III. All about Dynamics // JAN 25
After you've created your perfect track with the editing techniques we've discovered in the second live stream, we will explore how we can elevate our recording with different plugins, especially with a compressor and an equalizer! 
Please use this thread if you have any questions concerning the workbook or general questions concerning All about Dynamics!
Click here to access Session 3: All About Dynamics // Jan 25th (Live!)
Find the other sessions here: Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 4 | Part 5
Download the third workbook here
I will post the answers to the questionnaire on Jan 31th!
After the livestream, submit your assignments by replying to this thread!
Time Stamps (with courtesy of philip.1 )
Spectral Peaks. (13:45)
Line Audio CM4 position (23:30)
Editing fast moving pieces. (26:45)
Purpose of spectral analysis. (27:50)
Mixing (30:00)
Mix bus (36:00)
Compressor (42:00).
What is a compressor? (57:20)
ReaComp (1:06:00)
Poll Result. (1:19)
Compression different to limiter. (1:20)
Ride the faders. (1:26)
Outboard Compressors. (1:30)
EQ (1:34:30). FX: ReaEQ
Cut low freqeuencies: High Pass to 56 Hz
Removing String Squeaks. (1:51:00)
Boxiness. (1:56)
Reverb (2:02). FX: ReaVerberate
Limiter. (2:17)
Export recording. (2:26)
De-noising. (2:37). FX: ReaFir.
Normalizing. (2:40:30)
Answers to the Questionnaire:
1. What is normalizing?
Normalizing is maximizing the highest peak in your file to 0db without any dynamic compression. If you're highest peak is at -6db, normalizing will boost your signal with 6db gain, but this will also bring up your noise floor +6db. This is why we need to adjust our input gain levels to peak about -12db to -6db during soundcheck to ensure the highest signal to noise ratio possible!
2. How do we reduce low bass rumble?
A high pass or low cut filter will reduce every frequencies below a point of your choosing with a slope of 6db/octave or steeper! In classical music, we usually use flatter slopes as higher slopes (like 24db/octave) will mess with the phase of your signal.
3. What is displayed in the EQ?
The EQ displays the frequency spectrum of the audible channels if the plugin is inserted in the master channel. If you insert it only one the left channel, it will meter only the left channel. The visualization is also capable of showing frequency spectrum post-EQ and pre-EQ.
See you tomorrow, where I will dive deep into YOUR recordings!
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Hi Martin,
Here is my submission. It's a South-American folksong arrangement , played in 3 parts, on 3 tracks. Using USB Hypemic. I routed, didn't add compression as I didn't think it needed it, did your EQ suggestions, added some reverb, and normalised. No idea if I have done any of this right!
I tried the 'slip-operation' you described to me, to sync together where the timings between the parts are not in sync.. there are about 20 of them. I'm pleased with how those notes are in now in sync, but I can almost always hear the split at the end of the moved note, not sure what I'm doing wrong?
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Jasmine I praised your recording already in the live stream, I really like what you achieved during the recording course
Personally, I don't mind some notes being out of sync, since the guitar is such a transient rich instrument, synchronicity among multiple players is very hard to achieve, so "fixing it in post" would actually take away a little bit of the realism. When you do the slip operation for sync-issues, I'd recommend very long fades at the end of the note since you are basically adding a "swell" at the end of your note, fading over a longer period of time definitely will help with that issue!
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martin Ah yes I see! Yes the sound at the end of the split was always a weird gloopy sound, which I can recognise now as a swell in a random part of the note. A long fade at the split really helps. Thanks for the magic trick!
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Jasmine
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Hi Martin,
Here is my attempt, Arrangement of "Song of India" out of the Opera Sadko by N.Rimsky Korsakov.
The Gear i used: Micros SE 8, Interface Motu M4, MicPre Art TPS.
Little Compression & EQ, hope you enjoy:)
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Uli As you heard in the live stream, I enjoyed that VERY much!
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..and Reverb, of course
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Hi Martin and colleagues
There is a record of Igreja da Penha (Guinga).
two mics AKG P170, XY, 60 cm from the guitar. I used the plugins of Reaper (EQ, compressor, Reaverbate and Limiter).
I tried to insert an Eq on the Reverb track to make this a little bit more "dark".
Waiting for our class tomorrow and the comments of Martin and everyone.
Kind Regards
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Joao Franco Hi Joao, wonderful recording!
Personally, I like the reverb choice, it gives it a really "vibey" feeling (feels a little bit like performing in an empty venue, very late nighty!), but I'd like you to try a more natural setting for your recording!
Try increasing the room size between 85 and 95 and really EQ the reverb, so we can hear only the frequency range between 50 and 3000Hz! Furthermore you can add a pre-delay of about 20ms to give a more realistic feel of the room size!
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martin
Hi Martin
The same track with your suggestion on the Reverb. Also I reduced the fader of the reverb Channel - 10.3 dB. To my ears "more natural".
Thanks for your in depth evaluation and your generosity to share all your experience and knowledge.
