Spectrum Analyzer Basics For Music Producers
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- čas přidán 7. 08. 2024
- Today I’m going to show you how to use a spectrum analyzer to find problems in your mix, how to change the display to make it easier to read and interpret and then show you how to locate, compare and fix frequency issues in your mix.
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Timestamps:
00:00 - Start
01:40 - The problem with mixing in small rooms
03:04 - Sonarworks SoundID Reference Plugin
05:09 - Fabfilter ProQ3 Display Settings
07:12 - The most important setting in a spectrum analyzer
08:13 - Spectrum analyzer controls for the Fabfilter ProQ3
11:02 - What does a “good mix” look like on a spectrum analyser?
11:57 - Voxengo Span vs Fabfilter ProQ3 display settings
17:25 - Plugin Alliance Metric AB Spectrum Analyzer display
18:47 - How to find areas of concern in your mix using a spectrum analyzer
23:13 - Comparing mixes using a spectrum analyzer
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▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬ ► SPECTRUM ANALYZER BASICS FOR MUSIC PRODUCERS
A spectrum analyzer is a great tool for troubleshooting and helping your ears and brain to make decisions, especially when mixing in small rooms or headphones.
Firstly, I’m going to look at changing the settings to create a more usable display for comparing mixes. Then, we’ll familiarize ourselves on what a “good” mix should look like
Lastly, let’s compare the reading of a small home studio mix to a commercial ref track and discuss how to decide what might need fixing, or not.
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My name is Sara Carter, I’m a professional mix engineer with over 18 years experience, and on this music production channel I’m going to share some of my best mixing tips using a simple mixing tutorial style that will teach you how to mix music like a pro music producer in your own home studio.
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DO you use a spectrum analyzer? If so, how? Do you ever change the settings or keep them stock? I'd love to know!
I gave up on trying to do everything on by myself, I will stick to what I do best which is producing and composing, once that I will manage to deliver my stems to the mixer engineer that suits my style. Thanks for your videos 💚
I always use. I set my project average level -42db
Is -42db good?
Sounds perfect!
Really good vid...although the subtitling supplied by YT is quite comical at times..."low mids" becomes "loan AIDS". You probably don't have any control over that ;)
I do use spectrum analysers. I particuraly like this one, www.hornetplugins.com/plugins/hornet-multifreqs/ - It is multi track, so you can compare 2 or more tracks at the same time and see where the instruments could be masking each other.
Such an incredible video! Thanks ever so much Sara for making this! Hugely informative and very detailed
Thanks Warren!
@@SaraCarterSimplyMixing thank you!!
Sara, just wanted to say that you have this soothing mother goose storytelling voice that makes me what to keep listening. Great content.
Oh that’s so nice! Thank you 😊
Love the message about not trusting your eyes when mixing. It's incredible how different the listening experience is with eyes closed. (Also, thanks for showing how to set up Spectrum Meters. That's extremely helpful.)
J Hughs Presonus Studio One Tips, thank you so much :)
As always, simply and perfectly explained. Thank you for sharing with us Sara.
Thanks for watching Carl!
Fab - one of the most informative clear vids I've seen on this topic. Just started using Bluecat FreqAnalyst with ProTools as a first step into all this. Thank you!
Thank you, Sara for showing us the differences between the two spectrum analyzers! This video really helps me understand more of how to use the plugin. I have SPAN, but never really understood the usage for it. I have never touched the settings before. Your video is definitely more easier to understand than if I were to read the manual for this plugin.
I definitely need to use a reference track to do quick checks to ensure a mix that comes out as clear or as similar to my favourite artists' tracks. I really appreciate all you share with us on improving our craft!
You're welcome!
Una gran claridad en la idea general y en los detalles, muchas gracias!
Fine tutorial. Your voice is quite pleasant to listen to, as well. Many cheers to you.
Thank you kindly!
very good logical explanations Sarah, I should have been watching more on your channel.
The best and clearest explaination I've yet come across. Thanks
Glad it was helpful!
