This isn't a technique to make it massive like what you've done, but I use an automation plugin called pancake that makes the sound go from left to right and back again when I'm trying to use an ambient sound. It makes it hard for the listener to define what it is or where it's coming from, but they still hear it. Makes ambient parts sound pretty cool. Thanks Marc Daniel Nelson!
I've only just started playing around with it to make the cymbals unobtrusive during the verse, but more aggressive in the chorus. The song I'm currently working on has the chorus repeated three times at the end, so by the last round, I want them really smashing and cutting through the mix, but on the earlier choruses, I'm just bringing them up a little compared to during the verses. There's so much more I could be doing with automation though, so many possibilities.
Oh, I do have one simple trick and that's to completely remove the reverb and delay in certain parts of a song. Of course, it depends on the song, but it can be so dramatic, especially a song with lots of reverb when you want a really intimate sound for a measure or two.
This is one of the best production videos you've done. I'll definitely give this stuff a try! Since you asked, one minor detail that's helpful when automating volume is to automate relative volume instead of absolute. In Logic Pro X, this is the +/- volume automation option (I'm not sure about other DAWs.) If you use relative volume automation, and later in the mix you decide to change the fader position of the track, your relative automation will still work and make sense relative to your new fader position, which is not the case if you write absolute automation. Thanks, Warren!
This is a great trick to use when basic volume automation won't work. I'm mixing a song that's an album opener and needs to have a really strong first verse, which doesn't leave much room for the chorus to pop. But this could be another way to get that energy boost. Also, if you're not scaring your mastering engineer, you're not doing it right.
I'll admit I really only use automation for corrective purposes, but this was eye-opening. Volume, EQ, Pan, Reverb - all great tools for changing up the chorus. Thanks!
I've been experimenting with automating vocal compression recently. Changing compression threshold settings can create more energy/urgency for a chorus, for instance.
@@jenniferlaynemusic ....well I actually meant lowering the threshold setting, so the track is being compressed harder. To my ears, that brings out more of the breathing, lips smacks, earthy human mouth noises etc🤣 It seems to energise things more? Depending on the material. I understand that might seem counter intuitive to "flattening the dynamics" with regard to volume levels.
One really cool piece of automation I recently did was a sweeping peak. Had rhythym guitar, piano, and bass on one bus and set it to start peaking in the mid range during a post-chorus, and then sweep up to the high end and then come back. The peak got higher as it approached the highs, and then lowered back down when it came back to the mids. Made for a really cool sound. This video was great, thanks a lot for the awesome info!
No doubt this has to be my favourite channel out there! Warren your passion and enthusiasm for this art form is truly inspirational and as always, great tips and tricks !! Legend!!!
Lots of great ideas! One tip for automating in Pro Tools (and it took me 15 years to learn it 🤦♂️) -> Ctrl+Alt+Cmd+click the parameter you want to automate, which can be bypass too, and it brings up a tiny menu saying ‘Enable automation on this parameter’. Much quicker than going to the full menu and looking through the list.
I've never tried the EQ automation like you showed in the beginning. Also the EQ for the kick and the the snare verb. Such awesome techniques.I have got to try these.I absolutely love this. Thank you, Warren.
I love the way you are using the foundations of mixing , then directly automating them creatively.And it makes everything bloom in the right places.Musical mixing.Excellent.It gives it a nice landscape instead of a bland linearity.Great advice.Thank you
I often use automation for vocal (and other) throws (delay, reverb for example). I also use it regularly to spread rhythm guitars for the choruses and during instrumental solos (eg. guitars, et al). I may sometimes have as many as half a dozen automation moves or more on a single bar before a major arrangement change.
I have have always used pan and volume automation to try to make my mixes more dynamic but never thought to use EQ EFFNNN!!!! Brilliant!!! I was giggling the entire video with excitement. So cool I do primarily hard rock so I am curious to see how I can employ this new weapon. Thank you again WH
Simple, and yet so powerful. These are the many little things that make a good song, a great song.....and the many undiscovered things for the average home recording studio enthusiast. Thanks much!
Thanks for the great example of how you can sculpt the sound with automation. The day I really started jumping into automation changed everything for me.
Love your work and appreciate your time in walking us through these tips. Very cool. Also, wanted to report, I seen my first ever ad for Manley Compressors placed halfway through this video! Geeked out a bit, thought that was pretty cool, lol. Big up
@@Producelikeapro Thank you, Warren. The techniques you share are priceless. I’m recording a song right now and I’m going to definitely use this technique for sure! Just mind blowing!
I have a tendency to automate modulation effects, specifically rate controls. Very helpful when you want the dimensionality of the effect without the waveforms repetition becoming a distraction to the rhythm. Great video. Those drums sound amazing!
