Hi all. I'm trying to get that Progressive House sound. I think I'm getting pretty close in most aspects, I'm not sure, but I can't put my finger on the differences that they are typically getting. Can anyone hear what to improve?

My track...



Type of sound I'm after...

https://www.beatport.com/track/signal/19053174

 

Listening on laptop speakers, top end definitely, maybe rethink the choice of sounds there.

 

Thanks for that. Can you elaborate a bit please? Is it that the top is harsh, ugly? Any suggestions for what synth would suit the top end? Do you think I'm looking for like an 'airy' sound? Throughout the track?

 

Ah sorry, I meant your percussion's/hats, compared to reference track, probably different samples would do the trick.

 

You'd need more definition of bass and kick, more ~100Hz (probably low mids too) and way less high end.

 

Brilliant. Thanks for the clarity. Really useful, it gives me a direct reference to fix, so massive thanks...

Brilliant. I have a habit of adding too much bass and I thought I was overcooking it here, so its a shock, but one I need to hear, so thanks. Direct reference is really useful to improve at 100hz and low mids, so I'll see what I can do to add or improve. Really helpful.

The high end is something I need to somehow change in my natural self, which is a big ask. I'm not sure how to go about fixing the high end. I guess with Metric I can see what both tracks have in comparison and maybe slope it... Do you have any better suggestions?

 

Your track sounds overall smoother and a lot more "glued" together, the reference seems to be a bit more cruchy or distortion oriented on it's sound. If you want to get closer to that i'd say try getting some kind of distortion in there, specially on the kick (which will probably also help with the 100Hz thing the cat mentioned)

 

Directly compared to the reference, your track has considerably less low end. It would be easy to say the top end is a little hot, too bright, or "brittle"; but I think with the thinner low end it will seem like that even if it's actually right. There are lots of good options for the lows, but I might start by putting a test oscillator sine wave underneath the kick. Or maybe a non-vocal de-esser on the hats.

Do you have a wav copy of the reference track you are using?

 

Last edited: Jun 22, 2024

I was hearing the crunching too, I thought it was just my speakers or something. It feels a bit overcooked. Cheers. I think I'll avoid pushing that hard then. I already added 65% low saturation in Brainworx, so it probably needs improving before it hits there.

I do have a copy yeah. I can put up a direct reference in Metric or something else if you have a better idea.

 

Think solution there isn't in one broad stroke, but it's sum of all parts kind of thing. For example that rhythmic percussion groove could use some transient shaping (lowering attack portion) and mixed lower, but still actual samples aren't the most suitable ones and it will always sound little off and seek more processing than it should, so some smoother shaker kind of thing would probably be a better solution, tucked in just to give it a little flow, not overpowering hats, but helping them push the track together.

So yeah, instead of trying to rescue it with post production, my sincerest advice is to return to sources and rethink some decisions.

 

Last edited: Jun 23, 2024

I can see what's wrong right across the spectrum, how my tracks don't compare in the EQ, but I've got no idea how to fix it. Somehow all of my compare tracks have the natural slope. i have the bass in the right place, but no matter what I do i can't get the rest in line... I just end up with a headache

I don't think changing sounds makes any difference somehow. Either the percs are inaudible and have no impact or they poke through. Snare sounded superloud before, but now it has no impact.

 

Maybe it's not your genre of choice, but techniques, approaches and philosophy can apply for sure, it's really good practical tutorial that shows you how to take demo to polished release ready track, really great mixing tutorial for modern EDM, but maybe too much psytrance oriented.

https://www.futurephonic.co.uk/products/mixtransformers

Another tutor that could probably give you enough clues, personally didn't watch payed courses from they/them, but judging by this, it's not complete waste of your money, like tons of other stuff.

this one will probably make more sense, they/them is covering exactly the genres you are into and probably you will take much more from it.

Why am I posting tutorials, because I think mixing is an art form and there's whole philosophy and approach to it, so someone who can explain you why he's doing something and how he actually does it goes long way. All the moves lead to the final outcome, every move had a reason and it's one of those things that will take you enough patience and planning to do it more easily and reach better results over time.

Have a blast my brother

 

Last edited: Jun 23, 2024

These are awesome links. Cheers. I was just thinking I need a cheat sheet and you 'posted' one. This looks pretty good, i'll have to see if it can work. The YouTube looks really good for what I'm after...

I opened a Jerome Isma-Ae tutorial pretty much in my field and saw his kick is really low, nothing above like 2k and bass has nothing above 600. Mine have stuff at like 10k and really loud. So right there is probably a huge part of why the percs won't sit properly.

I'll give this a go and see if this helps. When I pushed Isma-Ae's stems through my template it sounds awesome, so there's nothing wrong with the template. Its just me and shit decisions with the sounds I use, and shit EQ. These tips look like they could be a huge help. Listening to the track I liked the first version, so that's probably why I'm mixing Progressive so shit.

 

Had a listen to this but its waaaaay too long. I couldn't follow it, it doesn't get to the point quickly enough...

