The Roland TR-808 drum machine is one of the most sampled instruments of all time. Start with all your faders down. Nothing beats an 808 that just fits th… Boost the lows around the root frequency of the song, typically about 40 Hz or so. Tags: Drums, … This 808 is an actual TR-808 kick resampled through an MPC. That’s because our ear hears distortion and midrange tones as being louder than low end. The length of an 808 sample has a huge impact on the production. First, an 808 kick is a catch-all for sine wave based kicks. This would defy the laws of physics. Hover your mouse over a readout to get actionable advice on how to solve any problems and release your music with confidence. It generates overtones that make the fundamental tone appear louder. Starting to see a theme here? What that means is that I’m using a high-pass filter, and wherever I set the frequency gets a big boost. Properly set volume levels for the low-end in your mix Equalize your Kicks and 808s for maximum impact Set up compression to get the most from your sounds Enhance the harmonic content of your sound with a secret weapon Correct sonic issues that are disguising your mix’s low-end 808’s are tonal and have defined pitches that correspond to notes on the musical scale. Yes, I hit up Speech, and he said, “Yeah man, go for it, you can use this song.” And thank you very much. This is why they’re tricky … … A great-sounding 808 is what separates the amateurs from the GOATs in hip hop. this short tutorial is about mixing your 808 to hit harder with only stock plug-ins. https://theproaudiofiles.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/808_Original.mp3, https://theproaudiofiles.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/808_Saturation.mp3, https://theproaudiofiles.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/808_Bitcrushed.mp3, https://theproaudiofiles.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/808_Distortion.mp3, https://theproaudiofiles.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/808_Layered.mp3, https://theproaudiofiles.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/808_Maxxbass.mp3, 5 Strategies for Improving a Thin Sounding Mix. Just be careful not to cause any phase issues by introducing the new kick sample. The 808 kick drum sample is one of the most fundamental elements of modern hip hop. Just make it loud in the context of the mix. Many “808s” are not actually from a Roland TR-808 at all. Then, route your kick and/or bass channels to an Aux send. This class teaches you all the basics you will need to know when implementing 808's into your beats in FL studios. Creating The Right Pattern – Engineers, this tip isn’t going to help you very much. Any help at all would be greatly appreciated. How to Mix Bass and Kick with Multiband Sidechain Compression, Mixing 808s for Punch and Clarity on Small Speakers, Tips for Mixing Drums with Parallel Processing. I set it in the mix where I like it, and that’s the start and end of it. This will make your job much easier in the end. The high-end snap of a kick drum will allow your ear to identify the low-end, helping it cut through the mix. Please Comment, Like, and Subscribe! Listen to the 808 and the kick both on their own and together and make sure you don’t lose any low-end when toggling between them. There’s also a little more sustain in the overall signal. Search for: How to Mix Live Drums and 808s with Berzerk Distortion. Especially in hip hop, kick drums like the 808 tend to be the loudest instrument in a mix. 808s are all about big, sustained bass. Sometimes your 808 shouldn’t change pitch very often. Having this extra octave and dubbed punchy kick helps the 808 cut through the mix. Here I’m using Slate Virtual Tape Machine saturation plugin to generate those overtones. Then, reach for your favorite parametric EQ and make a gentle cut in the low-mids around 250 Hz to remove any mud. This will help make space for the 808 in the mix and create separation between the instruments. I’ve faded the attack of the 808 so that as the 909 is decaying out the 808 is coming in. Matthew Weiss is the recordist and mixer for multi-platinum artist Akon, and boasts a Grammy nomination for Jazz & Spellemann Award for Best Rock album. Well, I’ve got a demonstration on that and, as a very special treat, I will be demonstrating on a record that I recently mixed for the multiple- platinum-awarded, multiple Grammy-Award-winning rap group, Arrested Development. The common theme here is “overtones.” In almost every example I’m generating some kind of harmonic content that let’s the 808 feel more present without actually increasing the volume of the 808 itself. In order to get your 808s heard in any situation, you need to focus on enhancing the upper frequencies so that your 808s thickness can stick out. This is a really good, clean, 808 sound. What I’m doing here is enhancing the sub, which gives me a little more clean overtone, and then enhancing the 120 Hz area after that. And remarkably, doesn’t sound all that different from the original. In