Mixing Loud: Framework Sounds for Optimal Track Loudness

Bathmetrics emphasizes the importance of matching anchor sounds to genre standards for achieving a balanced and loud mix.

### Setting Anchor and Framework Sounds for Mix Loudness
* 🔊 The loudness level of the anchor and framework sounds in a mix determines the **overall loudness** of the final product.
* 🎵 The key framework sounds in different genres include **kick and snare** in dance music, **bass and guitar** in alternative music, and **808 and snare** in trap music.
* 📊 The author suggests measuring the **loudest momentary peak** of the kick and aiming to hit **2-3 dB louder** in the final mix, with an upper limit of around **-7 to -8 LUFS** for dance music.
* 🎚 The process involves selecting reference tracks, isolating the kick and snare, finding similar samples, and **adjusting their loudness to match the reference track**.
* 🎧 The author emphasizes the importance of **matching the timbre and punch** of the reference track sounds, even when pushed to the **same loudness level**.
* Some sample manipulation, such as **clipping**, may be necessary to achieve the desired loudness without compromising sound quality.
* 🎶 The balanced mix should have the **kick and snare hitting close to 0 dB FS**, with the sub usually around **-6 dB FS in dance music**.
* 🏆 The goal is to create a mix that competes well with commercial tracks in terms of **loudness and energy**, especially important for **DJ sets**.

Mixing Loud with CTZ - Ep. 9 -  Setting Your Mix Anchor & Framework

Baphometrix

Setting Up Anchor and Framework Sounds for Your Mix

The loudness level of the anchor and framework sounds determines the overall mix's loudness.

It's important to choose framework sounds that are appropriate for your genre and loud enough to hit the desired loudness target.

Different genres may have varying framework sounds, such as the kick and snare in dance music or the snare and 808 in trap music.

The Importance of Rhythmic Impulses in Music Production

The loudest rhythmic impulse in a song can come from various sources, not just drums, and is crucial for establishing the downbeat and backbeat.

Matching the loudness of your framework sound and anchor sound to a reference track is key for successful production.

Using software to find and compare drum sounds, along with slicing samples in a DAW, can help achieve the desired rhythmic impact.

The speaker is using a snippet from a master track to find and play the original kick and snare samples for a song.

The kick and snare have a similar feel and timbre, with the snare layered on top of the kick.

The speaker uses a sample browser to find drum samples that match the original sounds, dragging them into a drum machine grid to create a kick channel.

The kick and snare samples are matched to the reference track in volume and dynamic range, ensuring they have a similar quality and timbre.

The sub is balanced with the kick and snare, sitting around -6 dB below the kick, which is a good starting point for bass-heavy dance music.

The overall mix is built around the anchor kick and snare, with additional sounds layered in to maintain the same loudness ballpark as the reference track.

The speaker compares their track to a reference track, focusing on loudness, energy, and density.

They isolate and snip out important sounds from the reference track to use as a guide for building their own drums.

The speaker emphasizes the importance of measuring the kick's loudness and making subtle adjustments for a cleaner, tighter sound while maintaining its punch and weight.

Aim for your kick to hit around negative 10 for a momentary max, which will help you build a mix that hits negative 7.

It's unnecessary to push your mix louder than negative 7, as it will still blend well with other loud tracks.

Use a reference track to isolate and match the kick and snare's volume, helping you find the right samples for your mix.

Matching Kicks and Snares for Music Production

Finding the right kick and snare is crucial for matching the loudness of a reference track.

It's important to isolate these elements and use samples with a similar transient kick impulse.

Clipping the samples can help achieve the desired loudness, and testing their ability to withstand clipping is key to determining their suitability for the mix.

Striving for Loudness in Music Production

The speaker emphasizes the importance of understanding the reason behind striving for a certain loudness in music, especially in loud genres like dance music.

They acknowledge that while some genres, like jazz and alternative rock, can also be loud, it's crucial to have a compelling reason for it.

DJs often have the best reason to aim for loudness, as they need to mix in and out of hot, dense songs, and the speaker shares their own experience of shaping a kick's sound to achieve the desired loudness.