tag:irrenoid.com,2005:/blogs/studio-updates-179c9bc0-108c-4fd3-bd52-6eba43e03a6bArticles and Studio Updates2022-12-27T15:44:28-07:00Irrenoidfalsetag:irrenoid.com,2005:Post/71291502022-12-27T15:44:28-07:002023-10-16T09:04:21-06:00Why Escapism Outspeeds Social Relevancy Every Time<p>Written by Irrenoid - December 27th, 2022 </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/637179/2418ea869c354538efedd96101d697311048c524/original/image1.jpg/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>The empty void of middling mental demotivation is familiar to most of us. Whether through the irritating static hum of work-school-home tedium or the continual brain drain of mental illness that saps our head chems dry, we’ve all known the feeling of the eternal search for just a crumb of dopamine to some degree. That neverending journey recently led me to <em>Sonic Frontiers</em>, a game I’ve been following to a near-obsessive degree for a long while now (much to the noted chagrin of my friends; sorry dudes, I love you all, but <em><strong>gotta go fast</strong></em>). Despite its rocky first impressions, I’ve watched the blue blur’s massive new adventure slowly morph into the bombastically theatrical comeback of a legendary gaming underdog I’ve been happily calling a part of my life for over 20 years. It was an infectiously addictive patchwork Frankenstein of a game with incredible boss battles, arguably the best soundtrack in recent gaming memory, and a cheesily charismatic story with a satisfying beginning, middle, and end. It was a memorable escape where the whole sum was leagues more than its wobbly parts, from the relaxed vibes of lo-fi fishing to the interdimensional utopian consciousness narrative paradigm. Earlier in 2022, that dopamine fix was centered around <em>Elden Ring</em>, a wildly unexpected treasure for me (given that I’m not much of a Souls fan beyond <em>Bloodbourne</em>) that I’ve since clocked almost half a thousand hours into as of this article. These two games have slotted nicely into my repertoire of “games I’ll obsessively replay for another decade." So why do these genuinely engaging gaming experiences feel so unequivocally rare for me and many others these days? Why can’t I even feign interest (let alone actually be interested) in so many new titles getting frequent press coverage? Whenever the urge arises to dip my head into the murky swamp water of socioculturally relevant games and the discourse surrounding them, I feel suffocated to the point of apathy, and I am far from the only one feeling this way.</p>
<p>A claustrophobic realization hit me with the nuance of a neutron star during the last few weeks of sleepless nights spent recovering from surgery and binge-playing <em>Age of Empires II</em> and <em>Sonic Frontiers</em>. These days, we aren’t resonating with unforgettable characters or forming core memories playing couch-co-op until 3 am with our buddies, nor are we accompanying said nights with an alluring box of double extra cheese pizza with stuffed crust while Avenged Sevenfold’s <em>Chapter Four</em> blares in glorious half-dead radio-hiss quality amidst an ascending air current of stale joint smoke. We're not looking to keep our youthful spirits engaged while still growing mentally and physically; we're instead settling for “platforms” containing downtrodden game design elements that function tenfold worse than the apparent military-grade stability of their integrated systemic wallet vacuums. Remember how <em>Ratchet and Clank: Up Your Arsenal</em> had some of the most creative weapons and skins unlocked by clearing levels and finding secret paths and collectibles, rather than utilizing the most popular current feature in gaming's general sphere, connecting your credit card? I understand the need and place for cosmetic microtransactions in free-to-play games (they have to be able to recoup development costs somehow), but we're getting to a point where a substantial portion of AAA games are designed to enable market shares rather than sharing experiences. That description also doesn't even remotely begin to address the dystopian wallet war between consumer and corporation within the unethical void of the Crypto/NFT landscape.</p>
