Missed a few but this might be my favorite of yours I’ve heard. Love the bass, love the vibe on the vocals. Keys epic as usual. As you said it’s a bit simple, maybe a little variation in the arrangement or a different set of vocals would have kept me engaged a bit longer but it’s a good track to zone out to. Could see it in my Spotify rotation

Missed a few but this might be my favorite of yours I’ve heard. Love the bass, love the vibe on the vocals. Keys epic as usual. As you said it’s a bit simple, maybe a little variation in the arrangement or a different set of vocals would have kept me engaged a bit longer but it’s a good track to zone out to. Could see it in my Spotify rotation

Vocoder smooth as butter, very nice. Mad e-piano skills. What e-piano is that? Sounds great!

Nitpick: this is mixed rather quietly. Loudness at -17.5 LUFS, and it peaks at barely -2.9 dBTP. You could turn it up by 3.5 LUFS easily and it would feel tighter.

Vocoder smooth as butter, very nice. Mad e-piano skills. What e-piano is that? Sounds great! Nitpick: this is mixed rather quietly. Loudness at -17.5 LUFS, and it peaks at barely -2.9 dBTP. You could turn it up by 3.5 LUFS easily and it would feel tighter.

Thank you, my friend! I whipped it pretty quick so with a bit more time I could probably polish it some more. I'm happy about this one because it doesn't have much unnecessary stuff - only the essentials are in, and I held back on the piano solo because I had some takes with like 100x more notes which wasn't adding anything, just making it way too busy. It's my most common issue to overcrowd a production like this.

Thanks a lot! It's the e piano I've been using on everything the UAD Spark e piano, I guess it can be bought separately too.

Thanks for the tip about the mix, I didn't pay attention to the loudness, just made sure it's balanced between the tracks. If I get to put it together with other tracks I'll use some reference track and fix it, but that is a ways away. By the way, how would you do it? I would probably do it thru raising the gain on a compressor or some other plugin I have on the master bus. Or should I rather normalize the audiofile, since that wouldn't introduce extra color? (I personally like the extra color almost always tho)

[quote=prophisee]Missed a few but this might be my favorite of yours I’ve heard. Love the bass, love the vibe on the vocals. Keys epic as usual. As you said it’s a bit simple, maybe a little variation in the arrangement or a different set of vocals would have kept me engaged a bit longer but it’s a good track to zone out to. Could see it in my Spotify rotation[/quote] Thank you, my friend! I whipped it pretty quick so with a bit more time I could probably polish it some more. I'm happy about this one because it doesn't have much unnecessary stuff - only the essentials are in, and I held back on the piano solo because I had some takes with like 100x more notes which wasn't adding anything, just making it way too busy. It's my most common issue to overcrowd a production like this. [quote=rplktr]Vocoder smooth as butter, very nice. Mad e-piano skills. What e-piano is that? Sounds great! Nitpick: this is mixed rather quietly. Loudness at -17.5 LUFS, and it peaks at barely -2.9 dBTP. You could turn it up by 3.5 LUFS easily and it would feel tighter.[/quote] Thanks a lot! It's the e piano I've been using on everything the UAD Spark e piano, I guess it can be bought separately too. Thanks for the tip about the mix, I didn't pay attention to the loudness, just made sure it's balanced between the tracks. If I get to put it together with other tracks I'll use some reference track and fix it, but that is a ways away. By the way, how would you do it? I would probably do it thru raising the gain on a compressor or some other plugin I have on the master bus. Or should I rather normalize the audiofile, since that wouldn't introduce extra color? (I personally like the extra color almost always tho)

Normalization isn't enough, it won't help with LUFS, only with peak values. They are related but only vaguely.

Don't see what DAW you're using. Both Ableton Live and Logic Pro have decent builtin multiband compressors. You would set up one on the master, and put a limiter right after it. That's the free option and it produces good results but you need to be comfortable with tweaking stuff.

The automatic option is to use a thing like the Waves L3 Low-Latency Multimaximizer on the master bus, where you can just use one of the plugin presets and it sounds great. Not expensive either. That's what I personally use. The company's a bit shady, they try to upsell you pretty hard, but the core technology behind the multimaximizers is solid audio engineering.

Others use iZotope Ozone, I personally find it too aggressive in coloring, but it's subjective.

For measuring LUFS use an audio editor like Ocenaudio, the Statistics tab in the Info window shows "Integrated loudness". You can also display integrated loudness live in your DAW with a thing like Swiss Army Meter. I like that less because this updates in realtime so it's dependent on stuff like looping and how long you let audio run.

