10 Hip Hop Production Tricks You Should Know About

Summary

In this engaging video, music producers David and Robert from Barrows the Sun share 10 essential hip-hop mixing and production tricks. They demonstrate techniques to enhance drums, bass, synths, and vocals, using plugins like Torque, parallel compression, and the EMI TG12345 channel strip. The session includes creative effects with snapshot sequencers and panning, as well as tips for noise suppression and vocal layering, culminating in a professional mix with Waves' IAP pusher on the master bus.

Takeaways

• 🎙️ The video features David and Robert Sun, a music production duo known as 'Barrows the Sun', sharing their mixing and production techniques.
• 🔊 They demonstrate how to enhance drum sounds using a 'torque drum tone shifter' plugin, focusing on the threshold and torque control to tighten up the sound.
• 🥁 The duo uses parallel compression to add punch and aggression to the drum mix, utilizing a famous channel strip from the 60s and 70s for a vintage effect.
• 🎹 They showcase creating bass sounds with an element virtual analog synth and adding ornamentation to keyboard parts by converting audio to MIDI for variation.
• 🎼 To add color to the music, they use a snapshot sequencer to manipulate a sound in real-time, creating a psychedelic effect with delay and pitch modulation.
• 🎤 For vocal processing, they use the 'CLA MixUp' channel strip to emulate the sound of Chris Lord-Alge's custom SSL 4k desk for a polished vocal tone.
• 🔁 They explain how to use an automatic double tracker and a pitch bender to create a fuller vocal sound, simulating multiple singers.
• 🔊 To manage background noise, they introduce the 'NS1 Noise Suppressor' plugin, which simplifies the process of reducing unwanted noise with a single fader.
• 🎶 For creative vocal effects, they use a 'ducking delay' technique combined with a compressor to ensure the delay does not interfere with the vocal clarity.
• 🎧 They incorporate panning effects and modulation to add depth and motion to the mix, using plugins like 'Briar Motion' for dynamic movement.
• 📊 Lastly, they apply mastering techniques with the 'I Am Pusher' plugin on the master bus to tighten the overall mix and add a final touch of magic to the track.

Q & A

What is the main focus of the video by Barrows the Sun?

The video focuses on demonstrating various mixing and production techniques for hip-hop music, including the use of plugins and tricks to enhance different elements like drums, bass, and vocals.

How many hip-hop mixing and production tricks are shared in the video?

The video shares 10 hip-hop mixing and production tricks.

What is the first plugin technique discussed in the video for enhancing the drum sound?

The first plugin technique discussed is using the Torque Drum Tone Shifter to tighten up the drum sound by focusing on the peaks and adjusting the torque control.

What is parallel compression and how is it used in the video?

Parallel compression is a technique used to add punch and aggression to the drum sound by blending a heavily compressed version of the drums with the original, unprocessed signal.

Which famous channel strip is used in the video for adding punch to the drums?

The EMI TG12345 channel strip, which was used in heavy road studios for songs in the 60s and 70s, is used for adding punch to the drums.

What is the purpose of using the Element Virtual Analog Synth in the video?

The Element Virtual Analog Synth is used to create a wavy and electric sound effect that adds interest and variation to the music track.

How is the MIDI conversion technique used to add ornamentation to the music in the video?

The audio sample is converted into MIDI to allow for manipulation and variation of the chords, which can then be further processed with effects like the Snapshot Sequencer for a unique sound.

What is the CLA MixUp channel strip used for in the video?

The CLA MixUp channel strip is used to shape the sound of the vocals, providing a polished and professional tone during the recording process.

How does the video address the issue of background noise in the recording?

The NS1 Noise Suppressor plugin is used to reduce background noise, such as from an air conditioner, with a simple one-fader adjustment for real-time recording.

What is the purpose of using the Real ADT2 plugin in the video?

The Real ADT2 plugin is used to create an automatic double tracking effect on the vocals, which thickens the sound and gives the illusion of multiple vocal tracks.

