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MIME Unit is a sound production cum recording studio based in the east of Singapore. It focuses on the niche market of budget recording for bands and musical artists who need quality sounding recordings without the substantially high budget that it takes to fund for such a project.
It does not pretend to be the best there is, neither does it humble itself by claiming to be the worst. It offers what it offers: using good yet affordable equipment, and a decade of sound experience to produce good quality sound recordings that bands and artists can be proud of, yet at a price that is almost as affordable as going to a few weeks of jamming sessions.
If you and/or your bands are students, in full-time national service, folks who earn enough to feed a family but not feed a passion, or just someone who is looking for a cheaper alternative in general, MIME Unit is for you.
- recording
- mixing
- producing
- web/print design
- music video production
- audio advice/training
Armen Rizal Rahman interest in music caught fire when he first dabbled with audio editing and sound producing during his studies at Ngee Ann Polytechnic. The idea of being able to manipulate sound was fascinating to him, and soon begins the journey that took him further and deeper into the arts of audio. Armed with a minimally equipped personal desktop computer, and a karaoke microphone, he produced two demos in the space of two years (Orbital Nocturne and A Prologue to Genre), under a pseudo identity, Ubermensch... More
HTML Design MKdesign //
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You have a PC, you have a mic, you have a guitar, and you have Audacity. But try as you might, you can't seem to make your recording sound how you think it should sound. Sound familiar? Maybe a bit of sound education might do the trick. This page consists of tips and tutorial on how to make the best of your set up... by getting the basics right.
For further queries, please contact us at mime-unit@hotmail.com
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
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| The Almost Ultimate Guide to EQ | | 9:07 PM |
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Any producer worth his salt would have encountered Equalisation or EQ on their sequencer programme or software. They are often known as "Filters" although by technicality, it is wrong to equate EQ to filters, because EQ are meant to be a corrective tool rather than a tone changing gimmick.
Whatever. If you are filter freak, like me, who cares what's accurate or not as long as it sounds good, right? I mean, some of these filter shit can give you some really off the wall effects eg the phone voice.
But let's take step away from the filters, and dive down to another common problem that quite a number of producers may encounter in their recording.
Ever wondered why your vocal recording sound like you've been recording in a box? Ever had problem with really muddy songs, that doesn't sound clear ie some parts of the song doesn't sound so clear, while others sound too loud? If you answer yes to the above, that means your problem is in the mix. Two possible sources of this problem: placement and eq. Placement is basically about placing the sound at different positions on the audio plane, giving the illusion of space eg vocals in the middle, guitar on the extreme right and left, bass off centre etc. But this is worth a totally different entry altogether so I shall now move on to EQ.
Sometimes, the muddiness can be attributed to clashes in frequencies ie too much of instruments fighting for the same frequency range. Most producers make the mistake of pushing the volume of that instrument louder to make it more prominent. This is wrong. It only makes things worse. By pushing volume up, you are basically pushing ALL the frequencies of that instrument up, EVEN the unnecessary frequencies, which tend to rob your mix's clarity.
Remember, all sounds has a certain frequency range that it adheres to. For example, bass delves in the lower frequencies while things like hi hats are high frequency instruments. So it makes no sense for you to push the high frequencies of the bass or the low frequencies of a high hat, cos these frequencies are in audible to the human ear.
Instead, take these frequencies out! By taking out unnecessary frequencies, you will not be crowding that frequency range as much, giving a clear, more defined mix.
So now you know the principles of things, but how do you know which frequency to play around with for each instrument?
I have written below a summarized list of instruments and the frequency that they fall under. The list is nowhere near perfect but it gives you an idea of what to pay attention to when it comes to eqing your mix:
Anything below 20Hz - Pointless. Completely eliminate this!
20Hz to 50Hz - If you making music for dogs, this is your sub-bass frequency. Otherwise, roll off (meaning have the frequency curve arch down steeply as it goes lower)
50Hz - Here's the fun part. The super low-end range that can make your internal organs dance in a club with a good sub bass. Damn shiok! Boost up to make meaty bass drum sounds. Anything else here, ESPECIALLY vocals? Exit door, stage right.
70Hz to 100Hz - Nice to add to bass drums and bass lines for that sub sound essential to dub music. Again, roll off for vocals. Be careful though. Many sources of sub bass end up canceling each other, as bass frequency is susceptible to phase problems. For example, if your drums disappear every now and again in the mix, means that something else is hitting exactly the same frequency. In other words, adding more bass can lead to bass loss in your mix.