Thanks Sara, this was super informative and timely. I just did some correction on my Adam A7's after owning them for 15 years...Ha! Wow, I had a huge bump at 130 (10 Db) and an adjacent null at 50 to 100.....this correction has made a huge difference....feel like I have brand new speakers....gorgeous bass...things I wish I knew 15 years ago! Luckily I haven't been carving out changes in my low end so my mixes have mostly held up. But this ought to be the first step anyone does right after placing their speakers in the room...just wow. Thanks for the great content! (A huge resonance when I played a C3 and C4 bass notes made me look into this....was rattling my brain...hee)
very detailing and im looking from days to understand this topic on how to use spectrum analyzer perfectly and other topics too really ur content was so helpful ♥️💯
Glad it was helpful!
Good advice concerning the power of suggestion through visuals. Sara is a very good teacher in her explanations.
Glad you think so! Thanks!
This is GOLD Sara...Just GOLD! Thank you.
You’re welcome ☺️
Like in every-single-video, listening to Sara is absolutely wonderful. Thank you for taking the time to do this fantastic and educating video!
Thank you so much!
Again.....really useful information here. Thank you Sara.
Thanks, you’re welcome ☺️
Great insight and video with practical and helpful information.
Glad it was helpful!
Your voice is really soothing, and it makes it easier to learn and understand!
Thank you!
This is a brilliant video, Sara! You explained everything so well! It all makes sense and is extremely helpful. Thank you very much! Love your videos. Big like 572 👍👍👍
Thank you! Glad to help
Very helpful! Glad I found your channel.
Welcome!
Awesome Tutorial! keep up and well done!👍
Thanks, will do!
I'm loving these vids.. Thanks Sara.
I'm so glad!
Tilt - so that's why my Pro Q and Metric AB spectrums look different. I always learn something from your videos even if it's just reminding me of something that I've forgotten (although in this case I just never knew about the tilt control).
Thank You for really great videos!!
Glad you like them!
Excellent video, learned some useful things there...
Glad it was helpful!
Hello Sara! I’ve just stumbled upon this video by the CZcams algorithm and I’ve subscribed immediately. I have things to do now, but I saved this video to watch it further later on. Thanks!
Thanks for subscribing!
@@SaraCarterSimplyMixing Thank you 😊
Thanks for this video!
You're welcome!
Great tips!
Thank you!
Very helpful! I use Span on the master bus and am constantly checking it on individual tracks as well as the whole mix. I use a few custom presets I switch through changing from mid-side, stereo and a couple of different octave settings depending on whether I need to analyze specific problem frequencies or just see a rounder view of overall areas. Usually between "Off" and "1 OCT". Another great way of using the Span (Plus) is the feature it has for receiving up to 5 separate inputs that you assign different colors. If I throw an instance of Span on say the drum, bass, keys, guitar and vocal bus, I can then export those to a separate instance of another Span on an aux channel and be able to see how those separate sounds are working with each other to help me find solutions for potential masking problems as well as EQing instruments in similar places of the frequency spectrum for better separation. Thank you for talking about this subject because many poo-poo the use of frequency analyzers (publicly anyway) because as you pointed out, it always comes down to the ears. But, I have to say that they are a great way to help you train your ears and help understand what EQ does as you learn as well as an invaluable tool for mixing in poor rooms as you pointed out. I see some people change the slope to 3.00 and was wondering why and if you had any thoughts on that Sara? Thanks again.
4.5 shows a flatter response than 3. Selecting 3 shows the higher frequencies tailing off more obviously which is more old school. It's what you're used to, personal preference I think.
@@SaraCarterSimplyMixing I started going with the 3 for a while but, after watching your video the 4,5 makes much more sense to me and I've gone back to it! It's good to understand how they work and the pros and cons. Thanks again for the information!
New subscriber alert 🚨 Great video. Thank you Sara
Yay! Thank you!
Love your videos Sarah. That Northern accent is soothing and I would recommend adding reading books on kindle as an extra money train. Thanks and hope my work improves as a result.