this record, the 808 is distorted and given a sparse arrangement, allowing it to fill out a large part of the frequency spectrum. I mix on Yamaha HS8 monitors, which have pretty good bass response, and sometimes I use spectrum analyzers to monitor the bass visually as well. Essentially I’m enhancing those overtones with more overtones. Specifically, we’ll be focusing on the Attack and the Release. Adjust your clips to make sure the 808 stops on the right beat. New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast. Go here to download some. Multiband compression can be a really useful tool for gluing instruments together in your mix, too. Making 808s really hit hard can be a little tricky. If they work well together and they work well in the mix than it is highly likely that the 808 is going to sound really good, which is ultimately what you want. The 808 really isn’t that subby. Aside from subtractive EQ, you have other options. The output is run just a touch hot (not red though), which gives it just a bit of grit while retaining the sense of dimension. Getting 808s to cut through the mix may actually be easier than you think – here’s a few tips on how to do it. You can mix elements like these throughout your track to make your 808’s stand out more. Side-chain compression can also be a really effective way to help your 808 cut through the mix—especially when working with additional kick and bass instruments. 808 theory: What makes a great 808; How 808 production has evolved How to make punchy 808s so you don’t need a kick; How to make loud, aggressive 808s that cut through the mix; How to properly layer 808s with a kick; How to make wide 808s; How to make unique, wobbly 808s Please try again. This is a basic 909 punch kick dubbed on top of the 808. This is an approach I use pretty frequently when I want to put a little hair on an 808 and make it pop on smaller speakers. When mixed properly, 808s can make your song feel big and powerful. From there, a fader on a console or inline pad can reduce the level before hitting the digital to analog converters. If you are using hardware, a really good way to get this effect is to run out of the line output of your sampler/drum machine into the DI of a preamp and overdrive the gain. In this record, you’ll notice the 808 has a lot of “tone” to it, and there is a punchy kick dubbed in with it. Things have come a long way from their humble beginnings in the Roland TR-808 days. Let’s look at “John” by Lil Wayne and Rick Ross. What You’ll Learn. You can make a decent, or even exceptional 808 from any synth that has an isolated sine wave oscillator. A good practice when mixing 808s with kick drums is to focus on cutting frequencies rather than boosting, since cutting will create space and not create congestion or additional phase issues within a … Matthew has mixed for a host of star musicians including Akon, SisQo, Ozuna, Sonny Digital, Uri Caine, Dizzee Rascal, Arrested Development and 9th Wonder. Try side-chaining the 808 to the kick, so that the 808 ducks when the kick plays. Multiband distortion processors like are great for enriching 808s, as they can be sued to dial in different styles and amounts of compression based on the frequency range. Now, for the techniques. Saturation is just a friendly name for subtle distortion. Bring up the 808 so it’s at a reasonable level in your DAW (probably somewhere around -18 dBFS). Boost the lows around the root frequency of the song, typically about 40 Hz or so. This has two instances of Maxxbass, which is a Waves plugin. The bassline you compose with your 808 makes a huge difference on how good it sounds. You’ll notice this 808 appears a lot louder than the others. The modern world of 808s is anything but simple. It all depends on the song. Not all Kicks and 808s are the same, with that said, there are no Magic Compression or EQ settings so please, take these … And the source sound really is key. You don’t need a ton of compression, just enough to help shape the initial transient. save. Here is an easy to use tip to make your 808s cut through your mix better! The Attack is how quickly or abruptly the sound starts. It’s easy to do too much or to not do enough with your 808’s. Drop your audio file into EXPOSE, and see any issues in seconds. Of all the kick drums you come across, 808s will tend … But I’m going to break it down along with some audio examples. Simply insert a compressor with a key input on the 808 channel. With this configuration, you may not need to touch the EQ. Ideally, you can tune it to the root note of the key, although that isn’t always possible. That’s a lot of clean 60 Hz. I put them in Mono and they just sound tiny and don’t punch through. On a pure 808 sample, there’s not much info in the high-end to work with. Experiment with different types of distortion like subtle saturation, overdrive, tube distortion and even bit crushing to find what works best for your track. Mixing Kicks and 808s. What’s happening is the sum of many things: the saturation effect is adding subtle compression