Wouldn't it be great if we could all have a fully miced up drum kit in our bedrooms and a drummer&interface to go with it . most spare bedrooms in the UK are 2x 3 lol ! but what a great video & helpfull lesson as allways
I just came from a ton of other videos, mostly benny greb interviews (multiple different yt channels) and it sounds as if your voice is way too dark today. And boomy too. Lovely content as always though. Love you guys.
Great video. It's strange that you can be mixing every day and having learned a few good tricks, you get so wrapped up in the music that you forget about them ... until someone gives you a kick and reminds you. ... like here. So a good one which blew my mind was the stereo panning thing. Much the same as you did in this video but to extreme. Mustapha by Queen is a great example. They thin out the EQ and MONO the verses, so when the chorus comes in and Brian's guitars are loud and hard panned, the track EXPLODES. Another subtle one is when your lead voice or focal source becomes masked by another important figure. For EG, ad-libbed guitar lines. The instinct is to push up the vocal for those few words, often resulting in it being too loud. I sometimes leave it where it is and duck the thing that is getting in the way. You don't notice the reduction but you can hear the main vocal clearly. Another is when an instrument is sitting nicely in the mix but it's not obvious that it enters. So I push up the level so it makes an impact and it can be heard, then pull it back to where it should be. You still hear it, even if it's quiet, but it doesn't get in the way of anything ... Probably too obvious. LOL
Another fantastic video Warren, simple but effective. Love the narrow vocal EQ trick. Maybe even down to telephone EQ for intro then burst it wide open for the 1st chorus!
Wonderful video Warren! Thank you so much for this one! I really like using automation everywhere I can. And these are some helpful tricks and tips. Thank you so much for all of your knowledgeable videos! Learning much from you!
SO nice to see you and Julia talking bass, Le Cjic, broken arms etc.! Did you notice shw always has a couple o; pineapples in her studio? Good health and rehab to you, AJ.
I use it on echo/ reverbs and sometimes with heavy panning, like you did, you can do some hocus pocus with these tools. Combined with LFO's and very subtle, you can give a pleasant effect in your ears, but like you playing with bass, is something that I want to try. You can do a lot if you are creative, the sky is the limit. And use them with care. Great inventing automation. 😃
I really like to begin a song with a heavy telephone-like EQ on Vocals and Guitar and then come in with the full frequency. A bit like "wish you were here" . I did this by copying the items to different tracks where I could process them individually . Of course I do this too often 🙂
I have a song that I'm working on and there is no sparkle. It's all mids. I'm not sure what or where I should cut or add to make it shine. Any thoughts on frequencies? I have 2 electric guitars and a Wurlitzer piano all playing in the same range.
You should interview engineer Jeff Jones (" The Jedi ") Mr. Jones is based in New York city. It would be nice for your viewers to see an outstanding recording engineer of color.
Thank you Warren! Anyone else have the song "the more you live, the more you love" by flock of seagulls in their head after watching this? I apologize, I don't mean to compare the 2 songs because they are very different.
Apologies if this has already been asked many times. What make and model are your larger lacquered studio monitors? They look neat and I'm sure you've chosen them very carefully.
Loved this video. I was curious, though. After the first chorus, do you return to the same automation as on the intro and first verse in the rest of the verses or do you usually only do it in the first verse?
anyone else have a pet hate of "achhan" in vocals? omg who remembers that enrique englasias pop song i can be your hero, killll meeee. anyway warren thanks for this one it was cool to learn i think somehow these are techniques we all kinda know but need to be reminded that simple things really work, and still work
Yo warren. I've been breaking down The Beatles Come Together, so now I've got a question about panning. The panning of the drums; Is it just part of the delay and reverb of Ringo's drums and kick that is panned Left (at least in the beginning,) or are those extra microphones on the kit that are panned left? For instance on the Right side it sounds like the kick beater was mic'd and panned, but on the left it sounds like an outside resonant kick mic or some type of sub kick. This really has me bogged down. Come Together is an amazing tune no doubt, but I think the mix pushes it out of the atmosphere. Also, John's vocals have at least two different takes one panned left and one panned right, correct? They sound like completely different takes. (Edit) Most important question here: Is it acceptable to pan the multiple mics say on a drum kit to different sides? For example inside batter mic panned say Right Side for the thwack sound, while having the more bass heavy mic panned elsewhere, say left? Or on an open back guitar cab when mic'd with 2 57's. Could the front mic be panned one way, and the back mic panned different?
I tried doing this on my master. Using the Lurssen mastering console and just push the compressor extra hard in the choruses. However, I noticed that when I export the song I can hear that the changes take a few seconds to kick in. Does anyone else experience automation latency when exporting? I've tried changing the buffer size but to no avail.
I'm using Cubase Pro 11. Could it perhaps be that my audio export settings differs from the settings used when it was recorded? I can't really see why it would matter but perhaps someone can enlighten me
@@Producelikeapro I really do appreciate you sharing your wealth of knowledge for those of us trying to write, record, and mix our own indie tunes. It is so rewarding when every song turns out a little bit better each time.
