Any tips about frequency masking?

[WebLinkr]

Any tips about frequency masking?

 

[yeahipostedthat]

First off, don't have everything playing all the time. Mute stuff and turn things down when they're not the main focus. Automate this to make your life easier. Also, make sure your instruments are played in different voicings and ranges. If using MIDI, change the inversion or move things up or down an octave.

Remember, mixing isn't just about EQ and compression. Sometimes, it's about fixing your arrangement. Don't be afraid to pan things wider than you think you should. Those hard left and right positions are there for a reason. Record things in mono and make your MIDI instruments mono, too. Stacking stereo instruments on top of each other can make your mix sound less stereo. Mixed mono will give you a wide sound and true separation.

Once you've fixed your arrangement and panning, then you can start EQing. Begin with high-pass and low-pass filters, then make cuts to instruments that don't need certain parts of their sound to still represent their core timbre. But only do this if you need to.

To add depth to your mix, use different reverbs and reverb lengths to push things forward and back. Personally, I'm not a big fan of carving out space for one instrument by cutting another. I think it sounds unnatural. If you find yourself doing this, it's probably a sign that your instrumentation is too dense. Just mute stuff instead!

 

[justinharris]

If you're looking for a plug-in to help you carve out space for instruments, Trackspacer is a great option. But hold up! The real issue is usually the arrangement itself. If you've got too much going on in the same frequency range, that's where the problem lies.

Now, if you don't have control over the arrangement, don't worry. You can still make it work. Just get more aggressive with your high and low cuts. Try to place each instrument in its lane. Use automation to bring things out or hide them as needed.

Remember, a clean arrangement is key to a great mix. But EQ is your best friend if you can't change the arrangement. Get surgical with those cuts and let each instrument shine in its own space.