I have few questions myself from quantizing to mastering etc. It's an open question thread strictly about beatmaking and production.

There is going to be restrictions:

- No asking, "Where is this sample from"?
- Can you send me your drum kits?
I'll add on more later.

As I told Kush. Stick around, I'm just getting started. But first we need to know what everyone is using.

But one of my pet peeves in FL Studio is people not using the FPC to sequence drums. It's so much more powerful than dropping the drum sample on the channel window.

 

[Ian1362]

I was reading an old DJ Shadow interview where he drops this jewel, which he learned from Pete Rock and DJ Premier mostly.

Splice a little bit of record noise on the front and tail end of your samples. That way they don't have that stark, overly polished modern r&b type sound. I don't know if they use a crossfade to get the sample and record noise to blend, but it sounds better to my ears than just putting some reverb on a sample.

I do notice that a lot of independently produced rap hop tracks have the samples a little too clean and boring sounding. Thought this might help someone.

Another thing I do that's a fairly common procedure is to pitch the drums down a semitone or so once they are in the sp-1200.

 

[KushSkywalker]

If anyone is looking to improve their mixing skills and get valuable information WATCH EVERYONE OF THESE EPISODES.

- Pensado's Place - YouTube

Subscribe NOW

Im serious. Treat it like a class, take notes on what they say. You will see interviews with producers and engineers that have literally made some of you're favorite songs and they will tell you how they got that kick that way, how they got that synth that way, how they made the vocals sound a certain way. I think this is the most valuable tool on the internet audio engineering wise.

They also have a facebook group Pensados Students, where legit Vets in the game will directly respond to your questions.

 

[Snitchin Splatter]

But one of my pet peeves in FL Studio is people not using the FPC to sequence drums. It's so much more powerful than dropping the drum sample on the channel window.

I'm gonna have to google some info on this because I've never heard of the FPC. The channel window does get tedious

 

[Kaydigi]

I'm gonna have to google some info on this because I've never heard of the FPC. The channel window does get tedious

Too bad they stopped updating the FPC.

 

[KushSkywalker]

FPC actually has awesome envelope ADSD controls, awesome sample layering, easy to use, easy to re-assign MIDI notes, and save templates.

I wont lie though when I had FL back in the day I used Battery instead of FPC.

 

[Tom Foolery]

I'm gonna have to google some info on this because I've never heard of the FPC. The channel window does get tedious

Trust me, once you learn the ins/outs of fpc, you'll never go back.

 

[Ian1362]

I'm gonna have to google some info on this because I've never heard of the FPC. The channel window does get tedious

Its rly useful, as noted. Whenever I'm using FL studio I use it in conjunction with my MPD-32 to map out my drums

 

[Tom Foolery]

I spend lots of time randomly browsing gearslutz

taken from there, this is how I treat my samples to emulate the sound of the SP1200

First download Wavosaur, nifty little audio editor thats free and doesnt require install, just launch the exe:


Wavosaur free audio editor with VST and ASIO support



Play around with pitch shifting and resample rate (I usually resample to 26040 hz in audacity afterwards to match the sample frequency output of the sp1200) to find what you think sounds best.

I use audacity to get my lo-fi sounds.
Audacity Forum • View topic - 12-Bit Recording

I'll check Wavosaur though.

 

[PUT IN WORK]

I use to be MPC analog dude but i took a few years off beatmaking... Now, I'm using Reason 5 + Cubase 5 with MPD18 and Oxygen 49. I'm still getting use to the transition. I agree with the Reason interface, it can get very annoying unless you're using dual monitor.I invested in a cheap second monitor for 80 bucks at wal-mart and it had really improved my work flow.

 

[KushSkywalker]

Any other Logic Pro users?

 

[PUT IN WORK]

if anybody has some mixing/mastering tips im all ears

I'm still trying to figure this out myself man. I have a couple decent Reason Mastering Suite setup but sometimes it still sounds too low and not wide enough. Lately what i've been doing is mixing the track just in reason and transporting it to Wavelab or Cubase to master. I feel like i have more controls with those programs.

 

[PUT IN WORK]

Fl Studio 10
Izotope for Mixing. I just got this joint this year so Im still learning the ins and outs of it, but its supposed to be one of the best mixing instruments you can get.

I been looking into Izotope Ozone 5, how is the learning curve on that?

 

[KushSkywalker]

Izotope Ozone is actually more of a stereo bus mastering tool than anything. Does have some applications in the mixing process too