<p>Modern gaming feels like an exhaustive and expensive routine, a pattern that gets less fun with every new restriction touted as the future of entertainment you should (supposedly) be excited for. A repetitive quagmire of hoping a game you're excited about isn't buggy, rushed, or riddled with shady business practices from overlord executives who haven't played a video game since 1992. What about the plot; surely stories in gaming are taking advantage of the latest technology to reach new narrative heights, right? There are some contemporary examples of games with fantastic stories, sure. However, for every engaging and memorable tale, there are a hundred more passionless husks littering the grim grey shelves of your local Gamestop that's being kept on life support by four clinically depressed employees and a grumpy cat. Plenty of games from our childhood and teenage years were sociopolitically focused and had messages to say, some notable messages at that. However, the message is, more often than not, all these new games have to offer nowadays. We can try to dismiss this problem as “just mainstream games,” but even franchises like <em>Call of Duty</em> understood how to balance tonality in years past, <strong>“Remember - no Russian.”</strong> Can you say that fighting tooth and nail to get discount gaming headphones to work correctly or dealing with the petty drama of private Discord servers is worth spending hours of your ever-dwindling free time playing half-baked mediocre corporate bile? I’d rather have fun during my free time engaging in experiences I find joy in either by myself or with those I care about, not <em>“a little bit of fun here and there just because I’m joking around with my buds.”</em> </p>
<p>I’m not saying that games should be free from serious stances, as the potential for powerful artistic expression is, arguably, most potent in gaming as a format. Yet, despite that, when the message eclipses the game itself, you’re essentially surrounding a proverbial fire with an air-tight glass dome. Message-focused games like <em>The Last of Us Part II</em> attempt to drive home the impact of cyclical violence by forcing the player to kill dogs and watch detailed cheating boat-sex cutscenes in graphic fashion, but does anyone who isn’t irrevocably jaded or numb to the point of twisting their psyche actually want those experiences? While the intentions are noble, as someone who was emotionally and physically abused, I don’t want my escapism to constantly remind me of the thoughts I’m trying to get relief from. Realistically, most people don't want to be continuously reminded of the worst times they went through, and not a soul should be guilted into reliving trauma just because the product making them relive it is considered a <em>“socially conscious”</em> trend. People don’t want to pay nearly a hundred bucks for an experience that treats them like shit and makes them feel like shit, regardless of how photorealistic the dirt on the ground looks. This all loops back to the more outstanding issue that game culture is no longer about having fun alone or with friends. Gaming has morphed into an amalgamated blob of wallet-siphoning from AAA companies (that really should have been boycotted into irrelevancy by now) and narcissistic soapboxing from writers who want to validate their insecurities to the point where anything that isn’t hyperbolic praise is treated as vitriolic personal attacks. It's no wonder that let's plays, long-form reviews, and streaming sessions on Twitch and Youtube have boomed; people would much rather connect with others watching someone with fun commentary suffer through a mediocre or lousy game rather than waste money on the game themselves.</p>
<p>Since we’ve been talking about messages a lot, what’s my general message here? If a game doesn’t bring you joy, don’t dump money into it. If a game's plot or themes make you uncomfortable, don’t feel guilted by your social circles into buying it. On the other hand, if a game looks like it’ll scratch the proverbial itch for you, regardless of why, loudly and proudly play it and share your experiences, regardless of public opinion. Check out an indie game with only two or three reviews sometime; there’s so much more out there than just what social media addicts tell you to care about. Who would you rather be; the person who feels peaceful with a genuine smile on their face playing games they dig and having a blast with a few trustworthy lifelong buddies and tuning out the social noise - or would you want to be the lonely person admired by strangers for a short amount of time, a person who is so addicted to the attention rush of drama that strict self-destructive adherence to social guidelines becomes a daily standard? I'd much rather be considered the annoying fan who won't shut up about <em>Sonic Frontiers</em> rather than a dopamine-deprived shell waiting for something socially relevant to give me a brief five minutes of happiness once every few months. Please consider who you are as a person and how you game in the modern age; while you’re on that thought train, think about why the entertainment that helped you once before is no longer letting you keep your demons at bay.