Kind Regards
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Joao Franco Wonderful, I think the adjustments really elevated that recording! If you are looking for very high quality reverb plugins, I just posted some good deals in this topic here!
martin said:
If you are interested in a nice reverb plugin, you can get NIMUBS or R2 from Exponential Audio/Izotope for a quite a substantial discount at https://www.pluginboutique.com/. Personally, I'd recommend Nimbus since it is aimed at more natural sounding algorithms. The site has INSIGHT 2 by Izotope as well on sale, a great metering suite for your DAW (which I use a lot).
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Hi Martin, this is my very late submission. I hope it is not too late. Hope you can find time to give me feedback. I use EQ to boost the frequency around 150Hz for 3 dB, and around 700HZ. I also give a bit more air to the sound by boosting the high frequency range by about 2dB. I add a reverb. I filter the rumble noise.
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Khiem Nguyen Hi Khiem, that is a wonderful intimate performance that you've captured there!
I really need to take a closer look at the FIR filter in Reaper, since every time you play at slightly louder volume, I can hear some of the noise coming through, especially in the 8-12khz range!
You can look at Izoptopes "RX Elements" sometimes it goes on sale for about 29€, I think it has a fantastic spectral de-noiser built in (I am using the whole RX Suite for all of my restauration and forensics work, so I highly recommend it). I think the FIR filter in Reaper is doing wonderful stuff as long as you don't overload the dynamics! Especially with quick transients in the high frequencies it might reach its limits, though. But other than that, your mic positioning really improved from your detailed work of your assigmentes in the first lesson. You found a position that creates a stable stereo image yet with a wonderfully intimate spaciosness!
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martin Hi Martin, thank you so much for your feedback and encourragement! Yes, I used the FIR filter to subtract the noise. It looks like the FIR filter in Reaper has some limitation. The RX 8 Elements from iZotope is for sale right now for 25EUR excluding VAT now. Thank you so much for your advice. I will buy it and try to fix the noise in the 8k-12kHz and re-submit the result.
Yes, about the mic positioning of the above record, I have followed your advice with 110 degree angle, 17.5cm distance between two Mics, with about an arm-length from the bridge. I am glad it improves the stability of the stereo image and spaciousness.
This piece is a Vietnamese lullaby song arranged for classical guitar by me. The name of the song is "Winter Lulaby" ^_^.
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Khiem Nguyen Wow, that's very fitting since we have a very sudden onset of winter right now in Germany! Let me know how Izotope is working for you. Maybe I'll do a dedicated restoration video (and maybe we can get some special discount codes for tonebase, haha), because all the other modules of Izotopes plugin suite are very helpful for classical music recordings, especially the de-click and the spectral repair!
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martin Hi Martin, yes, it is interesting. I am from Vietnam but I am currently living in Denmark. It is freezing cold here: lakes are frozen and people have started ice skating, walking, biking on top of the lakes' surfaces. That song brings me back childhood memory. In Vietnam, the winter is not too cold when compared to in Europe, but it is still cold by the way, since the humidity is high. This songs is somehow special to me.
Yes, it would be really nice if you could do a dedicated restoration video. I hope it could come true., and hope you got a discount from izotope for Tonebase. ^^ And thanks, I will let you know how it goes with my using of izotope ^^
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Hello Martin.
Although a few weeks late, I send you my recording with the screenshots of the filters that I have used.
I'm sorry it took so long but work hasn't allowed us to keep up with the weekly rhythm.
Thank you very much for the course. It was completely great. For me it has been entering a new world of which I did not know everything. Now I know a lot more and I am very happy.
The piece is titled "Rio By night" by Vicent Lindsey Clark.
The microphones are a Neumann km182 and a Scarlett, of which I have doubled the track and sent the signal for both of them to a new track while cutting off the send to the master.
I have sent you screenshots of the filters and the normalization is done just as you said, rendering the project, putting it on a new track and applying item processing / normalize items (common gain). It is normalized to -94dB
Thank you very much!-
Emili Thank you for your submission, I am happy that you are happy with the lessons and that you could experience something new!
I really like the natural spaciousness of your recording, really fits the relaxing mood of the piece, you created a beautiful atmosphere with your reverb. I think you should work a little bit on your compressor, It's not kicking in very often (which is a good thing), but have quite a steep ratio for classical music (I'd go for something like 1.5-2:1) and an extreme long release!
Remember: The Ratio defines how much your signal will attenuated over a specific threshold in a specific amount of time - your attack time. Then your signal will get back to zero compression withing your specific release time - in your case almost 2s, which makes the compression quite obvious, since sometimes you get something like a "swell" effect, when the sound suddenly bounces back to a louder volume. I'd go probably for something around 200ms, that'll give you the desired added loudness without making it audible
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Thank you. I had a review of the video and I think I understand better. I'm sending you the screenshot of the compressor.
Thank you!
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If you are interested in a nice reverb plugin, you can get NIMUBS or R2 from Exponential Audio/Izotope for a quite a substantial discount at https://www.pluginboutique.com/. Personally, I'd recommend Nimbus since it is aimed at more natural sounding algorithms. The site has INSIGHT 2 by Izotope as well on sale, a great metering suite for your DAW (which I use a lot).
Just be careful, buying plugins can be a real addiction, I have sooo many I never use
But having a decent reverb and high quality metering does help a lot 
End of the Year Challenge: Finish Strong!
