Bristles

Sweet thank you, will do! Man there is so many options out there it's hard to be sure I'm getting the right thing. Living in the middle of nowhere doesn't help because anything I get will be online..

Sorry for double post. I edited the first one and it seems to of doubled up..

Hey, Have you guys been on/signed up for splice.com? It's a monthly charge of about $8.99US a month and with that you can get download individual samples from what looks to be a pretty massive library.. Plus collab and back up projects through their sharing platform. They also have a plugins sections where you can rent to own Xfer Serum for $10US a month! Anyone signed up for either?

Yeah I'll probably switch between them and my Sol's.. $99 for IM's on storeDJ at the moment seems like a pretty good deal..

Just had a look around today and I think I'll try the Audio Technica IM70's. Never thought of in-ear monitoring headphones til today when I listened to something at work with a cheap of Samsung's lying around and my word was the stereo image dope! Not to mention I was listening to Kyle Watson's remix of Prophecy, what a banger!

LabRat already got my vote.. Thanks Alex +1 for you too man. Man I need to get some room in my budget for a decent set of headphones.. My Girlfriend does Uni in the same room I make my music so I am limited to headphones 98% of the time..

Seen the first episode.. Was very cool. Will definitely try get through the rest.

Thanks for answering my endless questions! Very helpful man

Yeah I've had my eye on some Audio Tech. m50x's for a while.. look ok for the price which has been the issue for a long time now. One other thing I thought of too.. When you mix a track people say -6dB of head room which I normally do anywhere from 6-12. Now is the idea to bring that -6dB or so of head room up to about -1dB or so from EQ and compression etc? So after you have done your mix and you are moving in to mastering it should almost be peaked? Then mastering brings it up some more without blowing it out? Or After you mix you still have about -6dB of room and in the mastering stage with compression and limiting etc it is now up to it's peak? I think I may be leaving too much room for the mastering stage and I'm not bringing the volume up without over processing the original sounds..

Geez some serious food for thought haha. I think I am going to get a mix/master done once to get a reference. If I like it then sweet, I know the option is there but ideally I'd like to use it to hear what potential my music has and what I can work towards mixing myself. I think the hardest part of mixing is like Alex said, I spend hours tweaking little things and get so in depth with parts most people wouldn't really notice when listening to my track. I end up getting ear bleed and struggle to know if my snares/bass/keys etc actually are sounding better! I'll export the track stoked to play it and the first freaking clap and I'm reaching for the stop button because I have made it way too loud and tinny.. Or something like that! Muddy bass that I thought sounded sweet etc etc. I do have to admit I do 95% of my work through deadmau5 Sol Republic headphones which have a great low end.. but are no good for a proper mix session. No doubt would benefit from decent headphones.

Cheers that's a good way to put it.. I've been doing a lot of reading and I think I've been using dodgy EQ settings in the mix stage plus leaving to much head room after mixing. I think I'm going to fork out a little $ and get one track mastered then see if I can master my own to that standard or at least close. Thanks for the tips man

Man thank you! That's an awesome explanation.. I'll have a play with saturation. I've noticed it can drive your sounds too hard super easy. You got me keen to master again. Very much a love/hate relationship with mastering haha. Once I get a song or 2 to the level I want I'll post for some feedback if you or anyone doesn't mind giving them a critical listen.

Thanks man, I'm still struggling to get volume. I mix and export tracks at about -12dB so I have lots of room to play with then with a bit of EQ, Compression and Limiting I get it to peak about -0.30dB but it is still so much softer than any reference tracks. People talk about keeping dynamic range vs loudness but my tracks still seem too far below average.. I'll try a Saturator and Expander though thank you. I mostly use free Melda plugins or Ableton native plugins.. What do you use and do you think it's technique or software that would the be bigger difference?

Ah right, I didn't realise they would be fake.. That's a whole different story.

I was wondering what you guys do on your master track? Assuming you have done individual EQ/Compression etc. in the mix.. I think a Limiter is pretty standard but I more mean EQ again for the whole track and what basic settings you go for? And I guess basic Compression settings? Or annnything else!! I keep getting caught in the trap of using the EQ and Compression "Master" presets and I feel like it could be costing me quality!

That's too bad man.. You always make you're best stuff when there's no pressure and you're not doing it for a reason IMO. Has anyone ever tried one of those music promotion sites? I got an email from Adremus Music saying they are offering "me" (pretty sure it would be every man and his dog) a voucher for $10 promotion stating they would increase plays by 1000s! What do you guys think of those sort of sites?

Do you think it is better to try to promote as you make songs you think are worthy of an audience or do you try to save up a few so you have some up your sleeve?

Cheers man, yeah been flicking through it. Lots of good stuff!

I've been using Carbon Electra for a bit now and I've been loving it. Wouldn't say I'm great at sound design but everything comes out deep and warm which I think can be hard to find. Not exactly cheap but not bad compared to a lot out there.. about $100 on PluginBoutique..

Hi All, I used to be a member here a long long time ago, haven't been on forums since before I made an actual song so I thought I would get back online and get involved in some threads. I am from Mandurah (just south of Perth) but now live up in the Pilbara as of about 3 weeks ago. I have been making music (or trying at least) for about 7 years on and off. I lived in Canada for 3 years and when I was over there a friend of mine introduced me to Ableton.. which got me fired up again. Haven't really stopped since.. I have made a few tracks which you can check out at soundcloud.com/bristlesmusic Look forward to gaining some knowledge, sharing if I can and gaining some networks. Cheers, John