Stereo Spread whit comercial tracks

[deltaforce]

hello, how you can get the stereo effect heard in open most commercial tracks, they sound very open and defined in the mix ... is there any trick to get open the stereo sound that sounds natutal without causing flanger effect or mud in the sound ... ¿? thanks

[studjo]

there's a guy doing this DrMS thing - it's in the ads up there somewhere

try that thing - best stereo mangler since George Martin decided to spread the vocals to the left and the drums to the right

[Steab]

They get that in the mix.

[Surbitone]

Yup, it's all in the mix - as is most everything.

[studjo]

I wonder how you guys get those Black Eyed Peas-tracks without stereo widening ...

just asking

[Samrock]

The pan knob. Turn it.

[studjo]

Originally Posted by Samrock

The pan knob. Turn it.

IC spoken as a true professional - now I'm waiting to hear those superwide mixes

[Bubbagump]

Likely what you are calling "wide" is cranked highs run through a limiter and smashed to the point of modulation. Most folks call it "big" and "wide" and it does sound like fireworks for about 30 seconds... until it fatigues the crap out of your ears and sounds like a screw ball high end sine wave mess once you REALLY listen. This seems to be the norm in most "Clear Channel" music as of late... hip hop, new country, regular old Lady Gaga/Katy Perry pop.

[sadboy]

Originally Posted by deltaforce

hello, how you can get the stereo effect heard in open most commercial tracks, they sound very open and defined in the mix ... is there any trick to get open the stereo sound that sounds natutal without causing flanger effect or mud in the sound ... ¿? thanks

there's something called side chain compression where you can effectively spread things like vocals bass or whatever you want it to sound like (in your face) thing.....

youtube could be valuable for what you're looking for, just try searching side chain compression outhere and you will know exactly what I'm poiting at.. some examples you will see about pumping bass and vocal spread and blablabla... but always remember; it's all in the MIX...

just my 2cents

[dcollins]

Originally Posted by sadboy

there's something called side chain compression where you can effectively spread things like vocals bass or whatever you want it to sound like (in your face) thing.....

Side chain modification in a compressor has nothing to do with stereo imaging, it's a way to change what frequencies affect the compressor.

Also, as far as the Beatles "vocals in one channel, track in the other" that was to be able to process the two elements separately before the mono sum, and was never meant to be heard that way.


DC

[mobius.media]

Originally Posted by Bubbagump

Likely what you are calling "wide" is cranked highs run through a limiter and smashed to the point of modulation. Most folks call it "big" and "wide" and it does sound like fireworks for about 30 seconds... until it fatigues the crap out of your ears and sounds like a screw ball high end sine wave mess once you REALLY listen. This seems to be the norm in most "Clear Channel" music as of late... hip hop, new country, regular old Lady Gaga/Katy Perry pop.

I think this is generally true. When I see people comment on how WIDE a mix is, it is a very loud, very bright mix. I think a large degree of the WIDE they perceive is just volume and brightness, coupled with LCR hard panning, CLA style.

If you want to add a stereo widener you can, but they futz with the phase and mono compatibility. If you do, I think it would be better practice to apply these to the stereo elements in the mix rather than on the mix bus, since you don't want it applied to your mono centered tracks as well.

[jackthebear]

Originally Posted by Steab

They get that in the mix.

Correct.....

Steab......do you run Entasis Mastering?

Are you acquainted with Apostolos @ Odeon Mastering?

Just curious.....

[MattGray]

Originally Posted by sadboy

there's something called side chain compression where you can effectively spread things like vocals bass or whatever you want it to sound like (in your face) thing.....

Perhaps you're getting parallel compression confused with the side chain filter detection found in some compressors? I don't think either of these are particularly useful tools for stereo spreading & I'm not sure why you'd mention spreading bass Best to leave bass 'mono' in most cases unless you're going for something unusually creative when you're mixing but you certainly don't want to be spreading bass in mastering.

in general vocals, guitars, keyboards can all be valid candidates for stereo enhancement or spreading in the context of mixing if it hasn't been double tracked or recorded in stereo well but I usually avoid stereo spreading in a mastering context as it often messes things up more than it enhances ime. Having said that running through tape, transformers, or tube gear can often enhance depth & sometimes alters the perception of width in a subtle desirable manner but this isn't your traditional form of stereo spreading.

[Dbas]

Originally Posted by deltaforce

hello, how you can get the stereo effect heard in open most commercial tracks, they sound very open and defined in the mix ... is there any trick to get open the stereo sound that sounds natutal without causing flanger effect or mud in the sound ... ¿? thanks

See here

[Steab]

Originally Posted by jackthebear

Correct.....

Steab......do you run Entasis Mastering?

Are you acquainted with Apostolos @ Odeon Mastering?

Just curious.....

Νο at all, Jack.

[Adam Dempsey]

Originally Posted by deltaforce

hello, how you can get the stereo effect heard in open most commercial tracks, they sound very open and defined in the mix ... is there any trick to get open the stereo sound that sounds natutal without causing flanger effect or mud in the sound ... ¿? thanks

Commercial FM broadcast processing will usually do it for you. Other than that, as said, it really is all in the mix.

[Bubbagump]

Originally Posted by sadboy

there's something called side chain compression where you can effectively spread things like vocals bass or whatever you want it to sound like (in your face) thing.....

youtube could be valuable for what you're looking for, just try searching side chain compression outhere and you will know exactly what I'm poiting at.. some examples you will see about pumping bass and vocal spread and blablabla... but always remember; it's all in the MIX...

just my 2cents

Are you meaning MID/SIDE? As in you can smash the sides and bring them up with additional gain? As Dave pointed out, "side chain" doesn't describe what you are saying.

To the OP, do this experiment. Take a mix through a multiband comp. Only use one band set from say 6K and up. Smash (maybe 2:1, peak detect, fast attack/ auto release should get you close) and add makeup gain. I bet that is what you are after and I'll repeat, it does sound huge for about 10 seconds... but it gets old in a hurry. Your ear uses those super high end frequencies as cues to space and direction, so no wonder this works as it does.

[studjo]

Originally Posted by dcollins

Also, as far as the Beatles "vocals in one channel, track in the other" that was to be able to process the two elements separately before the mono sum, and was never meant to be heard that way.


DC

DC I hope you got the joke ...