BECOMING A MIX MASTER
Mixing tools are used when editing music tracks in order to achieve a particular sound. With the ability to separate songs into their bare stems, the ability to remix them is also of interest to the project. As such, we used DSP tools in order to edit music and allow for three mixing tools: Equalization, Echoes, and Reverb
EQUALIZATION
Equalization is the use of filters to digitally alter music. A song's frequencies are divided into various regions representative of different parts of the music, like bass, vocals, and high end sounds. Specifically, there are seven regions: Sub-Bass, Bass, Lower Midrange, Midrange, Higher Midrange, Presence, and Brilliance.
[1] Image courtesy of www.cuidevices.com
[2] Image courtesy of www.maxedtech.com
ECHOES
Echoes are an effect used to give music an ethereal or warmer sound. By delaying and attenuating the strength of the original signal, then playing it alongside the full strength music to get the effect. To achieve this, a Z-Transform based filter is used to combine the original track and the attenuated, delayed track according to whatever delay in seconds the user chooses. For the example below, the track is delayed by 30ms to create a "livelier" sound.
Reverb
Reverb is used to emulate particular listening spaces or experiences during at-home listening. For example, reverb can be used to capture the ambiance or echo of a concert hall for those who enjoy the full orchestra experience (see below). As convolution theory suggests, this can be achieved by convolving the original recording with the impulse response of the space, which can be gathered by recording its response to a short, loud noise. In this way, the space acts as a system through which the signal propagates.
The Conrad Prebys Concert Hall at UC San Diego, whose impulse response was used to generate the reverb here.
[3] Image courtesy of www.timesofsandiego.com
Citations
1. Image courtesy of https://www.cuidevices.com/blog/understanding-audio-frequency-range-in-audio-design
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2. Image courtesy of https://maxedtech.com/fix-sound-echo-during-audio-playback-in-windows/
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3. Image courtesy of https://timesofsandiego.com/arts/2016/02/13/ucsd-ensemble-presents-night-of-modern-classical-music/
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4. Jackson, Michael. “PYT.” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ZZQuj6htF4
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5. Mussorgsky, Modest. "Pictures At An Exhibition: X. The Great Gate of Kiev." https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Itdm46ZVLfA
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Images not cited are from the Wix template images