</p>Irrenoidtag:irrenoid.com,2005:Post/70345832022-08-10T02:16:29-06:002022-08-10T13:19:29-06:00Chester Bennington and Colson Baker - A Talk About Different Shades of Anger and Depression<p>Written by Irrenoid - August 9th, 2022</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/637179/e0558bcd87f51d93d22e4c09a1b2e0eaaad410f2/original/untitled-1.jpg/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_center border_none" alt="" /></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong><span class="font_regular"><em>Quick Note: </em></span></strong></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><span class="font_small"><em>I don't have anything witty to say for an opener, nor do I want to. Anger sucks, Depression sucks; it all really fucking sucks. So please understand this is not a joke, and I take this seriously. Thank you for reading, and I hope you understand why I feel the way I do about this by the end.</em></span></p>
<p>To let yourself be emotionally vulnerable in the public eye is something that so many of us fear, myself included. There is nothing wrong with feeling afraid; we are people. I'm scared as shit typing this because I'm generally not the type of person to talk about this side of myself openly, and I'm damn well scared of how people I both know and don't know will take and respond to this point I want to make about something emotionally very dear to me. Machine Gun Kelly's two most recent albums, <em>Tickets to my Downfall</em> and <em>Mainstream Sellout</em>, made me feel emotions that I thought, from the pit of my soul, depression stole from me. Sure, we all laughed at the repetitive chorus of '<em>emo girl</em><em>'</em><em> </em>for a few months; sometimes we need an excellent rib-tickler. Honestly, though, the lyrics on '<em>maybe'</em> hit different when you're six drinks in or 40 mg under and thinking about every individual fuck up in your life and what you would have done to change how you acted if you had your more experienced mindset back then.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;">"<em>...I used to have a soul until I threw it away <br>There's shadows on the wall, wish I would've ran<br>Gotta get away, I hope you understand<br>I try to hide my face like a wanted man<br>Maybe I'll be gone before you count to ten...</em></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="9xht4JIOfjU" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/9xht4JIOfjU/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/9xht4JIOfjU?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="180" width="320" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><em>...I made up my mind this evening <br>I'm takin' the last, I'm takin' the last <br>Drink while my conscience eats me <br>I'm takin' the last, I'm takin' the last<br>I'm ready to let you go <br>This time is the last, this time is the last..."</em></p>
<p style="text-align: center;">('<em>maybe</em>' by <em>Machine Gun Kelly</em>)</p>
<p>When you're so depressed from so many facets of your mind, you almost become repeatedly desensitized to your suicidal ideations and become an unmoving, unfeeling stone. When you undervalue yourself so drastically because no matter what you've achieved, you're constantly internalizing every past shitty choice you've made or shitty thing you said when you were younger. Whichever way you handle the unceasing emotional emptiness, those struggles are yours and whoever you choose to share them with. Hell, I didn't even want to admit that I was depressed for a fucking decade. I lashed out in any way I could to anyone who would listen to keep the internalized lie that I was happy on life support. Over the last ten years, I have turned from being an angry, abrasive cis emo dude getting pissed off at all the wrong things into a slightly less abrasive genderfluid bisexual (who still gets pissed off but has learned to confront their thoughts instead of acting without thinking). We all change so drastically in such a short time that we forget one thing about the internet; it punishes emotional growth in black and white, right or wrong rhetoric.</p>
<p>Remember <a contents="One More Light" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://open.spotify.com/album/5Eevxp2BCbWq25ZdiXRwYd" target="_blank"><em>One More Light</em></a> by <em>Linkin Park</em>? Remember how one of Chester Bennington's bandmates Sean Dowell <a contents="talked" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://blabbermouth.net/news/chester-bennington-was-really-bothered-by-negative-response-to-linkin-parks-one-more-light-album" target="_blank">talked</a> about how Chester would unhealthily lash out at people who threw hateful remarks about <em>One More Light</em> and Chester himself on Twitter and other social media? Remember how Chester took his own life, and the world was shocked? Everyone dogpiled on that album and ignored Chester's cries for help. </p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><em>"...I don’t like my mind right now <br>Stacking up problems that are so unnecessary <br>Wish that I could slow things down <br>I wanna let go but there’s comfort in the panic <br>And I drive myself crazy <br>Thinking everything's about me <br>Yeah, I drive myself crazy <br>'Cause I can’t escape the gravity </em></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><em><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="5dmQ3QWpy1Q" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/5dmQ3QWpy1Q/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/5dmQ3QWpy1Q?