How do you get "silky" highs?

jrdmcdnld · Post by **jrdmcdnld** » Tue Dec 11, 2007 8:07 am

Lately, I've been trying to get a "silkier" sound from my high freqs. Using normal eq's like MWEQ or Waves Ren EQ just isn't giving me what I'm looking for. I can get close with the "harmonic excitement" section of Ozone, but I don't have the horsepower to run it on alot of tracks.

Does anyone have any suggestions?

Thanks in advance.

-Jay

daniel.sneed · Post by **daniel.sneed** » Tue Dec 11, 2007 9:53 am

I've been very pleased with Ozone exciter.

Perhaps you could consider getting a "silkier" sound as an extra mastering step.
While mixing, achieving a natural and musical tone balance seems a reasonable goal to me.

I suppose you first pay attention to get a rich high frequency content wherever you'll need it in mixing step.

OldTimey · Post by **OldTimey** » Tue Dec 11, 2007 10:20 am

what's the source? program material? vocals? samples? guitars?

if recorded, what kind of mic?

How are you boosting in MWEQ? Try setting the HMF (green) band to a shelf filter (last option), beginning anywhere from 8Khz-12Khz, with a medium wide Q setting, and boost a few dB.

jrdmcdnld · Post by **jrdmcdnld** » Tue Dec 11, 2007 11:06 am

OldTimey wrote:what's the source? program material? vocals? samples? guitars?

if recorded, what kind of mic?

How are you boosting in MWEQ? Try setting the HMF (green) band to a shelf filter (last option), beginning anywhere from 8Khz-12Khz, with a medium wide Q setting, and boost a few dB.

I suppose I'm looking for it in percussion and drums the most as well as vocals. I use (budget friendly) condenser and dynamic mics of a few varieties.

I agree that MWEQ sounds great in the 10-12k plus range, but I guess I'm just looking for something with more saturation or character.

leigh · Post by **leigh** » Tue Dec 11, 2007 12:50 pm

What about PSP Vintage Warmer?

www.pspaudioware.com

**Leigh

BradLyons · Post by **BradLyons** » Tue Dec 11, 2007 2:06 pm

jrdmcdnld wrote:Lately, I've been trying to get a "silkier" sound from my high freqs. Using normal eq's like MWEQ or Waves Ren EQ just isn't giving me what I'm looking for. I can get close with the "harmonic excitement" section of Ozone, but I don't have the horsepower to run it on alot of tracks.

Does anyone have any suggestions?

Thanks in advance.

-Jay

Honestly? It starts with your MICS and your PRE's....

chrispick · Post by **chrispick** » Tue Dec 11, 2007 2:23 pm

BradLyons wrote:
jrdmcdnld wrote:Lately, I've been trying to get a "silkier" sound from my high freqs. Using normal eq's like MWEQ or Waves Ren EQ just isn't giving me what I'm looking for. I can get close with the "harmonic excitement" section of Ozone, but I don't have the horsepower to run it on alot of tracks.

Does anyone have any suggestions?

Thanks in advance.

-Jay
Honestly? It starts with your MICS and your PRE's....

Yep. Big part of the equation.

SixStringGeek · Post by **SixStringGeek** » Tue Dec 11, 2007 2:43 pm

Nylons. They really make for the silky thighs.

Oh, HIGHS.

Nevermind.

Kubi · Post by **Kubi** » Tue Dec 11, 2007 4:02 pm

I'd definitely second trying to get your sources to have all the highs you need before mixing. Use a great musician, great instrument, great room, great mic, great pre, and don't forget a great AD!

Also, try attenuating highs a little on all program material that doesn't really need them (much like you'd do with lows). That makes rooms for the naturally high-endy stuff to come through.

Try not to boost high-end with plug-in EQs, i.e. MWEQ and Waves RennEQ both are rather weak when it comes to boosting highs - sizzly and a bit harsh.

If you have to boost highs using plug-ins, buy Sonalksis' SV517Mk2 EQ. It's the only EQ I found that you can boost highs with more than a dB or two without sounding sizzly (and I've demoed most of them for this very purpose...) Try the demo.

Avoid any type of exciter at all cost.

