Squashing the High End

[Farview]

I forgot to mention that compressing the highs might turn them down a bit, but it will also make them 'thicker' which will most likely turn into a bigger problem.

Does it sound bad? Or are you just looking at the spectrum analyzer and attempting to master to the curve of a different song? If that's the case, it will never work because it's not the same song.

 

[Chili]

So, i'm a little confused, too. Are you comparing the spectrum of your 'mix' with the spectrum of a mastered song? Isn't that kind of apples and oranges? I agree we should be using commercially released tunes as a reference, but to try to dial in the same spectrum curve doesn't seem right.

Unless, i'm over-assuming something.

 

[bouldersoundguy]

Use your ears to make it sound good. Don't look at a spectrum analyzer unless you first hear a problem and need more information.

(It's not a bad idea to look at the spectrum once in a while to check for response spikes that may indicate that some sort of machine noise got into the signal.)

 

[Ainaudio]

Range in between 15khz and 16khz and higher is out of musical tones, voice range, and any informative content, it is providing only minimum of the very top harmonics of cymbals and some other MI.
No one sound system is providing such range in bigger distances as 10-20m.
Only close located speakers or headphones can provide it.
Most listeners (with some rare exceptions) can not hear any difference in between 13khz, 16khz and 20khz audio range even in A:B:C test, because real average human hearing range is limited by some 15khz to 18khz range, and there is NO information in this part of sound material.
No information - no attention - psychoacoustics.
So here is not a reason for stressing, only for experiments

 

[Rod Norman]

One doesn't have anything to do with the other.

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?

 

[Rod Norman]

OK. It's good that you spent a lot of money on a spectrum analyzer and then used it to do something it isn't there for. They are used to diagnose room frequency bumps and to eliminate feedback and to eliminate piled up frequencies in live shows. Use your ears. Compare the two, listen and learn to recognize the frequencies in a mix. Use a parametric equalizer to boost the frequency and scan as you go up, then learn what different frequencies are. With practice you will learn where your mixes need help. Use your multiband to try out different settings to see what it does to your mix. A spectrum analyzer won't give you what your ears will. But of course this takes work and time. So be patient and do the work. Your mixes an masters will thanks you.
Good Luck,
Rod Norman

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?

 

[jaynm26]

OK. It's good that you spent a lot of money on a spectrum analyzer and then used it to do something it isn't there for. They are used to diagnose room frequency bumps and to eliminate feedback and to eliminate piled up frequencies in live shows. Use your ears. Compare the two, listen and learn to recognize the frequencies in a mix. Use a parametric equalizer to boost the frequency and scan as you go up, then learn what different frequencies are. With practice you will learn where your mixes need help. Use your multiband to try out different settings to see what it does to your mix. A spectrum analyzer won't give you what your ears will. But of course this takes work and time. So be patient and do the work. Your mixes an masters will thanks you.
Good Luck,
Rod Norman