Normalization isn't enough, it won't help with LUFS, only with peak values. They are related but only vaguely. Don't see what DAW you're using. Both Ableton Live and Logic Pro have decent builtin multiband compressors. You would set up one on the master, and put a limiter right after it. That's the free option and it produces good results but you need to be comfortable with tweaking stuff. The automatic option is to use a thing like the [url=https://www.waves.com/plugins/l3-ll-multimaximizer]Waves L3 Low-Latency Multimaximizer[/url] on the master bus, where you can just use one of the plugin presets and it sounds great. Not expensive either. That's what I personally use. The company's a bit shady, they try to upsell you pretty hard, but the core technology behind the multimaximizers is solid audio engineering. Others use iZotope Ozone, I personally find it too aggressive in coloring, but it's subjective. For measuring LUFS use an audio editor like Ocenaudio, the Statistics tab in the Info window shows "Integrated loudness". You can also display integrated loudness live in your DAW with a thing like [url=https://www.noirlabs.co/]Swiss Army Meter[/url]. I like that less because this updates in realtime so it's dependent on stuff like looping and how long you let audio run.

Lovely jazzy performance. It has a positive vibration and the vocoder is super smooth. Nice one.

Lovely jazzy performance. It has a positive vibration and the vocoder is super smooth. Nice one.

How nice my friend! Love the vocoder and the simple yet mellow and space-out inducing line. Another good one from the band!!

How nice my friend! Love the vocoder and the simple yet mellow and space-out inducing line. Another good one from the band!!

Cool! Love the combination of instruments very cool with some vocoder. On the topic of limiter plugins, https://vladgsound.wordpress.com/plugins/limiter6/ is a nice free option lets you do it in stages to avoid distortion.

Cool! Love the combination of instruments very cool with some vocoder. On the topic of limiter plugins, https://vladgsound.wordpress.com/plugins/limiter6/ is a nice free option lets you do it in stages to avoid distortion.

Dude, this is so smoooooooth.

Dude, this is so smoooooooth.

This is incredibly chill.

This is incredibly chill.

Oh man I love the vibe of this. Relaxed and chill, but in no way sleepy. Great touch of grit on the e piano. I liked the repeated vocoder phrase, it anchors the song and makes the piano flights of fancy even better.

Give me an album of this on a rainy afternoon and I would be a happy camper.

Oh man I love the vibe of this. Relaxed and chill, but in no way sleepy. Great touch of grit on the e piano. I liked the repeated vocoder phrase, it anchors the song and makes the piano flights of fancy even better. Give me an album of this on a rainy afternoon and I would be a happy camper.

Love the tone on the e-piano here, has a very like slightly distorted Wurli feel, and sound GREAT.  Also I agree with rplk...

I use iZotope Ozone's Maximizer to get things to ideal loudness end of chain, but rplkr is right you have to mix with it in mind, as it does color things. But yeah generally when trying to get the overall LUFs raised up "compressor amplification" is a really good way to go, particularly if you chain them.  So you can use a compressor as suggested, above, but set the threshold so that its only VERY slightly compressing, and then set the makeup gain to like 0.5 db, and then repeat that with one or two more compressor instances.  The end effect is that the overall loudness is brought up, but without ever crushing the sound to dramatically. 

Love the tone on the e-piano here, has a very like slightly distorted Wurli feel, and sound GREAT. Also I agree with rplk... [quote=rplktr]Normalization isn't enough, it won't help with LUFS, only with peak values. They are related but only vaguely. Don't see what DAW you're using. Both Ableton Live and Logic Pro have decent builtin multiband compressors. You would set up one on the master, and put a limiter right after it. That's the free option and it produces good results but you need to be comfortable with tweaking stuff. The automatic option is to use a thing like the [url=https://www.waves.com/plugins/l3-ll-multimaximizer]Waves L3 Low-Latency Multimaximizer[/url] on the master bus, where you can just use one of the plugin presets and it sounds great. Not expensive either. That's what I personally use. The company's a bit shady, they try to upsell you pretty hard, but the core technology behind the multimaximizers is solid audio engineering. Others use iZotope Ozone, I personally find it too aggressive in coloring, but it's subjective. For measuring LUFS use an audio editor like Ocenaudio, the Statistics tab in the Info window shows "Integrated loudness". You can also display integrated loudness live in your DAW with a thing like [url=https://www.noirlabs.co/]Swiss Army Meter[/url]. I like that less because this updates in realtime so it's dependent on stuff like looping and how long you let audio run.[/quote] I use iZotope Ozone's Maximizer to get things to ideal loudness end of chain, but rplkr is right you have to mix with it in mind, as it does color things. But yeah generally when trying to get the overall LUFs raised up "compressor amplification" is a really good way to go, particularly if you chain them. So you can use a compressor as suggested, above, but set the threshold so that its only VERY slightly compressing, and then set the makeup gain to like 0.5 db, and then repeat that with one or two more compressor instances. The end effect is that the overall loudness is brought up, but without ever crushing the sound to dramatically.

very nice playing, and the perfect soundtrack to the rainy afternoon we are having out this way 

very nice playing, and the perfect soundtrack to the rainy afternoon we are having out this way :)

Oooh yess. So smooth, puts me in the just right space right now. Awesome piano lines. Love the vocoder part, all for repeating a simple lyric.

