Stereo effects and effects levels, I need help.

EYE · 15th February 2007

Hello fellow gearslutz,

Could someone please help me out with the following. I was looking at some commercially released instrumentals in comparison to my own mixes with a spectrum analyzer. What I found was that although my levels and frequencies seem to be quite right (looking similar) there's virtually no stereo movement in my tracks. This while the commercial releases have a lot of stereo going on. Even on bass and/or drum parts it shows a lot of stereo information, while when listening to it, it sounds dead center.

My mixes look and sound dead center. So here's my question how can this be done? I'm not looking for a quick fix but i would really like to learn how to do this. What techniques/effects are used to create these full stereo mixes?

I've been experimenting with delays, chorus, flangers and phasers but they only seem to add a little stereo movement when used in moderation. Only when I go all out on them it adds more movement, but I always read effects should be used in moderation and it just doesn't sound right. It just sounds too wet. (which it probably is; too wet)

concrete question: are there any rules of thumb at what levels and with what settings (not talking anything absolute here) these kind of effects (and other effects) could be used? In example when putting a little reverb on a dry track using a send channel what would be the common level of the return? (I understand it's how wet you want it that counts most, but) Should I be thinking in the order of -35 to -45db or would I be under effecting that way?

As you can read I don't really get the effecting part of mixing so maybe some of you more experienced guys would take the time to shed some light on this issue. I really would like to understand that part, since it seems to be the missing link in my mixes (and it's really not a detail

) If anyone would be kind enough to help I would really appreciate it.

Best regards,

EYE

Methlab · 15th February 2007

Try using a Stereo Delay set hard right and left and at a fast setting timed to the song.

Send anything you want to it, until it starts to suck and then back off.

Go to your FX channel with the delay and compress and EQ it. EQ out the low lows and use your ears on the highs and compression.

Now, finally....insert the Waves S1 and widen those delays even more. I think you will start to see how wide you can make stuff using this technique.

con?one · 15th February 2007

pan your ass off

khameln · 15th February 2007

That's what i was going to say... If your mix sounds dead center you probably need to pan some stuff. And what do you mean by, "stereo movement"?

And also, a frequency analyzer isn't the greatest way to compare your mix to another mix.

EYE · 15th February 2007

Thanks for the replies. What I mean with stereo movement I think it's probably the wrong description. I think stereo information (as seen in the analyzer) is a better term. Sorry for my crappy wordings but it's kinda hard to explain (especially since English isn't my native language)

I get the point about the frequency analyzer, I think. In the end it all depends on how it sounds and not how it looks, but it helped me a bit with figuring out the basic leveling and eq-ing. So I thought maybe it could help me on mimicking some stuff done on commercial releases and go from there.

Again thanks for the information. This is, imho what's so great about this forum and a lot of the fellow gearslutz.

MarkJ · 15th February 2007

i'm a fan of good ol mondomod used in extreme moderation and seperating areas off so that not all stereo tracks are panned hard left hard right but different things get spread different amounts. some delays with a tiny bit o chorus/movement. I dunno, thats what I do but i'm not very good anyways. hope you end up better off then me with it =)

15th February 2007	#1
EYE Gear interested Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Netherlands Posts: 26 Thread Starter	Stereo effects and effects levels, I need help. Hello fellow gearslutz, Could someone please help me out with the following. I was looking at some commercially released instrumentals in comparison to my own mixes with a spectrum analyzer. What I found was that although my levels and frequencies seem to be quite right (looking similar) there's virtually no stereo movement in my tracks. This while the commercial releases have a lot of stereo going on. Even on bass and/or drum parts it shows a lot of stereo information, while when listening to it, it sounds dead center. My mixes look and sound dead center. So here's my question how can this be done? I'm not looking for a quick fix but i would really like to learn how to do this. What techniques/effects are used to create these full stereo mixes? I've been experimenting with delays, chorus, flangers and phasers but they only seem to add a little stereo movement when used in moderation. Only when I go all out on them it adds more movement, but I always read effects should be used in moderation and it just doesn't sound right. It just sounds too wet. (which it probably is; too wet) concrete question: are there any rules of thumb at what levels and with what settings (not talking anything absolute here) these kind of effects (and other effects) could be used? In example when putting a little reverb on a dry track using a send channel what would be the common level of the return? (I understand it's how wet you want it that counts most, but) Should I be thinking in the order of -35 to -45db or would I be under effecting that way? As you can read I don't really get the effecting part of mixing so maybe some of you more experienced guys would take the time to shed some light on this issue. I really would like to understand that part, since it seems to be the missing link in my mixes (and it's really not a detail ) If anyone would be kind enough to help I would really appreciate it. Best regards, EYE __________________ "Who Got Tha Funk!" - Prophets Of Truth, This free song and some of my beats can be found at our soundclick page. http://www.myspace.com/97412397 All feedback is appreciated! Last edited by EYE; 15th February 2007 at 08:44 PM.. Reason: forgot something

15th February 2007	#2
Methlab Lives for gear Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Orlando Posts: 3,642	Try using a Stereo Delay set hard right and left and at a fast setting timed to the song. Send anything you want to it, until it starts to suck and then back off. Go to your FX channel with the delay and compress and EQ it. EQ out the low lows and use your ears on the highs and compression. Now, finally....insert the Waves S1 and widen those delays even more. I think you will start to see how wide you can make stuff using this technique. __________________ Professionally played Basslines for $35 a Track. www.professionalbassguitar.com

15th February 2007	#4
khameln Lives for gear Join Date: Aug 2006 Posts: 665	That's what i was going to say... If your mix sounds dead center you probably need to pan some stuff. And what do you mean by, "stereo movement"? And also, a frequency analyzer isn't the greatest way to compare your mix to another mix. __________________ http://www.soundclick.com/codexlf http://www.myspace.com/khamelprod

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15th February 2007	#3
con?one Lives for gear Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: NYC Posts: 663	pan your ass off

15th February 2007	#6
MarkJ Gear nut Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: NYC Posts: 147	i'm a fan of good ol mondomod used in extreme moderation and seperating areas off so that not all stereo tracks are panned hard left hard right but different things get spread different amounts. some delays with a tiny bit o chorus/movement. I dunno, thats what I do but i'm not very good anyways. hope you end up better off then me with it =)