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="180" width="320" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe><br>...I'm holding on <br>Why is everything so heavy? <br>Holding on <br>So much more than I can carry <br>I keep dragging around what's bringing me down <br>If I just let go, I'd be set free <br>Holding on <br>Why is everything so heavy?</em>"</p>
<p style="text-align: center;">('<em>Heavy</em>' by <em>Linkin Park</em>)</p>
<p>That album was hated in the same way that <em>Mainstream Sellout</em> is now, and that was from a respected, highly popular band most people loved to some degree. <em>Mainstream Sellout</em> has matched <em>Tickets to my Downfall</em>'s cultural optimism with a far more raging pessimism. Think about this recent span of events summarized: "<em>the collective alternative music sphere laughed at a touring musician getting a homophobic slur tagged on his bus.</em>"</p>
<p>I thought we were better than this. Sure, we can joke about what we were called growing up; but none of us want to go back to the worst days when we were called faggots at school. The days where we had piss tossed on us, or our backpacks thrown on top of buildings, our physical means of escape stolen and destroyed. Do we, the kids who banded together because of the abuse we all suffered, want to become the same type of people that abused us? There's not a single person alive or dead who hasn't said or done something they regret to some degree. It will never be too late to be honest with yourself and have a chance at true happiness. I'm ashamed to admit that I've said some asshole remarks in the past to people, and for a long time, I've internalized self-hatred for the shitty person I was. We can apologize and react to apologies or lack thereof given to us, but forgiveness is the right of the wronged to give, not the right of the wrongdoer to expect.</p>
<p>Has Machine Gun Kelly said some stupid shit? Yes, absolutely. Has he apologized for those shitty things he said? Yes, on multiple occasions. According to the <a contents="National Institute of Mental Health" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/the-teen-brain-7-things-to-know#:~:text=The%20brain%20continues%20to%20mature,the%20mid%2D%20to%20late%2020s." target="_blank">National Institute of Mental Health</a>, the brain <em>"does not finish developing and maturing until the mid to late 20s."</em> <em>(NIH, Section 2).</em> Can you honestly say that your views and morals, regardless of how consistent they are, haven't improved or gotten better in almost a decade? Can you honestly say that you're still proud to talk about the off-hand, assholish social media quips you shot out without thinking when you were in your late teens or early 20s? If your answer to those questions was "yeah, I've changed" and "yeah, I feel bad about some of the shit I did or said before," you're likely a self-aware person who has grown from their past self in some kind of way. Understanding this, why do we put so much undue pressure on those in the public eye? We can talk about heightened responsibility and having a platform, but this has a flip side. Higher stressors and higher triggers require higher care. No amount of fame or monetary gain can repair deeply ingrained trauma. </p>
<p><em>Mainstream Sellout</em> worked its way into the cultural sphere by being the punching bag for a societal frustration that has been building since the last time we truly smiled without having to force it. We, as people, are frustrated as fuck. Not just at the world, not just at the people in our lives, but at ourselves. Should a person be able to cope with hate received at age 29 or 30, <em>maybe</em>? Remember that a good portion of us went to therapy or did extensive internalized self-care for the trauma inflicted on us by one person or multiple people. How do you go about that, as one person, handling the vitriolic hate, destruction of property, and so much other shit from literally millions of people? You don't handle it; you lash out because you feel so attacked that you're afraid to be in your own skin out of fear. Chester Bennington lashed out publically in similar ways to how Colson Baker is acting now, albeit Colson is doing so in more extreme ways (similar to how our general culture thrives off of "one or the other" extremes, whether we want to admit it or not).</p>
