# Electronic Music Production + Sound Engineering (if you have questions come here)



## GHDA (Jan 14, 2011)

I'm bored and would like to talk about what any of the producers or sound engineers here use as far as hardware, software, samples, and technique.

If you have any questions about anything regarding production or pre-mastering to ask and discuss it here.

This forum seems to be pretty dead but I'd like to have a thread going where anyone can post about whatever they feel like about any type of genre they have trouble with.

I'd like to promote intelligent discussion, not masturbation so don't plug yourself here please.


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## Glockypaws (Jan 16, 2011)

ARF!

My fav GHDA <3

Uhm. I did have a question that you may be able to help with. It's a fairly fuckin extensive question so feel free to be like "fuck off glock go buy a book" XD

Anyway. I'm headed back to school for my degree in Recording Arts and Production, but that's not until february and the first semester is rather on the basic side of things. I don't have Electronic Musicianship II-III  until the second and third semesters (which are a while away). These are more about producing/mixing/etc *all* kinds of music within an electronic realm instead of analog, as opposed to the somewhat misleading title which implies "only electronic[a] music"... though the subject of this question falls into EMIII if I recall correctly.

I was wondering, because I am the type that is both infinitely curious and an amazingly stubborn autodidactic musician/producer/engineer, if you would possibly be able to provide me with a basic overview of the definition, functions, operations, and anything else you would feel relevant on the topic of both Oscillators and LFOs. As well as how to properly (and most efficiently) use them within synths or however that works. If this makes no sense I apologize, I don't come from this crazy realm of yours! :grin::grin:

I am not an electronic musician by any means (composing scares me when there is not an acoustic based instrument that I can hold and mess around with involved XD) though I have a great desire to both broaden my knowledge base and use a number of electronic based techniques/synths/other things within my music so as to provide an interesting juxtaposition to the lead content (which is most often an acoustic guitar and voice).

So... sorry that was long, I have been awake composing with my bassist for like, literally 2.5 days straight (he just left) so my brain is as little melty and thusly a little rambly due to lack of brain2mouth filter. I also understand what I am asking is something that will be taught over a period of weeks and weeks and I will know more about electronic music than I ever had wanted to.. but a basic rundown is all I'm lookin for.

Thanks hun. -hughugcheekpeck-


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## Cam (Jan 17, 2011)

Right now im still the process of getting to know my new software. Right now reason is my baby <3 I wish I had 5.0, but 4.0 is good enough for now until I upgrade. 

You make nasty dubsteps though, what do you use?


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## Lyxen (Jan 18, 2011)

My new technique involves recording in Adobe Audition (guitar Vox etc) to a metronome, master tracks. export to FL9 were I can ad synths and drums, and further mastering/ eq. It's been working out great. I mostly use defaults and can get away with the sound i want.


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## Smiley_V (Jan 22, 2011)

Anyone know of a good soft synthesizer for Electronic House, possibly Progressive House. I'm trying to go for a good analog sound with a nice buzz to it.


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## ~secret~ (Jan 22, 2011)

I could use some advice on AmpliTube if anyone knows how to use it. How to sort out the noise gate would be a great start.

Also, what software do you guys use for encoding tracks?

EDIT: Thought you meant electronic as in 'computers'. Second question still stands though.


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## Glockypaws (Jan 22, 2011)

~secret~ said:


> I could use some advice on AmpliTube if anyone knows how to use it. How to sort out the noise gate would be a great start.
> 
> Also, what software do you guys use for encoding tracks?
> 
> EDIT: Thought you meant electronic as in 'computers'. Second question still stands though.



A noise gate is basically turns any signal (usually noise floor, which results in bad things when tons of distortion is added) below a certain db to silence. So basically, apply your modeling settings, when you hear the awful noise crap turn the noise gate knob up until the red light comes on and the noise is replaced with silence. Adjust to personal preference so it comes on sooner or later than normal.

Dunno if that helps or not.

Also, I dunno what you mean by encoding? Most DAWs will mix multitracks down into a WAV file. From here I use dBpoweramp music converter to convert said lossless wav into MP3, FLAC, or what have you.

If this post is totally unhelpful let me know and I will try and clarify.


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## Aden (Jan 22, 2011)

~secret~ said:


> I could use some advice on AmpliTube if anyone knows how to use it. How to sort out the noise gate would be a great start.



For gating on my modeled guitars, all it takes is some playing around. The purpose of a gate, as stated above, is to take any sound below a specified loudness threshold and just cut it to silence. This will allow the moments in between notes (where there might be hiss or feedback) to be completely silent, without having to go in and automate volume changes or manually delete those parts of the recording. 

Place your gate first in the chain, before the amp. Experiment to set the cutoff at the right place - you want zero hiss or feedback when you're not playing, but you also want to maintain a decent amount of sustain. It's a balancing act, and you might need to compromise.


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## ~secret~ (Jan 22, 2011)

Glockypaws said:


> A noise gate is basically turns any signal (usually noise floor, which results in bad things when tons of distortion is added) below a certain db to silence. So basically, apply your modeling settings, when you hear the awful noise crap turn the noise gate knob up until the red light comes on and the noise is replaced with silence. Adjust to personal preference so it comes on sooner or later than normal.
> 
> Dunno if that helps or not.
> 
> ...


 
Thanks for that, answered my questions quite well.



Aden said:


> For gating on my modeled guitars, all it takes is some playing around. The purpose of a gate, as stated above, is to take any sound below a specified loudness threshold and just cut it to silence. This will allow the moments in between notes (where there might be hiss or feedback) to be completely silent, without having to go in and automate volume changes or manually delete those parts of the recording.
> 
> Place your gate first in the chain, before the amp. Experiment to set the cutoff at the right place - you want zero hiss or feedback when you're not playing, but you also want to maintain a decent amount of sustain. It's a balancing act, and you might need to compromise.


 
No more epic bends then. Small price to pay I guess.

What kind of setup you have for recording?


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