Hi guys,

I just read the following sentence in the new issue of Computer Music magazine:

     'Anyone on at least nodding terms with music production knows that a sprinkling of delay and modulation throughout the average mix     is an essential life giving element'



Am I missing something? I thought modulation was really only for dance music and stuff. Should I be incorporating it into my more traditional pop recordings? and where should I be doing this (like, on which instruments)?

Cheers,

Ed.

Didn't they give details in the magazine? 

I hate it when they do that.  Actually those magazine articles usually do that. They give a hint, or a clue, then, they don't give you the details.  That is a marketing trick..... used in TV and everything else..... it's called the "cliff hanger" to ensure that you come back for more, thinking you will eventually get the answer.


OK....  so using modulation and delays is something that can work in certain places.  I like to use delay on guitar and vocals often in place of reverb, but sometimes with a light reverb.  It's something you need to experiment with to see what works and where. 

Sometimes I will add a delay and find it doesn't work, so I delete it. I work with country and jazz a lot. 

The mags are good for giving you some ideas, but then it's up to you to work it out. 

As with any FX... My general rule of thumb is usually: Less is more. 

I think that modulation happens when you are having some birds and chatting up some jars.


Don't quote me on that.

Hi Ed They may be referring to modulation of very tight delays hence chorus, flanging or phasing perhaps. If the delays are longer then the LFO will be altering the delay time in a regular way. This could also work on vocals or lead sounds etc. The only thing with longer delays is as the LFO sweeps the delay time you could hear it as a pitch change as well.

But if it's a chorus type effect then it could be applied to any number of things. Think of it as adding a form of extra slow movement to the sound. A clean funk type guitar part can benefit from a chorus effect. It will be more obvious when the guitar part sustains. It can also work on synth pad sounds to give them a little more lushness and liquid movement. Any sound that sustains can sound good with chorus applied. (or phasing as well) It does not have to be deep in its mix either, subtle often sounds great too. Experiment with the LFO speed and the depth of the effect. Sometimes shallow depth with a faster LFO speed can work well or a deeper depth setting with a very slow LFO speed can also work.

But use as required, it does not always work either. A synth pad might already be complex and lush and chorus wont do much for it in that case. It can also take away clarity from the sound as well.

Thanks, for the quick response.

Also something i've noticed is that reverb is talked about everywhere, but alot of modern pop recordings have very little reverb on the voice. Instead it seems to be up front in the mix and whispery. I find when i try to replicate that i end up with a mix level for the reverb of about 1-3%!! Is this right, or ami i missing something here as well? 

"'<red flag>Anyone</redflag> on at least nodding terms with music production knows that a sprinkling of delay and modulation throughout the <red flag>average mix</redflag> is an essential life giving element'"

Is there any reason to think that the originator of that statement has anything pertinent to say about your music?

I advise that the OP wait until the author actually hears the music before considering any generalized advice to add delay and modulation to an <red flag>average mix</redflag>.

Just because the author says that <red flag>Anyone</redflag> on at least nodding terms with music production is supposedly some type of auto-matron doesn't mean it is true.

best regards,
mike

CM is very EDM-oriented and assumes the same of its readers. Many products endorsed by the magazine are of no use to me at all, even as toys (e.g. Korg's Kaoss Pad). Similarly, some of the techniques they recommend are not techniques I'd ever use.

EDM is big on interesting sonic textures, and modulation is the #1 technique for squeezing interest out of otherwise-generic synth sounds.  I include stutter effects, gated pads, swept filters and rhythmic compressor pumping under the heading of modulation techniques.

I'll have you know I've made good use of my Kaos pad.


:-)

Hey Ed you mention reverb and I just remembered something. There is a great reverb plugin called 'Reverberate' by LiquidSonics.

http://www.liquidsonics.c..oftware_reverberate.htm

What is interesting is that most reverb processors use one engine but Reverberate uses two engines and the signal is swept into both engines back and forth under the control of an LFO. (Older Lexicon hardwre reverbs used two engines. Two engines sound better than one)

Also it is one reverb that has amazing modulation capabilities after the reverb as well. Worth a look. It is capable of some very fine effects. I own and use Reverberate a lot.

Also I just bought this too from ERS:

http://emptyroomsystems.c...-dimension-d-v1-0.html

This is very fine emulation of an old Roland product 'Dimension D' which was out in the 80's. It is basically chorus but much better sounding than most standard choruses. And it adds a beautiful sense of liquid movement and gentle modulation to a sound.

"I include stutter effects, gated pads, swept filters and rhythmic compressor pumping under the heading of modulation techniques. "

Mel Tillis was the first to use stutter effects.