Welcome to our Music Production Blog! In this blog you’ll find a wide variety of blog articles related to music production and beat making. Check out news items, vst plugin reviews or some trusty tutorials! If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to leave a reaction at the bottom of an article.
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VST Plugin ReviewsValhalla Supermassive is the latest free plugin of Valhalla and it combines delay effects with reverb effects. You can create unique delay sounds, perfect for everyday use. But It also has a couple really weird effects, some even sound like a chorus plugin. Now think of this in combination with the quality you know that Valhalla can deliver, and you get a massive free VST plugin called Supermassive! Let’s begin! The origin of Supermassive Supermassive is a product of years of developing delay and reverb algorithms by Sean Costello (the main guy behind Valhalla R... -
TutorialsSampling is a technique used for decades and since the 80’s very popular with the release of the first Akai MPC. Today it’s mainly used to create Hip Hop and you can sample tracks in your DAW without any external equipment. However, sampling digital tracks just isn’t the same as sampling vinyl. Not only does vinyl sound different, the whole process for the producer is different and will challenge you in ways your DAW or mp3 sample simply would not. Therefore sampling vinyl records is still very popular and will give you that old school Lo-Fi vibes many producers are l... -
Music ProductionLast month the annual music fair “NAMM Summer 2019” was held in California. Which means there’s a shitload of new guitars and other hardware presented. I’ve tried to focus this Producer Inside edition on news that isn’t presented on NAMM Summer 2019. Not because I resent the fair, but because I want to shine my heroic light on those who are forgotten. Yeah.. let’s begin.. Etsy buys Reverb Marketplace for an easy 275 million dollar We probably all know Etsy and Reverb. Etsy as a marketplace for designers, artists and other creative stuff and Reverb as the go-to p... -
TutorialsHouse music has been around for a couple decades and I guess it will stay for a couple more. It has changed and evolved to many sub genres, but the importance of a well-built hihat flow has been a constant throughout these changes. Hihats can give your house tracks an epic ‘bouncy’ flow if done right. And in my opinion hihats are not only one of the most important elements in house music, but also one of the most fun to make. So in this tutorial I would like to give you some of my personal tips and tricks for creating an epic hihat flow! Find your hihats To star... -
Music ProductionHere we are with the second part of the Producer Inside serial, where we cover everything that happened the last month (music production related that is). There has been a lot of vst plugin / software development that has caught my attention. But I’d like to kick things off with a bit strange news -or random fact- about my favorite daw. FL Studio was never meant to be for producers! A bit strange or random to say the least, but here’s what Didier Dambrin (one of the original designers of FL Studio, which was called Fruity Loops in that time) has to say about the o... -
Music ProductionProducer News will be a serial with a monthly (or so) collection of music production related news. From hardware to software and from sound design to completely random (but slightly music production related) news. Behringer DS-80 will be happening! Behringer was teasing before with photos of the original CS-80 synthesizer from Yamaha, but now it’s confirmed. There will be a DS-80 released in the near future. And since Behringer knows how to successfully remake classic synths, I’m pretty stoked and interested to see how this plays out. Behringer DS-80 Syntsizer ... -
TutorialsThis tutorial is about how to install Serum presets, wavetables, LFO's and noises. It's easy to organise all your Serum tools! Good to know: All Serum packs from Typhonic Samples are sorted in a way that you can add all the elements of the pack, with a single copy + paste. But first the 'general way' to add Serum presets, wavetables, LFO's and noises. All Serum packs from Typhonic Samples are sorted in a way that you can add all the elements of the pack, with a single copy + paste Step 1: Locate your Serum presets folder. To locate y... -
SerumSo here we are with Serum Wavetable Design part 2 (finally). In part 1 we imported sounds, pictures and drew our own wavetables. Now we dive into the editor to polish these wavetables so they're ready to use! If you have any questions about Xfer Serum and/or this tutorial; feel free to ask them in the comment section below. When you've imported a sample in one of Serum's oscillators, chances are that your wavetable sounds very choppy or glitchy when scrolling through the different frames. It also may be that the last frames are silent and useless. There are multipl... -