Oooh yess. So smooth, puts me in the just right space right now. Awesome piano lines. Love the vocoder part, all for repeating a simple lyric.

This really feels good. That bass tone is great, slightly fuzzy, and it compliments the key sounds very well. The keys are much cleaner, even slightly glassy. The warm synth is beautiful as well, all syrupy. Classy playing in this track too. Like little fireworks here and there.

This really feels good. That bass tone is great, slightly fuzzy, and it compliments the key sounds very well. The keys are much cleaner, even slightly glassy. The warm synth is beautiful as well, all syrupy. Classy playing in this track too. Like little fireworks here and there.

Man, these keys are so amazing! And the breathing space in here is great too. It just all fits and nothing is crowded and the keys just flow. Really enjoyed this!

Man, these keys are so amazing! And the breathing space in here is great too. It just all fits and nothing is crowded and the keys just flow. Really enjoyed this!

Thanks for the detailed answer! Lots of good info to follow up on.

To throw in a bit from my process, and I don't know if it's right, but it does result in decent tracks that I like the sound of: I use UAD Spark plugins, and for mastering they tend to be:
- LA-2A compressor (two knobs, easier to learn before moving on to more fancy ones),
- fancier compressor if I have time that day - they have some multiband ones too,
- neve preamp for each track if I need to do some preliminary EQ,
- some other EQ on the master bus if I need to cut or boost some freqs,
- the tiniest bit of reverb (unrelated to our loudness discussion but relevant for mastering)
- and then analog tape emulation, which can increase volume and crunch the peaks, which is a bit like a more creative limiter.
I use Logic where there is a Loudness meter, and I usually go for -17.
I recently started expanding into more plugins, but for now limited to free ones.
Yea idk, in conclusion there is a lot to learn thanks for the comments!

Thank you very much! Sending positive vibrations!

Thank you

thank you! nice free plugin, gonna have to check it out.

Moooooooocho gracias!

So glad!

Oh yeaa! Gonna put together that album from all this years' Levi band style compositions. But with a real band hopefully, using the WB recordings as demos. I'm learning a lot about song writing and catchy melody writing and creating good vibes. It's gonna be a blast!

Interesting trick! Sounds like the work of a single compressor with a higher ratio and more gain, but I may be wrong. Actually adding more compressors with small adjustments might generate more noise than a single compressor with larger values. Then again it might be such small difference that you can't really hear it... Important thing is to get them LUFs!!

Cheers! thanks!

Cheers! thanks!

Thanks! It's so much easier to have a bit of a reusable setup for these. Drums, e piano, synth bass. A great rhythm section for lots and lots of funky stuff.

Thanks so much! Track actually felt a bit empty with just the 3 elements (when vocoder is silent), but I kept it for the sake of leaving space. In the end I forget more and more what I wanted it to sound like, and hear it more and more like other people probably do. And it's nice and spacious, doesn't need more stuff! Good to learn to hold back!