How does the video utilize the I Am Pusher plugin on the master bus?

The I Am Pusher plugin is used to enhance the overall mix by locking in the lows and adding a final touch of magic to bring the track together.

Outlines

00:00

🎙️ Hip-Hop Mixing Techniques & Plugins

In this video, David and Robert from Barrows the Sun demonstrate various mixing and production techniques for hip-hop music. They introduce 10 tricks to enhance elements like drums, bass, and vocals. They utilize plugins such as the Torque Drum Tone Shifter for drum sound enhancement, parallel compression for punch and aggression, and the EMI TG12345 channel strip for a classic studio sound. The duo also shares a link in the description for additional presets and resources.

05:01

🎹 Creative Basslines and MIDI Manipulation

The paragraph focuses on creating dynamic basslines and adding ornamentation to music tracks. The artists discuss using a virtual analog synth to generate a wavy, electric sound and then convert the audio into MIDI for further manipulation. They apply a slow-motion FM synth effect for variation and use a snapshot sequencer to create a psychedelic sound texture, enhancing the track with unique sonic elements.

10:04

🔊 Vocal Enhancement and Effects Processing

This section delves into techniques for vocal enhancement, including the use of the CLA MixUp channel strip to shape the sound during recording. The artists also explore the use of reverb for a whispering effect and address background noise with the NS1 Noise Suppressor plugin. They experiment with double tracking using the Real ADT plugin and pitch modulation with Mr. Bender for a fuller vocal sound, culminating in a creative vocal arrangement.

15:04

🎛️ Advanced Vocal Effects and Mastering Push

The artists apply advanced effects to the vocals, such as the ducking delay technique, which uses a combination of delay, reverb, distortion, and a phaser for a unique sound. They utilize the I Am Pusher mastering plugin on the master bus to tighten the overall mix, focusing on locking in the low frequencies and enhancing the song's impact. The paragraph concludes with a before-and-after comparison of the mix, showcasing the effectiveness of the applied techniques.

🌟 Final Touches and Conclusion

In the final paragraph, the artists make their final adjustments using the I Am Pusher plugin to polish the mix. They listen to the track after applying the changes, highlighting the improvements made to the mix. The paragraph ends with a summary of the 10 hip-hop mixing and production tricks shared in the video and an invitation for viewers to subscribe for more tips and tricks, as well as to visit waves.com for further learning resources.

Keywords

💡Decibels

Decibels are a unit of measurement used to express the intensity of sound. In the context of the video, turning up the decibels in digital refers to increasing the loudness or volume of the audio in a digital audio workstation (DAW). This is essential for creating a powerful mix that stands out.

💡Plugins

Plugins in the video refer to software extensions used within a DAW to add specific functionalities, such as equalization, compression, or special effects. They are crucial for shaping the sound of individual tracks and the overall mix, as demonstrated by the various plugins used to enhance the drums, vocals, and other elements.

💡Hip-Hop Mixing

Hip-Hop Mixing is the process of blending individual tracks of a hip-hop song into a cohesive and balanced stereo mix. The video offers 10 specific mixing and production tricks to achieve a polished hip-hop sound, emphasizing techniques like parallel compression and sidechain compression.

💡Production Tricks

Production tricks are specialized techniques used in the creation of music to achieve certain sonic effects or to improve the overall quality of the mix. The video showcases 10 such tricks that are particularly relevant to hip-hop production, including drum torque, parallel compression, and vocal doubling.

💡Drum Tone Shifter

A drum tone shifter is a type of plugin that can alter the tonal quality of drum hits without affecting the transient. In the script, it's used to enhance the kick and snare sounds by focusing on specific peaks and shifting their tonality to create a tighter and more aggressive drum sound.