Haha, thanks for your feedback
Hey Sara! Great idea to focus on comparing a difference in hearing and reading from the analyzer (in the last words of the video). I really never thought about that to identify room modes and overproduced fequencies..... Well, by experience I know my room (and speakers) very well over time, but good idea to verify this by the read out of an analyzer. Just for this few words at the end of the video, the time spent watching was well used for me. (Besides the other highly appreciated hints and tips within the video). THX!!
You're welcome!
Very Interesting. Bravo!
Thanks 🙏
Sara, your mix without cut and EQ adjustments is brilliant. super great!!! I'd like to mix it.
Glad you like it!
Master of the universe ✌️
Querida Sara, por fin comprendo la utilidad de un analizador de espectro en la mezcla, realmente me has ayudado mucho en mi carrera como profesional saludos desde Chile
That's fantastic! Glad to have helped
Amazing video!!!
Thanks, I’m glad you enjoyed it!
@@SaraCarterSimplyMixing gracias a ti por tan detallada información. En serio un 10 por tus videos!
Good job
Thanks for binge watching my videos! Haha 😂 glad you enjoyed them.
Sara Carter simply great teacher 😊👍 Thank you.
You're very welcome!
Thanks for another great video Sara! I use the Metric AB when mastering, I know you have mentioned it in previous videos so propably your favourite as well?
Yes, I love it!
Very well done Sara ! Such insights into the spectrum really opens up a new eye of looking at a mix.. It'also amazing to see how you've used Sonarworks to tweak your room tone as well... Really appreciate these goodies ..
Only If possible.. Humbly request you to do a lesson on winning the loudness war against the online platform formalities please.. How can we stick to an RMS of -14 and still be able to make it loud enough to compete with the commercial mixes ?
Is it the Mid Range strength?
Smiley Face EQ curve to bump on LOWs?
Saturation?
Upward compression ?🤔
Don't get too hung up on hitting -14, aim for -12 or even -10 and see if you get the results you're after ;)
@@SaraCarterSimplyMixing Thanks for taking time to reply Sara.. I usually hit -10 without a hesitation & your tips are a great strength... Cheers... ! 👍🥇
Hola Sara! aca estoy dejando mi like
Thank you! Glad you liked it
Thanks 🙏
You’re welcome 😊
Hi Sara, i use PAZ Analizer, i split signal in m/s before and set it in slow stereo.
Good tip!
Thanks for the vid. it would be nice to know what AVG time you're actually using at the end of the video in SPAN also I can see you're using a different "smooth" setting. But as always good info Sara 🙂
Noted!
Hi Sara- thanks for the video it’s interesting to use a EQ to view the Fq spectrum. I have been using StudioOne for years and the Spectrum Analyzer built in is a very useful tool! I saw later in the video about the “Freeze” option on ProEq which is also included on the S1 version!
I am still looking to fully comprehend adding or removing the “Slope” option as you discussed, which as I understand should be a gradient from the peak at 100hz to 20khz - any thoughts?
How do you compensate for a null in the bass? Raising amplitude at that frequency will just fall into the null. Sounds like a rabbitt hole.
Very helpful & interesting video Sara thank you!Would you go back to individual tracks to address eq adjustments ( such as the 350z cut) or are these comparisons to your reference best adjusted on the mix bus as demonstrated here? Btw I echo previous comments your voice is a very soothing & pleasant listen… if your mixing career ever goes belly up I’m sure you’d get offers to narrate audio books! 😁
Thank you! I would try it on the mix bus first but if it's taking too much away from the other instruments or vocal, I would do it at the track level. To find the main culprit, you could solo the EQ band whilst it's on the mix bus and listen for the worst offender. Go to that track and apply the cut.
@@SaraCarterSimplyMixing Thanks Sara, great tip!
Super video Sara, thank you. I use Span in a similar way to how you have shown here, and also the mid side view to help ensure good mono compatibility. One question looking at your Sonorworks eq, how far are your monitors off the back wall? I experimented with changing that distance to minimise the reflection hump in my room.
Not as far as I’d like. I’m not sure on the recommendation from Focal but I have them about half a metre away. Plus I have a window behind one of them which isn’t ideal. I am changing rooms soon though so I will have more options on placement. What have been your findings? I’d like to get that hump below 6dB.