and overtones, while choking off some of the higher overtones, and the filter is boosting the sub, but also shortening the decay tail. A. ll examples are level-matched, meaning they have the same amplitude, even if they appear to be louder or quieter. Distortion is great for fattening up 808s because it adds harmonic saturation, which helps extend the instrument into higher frequency ranges. How to Mix Live Drums and 808s with Berzerk Distortion. It’s unique in that it comes from digitally reducing the resolution of a sound. Sort by. The main thing with setting the sustain is the tempo of the song, and which part of the song it is. Let the other The 808. Bit-crushing is yet another form of distortion. Are you struggling with low end management? Listen to some reference tracks that you like in … 808s: will they ever go out of style? On this I’m using a plugin called Decapitator. These tips are meant as a guide, every mix decision depends on what you currently have in front of you. Step 1: Duplicate your 808 track. Add Distortion. And one of my favorite 808 sounds still has to be “6 foot 7” by Lil Wayne. You'll also receive a FREE gift immediately. So don’t feel you have to be limited to an 808 to get a great “808” kick source sound. Now that you have your samples locked and loaded, it’s time to start applying some signal processing. This is a waste of time, and will often lead to compromises that make things worse. Almost like it’s stumbling along. Fine-tune the controls to enhance the sustain of the lows while accentuating the snap and attack of the highs. Sometimes it’s easy to let the 808s take over and throw the mix out of whack. “808s and Heartbreaks,” for example, primarily relied on 909s. I’m then using an EQ to boost those overtones, and a compressor to reshape the attack to have a similar attack as the original. And you don’t have to hunt down sample of a vintage 808 module recorded through high-quality analog components. Nothing beats an 808 that just fits the record. . Sign up to be the first to learn about new articles, videos, courses, contests, freebies, discounts & more. Try to find a punchy sample with lots of attack that compliments your 808. March 05, 2020 10,976 Views. In this video you will learn how to mix your kicks and 808's to a professional level. 15 comments. Don’t attempt to make a mix sound perfect on small speakers. Start by making sure the low-end is bumping with a transparent, bass-enhancing EQ like BASSROOM. Compression. One of the best ways to make your 808s bang is also one of the easiest. You’ll notice the record is very sparse. If I was mixing someone else’s record, this is probably too extreme of a process — I’d certainly be speaking with the producer if I wanted to take the 808 in this direction. Try to find a punchy sample with lots of attack that compliments your 808. There are two basic approaches here: either add subtle saturation directly to the track or pulverize it in parallel for a more aggressive, trashy sound. Awesome. Make legit sounding, punchy 808s from scratch. If it’s the giant drop after a buildup in the bridge, you can bet I’m gonna make that thing long and huge. 93% Upvoted. I’m using just a hint of it, and I’m also using the “thump” setting on the high-pass filter. This analog clipping creates some really crazy sounding overtones. Some 808s should be short and others should be longer. For any part of your track that isn’t in the low-end the EQ … Our ear and most playback systems will hear this better than sub range. Alternatively, try to tune the 808 sample to a fifth (seven semitones) above the fundamental note of the key. how to make tracks loud: make sure everything is only taking up the bare nescesary of frequencies required. Send the 808, kick and bass to a bus and add a multi-band compressor. Then I’m using multiband compression to extend the decay of the overtones. I'd like to receive the free email course. Then, simply adjust the compressor controls so that every time the kick or bass his, the level of the 808 is quickly brought down. level 1. There are literally thousands of samples to choose from. But if you’re using a modified sample, you may be able to bring out a little color and character with a high shelf. Everything just sounds either way too muddy or 808s just don’t hit at all. Step 2: On … The classic SP-12 sound partially comes from the fact that it’s a 12-bit sampler. You may even need to high-pass the kick sample to avoid muddying up the mix. “808s and Heartbreaks,” for example, primarily relied on 909s. You can also manually beef up the sustain of the 808 to get a big punch with a fat tail. Either way, just make sure it harmonizes with the other instruments in the track. How do you mix your 808s? Bring other elements of the mix down in volume to allow the 808s more space to be heard. Use left/right arrows to navigate the slideshow or swipe left/right if using a mobile device, Start by making sure the low-end is bumping with a transparent, bass-enhancing EQ like. First, an 808 kick is a catch-all for sine wave based