Music ProductionOne of the best things about FL Studio is that they really listen to the community when making changes, so every update is an improvement. With the recent update to version 20 a lot has changed and now version 20.1 brings more workflow improvements. I've used 20.1 for 2 days now and here are my first findings. To start off, I would suggest to watch the update video from FL Guru (it will also help you understand the article better). I recommend to always check the update videos since they show you the most important changes, which you may not know about when you don... -
TutorialsIn every DAW you have the feature to group certain tracks or sounds to a single mixer channel. This is something very useful when mixing your production and it can save you a lot of time doing it. However, in FL Studio it can be a bit hard to find out how this feature works. So here’s a short tutorial on how to group mixer channel/tracks. Why group different tracks to a single mixer channel? When you want to edit your sounds, you will each give them their own mixer channel. So you can add effects to that specific sound. But sometimes you want to add a single effect to ... -
TutorialsThis is a quick tip for FL Studio beginners. When you have downloaded a sample pack, you want to be able to access it easily. Therefore FL Studio has the option to add your sample library to the folder structure of FL Studio (left side of the screen). This way you can browse through your samples with ease! Let’s get to it: Step 1: Go to Options -> File settings. Step 1: Options - File settings Step 2: Click on one of the folder icons of an empty line. Step 2: Click on the folder icon Step 3: Locate your sample library/folder on your system. Step 3: Locate your samp... -
SerumWavetables are the base of your sound and all the filters, LFOs and modulations will shape your sound. However, it’s very important to start with the right/best wavetable so that you can create the sound that you are looking for more easily. There are multiple ways to create your own wavetable for Serum. This article will give you insight in 4 different techniques available and how to use them. Part 2 shows you how to polish and finish your wavetables. Since every wavetable that you make with these methods will probably need to be customized a bit to get perfect. What ... -
VST Plugin ReviewsSanford Reverb is a free reverb plugin that gives you full control over the reverberation of your sound. It used to be a paid plugin, but free since 2015. This review will give you some insights in how this plugin works and what you can do with it! I use this plugin for all sorts of productions; it’s perfect for ambient sounds since there’s a modulation section which can make it real trippy. But you can definitely use this plugin for drums as well. As an example I gave 1 snare three kinds of reverb so you can hear what’s possible. The first is the original sample. The ... -
Music ProductionAs a kind of follow up to the previous article about musicians and groups worth checking out, I've put together this article about 7 great songs worth a listen! A wide range of genres are represented within this list of inspiring tracks as I enjoy loads of styles. Music is just great! These tracks are not in any specific order, not a top 7 or anything, just great sounds to get inspired by! 1. Hybrid - Symphony This breakbeat track is perfect for either background, or detailed listening. It is progressive in the sense of there being one big build up throughout the whol... -
VST Plugin ReviewsCamelCrusher is a high ranking free distortion plugin that has been available for many years and is used by many producers. So chances are, you have probably heard of this plugin, or are already using it. If not, then you’re in for a treat! CamelAudio has a couple plugins, CamelCrusher and Alchemy (synth) are the most known. Unfortunately CamelAudio isn’t developing plugins and sound libraries anymore since 2015. However, CamelCrusher is one of the best free distortion plugins I ever came across and absolutely worthy of a review here at Typhonic Samples. First o... -
TutorialsIn this tutorial I will show you how to sidechain in FL Studio. There are a couple ways to sidechain your sounds, in this tutorial I will use a method using only 1 plugin: Fruity Limiter. This plugin comes with every version of FL Studio. So it should be available for every Fruity user.Note: This tutorial is made for FL Studio 12, but still applies to FL Studio 20. What is sidechaining? First of all, for those who don’t know; here's a short explanation of what sidechaining is. With sidechaining you let a track (sound) influence another track. When you link tr... -