<p>That is why <em>Mainstream Sellout</em> works and why it so quickly became the "worst album" for so many people; every negative concept covered in the lyrics relates to the specific tonality of the type of anger he would receive from the general public. Remember when the album was going to be titled <em>Born with Horns</em>? Remember when the album was delayed pretty shortly after <em>emo girl</em> came out? The change is because Born with Horns was likely a completely different album than Mainstream Sellout. It's why so many unreleased Machine Gun Kelly songs continue to leak all over Youtube with themes more synonymous with Born with Horns. It's why Machine Gun Kelly's song '<em>maybe,'</em> a Post-Hardcore song with a screamed bridge, is sitting at over 100 million streams across streaming services as of August 10th, 2022 (Almost 60 million streams on <a contents="Spotify" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://open.spotify.com/artist/6TIYQ3jFPwQSRmorSezPxX" target="_blank">Spotify</a> alone) with continued mainstream success. Colson reacted by lashing out and baring what he feels is his most emotionally honest musical statement, and it started a conversation. Regardless of the side you took, you participated in that emotionally charged conversation; participating was your choice. It was your choice to make with Chester Bennington up until his death five years ago, and it's your choice to make with Colson Baker now. </p>
<p>We are not unfeeling machines; we are human beings. Even the people who are the source of our worst traumas are human beings, just like us. We praise albums for bringing people together through happiness; shouldn't we give other emotions the same respect? <em>Machine Gun Kelly's</em> album <em>Mainstream Sellout</em> unified people through <strong>anger and sadness</strong>. There's a certain power to that which I wholeheartedly respect, and I'm not ashamed to admit that. So be kinder to those around you, even if you aren't in the same room. Thank you for reading; I genuinely hope that whatever troubles you in life gets better and that you find the energy to smile today. :)</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>- Sincerely,</strong></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>From someone proud to feel like a living, breathing person a little more each day.</strong></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><span class="font_large"><em><strong>Sources:</strong></em></span></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><em>https://blabbermouth.net/news/chester-bennington-was-really-bothered-by-negative-response-to-linkin-parks-one-more-light-album</em></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><em>https://open.spotify.com/album/5Eevxp2BCbWq25ZdiXRwYd</em></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><em>https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/the-teen-brain-7-things-to-know#:~:text=The%20brain%20continues%20to%20mature,the%20mid%2D%20to%20late%2020s.</em></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><em>https://open.spotify.com/artist/6TIYQ3jFPwQSRmorSezPxX</em></p>Irrenoidtag:irrenoid.com,2005:Post/69896272022-06-08T13:45:35-06:002022-08-10T10:08:58-06:00Creative Low to No-Budget Production Tips - Stylistic Effects<p>Written by Irrenoid - June 8th, 2022</p>
<p><span class="font_regular">Production can be the most daunting part of your project, especially if you're a solo musician or a local band working independently without the funds to hire a producer. However, there are ways to work around having a non-existent budget in almost any DAW (Digital Audio Workstation) to up the production values of your projects. So, let's get started! For this article, I will be using my main DAW, Acid Pro 9.0; however, most standard DAWs, including Ableton, FL Studio, etc., all have the features that I will be using here. I'll use a random piano sample clip from my production library for this article's information and examples. We'll learn about the basics of applying stylistic effects to your clips and how you can creatively use stylistic effects of any kind to get unique options for your mixes.</span></p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/637179/3492604ccd254b33f42a85bd6205c02838c52e50/original/capture.jpg/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" style="text-align: center;" /></p>
<h3 style="text-align: center;"><span class="font_regular"><strong>Stylistic Effects</strong></span></h3>
<p style="text-align: center;"><span class="font_regular"><strong>Part 1: Parametric EQ (Basic Effects Applications and Processes)</strong></span></p>
