Processed or unprocessed wav. samples!?

[Ahmed]

I have two questions here;

1.Is it bad to start my song project with a processed or over processed base drum with compression? Will It cause any troubles in the mastering stage - trying to join the tracks together in an album later on, so there won't be sudden changes in Compression levels of my base drums.


2.What is a better chice; to take a completely processed BD/snare sample with all kind of effects ie; Reverb, EQ, panning, delay and start with it or to start a flat or near-flat one and add whatever you want to it and develop it as you build your song?

Your insite is welcome!

[declassified]

Interesting point, though I don't see the reason to compress a Bass Drum. If the Bass Drum isn't punchy enough you should filter/EQ it, but I don't think compression will be a good way to make it punchier.

If you want to compile all your tracks later on, it is important that your BD in the beginning is not normalized. If it's peak is at digital 0, it's volume will be lowered once other things come in due to master compression and limiting. OR you'll gte a "pumping" effect. So I would start with a processed one that reaches the desired loudness even if not at digital 0.

I wouldn't decide at the beginning of your song whether to change the processing of the Bass Drum to develop the song. Just start out with a version that sounds good to your ears and is loud enough at low volumes (this seperates a good bass drum from a bad one). You'll still be able to change the processing using automation later on, won't you? (depends on your host)

I'm not certain if that answered your question, but anyway...

[Ahmed]

it is important that your BD in the beginning is not normalized

What does normalize mean?

If it's peak is at digital 0, it's volume will be lowered once other things come in due to master compression and limiting. OR you'll gte a "pumping" effect. So I would start with a processed one that reaches the desired loudness even if not at digital 0.

But I didn't realy understand how you've supported the advice above about starting with processed BDs and why would the pumping effects occure in the first place?

You'll still be able to change the processing using automation later on, won't you? (depends on your host)

Must the processing be automated? I mean isn't setting the paragraphic EQ manually be enough? I use FL Studio.

Hope you don't mind such questions !

Thanks for the reply[/quote]

[kritikon]

1.Is it bad to start my song project with a processed or over processed base drum with compression? Will It cause any troubles in the mastering stage - trying to join the tracks together in an album later on, so there won't be sudden changes in Compression levels of my base drums.


2.What is a better chice; to take a completely processed BD/snare sample with all kind of effects ie; Reverb, EQ, panning, delay and start with it or to start a flat or near-flat one and add whatever you want to it and develop it as you build your song?

1. As usual, it depends on what you're doing. If your compilation is going to be a collection of songs all very much in the same style and same feel, then you might want to use similar kick samples. Doesn't really matter if they're all heavily processed or not though, although similar processing on all tracks will help them sit together better. And decent mastering will make them sit together to a large degree, even if you use different kicks/basses etc.

2.Again, depends on the feel you want. You would certainly have more options if you start with unprocessed samples - it's generally easier to add things than it is to take things away (although that can be done).
Sometimes there are certain samples that just sit well with your track, even if they are heavily processed already, so don't rule out using them. Personally I often will have a loop that I want to use...I might have various version of it, chopped or messed with very little, plus the original. I'll also have heavily chopped versions (down to individual hits both with sampled FX and without) and a midi file of its pattern. Then I might also use my own samples and/or synthesised drums with the midi file. Then I can tweak away and process and add FX to my heart's content. And I might mix and match bits of all 3 methods. If it works within the song, then it works, period.

Mastering can make disparate tracks blend better when doing the compilation at the end...I certainly never let that influence how an individual track sounds when I'm actually creating it.

As for compression on bass drums - I rarely do that nowadays - you're probably going to be using at least subgroup compression on a drum group and then mix compression (which might even be multiband) at the end. So even though during composition a bass drum may sound a bit weedy, it will for sure be pumped up during the whole end process of mixing - if it's heavily compressed at the start, it makes that overall mixing alot more difficult to do.

My personal view is that I rarely want a channel to be uber-powerful like some people seem to do at the early stages. I still want a good mix, but the more I boost up one particular sound, then I know I'll have to pull back some other channels to make room. Say you have a decent bassline going that isn't particularly strong, but it sits well with a heavy kick. Some point later on, you mess around with your bassline synth and make a patch that just has to be used because it sounds better within the whole song - yet it's more powerful than the previous patch and competes too much with the kick...but you've already used a heavily compressed kick that can't be reeled back in - it becomes a pain in the arse to sift through all your kick samples to find a smaller one that fits better - all because you went mad with compression at the start, and committed yourself.

Kicks usually don't need heavy compression - a better mix will often fix better than trying to pump up a kick - it needs its own space in the mix, just like every other instrument, and a huge compressed kick takes up the whole spectrum where your bassline sits and also many of your lower-mid lead riffs, and even pads...you can even have trouble with your snares if your kick is too big.

[Ahmed]

Thanks alot for your detailed explanation! This will surely add a great deal to my musical experience

[Peel]

I would start with the BD sound you like best, and be prepared to tweak its sound to fit your song as the song develops. As with everything, sometimes instruments that sound great on their own don't sound so good in a mix, and vice versa.
The advantage of starting dry is that you have more flexibility in tweaking later. But there's no reason not to throw on the fx to make a rough go at the sound you have in mind right from the start, IMHO.