Squashing the High End

  • Thread starter Thread starter Icarni
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Icarni

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Lately I've been using a Spectrum Analyzer to compare my mix with commercial CD's. I noticed that between 15,000k and 16,000k commercial CD's will have a dramatic drop in the curve while my mix has a more gradual drop. I've messed around with the EQ and with a multi-band dynamics plugin but haven't been able to get this "brick wall" effect. Does anyone have any suggestions?
 
This seems like more of a mixing issue than a mastering issue. In my own mixes there are 3 things with much going on in that range: overheads, acoustic guitar, and vocals. You could boost the high end on those things to get a brighter sound. Using a multi-band on the master bus to squash the high end sounds like it could screw up your mixes quickly. :eek:
 
I'm wondering why you'd want to adjust to a 'shape?

(I thought this might have been about making a high end candy sweetener' with your MB -a much more fun subject
 
I started using the Spectrum Analyzer to diagnose some frequencies that were giving me fits. Mostly on the high end. I had some serious harshness in my mix that I wanted to iron out and my "hunt and peck" technique just wasn't cutting it. It has helped me improve my mix quite a bit. As for why I would want to adjust to that particular shape, I figure if the CD's I'm comparing it to are doing it, then there has got to be a reason. I'm not against scrapping that idea as long as I can get my mix to sound right, but I still would like to know how it's done.
 
Doesn't CD's cutting off at 16k have something to do with the fact that they're 16bit?

Or am I mixing it up with the cut off having to do with half of the sampling rate?

Or m I just totally "mixed" up?
 
RAMI said:
Doesn't CD's cutting off at 16k have something to do with the fact that they're 16bit?

Or am I mixing it up with the cut off having to do with half of the sampling rate?

Or m I just totally "mixed" up?
Click to expand...

No, no rami. You're totally mastered up. :facepalm:
 
Are you looking at the spectrum of a wave file or an mp3? Mp3 files can have that cliff at the high end.
 
Interesting. I compared the waveforms of a song ripped from a CD to both MP3 and WAV formats and the MP3 version did, indeed, have a steep "cliff" at about 18 kHz while the WAV did not. (Both files were ripped from the CD using the same software.)

EDIT: Both files did have a gradual drop in frequency above 14 -15 kHz, though.
 
Yeah, I just ripped my mix to an MP3 and sure enough, there was the cliff. Weird. Thanks for the help everyone!
 
RAMI said:
Doesn't CD's cutting off at 16k have something to do with the fact that they're 16bit?

Or am I mixing it up with the cut off having to do with half of the sampling rate?

Or m I just totally "mixed" up?
Click to expand...
Rami, Rami, Rami! What are we gonna do with this guy lol.
 
dug dog said:
Interesting. I compared the waveforms of a song ripped from a CD to both MP3 and WAV formats and the MP3 version did, indeed, have a steep "cliff" at about 18 kHz while the WAV did not. (Both files were ripped from the CD using the same software.)

EDIT: Both files did have a gradual drop in frequency above 14 -15 kHz, though.
Click to expand...
Are you guys serious or am I missing something??? Something is goin on here I don't want to respond and become an accessory to the fact. I mean ...never mind I'm jus gonna shut up
 
Lol rami, steen, you guys are some of the most highly respected guys on this forum people really take in what y'all say on here people that don't post jus read ur statements and follow. Might be hard for them to decipher from when y'all are joking and serious lol. Jus sayin lol.
 
It could be a lot of things. My mixes don't have much going on up there, but I don't set out to do that on purpose. I don't use mics that are really hyped in the high end and I hate overly bright mixes, so that might have something to do with it too. But my first thought was that you were listening to an mp3.
 
these hooligans are playin around. Don't let them confuse you:D.
 
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