Meeting summary

Quick recap

This was week 5 of LSEM's electronic music course, where students shared their progress on track development and received feedback on mixing techniques. The session focused on listening to students' work-in-progress tracks and providing hands-on guidance on implementing feedback, particularly around EQ and compression techniques discussed in the previous week. Penny expressed difficulty hearing the effects of EQ and compression changes, which led to an extensive discussion about frequency shaping, reference tracking, and the concept of creating "pockets of sound" in the mix. Dror asked about compression applications beyond vocals and drums, leading to explanations about controlling dynamics and achieving "glue" in the mix. Brio discussed CPU issues with plugins like the BX Glue, and LSEM suggested increasing the buffer size as a solution. Ellie and Cedric shared their current track work, with Ellie seeking help with clicky sounds in her drums and frequency masking issues, while Cedric presented a 2-minute 40-second track using Splice vocals and asked about the appropriateness of the song length.

Next steps

Bri

• Reduce sidechain compression intensity across the mix (especially on high hats) to prevent volume jumps when kick drops

• Introduce atmospheric pads, stabs, or subtle vocal/delay effects in the "brooding" sections to avoid static loops

• Email LSEM regarding bassline/track development questions and coordinate on feedback timing

Cedric

• Adjust kick and clap levels in the track (reduce kick by 3dB and claps by 5dB in latter choruses), and implement a stronger fill/transition into the choruses

• Add automation/filter sweeps to keyboard/vocal parts at intro and during build-ups for more dynamic arrangement

• Add a bar of instrumental/vocal pattern before the second verse to strengthen the transition

• Introduce light hi-hat or percussive elements in post-chorus/bridge sections to maintain forward momentum

• Remove or modify the "EDM-y" chopped conga pattern in the drop to better fit the track's mood

• Review and apply LSEM's feedback on transitions, arrangement, and mix decisions before next session

Dror

• Add crash cymbal/symbol at main drop and develop hi-hat patterns for more dynamic drum programming

• Mono-ize at least one of the bass parts and automate or EQ bass parts to avoid frequency masking with the kick

• Add automation to main synth lead (e.g., filter/cutoff opening) and consider layering/doubling synths for more interest

• Review Jamie XX "On Hold" for reference on drum/bass interplay and arrangement

Ellie

• Increase volume and presence of pluck/synth elements in the mix, especially in intro and atmospheric sections

• Add melodic/rhythmic material from end section to the intro for cohesion, and ensure all melodic elements are clearly bounced/stemmed for remix

• Email or message LSEM if considering a different track for the remix, and send updated version if applicable

Penny

• Introduce more automation (e.g., filter sweeps) and performance movements to synth and pluck parts

• Add breakdown section (e.g., drop to just chords/vocals) and increase variation between 8-bar sections

• Layer and vary drum elements (e.g., add snare rolls, ghost notes, swing/shuffle) and adjust hi-hat levels to reduce harshness

• Review The Orb "Perpetual Dawn" for reference on breakdowns and arrangement techniques

Collaboration

• ALL: Finish first track this week, ensuring it is ready for stems export and potential remix (with clear, well-organized folder structure and appropriate file naming)

• ALL: Export stems for remixing next week, including subfolders for drums, bass, synths, etc., and ensure all key melodic/rhythmic elements are provided

• ALL: Review and apply feedback from session to each track (e.g., automation, arrangement, frequency/parts management) before next class

• ALL: Review previous session materials (e.g., EQ/compression/saturation training, arrangement concepts) as needed to address feedback

Summary

Music Production Class Feedback Session

LSEM led a music production class session on week 5, focusing on reviewing students' work in progress and providing feedback on mixing techniques. The discussion centered on EQ and compression concepts, with LSEM explaining how to approach frequency shaping and sound placement in different musical genres. LSEM emphasised the importance of training ears through practice and mixing other artists' tracks, noting that mixing one's own work can be biased due to emotional investment. The session aimed to help students complete their first track for next week's remixing module, where they will learn to prepare stems for collaborative remixing.

Mixing and Compression Techniques

LSEM explained the approach to mixing, emphasising the importance of starting with broad strokes and gradually refining details. Dror asked about compression usage beyond vocals and kick drums, to which LSEM responded that compression is useful for controlling dynamics in any dynamic instrument or track. Brio mentioned issues with CPU usage from plugins and received advice from LSEM to increase the buffer size. Cedric shared his limited experience with compression, primarily using it to make his song sound louder, and LSEM reassured him that overuse of compression is less important in electronic music production.

