Taybot Posted September 30, 2009 Share Posted September 30, 2009 I have a beat I made that I wanted to use during a performance but, after I played it on my boombox, to my horror, the low end was very muddy. It didn't sound like that at all on my monitors. I'm wondering what I can do to fix this? I have already gone through all the sounds to try to find what sounds bad and I have also checked to see what combination of sounds it could be causing this. I've worked on EQing everything but I just wanted to see if there are any tips you good people could throw out there? Also, my monitors are Tapco S8's and I'm wondering if anyone knows anything about these monitors and if there is a way to set these things up so I can actually hear when the low end will sound awful. I thought these were good monitors and I don't understand why I can't hear this muddy low end on these speakers. One thing I did to get around the problem, so I don't have to constantly burn cds and play the beat on my boombox, is my iMac speakers at least give me a better idea of what the beat will really sound like. Does anyone know about Tapco S8s? Should there be a way I can set them up to hear this low end mud? And if not, then what is the point of using these monitors at all, if I can't get a realistic idea of what my beat sounds like? i know that is alot of questions but thanks a ton for your help! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fuzzfilth Posted September 30, 2009 Share Posted September 30, 2009 >It didn't sound like that at all on my monitors. Welcome to the wonderful world of mixing. Get used to it, knowing what to do so your mixes translate well is what mixing is about. The usual and best first step to tighten up the low end is to add hi-pass filters to all sounds that don't really belong down there. Conceptually, the ideal studio monitor is 100% transparent, that is, is doesn't add anything to nor take anything from your audio. It transduces as is. Then the experienced mix engineer can deduce from what he hears how it might sound elsewhere. Furtheron, usually there in fact is a boombox or a kitchen radio around for this exact purpose, should you happen to work towards that audience. As you try to compare your speakers to real studio monitors which might easily cost 100x as much, you have to be realistic here. They won't be transparent. At all. Hearing your mix on as many speakers as possible is the way to go when you're still learning. Christian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Mayfield Posted September 30, 2009 Share Posted September 30, 2009 Your mixing room also adds and subtracts a ton from what you hear. Start looking into room acoustics, and you'll see just how far down the rabbit hole goes... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redlogic Posted September 30, 2009 Share Posted September 30, 2009 Excellent advice above^^^ In addition: How do commercial CD's sound on the boombox? Does the boombox have a "loudness button" or "bass boost" mode that may have been active? Where were you when listening to the boombox? If you were near a rear wall or corner, bass frequencies are naturally more pronounced in those areas. Where is your listening position when mixing in relation to speakers and all walls? You may be sitting in a null that makes you want to boost certain low frequencies to sound "right" for that position. Is your room treated? Bass traps, broadband absorption, diffusion etc. can help. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Taybot Posted October 1, 2009 Author Share Posted October 1, 2009 Commercial CDs sound fine on the boombox. There is no "bass boost" button that I pressed, there is nothing I did different when I listened to my own beat. It just sounded very muddy. Way worse than when I listen to a CD or the radio on that same boombox, sitting in the exact same spot. The boombox is where I always keep it, near a wall, but like I said, it sounds fine when I listen to professionally made music. I know professional beatmakers have engineers they send their music to etc. I don't expect my stuff to sound nearly as good as what I hear on the radio. But I know it's possible to make my beats not drown out like that, all muddy and horrible sounding. As far as my listening position when I'm mixing on my speakers, that probably does make a difference. I'm sure I need to set my room up more proper as well, of course you all are right about that. I will look into how to set up a room for mixing. but one thing that bugs me is, what does it matter how my room is set up? I can tell my beats are muddy because regular music sounds fine on my boombox but then my beats sound awful. If my beats sounded awful because of the way my room is set up then that would logically mean most music would sound bad in my room, but I listen to music all the time in my room and I love how it sounds. My point is I know there is something wrong with what I'M doing and its not really how my room is set up. But yes I agree I can make things way better by setting my room up proper. I was wondering, isn't a high pass filter just putting an EQ on it and cutting out the lows? Or is there a "high pass filter" plug in on Logic 8? I'm not really sure about that. Thanks for all your help of course! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redlogic Posted October 1, 2009 Share Posted October 1, 2009 but one thing that bugs me is, what does it matter how my room is set up? I can tell my beats are muddy because regular music sounds fine on my boombox but then my beats sound awful. If my beats sounded awful because of the way my room is set up then that would logically mean most music would sound bad in my room, but I listen to music all the time in my room and I love how it sounds. What does it matter how your room is set up? It matters because regular music that sounds fine on your boombox was not recorded, mixed and mastered on your system...at your mix position...in your room. From my previous post: "You may be sitting in a null that makes you want to boost certain low frequencies to sound "right" for that position." See what I'm getting at? If you're not hearing enough low end (on YOUR beats) from your mix position as you make them, you will naturally want to add low end until it sounds "right". But if it sounds like it needs more low end because: Your monitors don't have good bass response or Your room isn't acoustically treated or Your mix position is at exactly the point where important low frequencies are cancelled or not loud enough or All of the above...then you will be adding low end for all the wrong reasons trying to make it sound "right". With the end result...Your beats sound muddy on your boombox. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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