💡Parallel Compression

Parallel compression is a mixing technique where a copy of the original drum track is heavily compressed and then blended with the original to add punch and sustain without losing the transient impact. The video demonstrates this technique by inserting a channel strip on a new return and using it to process the drums.

💡Virtual Analog Synth

A virtual analog synth is a software synthesizer that emulates the sound of classic analog synthesizers. In the video, it's used to create a wavy, electric bassline by recording in real time, showcasing the flexibility and creativity in sound design within hip-hop production.

💡MIDI

MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface) is a protocol for communicating musical information between devices. In the context of the video, converting an audio sample into MIDI allows for further manipulation of the musical content, such as changing chords or adding variations to the melody.

💡CLA MixUp

CLA MixUp is a channel strip plugin designed to emulate the sound of Chris Lord-Alge's custom SSL 4k desk. It is used in the video to shape the sound of the vocals, providing a polished and professional tone that is characteristic of many commercial hip-hop records.

💡Sidechain Compression

Sidechain compression is a technique where the compressor is triggered by a sidechain input signal, typically the kick drum, to create space in the mix for other elements, such as the vocals. The video mentions using this technique on a delay effect to ensure it doesn't interfere with the vocal delivery.

💡Noise Suppressor

A noise suppressor is a type of plugin designed to reduce unwanted background noise in an audio recording. In the script, it's used to clean up the vocal track by removing noise from an air conditioner, demonstrating the importance of clarity in the final mix.

💡Ducking Delay

Ducking delay is a creative effect where the volume of a delay is reduced during certain parts of the mix, such as when vocals are present, to avoid clashing with the lead melody. The video describes setting up a return aux with a compressor sidechained to the lead vocal to achieve this effect.

💡Panning Effects

Panning effects are used to move sounds left and right in the stereo field, creating a sense of space and movement. In the video, a motion plug-in is applied to a delay effect to create an illusion of the sound moving back and forth, adding a dynamic and engaging quality to the mix.

💡Master Bus

The master bus is the final stage of the mixing process where all the individual tracks are summed together before being sent to the final output. The script mentions using a 'pusher' on the master bus to bring up the overall level and add a sense of excitement and energy to the final mix.

Highlights

Introduction of the video by David and Robert Sun, presenting themselves as 'Barrows the Sun'.

The duo shares 10 hip-hop mixing and production tricks to improve sound quality.

Explanation of using plugins and techniques to enhance drums, bass, sits, and vocals.

Invitation to subscribe and ring the bell for the latest audio production tips and tricks.

Demonstration of using the Torque Drum Tone Shifter plugin to adjust drum sounds.

Technique of parallel compression to add punch and aggression to drum tracks.

Use of the EMI TG12345 channel strip for a classic studio sound from the 60s and 70s.

Creating a unique bass sound with the Element Virtual Analog Synth.

Adding ornamentation to the keys by converting audio into MIDI for variation.

Utilizing the Snapshot Sequencer for creative sound effects.

CLA MixUp channel strip is used to shape vocal sounds during recording.

Overdubbing with whispering and adding reverb for a dimensional effect.

NS1 Noise Suppressor plugin to clean up background noise from recordings.

Using Real ADT2 plugin for automatic double tracking of vocals.

Ducking delay technique with the Mini Mannequin Delay for unique vocal effects.

Briar Motion plugin for panning and motion effects on the delay.

Vocal bender effect to add pitch modulation to the delay.

I Am Pusher plugin on the master bus for a final mix push.

Before and after comparison of the mix to demonstrate the impact of the tricks.

Link in the description for presets and more information on hip-hop mixing and production.