200Hz to 400Hz - Use to remove or add woody effect from a snare, or to warm up or remove the muddiness of vocals. Boost here to fill out guitars, cut to thin percussion parts or cymbals.
400Hz to 800Hz - Use these frequencies to adjust clarity of bass tones or warm up that box sound from toms. Boost or cut to thicken or thin out guitars. Reducing some of these frequencies can help tighten up overall bass sound of your mix.
800Hz to 1kHz - You can use this for vocal thickening of a different nature. Boosting at 1kHz can add to the 'knocky' sound of bass drums - especially good with dance music.
1kHz to 3kHz - This part damn hard. Boosting 1.5-2.5k will add edge to guitar. Cut some of the upper 2-3k to smooth out vocals, especially vocals that have a very high pitched tone. Boost for vocals and piano for a slight edge.
3kHz-6kHz - Boost some of these frequencies for that plucky fingered bass sound. Cut at 3k for less hard sound on vocals. To soften sounds, cut off the upper range to dull of certain parts. Boosting at 6k can be good upper points to add clarity to vocals and effective on distorted guitar.
6kHz-10kHz - Boost here to sweeten vocals (as you go up the frequency, you add more air; getting that breathy sound), add crispness and sparkle to acoustic, to enhance the ring of snare and the top edge of a bass drum (yes, folks, a bass drum), and add edge to synth sounds and string.
10kHz to 16kHz - Boost here for even more of that breathy vocals. Add zing to that cymbal and percussion. Cut to reduce noise from sounds that are not bright. Boost to add more sparkle to pad sounds, but only if the frequencies are there to begin with - otherwise you'll be adding just noise.
Be aware that these are mere guidelines and in no way are they absolute. Producers are advised to use their own discretion as to what works for them.Labels: EQ
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| The essentials that I learned over the years. | | 4:47 PM |
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I never had the privilege of a mentor or a tutor to teach me the ropes of producing.For some reason, they are either too selfish with their knowledge or they are just too busy and impatient to help. So I never got someone who can tolerate me beyond three questions with regards to a producing.
So I am mostly self taught. It was an excruciating process, and a time consuming one, but I can safely attest to you that experience is the best tutor/teacher. However, that doesn't mean that a little help is not necessary. Really, if somebody had pointed to me the stuff I now know I would have made 2-3 albums by now. But I didn't, and I rather not have someone else go through what I did. And these are in essence the stuff I learned.. the hard way:
1) The most important equipment of the signal chain is at the beginning and at the end.
I've gone from using a karaoke mic and my desktop's stock speakers to a better karaoke mic to a better 2.1 speaker to a Shure sm58 and a set of Sennheiser monitor headphones. I can attest that the difference in the quality of my mix is astounding.
A good sound input and a good sound out put basically makes your mix sound good. You can't fix a bad sound and you can't fix any sound with bad speakers.
2) Clipping is not necessarily bad.
Clipping is perhaps a necessary evil in some cases. Clipping basically makes makes sounds more upfront... but less dynamic. It also introduces distortion, which may not be a bad thing all the time. The trick to using clipping comes when volume is needed. But it is to be applied discretely, and NEVER during recording or sound capture. Clipping should be done in a controlled setting via mixing stage.
3) To make things loud, everything else should be softer.
This is perhaps the most common mistake that a lot of us do. When things aren't loud enough, we tend to push for more. Our ears can only hear can only hold so much, so when everything becomes to loud, the sonic dynamics of a mix gets compromised. Best to drop back the unwanted extras, and just boost everything up as a whole in the final mix.
4) Understand EQ
After understanding what EQ is and how it can be applied, I have never done a mix without any EQ tweaks. It can help to put more dynamics and space to the mix. Talking about dynamics and space...
5) Think 3D sound with volume, pan, and EQ
In summary: Sound distance would depend on volume, sound position would depend on panning, and sound depth would depend on EQ. Think of sound like a 3d box and you will be a ble to mix well.
6) Compression/Limiting is a friend
Compression/Limiting is the much needed aid when it comes to boosting sound without clipping. As with clipping, to be used with caution
7) Experience is the best educator
I cannot emphasize this enough. Talk to the people who know, cos these are the people who matter.Labels: general, tips and tricks
Sunday, May 24, 2009
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| Music and Computer Technology | | 11:46 AM |
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Ever since the day that I started dabbling into music, the gear that I utilize the most would definitely be my computer. It is basically the heart of my music. Without it, I simply can't make music.