<p style="text-align: center;">Effects can give your track just that extra little "kick" of personality, whether it be only in the first few seconds of a song or throughout the track as a whole. Let's take a look at the intros of two modern songs; "Doctor Doctor" by Lil Lotus and "The Two Tongues (Screaming Salvation)" by As It Is.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="a3JNU1ULerg" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/a3JNU1ULerg/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/a3JNU1ULerg?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="180" width="320" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="N2bujSjPQTI" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/N2bujSjPQTI/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/N2bujSjPQTI?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="180" width="320" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>
<p style="text-align: center;">In the intro of "Doctor Doctor," before the guitars kick in, the vocals and electronics sound faded and washed out intentionally, as if they were coming through a phone line. Likewise, in the intro of "The Two Tongues (Screaming Salvation)," the vocals sound intentionally washed out with crackles as they fade behind the slowly ascending guitar feedback. Just that little splash adds more character to each song; in Lil Lotus's case, it provides a nostalgic throwback reminiscent of the 2000s / 2010s Alternative Emo Rock and Post-Hardcore trends of the time. As It Is's radio style gives a generalized retro vibe of aural sounds of the early to mid 20th century. To summarize, each song is immediately given a specific flair from less than 10 seconds of a production element.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;">You can achieve such an effect in your productions using <strong><em>Parametric EQ</em>.</strong> To best summarize Parametric EQ, I'm going to defer to this quote from Gary Altunian's <a contents="article" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.lifewire.com/graphic-vs-parametric-equalizer-3134842" target="_blank">article</a> in Lifewire, "A parametric equalizer lets you control three aspects: level (boosting or cutting decibels), the exact frequency, and the bandwidth or range (also known as Q or quotient of change) of each frequency" (Altunian, Leger). Altering these qualities will allow you to tailor a specific section of your sound, so let's split a track. Generally, in most DAWs, you can click exactly where you want to separate the track, then press a combination of two keys, "CTRL + S," or sometimes even just one key, "S."</p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/637179/d6ec66bac749c101dcc11002982b6c2ca577308b/original/effects-separation.jpg/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" style="text-align: center;" /></p>
<p style="text-align: center;">Then you can go to "Event FX" (usually named something similar in other DAWs) and search for Parametric EQ or directly click on it and apply it to the split section. A menu should then pop up similar to this one.</p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/637179/6a5330b6461fa80e394d5db65fa6f73cbc927f10/original/parametric-eq.jpg/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" style="text-align: center;" /></p>
<p style="text-align: center;">You can see a few options here, including <em>output gain</em> and <em>band width</em>, to name a couple. For this example, I will adjust the slider options to make our clip sound like it's coming in through a telephone.</p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/637179/6b9c9ef6bed2edcd78b779889d7db81be9783ef8/original/parametric-eq-2.jpg/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" style="text-align: center;" /></p>
<p style="text-align: center;">We made three quick changes; we changed the <em>center frequency</em> from 650 Hz to 800 Hz, we changed the <em>band width</em> from 1.0 oct to 2.0 oct, and we lowered the <em>amount</em> from -4.0 dB to -25.0 dB.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;">I've found that the best approach to learning what works best for your project is to play around with these settings and keep testing the sounds. Maybe take these specific settings I've posted, and change a few things. What would happen if you set the center frequency to 1400, for example? Once you start registering the change in sound auditorially, it will become a lot easier to memorize what exactly will work for your mixes. Of course, this type of experimentation applies to many other effects in audio production.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;">Now we will use this knowledge to try something a little more off-kilter.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><span class="font_regular"><strong>Part 2: Octavers and Sub Quints (Creative Applications for Mixes)</strong></span></p>
