Dubstep Mixing Guide – Part 1

1. Introduction

Here I’ll show you how to mix a dubstep track in 12 easy steps. Mixing is obviously subjective, but following this guide will help keep your track on track. The thing about using samples and synths is that no matter how well prepared the sound is, even if you sample it from a commercial dubstep record, as soon as you add it with a new mix it will lose most of its nice features. . This is because heavy sounds, on fat tracks, sound that way because of the relationship they have to each other, and the way they were processed (compressed, etc.) to each other. Not necessarily because they are individually amazing sounds. That’s why learning how to mix dubstep correctly will make the difference between reaching the top and staying home in your room. The best advice I can give you is, listen, then listen some more. The devil is in the detail.

Learning these tips should take around 5-10 mixes to understand the basics, I can usually mix a track to quality in 3 hours after doing around 100 mixes. These tips are very effective.

2. Dubstep frequency range

These frequency ranges should help you add or subtract the correct EQ, be careful, adding a certain element to all sounds will give bad results, eg biting. You can use the included frequency map to great effect.

Dubstep Subbass: 20hz – 100hz. prominent frequency 30hz

Upper Bass: 44khz – 20khz – Prominent frequency 220hz

808 Hype: 20Hz – 4khz – Prominent frequency 60hz

909 Hype: 40hz – 7.5khz – prominent frequency 110hz

D&B kick drum: 120hz – 7.5khz – Prominent frequency 150hz

Shock: 500hz – 20khz prominent frequency 2khz

congas: 120hz – 7.5khz – Prominent frequency 500hz

applause: 2khz – 16khz – Prominent frequency 6khz

Pads: 110hz – 20khz – prominent frequency 800hz

Upstream FX: 20hz – 20khz – prominent frequency 1.7khz

stabs: 500hz – 10khz – prominent frequency 3.5khz

You can use the above to give each part of your dubstep mix its own space. This allows the listener to hear each sound clearly without sounding muddled. Use a careful equalizer to create space for each part, you can do this by cutting the frequencies of other instruments around the sound you’re trying to space (the most effective way) or by boosting the frequencies of the part in question. Using frequency cutoffs is better because the human brain will consider a sound to sound more natural when using a cutoff. This is because what happens in the real world, sounds are absorbed by different materials (such as wood and concrete), causing certain frequencies to be removed. Therefore, when the EQ is increased, the brain will not get used to it, since a cutoff will sound perfectly expected. A good trick if you don’t want to boost a frequency is to cut all other frequencies apart from the one you want to boost and then turn up the volume all the way up. As a general rule of thumb, a 1 DB boost equals a 3 DB cut.

These are the frequency ranges and their associated attributes; raising or lowering the equalizer on a portion of these frequencies will enhance or decrease the attribute:

Weight: – 20hz – 150hz

Heat: 220hz – 380hz

muddy: 250Hz – 400Hz

Hit hit: 600Hz – 1khz

Definition / Bite: 1khz – 2khz

Clarity: 4khz-7.5khz

Air and Spark: 7.5khz-20khz

If you are not familiar with the above, take a few days to learn it by putting it into practice. Get a dubstep mix that you’ve done but aren’t happy with and try to separate everything so that each part can be heard clearly.

Power Tip: Don’t go crazy with the EQ, use volume first, then if you have to use an EQ cut about 2/6db, if you finally need to boost, never go over 6db boost until you’ve done at least 100 mix downs and they are very confident with EQ.

The main reason people get it wrong is that they see EQ as a “sonic sculpting” tool. That can be, but in small quantities. Try to avoid this to begin with. If you ever get a chance to look at a professional engineer’s desk after a mix, you’ll see that there are lots of subtle cuts and some well-placed bracing. Not drastic, big pushes everywhere, like most people do when they start out, including me and probably everyone, sometime! Always remember that if you comparatively cut one end of the frequency spectrum, you are boosting the other end.

Power Tip: As a general rule of thumb, use soft wide boosts to subtly draw attention to a part and tight surgical cuts to remove problem frequencies.