Sage Audio Articles

Top 10 Vocal Plugins

Lifeline Expanse - Excite AudioDual Delay X - UVIPSP InfiniStrip - PSP AudiowareWires - Audio ThingCLA Vocals - Waves AudioOxford Reverb - Sonnox OxfordSoothe 2 - OeksoundBoost - UrsaDSPWeiss De-ess - SoftubeVocal Bender - Waves Audio

How to Make a Clear Mix in 10 Steps

Start with High-pass FiltersSide-chain Kick on BassAdvanced Side-chain Kick on BassSide-chain Vocal on Instrument BusReduce 250Hz on Various InstrumentsDynamically Boost 3.5kHz.Varying Saturation on Each InstrumentSide-Chain Vocal with Full MixMix Bus EQ for ClarityCollective Clarifying Reverb Send

Top 10 Vocal Tuning Tips

Use High Pass Filter FirstDe-ess Before TuningHelpful Melodyne TipsHelpful Metatune TipsUsing a Stock TunerQuick Antares Auto-tune OverviewWaves Tune TipsWhy You Should Saturate After TuningUsing Soothe 2 After TuningIf Needed, Omit Tuning Occasionally

How to Master a Song Start to Finish

Start with De-essingUse Dynamic EQ to AttenuateAdd Dynamics with EQUpward Process & SaturateOptional Collective ReverbOptional Mid Hz. Aux TrackMid-Side Master Bus CompressionGullfoss EQ on Mids and HighsTone-Shaping with PultecLimiting and Monitoring

How to Mix Kick & 808

When mixing kick and 808 it’s important to know how to separate the 2. When trying to clear room for the kick within an 808, use an EQ on the synth portion of the 808 to attenuate the kick's fundamental - or, use a compressor and side-chain the kick.

How to Make Clean Vocals in 10 Steps

Start with De-clickingClean Vocal EQUse Split Band De-essingIntroduce Harmonics to the VocalUse a Subtle Vocal RiderUtilize Clean CompressionInsert Upward CompressorAttenuate Resonances with Soothe 2Amplify Desired FrequenciesIntroduce Volume Automation

How to Mix Trap

When mixing trap music, it’s important to make your drums aggressive using fast 1176 compression, saturation, and reverb that accentuates high frequencies. Instruments can be panned to the far left and right using sample delay on either the left or right channel, or by using a stereo tremolo effect.

Top 11 Mid Range Tips

Parallel Mid-Range TipNeve Portico Depth EmulationMid-Range SaturationEmphasize Mids into CompressionHigh Density, Mid Hz. ReverbGullfoss EQ Mid Range IsolationUnderstanding Vocal MidsSide-chain Soothe 2Upward Compression on MidsWidening Mid Range on MixBusMixbus Mid Hz. Room Reverb

How to Mix an Instrumental & Vocal

When mixing an instrumental and vocal you’ll typically process the vocal how you normally would in a mix; however, it may be helpful to learn how to blend or how to separate your two signals. Side-chain compression, side-chain saturation, and dynamic EQ are some great options.

Free Mastering Chain

Subtractive EQ - 2S EQSaturation - GSatPlusM/S Compression - FrontierSide Image - MSED & CrackMid Image - MSED & BUSTERseAdditive EQ - Warmy EP1AAir EQ - Fresh AirCollective Compression - Limiter No6Peak Limiting & Clipping - Limiter No6Final Limiting - Limiter One

Top 10 Vocal Compressors

Pro-C2: FabFilterComp Tube STA: ArturiaPresswerk: U-heWeiss De-ess: SoftubeSoothe2: OeksoundOxford Inflator: SonnoxMV2: Waves AudioOzone 9 Dynamics: IzotopeMu - PulsarLALA - Analog Obsession

How to Multi Bus Process

When processing your buses, there are some great techniques to try - for example, you can use dynamic EQ on one bus and side-chain another bus with competing frequencies to help separate the two. Or you could send all buses to one parallel aux track to create parallel compression.

Top 10 Free FX Plugins

Get a FREE Mastered Sample of Your Song ➜ FRANK - Analog ObsessionCramit - Sixth SampleLens - Auburn SoundsCodec - LeseDeelay - Sixth SampleTriple Fader - A.O.M.Gatelab - Audio ModernPanflow - Audio ModernMultibender - W.A. ProductionOutlaw - W.A. Production

How to Process Vocals

When processing vocals, the initial stages of your vocal chain typically determine the finished sound - EQ that attenuates 3.5kHz and slow compression will result in a smoother vocal. EQ that amplifies 3.5kHz and quick compression results in a more aggressive sound that can cut through a busy mix.

How to Make a Balanced Mix

When trying to make a balanced mix, you can control the low end attenuating the bass’s fundamentals on the kick, or using bass ducking. For a balanced high-frequency range, try attenuating 6-10kHz with an MB compressor before amplifying the highs with an EQ/high shelf filter.