Hello Everyone,
 
This might be a noob question but I figured I would ask.   
 
I have a piece of music that I have certain instruments playing throughout.   Everything sounds nice in the chorus (the busy parts), but in the verses, these instruments are just too loud, they stick out like a sore thumb.   
 
Is this just a matter of needing to turn the volume down on these tracks with an envelope?  Or is there some compression technique I need to employ?
 
I am an electronic musicians, so I am talking mostly synth riffs here.  However, I have the same problem with the snare drum.  Hits nice in the chorus but too upfront in the quieter verses.
 
Thank You,
Adam

Volume automation is where I would start if I were you. This way you can just allow the automation to lower in the verses and get louder for the chorus parts.
 
Compression is also very important. But in some electronic instrumentation, it's not as needed as real instrumentation because the dynamics are different as well as the transients. I'm not saying don't compress, but you may not need much depending on what sounds you are using. Compression will keep things consistent and will stop certain instruments from taking over the mix. This along with automation are the two best solutions and what I personally do in all of my mixes. So that's where I'd start if I were you.
 
-Danny

Thanks Danny!   I will try with that.   Listening to your song "Fool" right now.  Awesome guitar work.  This is like Def Leppard meets Aerosmith meets very cool songwriting!!!
 
Classic 80's rock sound!  Glad people are still making music like that!!!'
 
Do you play out in NJ?   I live in Long Branch, would def go see you one day!
 
-Adam

aglewis723
Thanks Danny!   I will try with that.   Listening to your song "Fool" right now.  Awesome guitar work.  This is like Def Leppard meets Aerosmith meets very cool songwriting!!!
 
Classic 80's rock sound!  Glad people are still making music like that!!!'
 
Do you play out in NJ?   I live in Long Branch, would def go see you one day!
 
-Adam

Haha thanks Adam. :) I so need to update my page with some new music. Still have the 80's writing, but more "now" production. :) Glad you liked it though, thanks!
 
Yeah try the compression and automation. It will definitely help you out. Man, you're only an hour and 30 minutes from me. We should definitely hook up sometime and hang out.
 
I do play in NJ, PA and DE with my cover band. My original band plays overseas most of the time...but we probably won't be playing for at least a year or so. We're working on a new album that I can't wait to release.
 
The cover band (you can find us on face book) uses two names because we play mixed sets of rock/metal from the 70's to present (we go by Skeleton Crew for the mixed stuff) and then we do a Van Halen tribute which is called Van Halen Nation. We're in south jersey this Saturday at a new place (Shady Katie's) which is about an hour and 20 mins from you. Would love to meet you and hang out sometime. :) I always try to hook up with the NJ guys on the forum but our stars never seem to align.
 
Anyway, good luck with the automation and compression stuff. That will fix you right up brother. :)
 
-Danny

Envelopes ....definitely....  I use them in every track and add the nodes manually.
 
 

Envelopes again.  You'd be surprised how much difference a few dBs up or down across several tracks makes.  And don't forget to ramp or fade on sound into the next.   And the levels should be similar, the same way the level should sound the same as you go from the lead vocal to lead guitar break.
 
Another thing to try is putting those synth bits through a buss w/ the SSL buss comp on it.  Sometimes that squishes the louder sound down yet let's it poke above the rest.  It can be very smooth.
 
@

Thanks for everyone for the help so far!   

Here's the thing about the evelopes that has me wondering about that or if maybe I have some EQ issue.   So for instance, I got this one song where its a synth bass playing a relatively simple bass line all through the song.  The verses are pretty much drum and bass, and the bass sounds too loud in the verses, but in the chorus it fits in nicely.  Its too boomy in the verses, but im wondering if it's just too boomy in general.   Also my snare drum.  

I cant imagine a live drummer turning down the mic volume on his snare during the verse during a live show, u know?
 
Thank You,
Adam
 
 
PS - Dany - sent you a PM

Definitely simple manual volume adjustments are the first thing to try.  If the bass is too boomy overall, EQ it.
 
though,
 
One thing I would recommend, if you find it hard to fix it in the mix, think about fixing it in the music.  If the bass is distracting in the verses, ask yourself if you really need so much of it.  Song writing and composing is as much about what you leave out as what you put in.  

I cant imagine a live drummer turning down the mic volume on his snare during the verse during a live show, u know?

 
Though in larger productions, this is exactly what happens, usually not with the drummer, but with a pro sound man and a digitally pre-programmed mixer.  

Envelope the bass down a few db where it's in the verses.  Sometimes a few dbs will make all the difference in the world. 
 
If you EQ it, you will want to use the same EQ throughout so it still sounds like the same bass.