onra is one of the producers I am obsessed with lately, especially his "long distance" album has really struck me and stands out for me from the usual beatmaker crowd. because its a) so damn funky, and b) the sound is all silky smoothy 80s on top, yet overcompressed and all about the bouncy bass in other departments. I love that sound and I am trying to imitate that style.

In all of his interviews he says he does it all on the mpc1000 - and I can not believe that - it just sounds too good and pro eq'd and compressed. I am not trying to steel his fire or something, I am just saying that I probably could never do that with just an mpc and I would like to read about your peoples opinions on how he got that sound.

Obiously the samples are big part, but still - there is more going on right? except for excessive sidechaining of reverbs on snares and stuff (can you do that on the mpc1k?) how do you think he got there?

Later, Lu

I love that sound and I am trying to imitate that style

Not trying to knock you, but why? It's good to draw influences and get inspired from people, but why outright imitate? Add your own flavor, Onra's got his own...that's why you dig him so much right?

In all of his interviews he says he does it all on the mpc1000 - and I can not believe that - it just sounds too good and pro eq'd and compressed.

It's probably not 100% MPC 1K, but it's not the gear it's the ear. What he'd do with any given machine is likely vastly different from what you would.

Also, it IS pro eq'd/mixed/mastered. Sometimes I think cats underestimate what that can do for your sound.

Obviously the samples are big part, but still - there is more going on right? except for excessive sidechaining of reverbs on snares and stuff (can you do that on the mpc1k?) how do you think he got there?


Talent, a good ear, and good engineers. I don't think the 1K can do side chain compression, but I'm very sure he's not doing this all in the box. To me, it sounds like he's just using quality samples and nice synth's (or VST's) and those 2 alone can go a very long way. (IMO) It's not a mystery how he gets his sound, it just talent, experience, and good engineering coming together.


I know, I know...I didn't give you a laundry list of tips to sound EXACTLY like him, but I think the above stuff is a lot more important.

Just experiment and do YOU.

Hate to sound like I'm being completely negative today- but this onra cat's sound really isn't original- this whole mega compressed sidechain style is being done to beyond death.Don't get me wrong, I can dig a lot of his stuff-but when I hear this style, it just sounds like madlib biting. I think Lib should have a copywrite on this sound,and the only other producer that could possibly maybe have some rights to it would be fly lo.

Definitely try to develop your own style man-take different elements from your favorite producers and combine them-you'll develop your own techniques along the way and eventually have your own thing....And I'm not trying to sound condescending or anything- I've been spending the last 2-3 months doing this myself kinda re-tooling my approach somewhat to where I have more of a consistent sound -not just a bunch of random styles that sound reminiscent of this or that producer.

Ha, I knew I would get these answers eventually
I am not looking for a rundown of "how to sound like onra", but some discussion about how YOU would go IF you were trying to get his sound.


To be honest the whole "do your thing" is getting on my nerves - lets go from another approach to explain why I like the way of imitating: I play guitar since a very small age, spent the last 10 years studying jazz and funk. As Herbie Hancock said - you don't come up with a complete unique sound by yourself, but you copy someone and then add your own flavor to it. It has been like since..... forever.
I am a complete beginner a at the beatmaking / electronic thing and I am now approaching things like I did/do on the guitar: study and diggest one producer after another that I like. For me it is a natuarl way of getting my head around it and it worked very well for me on guitar

I am not affraid to admit to try to copy his style. But that is only part of the process - adding your own is the next logical step.

So back to the topic - what would YOU do if you were trying to achieve onras sound?

I'd be spending way too much of my time making beats on a computer....

But strictly sp-the best way to emulate this sound is basically compress the shit out of your drum kits (resample) with mfx 12 or a high level of vinyl sim compression-put a pretty heavy ammount of compression on your samples themselves,but only about half as much or so as your drums...but sample them in at a much lower level than the drums-so if you were to play your samples w the drums w no efx,they'd be way too quiet.Then-apply mfx 12 to everything while the beat plays,or you play your chops,whatever-you'll get a somewhat simmilar sidechain sound, ducking & all that--make sure to actually sample in your musical parts at a much lower level than the drums though-if you just turn them down after they're in it wont work the same. I don't do software so I barely know anything-but you could take it some steps further and put it in the computer & add some more compression & a limiter.....as far as the actual official sidechaining process,I have no idea what it is,pretty sure theres more than a couple threads on it and ducking in the archives though.

Anyway to re-quote myself- " Definitely try to develop your own style man-take different elements from your favorite producers and combine them-you'll develop your own techniques along the way and eventually have your own thing...." -basically exactly what you just said above

well, thanks!

My approach involves op-1 but I can tell you that I compress all tracks in op-1 heavily, but keep the bass drum a lot louder than the rest. that way the bassdrum is "ducking" everything and you get a kind of sidechain effect!

I am currently recording many tracks from op-1 and compress them together like you said, drop them back in op-1 and add the "bass-drum-is-much-louder-than-everything-else" technique. works kinda well I think.

I was wondering if adding an overstayer vca compressor would make sense - it does have sidechain input, but all my equipment only has stereo / 2 outs.
I would need an mpc to make good use of the sidechain, or just play the whole track from op-1 into the compressor and punch in kicks for the sidechain with my sp303 live... hm...

and yeah, I just got away from the computer and I feel the results are much better and livelier sounding than pure itb. I love the character of sp303 and its effects - in conjuction with op-1 it is amazing for me!

Quite frankly I think you are already getting a really nice sound Blue which is in the style you are speaking about. You can always experiment and take it one step crazier with the pumping and breathing and all that I guess. I think you have the tools you need, not saying a sick analog compressor would hurt though.

nvm

bridge - thanks my good sir!

as the others said that sound is all about compression..sidechaining ducking blah blah blah

the really crisp banging sound def comes from the mastering. people underestimate the power of real actual mastering - and NO cranking up a limiter in your DAW or on your mixer is not professional mastering. there is a reason why budget mastering rates still can be around 100$ per track. so yea that aspect of his sound comes after he is done and the tracks are in the hands of the mastering engineers (he may play a role in the engineering, don't know - but either way the polish comes post MPC)

on a side note. I totally understand the idea of imitating someone, but you have to be careful of that b/c if you go too far down that road you get caught up with other peoples styles and it gets harder and harder to create your own style. I think producers should spend more time studying their own work and maximizing strengths/improving weaknesses, as opposed to saying that I wanna have a sound like so and so.

hmm... interesting thoughts.

has anyone ever one here have a track mastered? do you have a pre and a postmaster ? I would love to take a listen!

i can send you some of my pre and post masters later this week... not professionally done of course but ill pm you some stuff if you want

yes please!

I do professionally master other peoples tracks.



A lot of stuff you hear these days is mastered in the box. All you really need for mastering is a GOOD EQ, Compressor and Limiter. In a way what people think of as a "real" mastering engineer is a guy with golden ears and an education in audio with experience in tracking and mixing. He must have really expensive good sounding esoteric analog gear and apogee converters with a big ben clock. All of this is nice and really worth it if you are a big label and can afford it. But the two most important parts are education and experience. For a grand you can get plug-ins that sound 95% of what their analog counterparts cost for 30 grand. Don't write off the "home mastering" if you have good plugs and the knowledge you can get the sound you want at home.