Mixing Synths Explained
Synth pro Thomas Cochran presents a series of comprehensive video tutorials on mixing synths! If you've struggled with flat, lifeless synth sounds that don't sit nicely in the mix, this video series will show you step-by-step how to do it. In this course, Thomas lays out a myriad of strategies to deal with common issues, including harshness, lack of clarity, and lifeless tone, among many others. Each strategy is illustrated with revealing audio examples so you can hear these concepts in a musical context. These videos are for novice mixing engineers.
Videos
• Fixing Harshness on Synths (14:51) - Learn how to reduce harshness and resonances on synth patches though the use of EQ. After taming the harsh frequencies, you can add back in clarity and detail with a harmonic exciter.
• Thickening Up Synths with Saturation (14:00) - In this video, Thomas demonstrates how synths can be enhanced though saturation and distortion. This allows for fuller sounding synth patches and gives you the ability to better sculpt the frequency content to help them best fit into a track.
• Making More Polished Synths (11:13) - Discover how to adjust your synth patches to get more out of the sound before using effects and processing. This creates much cleaner sounding synths and makes your entire mix feel more balanced.
• Compressing Synths (15:14) - Learn how extreme parallel compression can be used to create synths that are fuller and more balanced. Thomas also shows how compressors can be used to sculpt the transients of a synth bass.
• EQ-ing Synths (09:36) - Explore how to best use EQ when sculpting your synth sounds. This process can be split into two segments: a general sound sculpting phase and then a more surgical approach, in which individual ranges are fixed via cutting or boosting frequencies.
• Adding Width to Synths (12:12) - In this video, Thomas covers various ways of adding width to synth patches. This creates parts in your mixes that are more engaging for the listener and fill out the stereo spectrum.
• Mixing Synth Delays (10:07) - Next, learn how delay can be used in a different way to add stereo width, fullness, and detuning to a synth patch. This lets you create depth in your mixes without washing out sounds using reverb.
• Mixing Synth Reverb (11:51) - Finally, Thomas shows how reverb can be setup to add lush stereo wideness to a synth part. Learn also how reverb can be used as a melodic and compositional element in a production though the use of granular and pitch shifting reverbs.