WTF is "Glue"

[NSGUITAR]

Okay, so I THOUGHT I knew what glue was, regarding a mix. But I guess not anymore.


Please refer to this thread:

http://www.ultimatemetal.com/forum/...gy-hard-stuff-all-real-stuff.html#post9481251


I really thought that those mixes mended together quite well.. Or had good "Glue"..

But if somebody could tell me the best way of defining glue, that would be great!

 

[egan.]

It sounds like you know exactly what it is but you just disagree with the criticism.
"Glue" is the sonic cohesion that makes the mix sound like a solid musical unit and not 100 discreet elements recorded in a vacuum being played back simultaneously.

 

[SimonTaddio_Qc]

?

 

[NSGUITAR]

It sounds like you know exactly what it is but you just disagree with the criticism.
"Glue" is the sonic cohesion that makes the mix sound like a solid musical unit and not 100 discreet elements recorded in a vacuum being played back simultaneously.

What is a good way of achiving this?

 

[Jaekae]

What is a good way of achiving this?

compression, frequency balancing , reverb, etc

 

[SimonTaddio_Qc]

Mastering and good mix, maybe?

 

[Wild Hades]

Level adjustements for every instrument (you can check it by listening to your mix at very low volume, is a nice trick) and compression on the master buss.
The ambience (reverb mainly and delay in some cases) is important too for drums, lead guitars and expecially vocals.

 

[pipaguapique]

it's usually a compressor on the mix bus that glues all the instruments together.

usually the SSL Comp for heavy/hard rock.

i like the focusrite d2 for more pop'ish stuff. and im really liking the AC1 on mix bus now

 

[NSGUITAR]

it's usually a compressor on the mix bus that glues all the instruments together.

usually the SSL Comp for heavy/hard rock.

i like the focusrite d2 for more pop'ish stuff. and im really liking the AC1 on mix bus now

I'm using ssl comp =(

 

[HeadCrusher]

I'm using ssl comp =(

You're not going there again, are you?

 

[NSGUITAR]

You're not going there again, are you?

I'm just saying: That's what I'm using.

 

[jimwilbourne]

glue is just a term used to describe how the elements of a mix fit together.

there is not one element that creates glue. yes, it's mix & buss compression, yes it's reverbs. but it's more of how you use your elements together to create a nice atmosphere.

 

[NSGUITAR]

glue is just a term used to describe how the elements of a mix fit together.

there is not one element that creates glue. yes, it's mix & buss compression, yes it's reverbs. but it's more of how you use your elements together to create a nice atmosphere.

Good way of putting it!

Any suggestions on this one?

 

[timislegend]

there is actually a stereo buss compressor plug-in by cytomic called the glue. it is a really great compressor if you don't have the waves ssl buss comp (but we all know that you do.) xoxo. =P



obviously... in order to acheive this sound, the source quality rule still applies.

 

[Jind]

I've always looked at "glue" as the results of the complete mix. How you go about achieving a "glued" mix vary, but when all the pieces come together - good song, good tracking, effective use of compression, EQ, and reverb (regardless of the tools used), and good mixing skills (we all know what that entails), you have a cohesive mix that takes all these individual physical items to produce something that sounds as a pleasing whole and not as a collection of individual tracks and/or effects that made it so.

Just my 2 cents - your mileage may vary.

 

[jimwilbourne]

there is actually a stereo buss compressor plug-in by cytomic called the glue. it is a really great compressor if you don't have the waves ssl buss comp (but we all know that you do.) xoxo. =P



obviously... in order to acheive this sound, the source quality rule still applies.

I actually use "the glue"
it's sick with a few more useful features than waves SSL.
I actually like it better than waves SSL

 

[jimwilbourne]

Good way of putting it!

Any suggestions on this one?

I have to say that there's nothing I can say that will help too much. it's all rather relative. I think we all have different and similar tastes of glue.

in all things heavy rock, I like for my glue to show what I described as "atmosphere"
I want my mix to be punchy, compressed and "chewy" (a weird term I use for perfect compression haha).
but at the same time I like there to be a distinct sense of depth.
I want it to sound like you're hearing it in a space or room, if you will.
to me, that's taking a mix's glue just that much further

 

[egan.]

What Jim said. It's sort of like asking how to mix. We can create a list of things we do but it isn't going to be very helpful b/c it's so interactive and track dependent.

 

[espartaco]

i totally agree whit what the other guys has just said, also is very important to have a good arranged song, sometimes is impossible to get that glue in a mix just because of that factor.

 

[AudioPhile777]

this thread title made me think of this:

"F*cking Magnets, How Do They Work?"

not sure why, it just did.