Hi there-
only just figured this out (or at least a way to explain it)-
to create a sense of (stereo) space in a mix, the dynamic comes from the contrast of elements in a mix, not simply from having everything 'all spread out'
Sure, if you run everything through a widening filter, everything will sound 'spaced out' but that's not what I'm talking about at all.
The sense that there is 'space' in a mix comes from many elements aurally, including but not limited to volume dynamics, eq contrasts, other kinds of processing, and lastly, what we'll be addressing today, stereo distance.
What you want to be creating is a sense of distance from one element to the other. You can achieve that through eq to an extent, but here I'll address only the stereo aspect.
Say you've got two elements in a mix. You want to create a sense that there is an area defined by the mix, say, a room (as an analogy).
The mistake people make is thinking that their processing defines the room- and I've made this mistake too -
wrong wrong wrong.
The two elements of the mix define the room.
What you want to be able to do is get contrast between the elements in the room so they stand out. If they're both dead center, then there's no contrast-
and if they're both blurred from left to right (take that as a visual analogy for stereo widening) then there's no contrast.
If there's no contrast, there's no room. This is what many people do in their stereo spread.
But suppose we blur one element from left to right, then keep the other one dead center. Contrast. Suppose we put one to the left and the other to the right. Contrast. Suppose we blur one and contract the other so it's got a smaller width. Contrast.
The contrast defines the room.
If everythings a big echoic cavern, then sure, it sounds huge - but there's no room. I can't tell where I am in relation to the cavern, because there's nothing closer than the cavern walls. To create that illusion, you need things placed near, placed far, placed left and right, and sometimes big and echoic or blurred or contracted. Define your boundaries, and define the other objects within the boundaries.
Then you've set up a space someone can pitch their mental tent inside, somewhere that someone can psychoacoustically feel their way through as if they were exploring a space by touch only.
To add to that - obviously volume is your z-axis, so placing things further away and closer also helps define the space. Don't think 3D all the time, but it helps as an analogy.
Peace out-
Creating a sense of space (tut)
How to do this, that and the other. Share, learn, teach. How did X do that? How can I sound like Y?
Moderator: KVR Moderators (Main)
Creating a sense of space (tut)
2013-02-14T00:37:05+00:00
Hi there-
only just figured this out (or at least a way to explain it)-
to create a sense of (stereo) space in a mix, the dynamic comes from the contrast of elements in a mix, not simply from having everything 'all spread out'
Sure, if you run everything through a widening filter, everything will sound 'spaced out' but that's not what I'm talking about at all.
The sense that there is 'space' in a mix comes from many elements aurally, including but not limited to volume dynamics, eq contrasts, other kinds of processing, and lastly, what we'll be addressing today, stereo distance.
What you want to be creating is a sense of distance from one element to the other. You can achieve that through eq to an extent, but here I'll address only the stereo aspect.
Say you've got two elements in a mix. You want to create a sense that there is an area defined by the mix, say, a room (as an analogy).
The mistake people make is thinking that their processing defines the room- and I've made this mistake too -
wrong wrong wrong.
The two elements of the mix define the room.
What you want to be able to do is get contrast between the elements in the room so they stand out. If they're both dead center, then there's no contrast-
and if they're both blurred from left to right (take that as a visual analogy for stereo widening) then there's no contrast.
If there's no contrast, there's no room. This is what many people do in their stereo spread.
But suppose we blur one element from left to right, then keep the other one dead center. Contrast. Suppose we put one to the left and the other to the right. Contrast. Suppose we blur one and contract the other so it's got a smaller width. Contrast.
The contrast defines the room.
If everythings a big echoic cavern, then sure, it sounds huge - but there's no room. I can't tell where I am in relation to the cavern, because there's nothing closer than the cavern walls. To create that illusion, you need things placed near, placed far, placed left and right, and sometimes big and echoic or blurred or contracted. Define your boundaries, and define the other objects within the boundaries.
Then you've set up a space someone can pitch their mental tent inside, somewhere that someone can psychoacoustically feel their way through as if they were exploring a space by touch only.
To add to that - obviously volume is your z-axis, so placing things further away and closer also helps define the space. Don't think 3D all the time, but it helps as an analogy.
Peace out-
metamorphosis
https://www.kvraudio.com/forum/memberlist.php?mode=viewprofile&u=54189
-
- KVRAF
- Topic Starter
- 4007 posts since 8 Jan, 2005 from Hamilton, New Zealand
- Contact:
Post by metamorphosis » Thu Feb 14, 2013 12:37 am
I make music: progressive-acoustic | electronica/game-soundtrack work | progressive alt-metal
Win 10/11 Simplifier | Also, Specialized C++ containers
Win 10/11 Simplifier | Also, Specialized C++ containers
Post Reply
2 posts
• Page 1 of 1
Return to “Production Techniques”
Jump to
- The Main Forums
- ↳ KVR Studio Manager
- ↳ KVR Experts
- ↳ Getting Started (AKA What is the best...?)
- ↳ Instruments
- ↳ Effects
- ↳ Hosts & Applications (Sequencers, DAWs, Audio Editors, etc.)
