Looking at your music in terms of a sound stage where everything is placed properly on the stage. The drums are in the center of the stage with the high hats, and snares, are all slightly off center. Then you see a synth over on the right side, and so on.
This way of thinking will give your music a sense of space and create a clean spatial mix. You can also take it a step further and imagine what the room in which this music is happening looks like. For instance when I was working on Wave Pulse I imagined my music happening in a big cave with a lake inside of it. The cave was wet and large creating a unique sound quality and reverb. Then I saw how my instruments were placed in that cave. It affected my choice in sound and reverb creating music that seems to “fit”.
Here are some tips and Tricks I wanted to share to help your music production have a good sense of space.
Placement of Instruments
First thing to keep in mind is where and why are your instruments where they are. If all your instruments are in the same center position the track sounds louder than it needs and cluttered. If you pan one set of instruments to the left, other rhythmic lead sound to the right, drums near center, and bass center then you have a full mix that sounds like it has room and a lot going on in a good way.
Here is an image that demonstrated the panning of a classic drum kit. This can be kept in mind when you create a new kit, but you can also break the rules if you know why and how you are breaking them.
Widening you Sounds
When you are working with instruments you can make something the Lead sound, or put more importance to it, by widening the sound. Creating that big and open sound will really add power to any instrument. This can be done in a lot of ways. One simple feature Ableton has with the utility is a stereo widening. By going outside the 100% you will make it sound bigger.
An important thing to keep in mind with Stereo widening is everything is made stronger by contrast. If you have one instrument that has a big sound then having a rhythmic accent that is very “small” in the back ground will make the other instrument seem even bigger. Also don’t just widen everything. Especially the low end of your track. Best to keep that in center.
Specialization through your Verb
If you have read much of my articles you will know that I am all about reverb. Verb adds a realistic and beautiful quality to your track and instruments. If used properly it can make all the sounds fit together. When I am adding reverb to something I keep in mind the overall track. If this sound is more in the distance it should have more verb then the original sound. (dry/wet) And if it is front and center then less verb.
I also like to add final verb to my master channel, or the sub channels of things. Such as all my drum sounds go to one final verb. This helps glue it all together.
By doing these three steps you will add real depth to your music. Visualizing the stage and then sculpting with in it will bring your sound design to a whole new level.