[quote=rplktr]Normalization isn't enough, it won't help with LUFS, only with peak values. They are related but only vaguely. Don't see what DAW you're using. Both Ableton Live and Logic Pro have decent builtin multiband compressors. You would set up one on the master, and put a limiter right after it. That's the free option and it produces good results but you need to be comfortable with tweaking stuff. The automatic option is to use a thing like the [url=https://www.waves.com/plugins/l3-ll-multimaximizer]Waves L3 Low-Latency Multimaximizer[/url] on the master bus, where you can just use one of the plugin presets and it sounds great. Not expensive either. That's what I personally use. The company's a bit shady, they try to upsell you pretty hard, but the core technology behind the multimaximizers is solid audio engineering. Others use iZotope Ozone, I personally find it too aggressive in coloring, but it's subjective. For measuring LUFS use an audio editor like Ocenaudio, the Statistics tab in the Info window shows "Integrated loudness". You can also display integrated loudness live in your DAW with a thing like [url=https://www.noirlabs.co/]Swiss Army Meter[/url]. I like that less because this updates in realtime so it's dependent on stuff like looping and how long you let audio run.[/quote] Thanks for the detailed answer! Lots of good info to follow up on. To throw in a bit from my process, and I don't know if it's right, but it does result in decent tracks that I like the sound of: I use UAD Spark plugins, and for mastering they tend to be: - LA-2A compressor (two knobs, easier to learn before moving on to more fancy ones), - fancier compressor if I have time that day - they have some multiband ones too, - neve preamp for each track if I need to do some preliminary EQ, - some other EQ on the master bus if I need to cut or boost some freqs, - the tiniest bit of reverb (unrelated to our loudness discussion but relevant for mastering) - and then analog tape emulation, which can increase volume and crunch the peaks, which is a bit like a more creative limiter. I use Logic where there is a Loudness meter, and I usually go for -17. I recently started expanding into more plugins, but for now limited to free ones. Yea idk, in conclusion there is a lot to learn :D thanks for the comments! [quote=Q-Rosh]Lovely jazzy performance. It has a positive vibration and the vocoder is super smooth. Nice one.[/quote] Thank you very much! Sending positive vibrations! [quote=Pescadito]How nice my friend! Love the vocoder and the simple yet mellow and space-out inducing line. Another good one from the band!![/quote] Thank you :D [quote=Suhpos]Cool! Love the combination of instruments very cool with some vocoder. On the topic of limiter plugins, https://vladgsound.wordpress.com/plugins/limiter6/ is a nice free option lets you do it in stages to avoid distortion.[/quote] thank you! nice free plugin, gonna have to check it out. [quote=Cow Tools]Dude, this is so smoooooooth.[/quote] Moooooooocho gracias! [quote=hieroglitch]This is incredibly chill.[/quote] So glad! [quote=Paisleyfrog]Oh man I love the vibe of this. Relaxed and chill, but in no way sleepy. Great touch of grit on the e piano. I liked the repeated vocoder phrase, it anchors the song and makes the piano flights of fancy even better. Give me an album of this on a rainy afternoon and I would be a happy camper. [/quote] Oh yeaa! Gonna put together that album from all this years' Levi band style compositions. But with a real band hopefully, using the WB recordings as demos. I'm learning a lot about song writing and catchy melody writing and creating good vibes. It's gonna be a blast! [quote=Napear]Love the tone on the e-piano here, has a very like slightly distorted Wurli feel, and sound GREAT. Also I agree with rplk... [quote=rplktr]...[/quote] I use iZotope Ozone's Maximizer to get things to ideal loudness end of chain, but rplkr is right you have to mix with it in mind, as it does color things. But yeah generally when trying to get the overall LUFs raised up "compressor amplification" is a really good way to go, particularly if you chain them. So you can use a compressor as suggested, above, but set the threshold so that its only VERY slightly compressing, and then set the makeup gain to like 0.5 db, and then repeat that with one or two more compressor instances. The end effect is that the overall loudness is brought up, but without ever crushing the sound to dramatically. [/quote] Interesting trick! Sounds like the work of a single compressor with a higher ratio and more gain, but I may be wrong. Actually adding more compressors with small adjustments might generate more noise than a single compressor with larger values. Then again it might be such small difference that you can't really hear it... Important thing is to get them LUFs!! [quote=jwh]very nice playing, and the perfect soundtrack to the rainy afternoon we are having out this way :)[/quote] Cheers! thanks! [quote=miraclemiles]Oooh yess. So smooth, puts me in the just right space right now. Awesome piano lines. Love the vocoder part, all for repeating a simple lyric. [/quote] Cheers! thanks! [quote=Kedbreak136]This really feels good. That bass tone is great, slightly fuzzy, and it compliments the key sounds very well. The keys are much cleaner, even slightly glassy. The warm synth is beautiful as well, all syrupy. Classy playing in this track too. Like little fireworks here and there.[/quote] Thanks! It's so much easier to have a bit of a reusable setup for these. Drums, e piano, synth bass. A great rhythm section for lots and lots of funky stuff. [quote=PeterM]Man, these keys are so amazing! And the breathing space in here is great too. It just all fits and nothing is crowded and the keys just flow. Really enjoyed this![/quote] Thanks so much! Track actually felt a bit empty with just the 3 elements (when vocoder is silent), but I kept it for the sake of leaving space. In the end I forget more and more what I wanted it to sound like, and hear it more and more like other people probably do. And it's nice and spacious, doesn't need more stuff! Good to learn to hold back!

nice vibe

nice vibe [img]https://media.giphy.com/media/v1.Y2lkPTc5MGI3NjExNGxtc3VzZHhnc280Y3R1YjF0dmhxYWZjMG9pZ2kwNnc3ZW5ybHBsYSZlcD12MV9pbnRlcm5hbF9naWZfYnlfaWQmY3Q9Zw/Qs0Vzy5ENRWRQJCXJt/giphy.gif[/img]