#Fabfilter mb help how to
Here’s a video explaining how to sidechain using the Fabfilter Pro MB for the same reasons mentioned above, but this time for modern dance music and using a Sub and a Kick Drum track to create separation in the mix: The world really is your oyster regarding this one, but don’t overdo it - remember to use this sparingly and to separate the instruments in your mix - once you’ve mastered it, you can start using to trigger effects like reverb, chorus, and more! Separating these two is a great example but there are several others as well like dipping the guitars in the center image of the mix when the vocals come through to help separate the two, or even using the opposite of compression and expanding the room mics on the drums rooms for a split second when the snare is hit to create a wider, broader snare sound.
Then, add your multiband compression, and add a band between 80hz and 120hz, and depending on how the plugin works, specify the band to work from an external input. Route the kick drum to the bass guitar and set the output to 3 and 4. Usually, you can find the routing options within any DAW on the track you’re working on - the main outputs are almost always 1 and 2. These two parts of a mix sit very close to each other in the mix, so a good trick is to add a compressor or in this case multiband compression to be triggered on the bass guitar when the kick drum is hit. To explain this a little better, we’ll use the example of Kick Drum and Bass Guitar. Sidechaining basically means sending the signal of one track to another track, to trigger an effect or similar on the track you want to be affected. Staying on the subject of compression, and touching back on multiband compression - sidechaining one track to another is a brilliant way of creating clarity and separating the instruments from each other in a dense mix. You’ll hear it’s very subtle in the mix, but it has a big change in the context of the mix overall and is a must to have your mixes translate well across the board. You should be aiming to have the multiband comp working when the lower notes are being played, but not as much when the higher register is being played - to achieve this, play with the threshold and aim for around -3 or -4db gain reduction and the attack and release on a medium to fast times. Start the next mix by creating a band between 80hz and 350/450hz depending on how low tuned the guitars are. A general rule of thumb is to set this before you EQ to save yourself hassle with taking away frequencies that shouldn’t be attenuated, but because they’re not tamed they poke out a bit too much. I like to use Fabfilter Pro MB, but there are many others out there that do a great job too like Waves Audio C6 Multiband Compression. This can cause the mix to become clouded if the lower mid-range isn’t kept in focus. It doesn’t matter what style you’re playing, due to the nature of the instrument they are a mid-range focused instrument that invariably is situated towards the edges of the stereo image.
When you’re working several instruments, especially in rock and metal music, and lower register units, the mix can become hard to tame in the low end - this is where multiband compression comes in and works its magic.įor this first example, I like to focus on guitars.
Multiband compression is a staple in digital audio and has been saving mixes since it’s conception. A good mix in the context we’re talking about is controlled, translates well across several types of playback sources, and most importantly I personally think, makes you want to turn it up! So let's talk about how 4 Simple Tricks can help you achieve that. But what makes their mixes so great? Surely, a good mix is subjective, right? Well, yes and no. Artists have been working around the clock to make some incredible music it would seem, and there is no shortage of some incredible new producers being put into the spotlight, highlighted for their great mixes. Once again, it’s the time of the year where so many new releases start to flourish from the woodwork.