Some may scoff that point. Technology has made it easier, and so anyone now without the foundation of music theory, or skill or practice can claim to be a musician. How can something that's done so easily be called music? How can someone who use the easy way out call himself a musician?
I do not entirely disagree with such a perspective. Music is a form of expression. To express, one needs to learn the language. Hence, music theory gives you the basis of how to speak that language, like how grammar, vocabulary and the alphabets are to English. But does one have to speak English in order to express? Does one even have to speak in order to express?
I do believe that as human beings the need to communicate have driven us to seek ways to get our thoughts across, in whatever way possible. The deaf and mute uses sign language. The blind reads and writes via Braille. A 10 word sentence can be condensed into two words and still mean the same, albeit we factor in the vocal tone, and other non verbal expression of the person speaking it. To me, technology can be the medium or the tool, much like any other instrument. Apart from that it is also a translator in itself. It helps to translate the language of music to something we can understand better, like how English is used to translate the Torah or Koran.
On the other end of the spectrum though, I've met several so called musicians who basically use technology for what it is, without proper thought being put behind the expression. The danger of ready-made music is causing us to be complacent with it. Again taking the example of the holy books; we might able to understand the content because of the translation, but does that mean that we know and comprehend the text completely? There has to be an in depth study and understanding to the content of the books that guided the faith of millions, without which everything that one thinks one understand is a mere translations that may not even be entirely accurate.
Really, there was never a particular rule to justify how we express. As long as what we express gets across well enough, and it was received the way we want it to be received. I mean, if someone were to speak music through quavers and triplets, and I am able to enunciate the same thing in binary numerals, would it really matter how that expression is done?Labels: technology
Greetings, readers.
Although I have been making music since 1999, I would only credit my pursuit into the art of sound crafting and aural production intensively for the past 4 years. Yet, there is much that I have yet to cover. The daunting task of ploughing through this field of sound knowledge can be rather intimidating for someone who is pretty much self taught. However, experience is usually the best educator, and I have sincerely learned much in my pursuit to perfect my craft over the years.
The effort of education has paid off. I founded The House of Anonymous, mixed for various acts like Sirens and Passenger Service, as well produce music for various films and videos. With a desire for me to pursue music as a career, I started out MIME Unit with a focus niche on affordable, inexpensive music producing for the mass who aren't looking to have SUPERB recording; just something decent enough that won't conjure embarrassment.
However, I do not feel that it is enough to just give a service. I believe that people need more than service; they need knowledge, a better understanding of how things work or CAN work. I took up the suggestion of a friend and decided to create this blog; as a testimony to the knowledge that I have learned, the ideas that I have manifested, the aural experiments that I have exercised and the gears I have acquire or wish to acquire.
This beyond-the-book blog will touch upon topics on musical instrumentation, home recording gears and softwares, and recording and producing techniques. This is partially a personal blog that is meant to be self-teaching tool. However, it is also partially a commentary tutorial on producing as well, as I wish to share my entries with whoever it is that is in the same journey as I am. I'm sure the extra company would be a plus to us.
I do have to put this disclaimer in: I am no expert. I am only sharing what I know, to the best of my knowledge and ability, so errors are probably inevitable. If there are things to correct, correct me if you will. However, when it comes to music and sound, I know for sure there is never an absolute, so don't try to say that yours is.
Neither is this blog a Recording for Dummies blog, so this place is not for the absolute noob. Sorry, but that's just how it is. If you are really interested to do audio recording, there are plenty of resources and reading now available in the library, book stores, and internet that you can gorge yourself on to understand the basics on hardware and softwares that you need to start things out (and you should be doing that by now).
Basically, if you know how to stick a mic into your system and then able to record and replay it back without a problem and is just looking to make it sound better, then this is the place for you. If you don't even know what a microphone is, please do your necessary reading.
Ok, so now that is out of the way. Let the discovery begin!
Sincerely,
Armen
THOA/MIME UnitLabels: intro
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Thanks a thousand for being patient with us, and sacrificing your time to help produced, mix and master our songs to perfection.
Looking forward to more songs with u man!
With Great Love,
Passenger Service
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