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Cheatsheet Quickly Improve Your Instruments Synths

This document provides tips for quickly improving the sound of instruments and synths in a mix using equalization techniques. It lists common sound problems such as saw synths sounding dry or hollow, lead synths not cutting through the mix, pluck synths sounding harsh or lacking punch, and piano or guitar sounding thin or muffled. For each issue, it recommends using a filter such as a bell filter or shelf filter to boost or cut specific frequency ranges, which can help add body, brightness, or space to the sound. The goal is to solve issues with a minimum of steps for a more polished and balanced overall mix.

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Thabang Masekwameng
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29 views

Cheatsheet Quickly Improve Your Instruments Synths

This document provides tips for quickly improving the sound of instruments and synths in a mix using equalization techniques. It lists common sound problems such as saw synths sounding dry or hollow, lead synths not cutting through the mix, pluck synths sounding harsh or lacking punch, and piano or guitar sounding thin or muffled. For each issue, it recommends using a filter such as a bell filter or shelf filter to boost or cut specific frequency ranges, which can help add body, brightness, or space to the sound. The goal is to solve issues with a minimum of steps for a more polished and balanced overall mix.

Uploaded by

Thabang Masekwameng
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Quickly Improve Your Instruments &

Synths

It is so great to listen to a mix and know exactly what you should do to


improve it. That is exactly what I want to help you accomplish. Below
are two cheat sheets that help you quickly solve the sound problems of
your instruments and synths.

Quickly Improve Your Synths

Saw synth sounds dry


If the saw synth sounds too dry, it lacks a sense of space. Add a little of
the main reverb to the saw synth to make it sound more spacious.

Saw synth sounds hollow


If the saw synth sounds hollow, it is lacking mid frequencies. Use a bell
filter to boost frequencies between 350Hz and 800Hz to give the saw
synth more body.

Lead synth doesn’t cut through the mix


If the lead synth doesn’t cut through the mix properly, make sure the
volume is loud enough. Lead synths are often one of the most important
elements of the song and can be the loudest element of the mix.
Reference your song with other professional songs.

Alternatively, you can use a bell filter to boost frequencies between


800Hz and 4kHz to bring the lead synth more upfront in the mix.

Lead synth sounds to thin


If the lead synth sound too thin, it is lacking low and mid-low
frequencies. Make sure you haven’t set the HPF too high. Use a bell filter
to boost frequencies between 300Hz and 700Hz.

Pluck synth sounds too harsh


If the pluck synth sounds harsh, its high frequencies are too loud. Make
sure you’ve set a LPF. Use a high-shelf filter to decrease the volume of
frequencies above 5kHz.

Pluck synth doesn’t cut through the mix


If the pluck synth doesn’t cut through the mix properly, it is likely being
masked by another element. Try panning the pluck synth (or the other
element) differently to create more space.

Alternatively, make sure the pluck synth has enough mid-high and high
frequencies. If needed, use a bell filter between 800Hz and 5kHz to
enhance the brightness of the pluck synth and give it more clarity in the
mix.

Pluck synth lacks punch


If the pluck synth lacks punch, make sure to set the attack time of the
compressor right after the attack time of the pluck synth, this is often
somewhere between 15 and 35 milliseconds.

Atmospheric synth sounds too bassy


If the atmospheric synth sounds too bassy, - you guessed it – it has
too much bass. Make sure you’ve set a HPF. Use a low-shelf filter to
decrease the volume of the frequencies below 150Hz.

Quickly Improve Your Instruments

Piano lacks punch


If the piano lacks punch, make sure you have set the attack time of
the compressor right after the attack time of the piano, this is often
somewhere between 25 and 40 milliseconds.

Piano sounds thin


If the piano sounds too thin, it is lacking low and mid-low frequencies.
Make sure you haven’t set the HPF too high. Use a bell filter to boost
frequencies between 150Hz and 300Hz to give the piano more body.

Guitar sounds muffled


If the guitar sounds muffled, it is lacking high frequencies. Use a bell
filter to boost frequencies between 2kHz and 8kHz to give it more
clarity.

Guitar sounds harsh


If the guitar sounds harsh, its high frequencies are too loud. Make
sure you’ve set a LPF. Use a high-shelf filter to decrease the volume of
frequencies above 5kHz.

Guitar sounds hollow


If the guitar sounds hollow, it is lacking mid frequencies. Use a bell filter
to boost frequencies between 350Hz and 800Hz to give the guitar more
substance.

Strings get masked


If the strings get masked, they are sharing the same frequencies and
placement as another element. Try panning the strings (or the other
element) differently to create more space.

Alternatively, you can decrease the volume of these frequencies of the


other element with a bell filter in the equalizer.

Strings sound thin


If the strings sound too thin, they are lacking low and mid-low
frequencies. Make sure yo haven’t set the HPF too high. Use a bell filter
to boost frequencies between 200Hz and 400Hz to give the strings
more body.

Strings sound dry


If the strings sound dry, they lack a sense of space. Add a little of the
main reverb to the strings to make them sound more spacious.

Horn sounds muffled


If the horn sounds muffled, it is lacking high frequencies. Make sure
you haven’t set the LPF too low. Use a bell filter to boost frequencies
between 3kHz and 10kHz to enhance the brightness.

Horns sound thin


If the horn sounds thin, it is lacking low or mid-low frequencies.
Make sure you haven’t set the HPF too high. Use a bell filter to boost
frequencies between 100Hz and 350Hz to give the horns more body.

Horns sound dry


If the horn sounds dry, it lacks a sense of space. Add a little of the main
reverb to the horn to make it sound more spacious.

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