Transcripts

[Music]

we turning up the decibels in digital

i'm moving for my decimals it's critical

spitting letters for psalms these poems

hella quick hand hustle for cash now

watch my pocket

what is up everyone i'm david hey guys

and i'm robert sun and together we are

barrows the sun we're back again in the

studio we got a new track we're working

on so in this video we're going to show

you some of the plugins and tricks that

we use to make it sound better and along

the way we're going to give you 10

hip-hop mixing and production tricks

that you should know about we're going

to use the tricks to improve things like

the drums

[Music]

the bass

some sits

of course we're going to do some vocals

definitely

i'm also gonna hit you guys with some of

the priestess that you see in this video

so make sure you check the link in the

description below that's right now

before we get started make sure you take

half a second subscribe hit that

subscribe button and ring that bell to

keep up with the latest news tips tricks

and more

from waze audio now that we got that out

the way you ready to go to work i'm

ready to go you ready i'm ready let's

get it

i don't know let me hear those drums

again bro all right here you go check it

out

[Music]

they don't have enough ah that's what

we're gonna do we're gonna torque it up

torque drum tone shifter the first thing

you do with this plug-in is check the

threshold we want to make sure that that

kick is hidden in the yellow

so we got a hidden yellow right there

all right next thing is you saw those

peaks come up what we're gonna do is

we're gonna focus in on one of those

peaks okay and that's where we're gonna

make this shift right all right

we're gonna hit it at 140. next thing to

do with the main torque control down

here okay check this out

[Music]

right there you like that right a suite

right there same process on the snare

you want to do these jumps right of

course so we're going to slide in on

those peaks

and then hit the torque knob and and

tighten it up exactly check this out

and then just bring it down

i like it right there okay i like that

all right and all we're going to do is i

want to give it a little more boom we

just bring up the torque trim like this

check it out

all right let's get the whole thing back

with torque can we hear the difference

all right definitely

[Music]

now with torque

[Music]

still missing a little ingredient oh we

need some i feel like it needs a bit

more punch and aggression to it like

it's a bit

just too clean yeah exactly all right

we're gonna use a technique called

parallel compression all right so i've

got all the drums grouped together here

in yellow on this drums group we're

gonna insert a new return

first thing i'll do is bring this all

the way up to unity

it game

send it in hot top now down on the new

return let's just call this uh

parallel all right that's the parallel

drums right there and on this we're

gonna insert the famous emi tg12345

famous channel strip housed at heavy

road studios now any song that came out

of that studio in the 60s and 70s he was

running out of this it's running out of

this we're gonna slam it okay we're

gonna smash it let's do it we're gonna

make it angry check this out first thing

i'll do is i'll change the routing to

first hit the dynamics hit that

compressor first all right i'm going to

keep all these settings as they are but

i am going to switch the limiter okay

take a listen to what happens when i do

that let's solo the bus

check this out

[Music]

you see that

next thing we're gonna do we're going to

bring the input so that it clips going

in and then we're going to reduce the

volume going out just to match the gain

[Music]

let me see we're clipping it's just all

red right there that's what you want

though that's what i want all right last

thing we'll do is we'll bring up the

drive okay

[Music]

it's heavy huh it's like a nasty bag of

crunch and punch right there making it

angry we're making angry the last thing

we're gonna do is blend the grimy with

the original and that's parallel drums

check this out i want to bring that up

slowly as i play back the original and

you're going to hear it start to start

to come alive

[Music]

got that extra bit of heaviness an extra

bit of aggression yo bruh yo every track

needs bass right definitely i was

thinking about doing something like wavy

and electric to this

and gliding

something warping something sliding and

whatnot i got this patch i created with

the element virtual analog synth

something check this out go like

i'm just going to record it in real time

see what happens all right let's go

there's no better way to do it right

let's go

[Music]

okay bruh so we gotta talk to me talk

about your keys rocking right we got em

[Music]

now what can we do to give it some

decoration a little ornamentation you

know give it some color i see it's

getting kind of boring playing the same

sample the whole time now you can do

this in pretty much any daw we're going

to convert the audio into midi we're

going to highlight the sample right

click and then we're going to do convert

harmony

to new midi track it's going to do its

thing and boom get new midi chords just

like that now if you take a look

sometimes you get these ghost notes you

know it's not 100 perfect yeah but you

can just clean those out and keep the

body it's pretty damn close so we'll

just get rid of these ghost notes right

here we'll solo it and we get this

same clean chords

all right now what we're gonna do is

take it a step further and put slow

motion fm synth on it okay yeah all

right man so we got this sound went

through the presets we came across this

it's called ml calypso okay it sounds a

little bit like this

[Music]