I followed a lot of the advice in the YouTube thing but as always I lost my focus (ADHD) and didn't follow it all the way through, but I got somewhere close to the sound across my Metric tracks, but its still a bit short somehow. Massive improvement though, I just think its too bass heavy and missing something... Tips and help has been huge in pushing it this far though, cheers.



Original from above for convenience:

 

Because that's the thing, it's whole mindset, finding problems, fixing them and trying to land desired outcome from there. You see he gave up from the original kick, why, because it's just easier to use proper kick, then spend any amount of time fixing that one and so on, he replaced or changed whatever he could there, explaining his reasoning, every step on the way, he explains what is the problem, what he wants to achieve and then land there. Massaging individual elements first, then buss-es and then going back and forth until he manages to get that mix to pop, it's not really something that can be explained quickly and in the end you can get big picture of how his every move impacted final outcome.

Another thing, most bigger labels have proper pro engineer having a go at releases, like that guy there, so don't think anyone sitting on the plane or their bedroom is pumping stuff that sounds like that with ease, they aren't, touring guys have guys like that making their demo's release ready, replacing samples, phase aligning, doing tedious task's and etc. It's not impossible to get that pro sound, but it seeks time and devotion, locked in there with clear vision and execution, from your first element to final mix tweak.

Have a blast learning and don't forget that music is more important then production, so no room for frustration.

 

Last edited: Jun 29, 2024

No I have ADHD and these guys are waffling. I need to get to the point of what they're teaching quicker than half an hour per point. I can't focus on what they're saying because a lot of it is 'umming' and 'arring'.

Totally appreciate putting me onto it though. The other YouTube was straight to the point and I struggle watching that 12 minutes. That's me. Still haven't finished that because I kept losing focus.

I like the essence of what you are saying and the point seems really good, but I need that info instantly or my mind just wanders. I don't have any focus. I need drugs for that Amphetamine

And then when I learn these things I have no memory. Again its how ADHD works.

I've been moving the sound forward a bit, taken it into a third track now. There's parts that are close but its still some way off... I'll keep making small moves from here and use these compare tracks. I have the profile right, its just not gelled like the Beatport tracks for some reason.

Here is the second that is now evolved into the third.

 

My sincerest advice would be to drop whole production aspect on someone else, partner, especially in your condition, it's too time consuming and seeks lot of details and frustration. You can probably get really great thing going while it last's and then dump it on him to finish it, win win. There's folks who are just interested in production, some are more interested in everything before it, wearing all the hats really seeks a lot from one person.

 

Yeah that's great advice and makes sense but I left that scene and closed my social media connections etc. My heart isn't in this at all... I've been making songs for a couple of years now and I just don't have the passion for 7 minutes of arrangement stuff. I get songs... This stuff just isn't in my heart, the arrangement side etc.

I think I'll just drop this stuff... Cheers for the help. It has helped. Some of this will translate to the low end and highs of my songs. Some will translate to the master buss, which I learned a lot about... And I'll make better sounds on my songs moving forward.

 

I have love&hate relationship with EDM, been listening and making it on/off for more then two decades, dunno, had periods when I was completely obsessed with it and those when I couldn't even hear it anymore, only way to have any balance in life with it, for me, is to aim far further from Beatport, all that comparing just kills every joy of doing it, especially trying to shoehorn yourself into some genre and then brainwashing yourself in order to fit into it.

So I just have a fun with it, make something worth arranging, do really quick mix and then have a go at it in Bitwig's clip launcher area, hook some effects on controller and have a blast, call it a day. Whenever I tried to Beatport myself, I stopped making music, it's pointless exercise IMO, becomes a job at that point and being frustrated with something you do outside of your job is pointless.

So just have a blast, music should be escape, not prison, it's not worth losing your sleep trying to match results someone who dedicated his life to it have, majority of those tracks are professionally mixed and mastered, it took them years and hundreds of bucks, so if you get close having a quick go at it, I would call that success and have every reason to be happy with all of it.

 

Yeah top advice. I totally agree. The comparison kills everything, but it has to fit in or it doesn't work... I think it was why I pulled away and started doing what I want, because its shackles. These were all shit tracks just to practice on, to figure stuff out, but I got to the point where I'm just not enjoying it and I don't have that ability to engineer. I write songs, vocals, catchy stuff and this is totally different. Love clubbing. Love club tracks. I just can't make that stuff, I can't keep it simple enough for one thing.

Yeah I agree on the Beatport thing. I find the same, that when I'm trying it doesn't work... When I write songs, go in the booth and just enjoy it, it works. So that has to be more my thing. And yeah I agree, it becomes a job and one that I can't do, so its stupid really. I think if I had a collab partner it might work well but I don't have enough passion to swap files etc, never mind to figure shit out under pressure.

Yeah I've also seen that firsthand, those guys who spent a fortune getting their sound. The group I was in went from £40 a month to 'that version is worthless, you need a supercharge version for £12,000 per year. Not kidding. With a brass neck and all serious... So the guys alongside me are doing what I can't afford to compete with. Some of these tracks I'm using for compare tracks were in that group 5 years ago... It became an elite group for people with money...

So yeah, I've seen that firsthand. Its soul destroying really... I need to get back to what I'm good at and just enjoy doing it