The summary of ‘Ableton Saturation Tutorial What is It For And When Should You Use It (Covers All Genres)’

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00:00:0000:09:54

The video discusses the concept of saturation in audio production, focusing on how it can be used to enhance the perceived loudness of sounds without actually increasing their volume. Using tools like a metering plugin called Voxengo Span and a limiter, the speaker demonstrates how adding harmonics through saturation can make a kick drum and bass lines sound punchier and more prominent, even on devices with less capable audio systems like laptop speakers or phones. By manipulating the signal before it hits the limiter, and using a visual spectrum analyzer, the speaker illustrates that while the peak volume remains unchanged, the overall presence of the sounds is enhanced. The presenter encourages viewers to engage with the content and join the Kimber community for further learning in music production.

00:00:00

In this part of the video, the speaker aims to clarify the concept and application of saturation in audio projects. They illustrate that saturation can be misunderstood, especially by beginners who might indiscriminately apply it without understanding its effect. The speaker uses a basic kick drum and demonstrates with a metering plugin called Voxengo Span. Highlighting that saturation adds harmonics and not just volume, they visualize this by adjusting the saturation level and showing the changes in the frequency spectrum. They also use a limiter to show how altering the signal before it hits the limiter affects the sound without increasing its peak volume.

00:03:00

In this part of the video, the presenter demonstrates how driving a saturator affects the perceived loudness of a kick drum without actually increasing its volume, thanks to a limiter keeping the volume at -12.8 dB. They analyze the sound spectrum both before and after adding saturation, noting the increase in harmonics and frequencies, which enhances the punch and perceived loudness. The presenter then provides a practical example using a sine wave to draw a bass line, explaining the relevance of saturation in music production. Additionally, there is a brief mention of joining the Kimber community for further music production education and support.

00:06:00

In this part of the video, the presenter highlights the challenge of inaudible bass lines on laptop speakers or phones and demonstrates how to bring bass lines to the forefront using saturation. By using a saturator, along with a hard limiter and a visual tool called span, they show how adding harmonics can enhance perceived loudness without actually increasing volume. The demonstration shows that although the volume meter reading remains the same, the bass line sounds louder due to the added harmonics. This technique allows for the enhancement of sound presence without altering the actual volume.

00:09:00

In this segment of the video, the speaker discusses how adjusting volume before and after saturation affects the sound, showcasing an example where saturation increases volume from minus 21.1 to minus 12.5. They explain the use of a limiter to manage this change, allowing demonstration without altering the perceived volume, and sometimes using a limiter post-saturation to maintain volume levels in a mix. The speaker encourages feedback from viewers in the form of likes, comments, and suggestions for future content.

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