butterfly in the sky kind of vibe you

know what i mean exactly i'm gonna chop

it up a little bit

give it a little variation so let's do

that so real quick let's do a little

chopparoo just to variate you know what

i mean yeah give us some difference just

like that so we did the chop consolidate

that together okay and we get basically

this

but we ain't done yet okay we got the

snapshot sequencer down here i'm gonna

trip this sound out i'm gonna take the

snapshot sequencer let's drag out all 16

steps

next thing to do

is take that same sound

copy paste off and now that sound is

pretty much laid out

all the way across on every single step

now what i want to do i want to get

psychedelic with it you ready let's go

watch as i play with the delay the

snapshot sequence is going to capture

every motion i do in real time

[Music]

i'm saying psychedelic bro all right man

let's get to these vocals dude let's do

that all right so we're gonna take it

from the top of the first verse okay and

what i'm gonna have you do is go through

one of my favorite channel strips

cla mix up right here basically it it's

a model perfectly of chris lord algae's

custom ssl 4k desk okay and you're going

to love this sound i'm going to shape

all the sound for your vocals

while you record that verse you ready

let's go let's give it a minute

bubba water cooking a jar a lot of y'all

was leaning now it's back to the bar

star raindrop hits while we breaking the

law sad chips burn mix while we counting

the cards

we turning up the decibels in digital

i'm moving for my decimals is spitting

letters for psalms these poems hell and

quick hand hustle for cash now watch my

pocket we're doing another stack all

right all right this time i want to have

you do a little overdub but this time i

want you to whisper it all right i'm

going to insert a reverb i'm going to go

with the manny reverb real quick and

then

what's great about this plugin is you

can rearrange the order within the strip

itself just like that so i'm gonna put

the reverb first so you get that nice

vibe to it just to give it that

dimension all right i'm good you ready

yeah let's go let's hit

a it water cooking a jar a lot of y'all

was leaning i was back to the bar star

rain drop hits while breaking the law

sack chips burn mix while we counting

the cards

we turning up the decimals in digital

i'm moving for my decimals is critical

i noticed when you turned up the game

we're getting a lot of background noise

especially for that noise from the air

conditioner right there yeah you caught

me man yeah and we need to clean that up

though we can do this real quick got

this plug in the ns1 noise suppressor

all right it's basically one fader you

can't get any simpler than this plug-in

right here one fader you turn it up

listen to the noise

i got you super low latency one fader

like i said okay we can record in real

time let's do a tape let's hit it

and i guess it's okay for those who

throw shade i'm blessed to be made

that's just the way it go your best to

get paid was stuck in this maze

illustrious craze yeah don't hear me

doubt all right man let's keep going

with these vocals sir let's keep it

working so what we need to do is we need

to double up with some accents okay so

you want to do a double double or

something i got the real adt plug in

here all right and basically it's an

automatic double tracker so i spit one

and it gives you two it's gonna give us

a different sound compared to when you

do two together i'm gonna show you why

you ready all right i'm ready

and i guess it's

[Music]

what we're gonna do this time is gonna

use another component of real adt real

adt to v so basically okay in addition

to that we've got our old fan vocal

bender mr bender that's right we're

gonna thicken your vocals up just put a

little modulation on the pitch and form

it

and that's gonna make it sound like

there's two of you okay and then when we

put the real adt2v on top it's gonna

sound like three at one hopefully get my

fingers crossed you ready all right

let's go

it's a dollar for a dollar cut the check

get the money and the power in respect

[Music]