- ↳ Guitars
- ↳ Mobile Apps and Hardware
- ↳ Soundware
- ↳ Samplers, Sampling & Sample Libraries
- ↳ Hardware (Instruments and Effects)
- ↳ Modular Synthesis
- ↳ Sound Design
- ↳ Production Techniques
- ↳ Music Theory
- ↳ Computer Setup and System Configuration
- ↳ DSP and Plugin Development
- ↳ DIY: Build it and they will come
- ↳ Music Cafe
- ↳ Sell & Buy (+Special Offers, Deals & Promos)
- ↳ KVR Developer Challenge 2023
- ↳ Everything Else (Music related)
- ↳ Off Topic
- ↳ Off Topic Classics
- Official Company Forums
- ↳ 2getheraudio
- ↳ accSone
- ↳ Acon Digital
- ↳ AcousticsampleS
- ↳ AcousModules
- ↳ Agitated State
- ↳ AIR Music Technology
- ↳ AMG
- ↳ Ample Sound
- ↳ Antares Audio Technologies
- ↳ Apisonic Labs
- ↳ apulSoft
- ↳ AriesCode
- ↳ Arts Acoustic
- ↳ Arturia
- ↳ Audjoo
- ↳ AudioSpillage
- ↳ Audiority
- ↳ Best Service
- ↳ Big Tick
- ↳ Bitwig
- ↳ Controller Scripting
- ↳ Blue Cat Audio
- ↳ Cherry Audio
- ↳ CWITEC
- ↳ Embertone
- ↳ energyXT
- ↳ Eventide
- ↳ Expert Sleepers
- ↳ forward audio
- ↳ Future Audio Workshop
- ↳ FXpansion
- ↳ g200kg
- ↳ Harrison Mixbus
- ↳ HG Fortune
- ↳ Homegrown Sounds
- ↳ HoRNet Plugins
- ↳ Ilya Efimov Production
- ↳ Image Line
- ↳ Impact Soundworks
- ↳ Indiginus
- ↳ Insert Piz Here
- ↳ Ju-X
- ↳ Kirk Hunter Studios
- ↳ Kirnu
- ↳ Kong Audio
- ↳ Krotos
- ↳ Kuassa
- ↳ KV331 Audio
- ↳ LennarDigital
- ↳ Les Productions Zvon
- ↳ Liqube Audio
- ↳ Loomer
- ↳ LVC-Audio
- ↳ Maizesoft
- ↳ Manytone Music
- ↳ MeldaProduction
- ↳ Mellowmuse
- ↳ MIDIMood
- ↳ moForte
- ↳ Mozaic Beats
- ↳ mucoder
- ↳ MusicDevelopments
- ↳ Tips & Tricks
- ↳ MusicLab
- ↳ MUTOOLS
- ↳ New Sonic Arts
- ↳ NUSofting
- ↳ Oli Larkin Plugins
- ↳ Orange Tree Samples
- ↳ patchpool
- ↳ Photosounder
- ↳ PlugInGuru
- ↳ Polyverse Music
- ↳ Precisionsound
- ↳ Premier Sound Factory
- ↳ Psychic Modulation
- ↳ Realitone
- ↳ Resonance-Sound
- ↳ Reveal Sound
- ↳ Roger Linn Design
- ↳ rs-met
- ↳ S3A: Spatial Audio
- ↳ SaschArt
- ↳ Smart Electronix
- ↳ sonible
- ↳ SonicBirth
- ↳ Sonic Reality / eSoundz.com
- ↳ Soundiron
- ↳ SPC Plugins
- ↳ Sugar Bytes
- ↳ TAL Software
- ↳ Tokyo Dawn Labs
- ↳ Tracktion
- ↳ u-he
- ↳ u-he Linux support
- ↳ United Plugins
- ↳ VAZ Synths
- ↳ Virharmonic
- ↳ Wolfgang Palm
- ↳ xoxos
- ↳ XSRDO - SynthCraft
- ↳ ZynAddSubFX
- Site Stuff
- ↳ Site Stuff
- Archived Forums
- ↳ AlgoMusic
- ↳ easytoolz
- ↳ Elevayta
- ↳ Hollow Sun
- ↳ Kazrog
- ↳ LinPlug
- ↳ Muse Research and Development
- ↳ Shuriken
- ↳ SoHa Sound Design
- ↳ Soniccouture
- ↳ Topten Software
- ↳ Tweakbench
- ↳ Valhalla DSP
- ↳ CK Modules & VST
- ↳ Sennheiser AMBEO
- ↳ Muon Software
- ↳ Westgatesounds.net
- ↳ Squaredheads
- ↳ Sonigen
- ↳ CFA-Sound
- ↳ Back In Time Records
- ↳ Livelab.dk
- ↳ Skytopia
- ↳ audioD3CK
- ↳ Inspire Audio
- ↳ Krakli
- ↳ Drumdrops
- ↳ Futucraft
- ↳ OverTone DSP
- ↳ RaXnTraX
- ↳ solar3d-software
- ↳ Signaldust
- ↳ Soundemote
- KVR Forum index
- All times are UTC
- Delete cookies