Hi,

I'm still learning to produce,mix, master.
Things sound ok on my Adam A7x but I also have a small speaker that I check on. Most music by other artists in my genre sounds ok on this smaller speaker but when I reference to my track at same level mine is distorting.
Solo piano, solo vocals usually the main things.
I use the smaller speaker as it's lot easier for me to hear distortion on this little speaker without having to turn a speaker up loud.
Here is something I just quickly made as an example, sounds good next to my reference track. I am trying to produce, mix, master to 7Lufs. Usually if I solo the piano it's mad distortion. Even in this example if I solo it and lower it by 10d it's still distorting and no where near 0db.
Just wondering if you can hear the distortion.
Or any tips and tricks to avoid distortion on smaller speakers. Or to get to 7Lufs without distortion. Thank you.

https://vocaroo.com/1mN42hxgVPNU

 

lw mids need attention
you are chasing loudness, referencing track and still can't hear what needs to be done...
loudness is the least of your problems but I don't mean it in a bad way at all. cause once you master the other things, it will be very easy for you to get a loud mix that is actually pleasant

oh and try mixing on the small speaker, get to know it well. hold it in your hand to get a feel of what a good mix is. it's a very good trick

also if you are after warm texture for example on the piano and the mix is busy. you cut it till slim then saturate the lower frequencies

 

Last edited: Apr 15, 2021

Pianos are dipped 10db at 350hz and low cut at 200hz even if I low cut up to 1k it still distorts.
The piano I'm referencing has a lot more mid lows.
7Lufs is pretty much standard in this genre mostly they are at 6Lufs.
I'd like to hear what the other problems you are talking about please.

 

try wide q dip around 500-800

also what happens when you take the EQ off?

 

is the piano patch going to be this prominent in your mix?

 

I had dipped that as well. EQ off and mid lows are LOUD.

As the main element yes. But prob not as loud as that.

 

Whenever possible, always try to cut frequencies first. Because all equalizers add phase shifts to the sound when you raise a range. This results in undesirable discoloration of the sound.The more you frequencies raise, the more phase shifts usually creep in, and the more difficult it becomes to fit the instrument into the mix. Many sound engineers use their equalizers extremely sparingly.


The Loudness Wars: A Graphic Look At “Hypercompression”
https://www.prosoundweb.com/the-loudness-wars-a-graphic-look-at-hypercompression/

Spoiler: Bobby Owsinski’s - 6 Trouble Frequency Areas

Bobby Owsinski’s - 6 Trouble Frequency Areas
That Can Ruin Your Mix!
Stop The Frustration And Bring Clarity And Separation To Your Mixes

Trouble Area #1: 200Hz (Muddy)
Too much 200Hz can cause the track or the mix to sound muddy or boomy, while not enough can make it
sound thin. It's a fine line, but many times mixers err on the side of too much and end up with a track
that's too thick that clutters up the mix.

Trouble Area #2: 300Hz To 500Hz (Boxy)
Too much of this frequency area results in the dreaded "boxy" sound, or if you're listening to a floor tom
or kick, the "beach ball" effect. It's also a spot that some less expensive microphones (especially
dynamics) tend to emphasize, which is why many mixers almost automatically cut a a few dB of this area
out of the kick drum during the mix.

Trouble Area #3: 800Hz (Walmart)
Too much in this area results in what's sometimes known as the "Walmart" sound, meaning that it sounds like a
cheap stereo purchased in a department store. Try it for yourself - get a cheap pair of computer speakers and
you'll find that 800Hz is what you'll mostly hear. Obviously, too much of this frequency range is not a good thing.

Trouble Area #4: 1kHz To 1.5kHz (Nasal)
This is the nasal range of the frequency spectrum and, as the name suggests, too much results in a
vocalist that sounds like she's singing through her nose. This may be primarily a microphone problem in
that it's poorly matched to the vocalist, but notching a bit out during the mix can fix it.

Trouble Area #5: 4kHz To 6kHz (Presence)
This frequency range is frequently underutilized during the mix, resulting in a track that lacks definition. Without it, things tend to sound dull, but too much can make the track sound thin or, in the case of a vocal, sibilant.

Trouble Area #6: 10kHz+ (Air)
Another widely overlooked frequency band, this provides clarity and adds a certain "realness" to the
track. Many vintage mics have a lot of the air frequencies, which is why we prize them for their sound.
The Maag Audio EQ4P EQ plugin has a special "Air Band" designed to add those frequencies back in the
mix with a minimum of phase shift, but you can dial it in on other equalizers as well.

 

Last edited: Apr 15, 2021

I know why you'd like to get it correct. but I don't know if I would spend a ton of time on it. for one, it sounds good. when you lower it in the mix, I would think about the hi hat tick you have on 2 and accenting it. if you hi cut it, it will probably end up somewhere near the eq band imposter mentioned anyway.

what smaller monitors are you using?

 

Just listening to Gorgon City's newest song. The piano is distorting at 2.35 when it goes solo yea. This is what I hear on my smaller speaker but I can hear this on my A7X.
Smaller speaker just generic bluetooth one that I've hooked up to my headphone out on my controller.

 

I think your smaller speaker or how you have it connected might be more your problem. I use the same Adams as you, but use Genelec 8010a's for smaller monitors. there is a little bit of a noisy pad in there, but I wouldn't say it is distorting on either the Adams or the Genelecs.

the track is very well produced. I think the riser might be more likely to distort, but it really doesn't either.

 

Hi, can you hear distortion on your Adams in that Gorgon City track on youtube when it goes solo piano at around 2.41 before the vocal comes back in?

 

Correct, could be bit reduced too, but no heavy e-guitar like distortion.