Music ProductionIf you're looking to expand your musical horizon, this is a great place to be. I'm going to give you a list of - in my eyes - 7 great musicians & groups. These people have inspired me a lot, and if you don't know 'm, they might inspire you! This list covers a wide range of styles as well, as I enjoy a lot of different fields of music. Not in any specific order, nope, not a top 7. Just great musicians: 1. Thomas Newman Thomas Newman is an American (film)composer who has been scoring for movies for a long time. Some examples of movies he scored are: Road to Perdition... -
Music ProductionWhy do we lòve certain music? In this article I will talk about the philosophy surrounding music. I will try to give you a feel of my personal insights gained by listening to music and the thoughts behind them! The musical journey, whether you are a someone who experiences music or someone participating - or both -, is a very interesting topic. What makes music so intruiging, so fullfilling, so sad or so relaxed? What is it with certain pieces of art that glue to you, and you just can't - not that you want to - get rid of? Quite frankly, I don't have a lot of concrete... -
Music ProductionHey! Making Hip Hop beats is one of my favourite things to do. I love the energy of all sorts of 'Hop' related to Hip Hop; Glitch, Trippy, Jazzy, Bluesy, Dub and so on - so I decided to share some insights! How can you make your project groove the way you envision it? How can you keep it interesting and dynamic? Here are 7 Tips & Tricks for Producing Hip Hop Instrumentals! Note: All these tips & tricks definitely apply to Hip Hop, but a lot of them generally apply as well! 1. Experiment with the bpm Whenever you're working on a project you start from a selecte... -
SerumSince Serum version 1.1 it's possible to use images as wavetables. And it's quite easy. This short tutorial will show you how and I will give some pointers/tips for using an image as a wavetable. First, make sure your Serum is up to date. (You should always keep Serum up to date; Steve Duda listens to the community and almost every update gives great new features!) 1. Selecting/Finding your images. Now find some images. When searching for image(s), keep in mind that: Images needs to be PNG. You can add "png" to your google search. In this way most of the search result... -
Music ProductionDo you want to improve your FL Studio workflow? Then this article is for you! Every DAW (Digital Audio Workstation) has lots of shortcuts, a couple you might already know as they're the same in every program; like ctrl+c for copying and ctrl+s for saving. Others you might not know, but are very handy. Especially in a DAW like FL Studio. This article points out the shortcuts; the most important keyboard and mouse shortcuts! Note: When you want to use FL Studio's shortcuts, make sure you don't use the 'typing keyboard as your piano' option. Hit ctrl + T to switch between... -
Music ProductionHi there! Welcome to Episode 5 of the Music Production Series, this time about how to get rid of a muddy bass through equalization. If you're new to this; the Music Production Series is all about the fundamentals of music production. We discuss things like the tools in DAWs, dynamics of sound, how to build a song and more! As we proceed with the series we are gradually going more in depth with the essentials of producing music. This series is for anyone who wants to learn a lot of new stuff or simply refresh on the basics! Click here for episode 3: What is Equalizat... -
SerumThe web is full of Serum tutorials; some are very useful and can really up your music productions and/or sound design, but unfortunately not all Serum tutorials out there are great. That’s why Typhonic Samples has compiled a list of the best Serum tutorial videos on the internet! * We will update this list so it can be handy to bookmark this page for future access! - 3 Techniques For Better Trap Sounds This tutorial by ZenWorld gives you 3 techniques for creating trap sounds with Serum. It does not show you how to make 1 presets like most tutorials in this list, but 3 ... -
Music ProductionHi there and welcome to another episode of the Music Production Series. In the previous episode I explain the basic theory and principles of equalization - What is equalization? - check that episode out if you want to read up on that! A basic understanding of equalization or 'equalizing' is a must for learning how the actual equalization processes work, which we are going to indulge in this episode! If you understand the principles of frequency and volume manipulation through equalization, we can get started! Equalizing Pain-borders Working around Pain-borders. The fi...
