Brian demonstrates distortion—first on the bass—and the pleasing character it can give to the foundational bass synth. Then he demonstrates the snare drum through a guitar amp, and lastly how distortion changes the attitude of a vocal. Scuffham Amp and a Slate Digital amp modeler are featured.
- [Instructor] Distortion is a sound…associated mostly with guitars.…Electric guitar amplifiers in particular…became the standard-bearer for distorted sounds.…And mixers, you know what distortion does,…it's the overdrive for the front end of an amplifier…versus the back end of an amplifier.…But to people who are asking for a distorted sound,…they might not know what running a snare drum…sounds like through an amplifier.…So, I've chosen an amplifier model here…to demonstrate some of the ways…you can make distortion happen…on something other than guitars,…and to very, very good and useful effect.…
So, one of the things that I use distortion on mostly…and mixes is the bass.…So, let's start with an example of bass…running through a distortion device.…I'll give you a little bit of the song again.…(electropop music)…I've turned the bass up so you can really hear it.…♫ Trying not to catch the bitter end…- [Instructor] Now if I solo that…there's the sound that we have for the bass…and listen to what happens if I distort it…
Author
Brian Malouf
Released
3/30/2017Join multiplatinum producer, engineer, and mixer Brian Malouf as he covers the many terms that musicians and non-musicians use to describe music. Brian explains the meaning behind the comments and also demonstrates techniques that can be applied to a mix in response to the notes. He covers lo-fi mix techniques, EQ techniques, changes to levels, adapting the ambience, making vibe and energy adjustments, working with compression options, and revising the placement location of elements in the sonic sphere.
- Lo-fi glossary
- Volume glossary
- Ambience glossary
- Location glossary
- Attitude adjustment glossary
- Compression glossary
Skill Level Beginner
Duration
Views
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Introduction
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Welcome1m 8s
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1. Lo-Fi Mix Techniques
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Lo-fi glossary1m 7s
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Make it lo-fi6m 42s
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Make it distorted4m 29s
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Add some grit5m 15s
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Add more saturation2m 55s
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Overdrive it7m 20s
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Drum destruction2m 19s
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2. EQ Mix Techniques
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EQ glossary6m 6s
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Brightening something6m 18s
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Add more presence5m 40s
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Darken the bass guitar5m 40s
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Make it warmer4m 23s
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Make it more edgy3m 54s
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The vocal is too harsh4m 10s
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Add body to the snare drum3m 46s
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3. Volume/Level Mix Techniques
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Volume glossary1m 58s
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Faders and pan pots3m 55s
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Specific frequency EQ boost2m 55s
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4. Ambience Mix Techniques
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Make it wider11m 36s
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Give it more space4m 26s
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5. Location Mix Techniques
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Location glossary1m 49s
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6. Vibe/Attitude/Energy Adjustment Mix Techniques
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Make the vocal crunchier3m 33s
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Augmenting the production3m 50s
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7. Compression Mix Techniques
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Compression glossary5m 55s
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8. Other General Mix Requests
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Relating to transients5m 38s
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Other terms you should know9m 37s
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Conclusion
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Next steps37s
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Video: Make it distorted