Finally if you have good DA and AD, try "re-amping" harsher material through a nice Mic pre (I use my Aurora Audio GTQ2 Mark III - I call it my "make it sound better" box.) But don't do this if you have mediocre AD and DA - the loss will usually be worse than the gain.

If you're using the average Presonus/MOTU/M-audio bargain interface, that may very well be your problem right there - what you describe about the highs is precisely what the (by definition cheap) analog input stage of more affordable boxes will do to your signal (similar things happen to the low end, too.) And if you have a cheap DA, your highs may actually be silkier than you think, but you wouldn't know if your DA's analog output stage can't reproduce them properly...

Hope this helps!

Phil O · Post by **Phil O** » Tue Dec 11, 2007 5:57 pm

SixStringGeek wrote:Nylons. They really make for the silky thighs.

Oh, HIGHS.

Nevermind.

Actually, you have a point there. The cloth screens they have on some pop filters are a little too aggressive sometime and will reduce highs on a vocal. I've found that a nylon does the trick. Save the supplied material for those real bad poppy singers...or those that spit (yuk).

And although you can't always have the collection of mics that Brad has, you can be extra careful about placement. Listen for those silky highs when you're first placing that mic and your job will be a lot easier. Sometimes a fraction of an inch can make a difference.

Phil

jrdmcdnld · Post by **jrdmcdnld** » Tue Dec 11, 2007 8:28 pm

Great advise. Thanks all.

Why is it that the best solution is usually the most expensive (better mics, pres, rooms....)?

...avoid those cottage cheese highs....

reekguitar · Post by **reekguitar** » Wed Dec 12, 2007 2:50 am

as less expensive solution and if you are in the middle of a mix,
I always try to sort this out when mastering with the mweq AND the multi band compressor, makes a difference too.
Enjoy!

chrispick · Post by **chrispick** » Wed Dec 12, 2007 4:42 am

Kubi wrote:Also, try attenuating highs a little on all program material that doesn't really need them (much like you'd do with lows). That makes rooms for the naturally high-endy stuff to come through.

Good advice.

If you have to boost highs using plug-ins, buy Sonalksis' SV517Mk2 EQ. It's the only EQ I found that you can boost highs with more than a dB or two without sounding sizzly (and I've demoed most of them for this very purpose...) Try the demo.

I like the UAD-1 Pultec for this sort of thing.

Avoid any type of exciter at all cost.

Although I agree, I wouldn't be as unequivocal as this.

You could try throwing Ozone on the track you want to have better highs by using only its exciter in very subtle amount. Sometimes, a touch of added harmonic content can do the trick.

Finally if you have good DA and AD, try "re-amping" harsher material through a nice Mic pre (I use my Aurora Audio GTQ2 Mark III - I call it my "make it sound better" box.) But don't do this if you have mediocre AD and DA - the loss will usually be worse than the gain.

Or maybe not. Test and see.

Sometimes, it can be worth sacrificing premium sonic fidelity for something that simply sounds better in your mix.

KenJaworski · Post by **KenJaworski** » Wed Dec 12, 2007 7:18 am

BradLyons wrote: Honestly? It starts with your MICS and your PRE's....

This is as good of a place as any to get my feet wet on this forum.

To get the best out of your tracks, you need to start the chain right. That start is in your mics and preamps. I have recorded using two different mics on two different tracks with my 24I/O The mics were on the same stand using a double mic holder. There was a big difference in the tracks. Preamps were the same. Whooooo...... What a difference in sound quality and silk in the highs. I was recording our high school string orchestra. The mics used we an Nady SP5 and a Shure SM57. $10 vs $100.

Selecting the right tools for the job is the first step in great sound.

Ken

Kubi · Post by **Kubi** » Wed Dec 12, 2007 2:30 pm

chrispick wrote:Sometimes, it can be worth sacrificing premium sonic fidelity for something that simply sounds better in your mix.

I totally agree - but in this particular case the original poster was specifically asking re. "silky highs", which do suffer when going through mediocre DA-AD. But yes, in general I completely concur.

MOTUnation.com

How do you get "silky" highs?

How do you get "silky" highs?

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