@@SaraCarterSimplyMixing I was able to see a marked improvement in the Sonarworks frequency response by moving the speakers back nearer to the wall (my room is not big enough to have a truly free standing position), I had also improved the treatment on the back wall, and switched to monitors with a front baffle. Its a journey !!
Thanks
You're welcome!
@@SaraCarterSimplyMixing Sara, what level meter plugins are you finding to be the most accurate on the master buss.
When you use words like "Skews", it makes me have to pause the video and go look it up...makes it harder to understand but am keeping up...😊
👌👌
Wouldn't the KEY 🗝 of a reference track influence the low end frequencies that appear in SPAN (or any spectrum) due to the fundamental freqs of that note (also the pitch of the kick etc) ?
Eg, if you pitch your reference up a few semitones, the spectrum would look different...
On that note - how important is it to reference a track in the same key?
I am a TOTAL NOOB when it comes to Spectrum Analyzers... I don't even know where to get a decent one. The first time I saw a Spectrum Analyzer was in the Sound Test Mode of the videogame Valkyrie Profile... and it showed me how pretty and complex Music can be with good visuals. Do you perhaps KNOW of any good Spectrum Analyzers/Visualizers for Windows 10 Operating System? Or something that is cheap to obtain (no subscriptions), etc?
Stupid question but if both dogs are different how is it possible to make them very much the same? Thats the part I don't fully understand Sarah? im sure its obvious to all others reading this just not me.
At what stage do you seek to apply this analysis using the plug in?
I don’t do it often, only if I feel I’m way off from the clients reference.
I thought a balanced mix tends to slope like pink noise rather than be flat like white noise?
Depends on the slope setting of the analyser 4.5. Or 3
@@SaraCarterSimplyMixing so that isn't a relatively flat response, it is in fact sloping down? To my ear it sounds like it looks but it maybe my headphones.
@@SaraCarterSimplyMixing Thanks btw for all your videos, they are great.
Came for the tutorial, stayed for the accent.
Haha!
What's the reason for your Mixknob in SoundID being at 95 instead of 100%, I bet you did this by purpose!
I like to try different mix knob settings. I go between 85 and 100. I would occasionally get mixes that sounded too thin, especially at 100 so I dial it back a bit for my circumstances.
@@SaraCarterSimplyMixing Wow! That makes perfectly sense. I should copy that, as it happens to me almost all the time as "linear" somehow means "overcompensated" if you take in account what your brain does anyway. You just had to write it down to make it obvious to me. Thanks. Your tutorials are top-notch.
You are so wonderful and gifted with "femal patience" ,,,,,,One thing though: I have never understood the whole idea of this room correction eq..In my opinion it´s a total scam..The room still sounds shit after the eq..The ears hear the room with all it´s mistake and adapt. So I don´t see any benefit in this. It might be better for people with small rooms to do quite a lot of the foundation with headphones. A spectrum analyser I would value ten times more than a room correction eq, If your are gifted with too much money, there are incredible active charcoal absorbers available. But they cost a fortune. -referencing and low volume mixing is king in small rooms. Plus: If you are really good and still mix in a bathtub...you made something wrong! 🤣
View on 1.25x speed
Completely disagree with your statement about people trusting their sight before their ears. Maybe that’s how YOU are, but you can’t generalise and make it out gobe a DNA thing 😂🤦♂️
Yet again another so called tutorial , missing essential information as to the process , she is obviously using a stem that has been mixed. So is she now mastering the stem ? If so why is she not explaining this to you the viewers.I would assume she is doing this as the 1st part of the mastering chain and would then move down the chain . Its information like this that makes these tutorials worthless to new users. She is applying EQ cuts to a mixed stem ,Should these changes not be made in the mix ? Slack to say the least !
Hi Sara, I really enjoy your videos and I would like to contact you for a mixing project. Can you send me you contact imfo. Thanks and congrats on such a great job!
Just email me, but I am super busy at the moment!