i like that so yeah i think we need some

more echo all right we're going to use a

technique i like called ducking delay

what we're going to do is we're gonna

set up another return aux and let's call

this aux duck

delay

okay

and on the first plugin on this ducking

delay send that we just created it look

like you're pulling up the manny on it

pull up the mini right mini mannequin

delay and why i like this delay because

it's a delay and then something you get

a delay but you also got the verb down

here you got some distortion doubler

phaser this is what's going to make the

delay sound unique um

yeah you don't just want to go stock you

know what i mean so then we got the

delay and the second and the most

important step is the compressor we're

gonna go with a simple compressor the r

or the renaissance compressor first

thing you do is sidechain that sidechain

it to the lead so you go in here select

the main

which is the lead like that okay all

right and then what we're gonna do is

this is gonna crush it's gonna slam the

delay okay when you're spitting it when

you're not it's gonna come in between

and

pop out and so now when you spit on that

hook the delay is not gonna get in the

way and it'll only pop out when i'm not

spitting only so let's get wet in the

hook you ready let's go

i'm dripping i'm dripping i'm dripping

i'm dripping drip

[Music]

let's keep going with the hook okay so

what you want to do yeah i want to get a

little trippy this is what we're going

to do

i'm going to have you do this stack i'm

going to put some ill panning effects on

it okay i've got the briar motion

plug-in on it and what this basically is

is a whole world of panning depth and

motion effects to give it some dimension

i'm gonna put this on that ducking delay

bus we created okay all right i'm gonna

put this on after the compressor and

what that's going to do is going to make

the delay

go back and forth and back and forth i

got it all right

take it from the hook yes sir

[Music]

we're going to take it a step further

now we're going to bring back our old

friend vocal

bender that's right you remember him yes

sir we're going to pitch that effect so

every time it delays back and forth i

want it to pitch up and down so we're

going to do we're going to draw in a

little slope like this

a little slope right there

i mean all right and then we're gonna

take this mod put it on the pitch

undeform it bring that mod all the way

up

all right so now when i play it back

with bra motion okay

we get this tripped out pitch effect

check it out

[Music]

[Music]

i feel like

at this point yeah we need to give it a

big push dash of magic in there just to

yeah that's funny you're saying that you

knew you seen this what i had on the

master bus already what she got there i

am pusher

okay you got i am pushing here just a

few knobs you turn those up and you get

exactly what you need fast okay so let

me hit the fields man first thing we're

gonna do is lock the lows in okay to e

cause that's where the song is at all

right let's bring up the lows you ready

check this out

bubba water cooking a jaw a lot of y'all

was leaning i was back to the bar star

rain drop hits while we break

[Music]

[Music]

get the magic

[Music]

this push is going to bring the overall

thing up all together okay so check this

out i'll put it up

and i guess it's okay but those who

throw shade i'm blessed to be made

that's just the way it goes your best to

get paid we're stuck in this maze

illustrious

all right so we made our adjustments

with the i am pusher on the final mix

let's take a listen to the before and

after you ready let's check the work man

money trees drop leaves in a stiff

breeze immediately got sleeves like the

pip please expertise in this art no

my way swayed like the seven seas

trapping cheese and i'm back on the

course almost touching the source like a

sick with the force killing with no

remorse

[Music]

there you go guys 10 hip-hop mixing and

production tricks you should definitely

know about well we hope you guys had fun

i know i enjoyed myself indeed i had a

lot of fun too we added a ton of

creativity to it we got the tracks on it

better and definitely we kept it flowing

the whole time smooth

deep make sure you guys check the link

in the description below because we left

you with some of the presets that you

just saw in this video and to learn even

more hip-hop mixing and production

tricks

head over to waves.com

hip-hop definitely check that out before

you head over there hit that subscribe

button make sure you subscribe ring that

bell to keep up with the latest news

tips tricks and more from waves audio

until next time

thank you for watching

[Music]

you