kicks. When Kanye West released his 808-based album, 808s and Heartbreak in 2008, the sound had a deliberately retro charm. report. EXPOSE is an audio quality control application that helps you identify technical issues with your music. It’s a lot. 3 years ago. New processing and mixing techniques are being used by today’s top producers. Producer ill Factor (Justin Timberlake) from Beat Academy shows us how he uses Waves Berzerk Distortion to mix his live drums with 808s in a vibey and creative way. About 50% of the time, when I’m doing a record with an 808 kick line — which is pretty often — I just turn it up! Kick & 808 clashing? Then, bring in all of the other instruments around it. But when mixed poorly, 808s can sound weak and thin, making your track sound lame. hide. I show you how to easily getting you kicks and 808's punchy and loud! Since then it has grown into its current status as the go-to bass sound of hip hop’s vanguard, sounding fresh all over again. What was state-of-the-art technology in the 80s was brought back as a piece of sonic nostalgia. Avoid kicks with a big, boomy bottom-end. How you set the sustain of your 808s is always going to be relative to how present the 808s are in your mix. Find one that sounds good in your mix. Other Options. Before you apply any signal processing, the most important part of mixing great-sounding 808s is starting with the right sample. It’s also smart to use high-quality 808s in your beats. around 8 kHz. After locking in the proper tuning, make sure the timing of your 808 is just as tight. Rock on you guys, Arrested Development. Or they can sound boomy and muddy, making it difficult to hear the vocals. They pack a powerful punch with tons of low-end and plenty of sustain. That doesn’t mean it has to be a custom or signature series sample. Of course, to have an 808 that just fits in the record, you need an arrangement that makes sense for it. The fabled 808 kick drum sound is little more than a sine wave run through ADSR envelopes, which can be recreated on just about any synthesizer. Assign the new Aux send as the key input of the compressor. ADSR (Attack, Decay, Sustain, Release) is an important concept to understand when working with 808s. The high-end snap of a kick drum will allow your ear to identify the low-end, helping it cut through the mix. Leveling – It’s really important to keep in mind that you should always start this process by balancing the levels (volume) of your kick and bass to the best of your ability. And the source sound really is key. Since an 808 is just a sine wave, it has a root frequency, which means it can be tuned. Maxxbass is a bass enhancer. You can make a decent, or even exceptional 808 from any synth that has an isolated sine wave oscillator. Have your cake and eat it to. Once the tone of your 808 is in check, it’s time to work on the dynamics. It’s time to open the door and expose what these tricks are and how you can use them in your production. Be careful not to lose sight of the focus in the mix. An 808 will never sound massive on an iPhone. Categories: Product Overviews, Video Tutorials. are great for this because they use threshold-triggered saturation to create exciting, dynamic 808s. I’ve included an audio sample of all 808s played in succession. choosing a selection results in a full page refresh, press the space key then arrow keys to make a selection. We just sent a download link to your inbox. Plug-ins like. The distortion is really well done, giving the 808 a very exciting character. Subwoofer farting? Multiband distortion processors like are great for enriching 808s, as they can be sued to dial in different styles and amounts of compression based on the frequency range. I’ve tried all kind of samples, tried distortion, tried sausage fattener, tried EQing out sub 30HZ. After selecting your sample, tune the sample to suit the key of your song. However, if done correctly, it can actually help the 808 … Use a compressor with a fast attack and release time to increase the snap of the sample if needed. That’s why we put together this simple step-by-step guide to mixing 808s that bang. In most cases, your mix will be heard through a laptop or on a pair of smaller desktop speakers—where definition of the sub frequencies is simply inaudible. So don’t feel you have to be limited to an 808 to get a great “808” kick source sound. For a punchier, tighter sound, try pairing your 808 with addition kick drum samples for added attack. In this example I’m running the 808 into the tube amp in my compressor (not doing any compression) and turning the gain up all the way. Some should end on a downbeat while others end on the backbeat. !llmind’s drums are often bit crushed to give them that extra gruff tone. Although it was incredibly innovative at the time, the original 808 drum machine was actually a rather primitive device. That way, instead of trying to smash an 808 into an existing mix, you can make it a focal point from the very start. This thread is archived. 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