Audio Compression Techniques Discussion

Cedric and LSEM discussed the use of compression in audio mixing, focusing on vocals and drums. LSEM demonstrated the effects of compression using a 1176 compressor plugin, explaining how it can make quieter sounds louder and reduce dynamic range. They explored different compression ratios and discussed the balance between punchy compression and maintaining natural sound. LSEM suggested using parallel compression as a middle ground, allowing for both punch and space in the mix.

Drum Compression and Audio Techniques

LSEM demonstrated the use of compression on drum buss groups, explaining how to apply it to kick and top layers separately to maintain clarity. When asked about making sounds more distant, LSEM advised using opposing sounds and suggested creating space through frequency masking with EQ to make certain elements cut through better. The discussion concluded with LSEM helping Eliepark troubleshoot audio sharing issues and beginning to address her question about clicky sounds in her drum tracks.

Audio Mixing Techniques Discussion

LSEM and Eliepark discussed audio mixing techniques, focusing on sidechain compression and EQ adjustments. They identified issues with the sidechain setup, noting that not all synths were properly routed through the sidechain bus. LSEM suggested applying more sidechain to other synths and recommended using EQ to cut frequencies around 3-5K on the bass track to make space for higher drum sounds. They also examined two different kick drum sounds and discussed their fundamental frequencies, with one kick around 55Hz and another at 100Hz.

Audio Mixing Techniques Discussion

The group discussed audio mixing techniques, focusing on kick and bass frequencies. LSEM provided feedback to eliepark about adjusting bass levels and suggested using sidechain compression. Dror asked about doubling and layering sounds to create a thicker sound, which LSEM explained in detail. Cedric shared his work-in-progress song, which was 2 minutes and 40 seconds long, and asked for feedback on its length and structure.

Afro Track Production Review

The team reviewed Cedric's new Afro genre track, with Brian and Penny praising the vocal and drum work while noting the vocals might dominate the arrangement. LSEM provided detailed feedback on mix issues, suggesting reducing the kick drum by 3dB and lowering the level of clap effects, while also recommending the addition of percussive fills to better set up the choruses. LSEM advised Cedric to use automation to gradually reveal sounds over time rather than having everything come in simultaneously at the start, and suggested adding a light offbeat hi-hat to maintain forward momentum in certain sections.

Music Production Track Reviews

The team reviewed Cedric's track, focusing on transitions between verses and the need for better arrangement in the bridge section around bar 45. LSEM suggested adding a bar without vocals to create a natural transition and recommended implementing automation, filtering, and effects to enhance the build-up. Feedback was also provided on Dror's track, highlighting the need for dynamic automation on synths, better bass management, and more prominent drum programming to balance the mix. The group agreed on next steps, including bouncing stems out in a clear folder structure for remixing projects, with specific guidance on file naming and organisation.

Music Sample Pack Feedback Session

LSEM provided feedback on creating sample packs and suggested organising them in a structured file format to help with remixing. Penny presented a track that received positive feedback for its groovy and funky elements, with suggestions to add more rhythmic variation and tension at certain points in the arrangement. The group discussed the charm of early house music and how Penny's track embraced that style effectively.

Music Production Feedback Session

LSEM provided feedback to Penny on her track, suggesting improvements to the reverb effects, drum sounds, and arrangement structure. LSEM recommended adding more tactile elements through controller mapping, incorporating a breakdown section, and adjusting the drum sounds to have more of an old school house feel. Brio then presented his work-in-progress track, which LSEM praised for successfully separating the A and B sections, though they noted some technical audio issues that needed to be resolved.

Music Production Feedback Session

LSEM provided feedback on Brio's track, suggesting additions to the brooding section to maintain momentum and addressing issues with sidechain compression that caused volume spikes when the kick stopped. LSEM recommended adding subtle elements like atmospheric pads or stabs rather than changing the bass line, which would disrupt the track's structure. For Ellie's track, LSEM advised balancing the atmospheric elements better throughout the song and ensuring the pluck sound has appropriate volume context relative to the kick drum. LSEM also announced plans to review students' first tracks in detail during next week's class and introduced a remix project for weeks 6 and 7.