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Music ProductionMusic production is evolving at a high rate. More and more 'bedroom' producers are hitting it big and getting signed to major labels. Some people say it's getting too easy and think of it negatively. However, I think it's a good thing that music production is becoming easier to start with; you still need talent to make something that people will listen to. Besides that, with more people producing, there will be more information and knowledge available. This will only set the bar higher! This information and knowledge can be found on sites like YouTube as well as many b... -
Music ProductionAs a kid, we’ve all screamed our lungs out when going through a tunnel, maybe some of us still do. We did this simply because we wanted to make a shitload of noise, but also because your voice sounds huge inside the tunnel. This phenomenon is called reverberation (reverb). Reverberation is always present and all around us. But what exactly is reverb and how do you use it in your music productions? What Is Reverb? Reverberation, or reverb for short, is the way a sound reflects off surfaces. When there’s a sound, it goes in every possible direction, until it hits a wall ... -
Music ProductionWelcome to another episode of the Music Production Series! Last two episode we discussed some basics about mixing & balancing your track. Episode 1 - Episode 2. A big part of mixing and balancing are equalizers & equalization. What is Equalization and what are equalizers? Equalization or the process of 'equalizing' means you can - in detail - manipulate the volumes of the frequencies a sound resonates in. There are loads of handy 'equalizer plugins' that will help you do that. Hertz or 'Hz' is the unit of frequency. All hearable frequencies range from approxim...
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Music ProductionWhen you search the web for a free reverb plugin you get tons of options. In my experience, most of them are very good, but some are really bad... People often ask which reverb plugin is the best. There's no simple answer to this, since you probably need more than one reverb. Every reverb plugin generates its own unique sound; a reverb designed for vocals can be very different compared to a reverb designed for drums. A reverb should suit your production and your personal taste. That's why I recommend you to play around with different reverbs and their settings, so you ...
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Music ProductionThis is the second episode of the Music Production Series. For a new visitor jumping straight into this episode, I recommend checking out the previous episode if you haven't already! The goal of the Music Production Series is to gradually go in depth on the topic of producing tracks. Music production is a versatile subject, and knowing what to do technically when it comes to producing, will make a huge difference. To recap quickly, in the first episode of this series we discussed a couple of key factors for mixing and balancing your production: 1. Panning Utilizing the... -
Music ProductionThe world of free VST plugins is huge and can be a bit overwhelming. You can download and install them all, but which ones are really worth downloading? I have used many free plugins over the past years and decided to post my personal favorites. They are in a random order so make sure you check them all. TDR Nova TDR Nova: Free EQ VST TDR Nova is a parallel dynamic equalizer with an easy to use interface. The analyzer shows you exactly what your changes are doing. Besides the 4 bands it also has a low pass filter, a high pass filter and you can apply compression on ea... -
Music ProductionYou are now reading the first episode of the Music Production Series! This series is for anyone who is interested in learning more about the basics and the more advanced stuff of music production. I will try to not lengthen episodes too much to keep it short and powerful. As I progress through the episodes I will start to discuss the more 'hard' and technical stuff gradually. This series is not necessarily destined to end, it could very well be that it keeps on going; for the simple fact that a human's learning curve when it comes to something so varied is potentially ...
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Sound DesignWhen you start using a new synthesizer it can be a bit confusing and every synth has its own learning curve. In my opinion, Xfer Serum isn’t a hard synthesizer to learn, since it’s really ‘graphic’. You can not only hear but also see a lot of the changes you apply, giving you a better understanding of the parameters and functionalities. Still some tips and tricks are always useful since they can show you something you might not know, or simply haven't seen yet. Here are 8 tips and tricks for Xfer Serum every beginner and/or novice should know! Serum Parameter Modulatio...