What should my SPAM look like?
- KVRian
- Topic Starter
- 1268 posts since 12 Aug, 2004
I hope you'll bear with me here.
My productions are starting to approach decent. A big reason is my use of SPAM religiously.
For example, I was told that a lot of my tracks had too much going on at 5k. So I'd make a note of that and if I see my 5k is too high (say at -6 db as opposed to -12 db for everything else) I'd lower it down to remove the harshness.
And that's all well and good.
But as I'm doing this and trying to get what I think is a proper SPAM readout, I realized that I have no idea what an ideal SPAM should look like. Should everything be around - 12db, -10db? Should the upper frequencies (say 2k and above) be slightly higher or lower than the mid frequencies? When should you start cutting the low end mud? 30, 40?
Is there an ideal SPAM for a track? If I downloaded 10 pro tracks into my DAW and ran it through SPAM, would they all look relatively the same? Would there be major differences depending on the genre? And if SPAM optimization is genre dependent, how are those readings determined?
I am trying to optimize the frequencies of my tracks and realizing that I'm swimming in a sea of uncertainty that I don't even know how to remotely navigate.
So, can somebody give me some kind of baseline? Or does none exist? Is it all by ear, taste, genre or whatever? In short, are there simply no guidelines?
Any assistance you can provide will be greatly appreciated.
My productions are starting to approach decent. A big reason is my use of SPAM religiously.
For example, I was told that a lot of my tracks had too much going on at 5k. So I'd make a note of that and if I see my 5k is too high (say at -6 db as opposed to -12 db for everything else) I'd lower it down to remove the harshness.
And that's all well and good.
But as I'm doing this and trying to get what I think is a proper SPAM readout, I realized that I have no idea what an ideal SPAM should look like. Should everything be around - 12db, -10db? Should the upper frequencies (say 2k and above) be slightly higher or lower than the mid frequencies? When should you start cutting the low end mud? 30, 40?
Is there an ideal SPAM for a track? If I downloaded 10 pro tracks into my DAW and ran it through SPAM, would they all look relatively the same? Would there be major differences depending on the genre? And if SPAM optimization is genre dependent, how are those readings determined?
I am trying to optimize the frequencies of my tracks and realizing that I'm swimming in a sea of uncertainty that I don't even know how to remotely navigate.
So, can somebody give me some kind of baseline? Or does none exist? Is it all by ear, taste, genre or whatever? In short, are there simply no guidelines?
Any assistance you can provide will be greatly appreciated.
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- addled muppet weed
- 105553 posts since 26 Jan, 2003 from through the looking glass
- KVRAF
- 21191 posts since 8 Oct, 2014
Is there a reason why you copied and pasted my post word for word?
Just curious.
Just curious.
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- addled muppet weed
- 105553 posts since 26 Jan, 2003 from through the looking glass
- KVRian
- Topic Starter
- 1268 posts since 12 Aug, 2004
- KVRAF
- 21191 posts since 8 Oct, 2014
Oh, I didn't notice you changed SPAN to SPAM.
Never mind. I missed the joke.
Never mind. I missed the joke.
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- addled muppet weed
- 105553 posts since 26 Jan, 2003 from through the looking glass
- KVRAF
- 21191 posts since 8 Oct, 2014
Too much Monty Python in your diet.
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- addled muppet weed
- 105553 posts since 26 Jan, 2003 from through the looking glass
- KVRAF
- 5911 posts since 16 Aug, 2017 from UK
... Maps backwards.
Last edited by The Noodlist on Mon Jan 14, 2019 1:18 am, edited 1 time in total.
Currently trying to turn noise into music. Is boutique the new old?
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thecontrolcentre thecontrolcentre https://www.kvraudio.com/forum/memberlist.php?mode=viewprofile&u=76240
- KVRAF
- 35098 posts since 27 Jul, 2005 from the wilds of wanny
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experimental.crow experimental.crow https://www.kvraudio.com/forum/memberlist.php?mode=viewprofile&u=6258
- KVRAF
- 6895 posts since 9 Mar, 2003 from the bridge of sighs
i'll have the lobster thermidor aux crevettes with a mornay sauce garnished with
truffle pâté, brandy and with a fried egg on top and spam ...
truffle pâté, brandy and with a fried egg on top and spam ...
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- KVRAF
- 2577 posts since 19 Mar, 2008 from germany
SPAM is most important!
Just because the SPAM contains the calories that
let you start your day. With the right SAPM your
mix gets the best amount of warmth and also -
guess! - coolness!
Just because the SPAM contains the calories that
let you start your day. With the right SAPM your
mix gets the best amount of warmth and also -
guess! - coolness!
free mp3s + info: andy-enroe.de songs + weird stuff: enroe.de