Posts: 163
Threads: 50
Joined: Aug 2008
I'm curious how many of you use these. I recently tried one from Nugen Audio:
http://www.nugenaudio.com/monofilter.php I liked it enough to actually buy it. It really seems to "tighten up" my mixes or just add an overall 'definition' to them.
I've played around with the one from Brainworx, the BX Digital:
http://www.brainworx-music.de/index.php?...=2&lang=en
...but couldn't wrap my head around it. Anyone else try this one? What's your opinion? If the price went down (WAY DOWN) I'd consider it.
Glenn
Also just curious if these are a staple in the mixing/mastering community or if just used by guys like me (who have problems mixing)?
Posts: 413
Threads: 26
Joined: Jun 2007
I may just use the Autofilter in Live to bring parts in and out. Or I use it to hi pass and lo pass some sounds. The hi hats, for example, have no business of hanging out in the lower frequency register.
Otherwise for effects and things of the like I use stereo filters.
When you say 'tighten up my mixes' I wonder whether that can't be carried out via choosing the proper sounds first. The filter can come in handy to cut out unwanted frequencies.
I don't think you need to drop a lot of cash to get a good filter.
Posts: 163
Threads: 50
Joined: Aug 2008
The ones I'm talking about aren't filters in the traditional sense. Their basic function is to change anything below (or I guess above, too) a particular frequency to MONO. So if you have some low freq hanging out somewhere in the edges (muddying up the mix) they will pull them to the center, thereby leaving more space open for your stereo parts. When I use it, it tends to bring the power/punch back into the kick that might have somehow gotten lost. I guess one who mixes properly wouldn't have this problem, but for me, it really helps.
Posts: 413
Threads: 26
Joined: Jun 2007
Ok, thanks for the clarification. Yes, when it comes to vinyl being pressed stereophonic bass or kick signals could generate problems, so it has become somewhat of a best practice to ensure that these are all monophonic. I haven't played with these types of plugins but I know a few people that use them. Maybe Jesse or others can comment on these if they have had experience with them.
Posts: 1,251
Threads: 137
Joined: Jun 2007
Glenn,
Hi are you applying this to the whole mix? I use the Brainworx solo one just to check for phase and also to sometimes adjust the width if needed, sometimes employing the filter stage. For me it's used more as a problem identification tool. I checked a demo of the bigger one they have since it came out for SCOPE initially. Thought it was ok but didn't spend that much time on it.
Posts: 267
Threads: 52
Joined: Aug 2007
Glenn, I use the sort of filter you're talking about all the time. Or the KIS tool on a midi track to convert it to mono while i'm writting as i do most of my tracks in mono. I'm not in my studio so i can't think of the company off hand but whoever makes the compadre beatpuncher has a nice free tool as well.
Posts: 1,251
Threads: 137
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 163
Threads: 50
Joined: Aug 2008
Yeah, I've tried them on the whole mix, with varying success. Some mixes I couldn't really tell a difference, some I could (both good and bad).
I had never thought of doing this until I came across a sort of 'mastering tutorial' on the net. It gave an example of one of the billions of ways you can master a track. I've no idea who wrote it, but you've probably seen it somewhere. An excerpt:
Quote:5. Brainworx db Digital: It is time to eq the whole work with a special mastering equalizer. To avoid antiphase, we need to get control of the stereo field. This is especially important for the bass, so it won't loose any punch. To solve this problem, all frequencies below 300Hz are set to mono (Mono-Maker wheel in the center). In the upper frequencies, the stereo field can be widen a bit.
I played around with Nugen's and feel 300Hz is too high. I've been playing around with MONO'ing everything below 150 ~ 100Hz. Honestly though, I'm not sure if this is a good idea. But again, in some tracks the results were good. I figure though, at the very least it wouldn't hurt to use something like this to mono everything in the sub range.
Posts: 163
Threads: 50
Joined: Aug 2008
Bitfiend Wrote:as i do most of my tracks in mono.
How does that work? I'm not really familiar with doing everything in mono; so doing it this way, you don't run into the problem of all the instruments sort of being 'on top of each other' and muddying everything up?
Posts: 1,251
Threads: 137
Joined: Jun 2007
Glenn,
There's really no need to have stereo info below 300 or so. Bass is omnidirectional which means we don't perceive it as being stereo anyways.
It can help tighten the mix up a bit, really depends on the source material. Generally you would want the moniters pulling their own weight down there so having an even distrubution of low end in both channels is good.
I had to use the Brainworx solo yesterday in a mastering job as I noticed the original mix was lopsided, too much in the right channel. Monoing it out in just the lows helped even up the signal on both sides.