<p style="text-align: center;">So for this example, I will be using a free downloaded VST (Virtual Studio Technology) that is compatible with most DAWs that anyone can download, called Auburn Graillon 2. You can find Auburn <a contents="here" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.auburnsounds.com/products/Graillon.html" target="_blank">here</a>, along with an installation guide (don't worry, it's practically effortless to install). Auburn Graillon 2 is a form of pitch-correction software, so if you feel a bit overwhelmed looking at it, that's completely okay. We're not going to be working with vocals or diving into any complex specifics here. But wait, why would we be working with vocal pitch-correction software if we're not working with vocals? It's simple, creative effects applications. </p>
<p style="text-align: center;">Once you've applied the effect to your clip, you'll have a menu open up that looks like this.</p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/637179/ca44e6c2b43e202e7028971187e096c9ea8f9ac7/original/base-auburn.jpg/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" style="text-align: center;" /></p>
<p style="text-align: center;">For an example of a creative application, let's say that we have a slow piano sequence that you want to give a haunting or demonic quality. We can achieve something like that by applying a <strong><em>Sub Quint</em></strong>. In the drop-down menu, click the "Sub Quint" option. Once you do that, your menu will look like this.</p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/637179/d8a79229b91ce5effe2e4025e51e761fa79bc799/original/sub-quint.jpg/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" style="text-align: center;" /></p>
<p style="text-align: center;">Listen to the clip you've chosen again with the Sub Quint applied. You should notice a "dark" undercurrent of sorts as if there's a lower-tuned second instrument playing the same note at the same time. Now look between the "default" menu and the "sub quint" menu and see what has changed in the menu options. If you notice, not much has been changed to give it this effect. We can use this same process with a <strong><em>Simple Octaver</em></strong>. Go ahead and click Simple Octaver from the drop-down menu.</p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/637179/f430321571ea3802499fea06ed3789ff53422a25/original/simple-octaver.jpg/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" style="text-align: center;" /></p>
<p style="text-align: center;">So now we've got multiple changes compared to the default and the Sub Quint, but the effect is more subtle. As a result of the effect being more subdued, it has more practical applications in various mixing situations. So now, you should play around with the options in the Auburn interface and see what comes from them. Imagine what kind of fine-tuning you can perform by messing around with these settings and what types of unique sounds you can apply to your productions. </p>
<h3 style="text-align: center;">Conclusion:</h3>
<p style="text-align: center;">Production can be frustrating and can feel very trial and error at the worst of times. However, it can also be fun and give you additional creative inspiration to explore your options without any set goals. Most DAWs, especially more advanced ones, have hundreds or even thousands of built-in effects options. If one looks exciting to you, open it up, grab a random clip and give it a whirl! I hope you enjoyed reading this article!</p>
<h4 style="text-align: center;">Sources:</h4>
<p style="text-align: center;">https://www.lifewire.com/graphic-vs-parametric-equalizer-3134842</p>
<p style="text-align: center;">https://www.auburnsounds.com/products/Graillon.html</p>
<p style="text-align: center;">https://www.auburnsounds.com/faq/How-do-I-install-Auburn-Sounds-plug-ins.html</p>Irrenoidtag:irrenoid.com,2005:Post/69750552022-05-19T12:22:18-06:002022-08-10T10:09:07-06:00Irrenoid - Articles / Studio Update Blog - Welcome!<p>Written by Irrenoid - May 19th, 2022</p>
<p>Thank you all for coming to the official Irrenoid site! I will be posting various updates about my upcoming musical works and other projects here! I will also be posting various articles with random musings, rants, and talking points as well! Thank you all so much for jamming my new album, 'Codename: Synthchip,' I really appreciate it, and I hope you enjoy any content I post here!</p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/637179/986dd14e3260f497a0a2f5310d8aa700dfaaa68f/original/irrenoid-codename-synthchip-new.jpg/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>Irrenoid