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http://i.imgur.com/t7a9xTn.jpg
^ A Screenshot.

I was just comparing my track to some loud tracks on the market.
I have two questions:
1. What am I doing wrong? If I am doing anything wrong.
2. Why do these last two tracks look like sausages?

If I tried to make it louder than that it would start clipping like mad. Should it be louder than that anyways?

Gotta fatten you're sasuage, bro.

http://www.dadalife.com/sausage-fattener/

Crimsonghost wrote:Gotta fatten you're sasuage, bro.

http://www.dadalife.com/sausage-fattener/

Wouldn't I be compressing the shit out of my track?

Icetickle wrote:

Crimsonghost wrote:Gotta fatten you're sasuage, bro.

http://www.dadalife.com/sausage-fattener/

Wouldn't I be compressing the shit out of my track?

That's how you make things loud, compression, a limiter and some gain reduction is basically what gets things loud.

Icetickle wrote:

Crimsonghost wrote:Gotta fatten you're sasuage, bro.

http://www.dadalife.com/sausage-fattener/

Wouldn't I be compressing the shit out of my track?

Yes that's what has happened to the track you are comparing it to. You can probably squeeze a few more Db out of yours as most of the peaks are a bit away from 0Db

Do you think your track needs to be louder?

You should be checking the RMS level and comparing that (and peak level) instead of just looking at the wave forms. But to get something super loud you need to get a pristine mixdown and then compressing in stages. Compress a little at a time, individual tracks, then busses, then bussing busses. Then the master a little bit to catch peaks before limiting.

Basically, can't tell you anything else based on a waveform.

fragments wrote:Do you think your track needs to be louder?

You should be checking the RMS level and comparing that (and peak level) instead of just looking at the wave forms. But to get something super loud you need to get a pristine mixdown and then compressing in stages. Compress a little at a time, individual tracks, then busses, then bussing busses. Then the master a little bit to catch peaks before limiting.

Basically, can't tell you anything else based on a waveform.

Those two tracks are definitely louder than the thing have.
All this time I was avoiding compression and thought it's bad.

EDIT: I already have a buss compressor on the drop section squashing peaks on my basses. Slapping "Sausage Fattener" isn't a solution? Or shall I use glue compressor on the master instead of it?

Predicting that loadstar track sounds like utter shit...

EDIT: Yep I'm right

Icetickle wrote:

fragments wrote:Do you think your track needs to be louder?

You should be checking the RMS level and comparing that (and peak level) instead of just looking at the wave forms. But to get something super loud you need to get a pristine mixdown and then compressing in stages. Compress a little at a time, individual tracks, then busses, then bussing busses. Then the master a little bit to catch peaks before limiting.

Basically, can't tell you anything else based on a waveform.

Those two tracks are definitely louder than the thing have.
All this time I was avoiding compression and thought it's bad.

EDIT: I already have a buss compressor on the drop section squashing peaks on my basses. Slapping "Sausage Fattener" isn't a solution? Or shall I use glue compressor on the master instead of it?

Personally, I'd never do what I suggest to my tracks. But if you want yours as loud as the others, this is the best way I know how to do it. Maybe someone else can offer other suggestions : )

wolf89 wrote:Predicting that loadstar track sounds like utter shit...

EDIT: Yep I'm right

Go predict shit somewhere else.

@fragments: thanks

fragments wrote:Do you think your track needs to be louder?

You should be checking the RMS level and comparing that (and peak level) instead of just looking at the wave forms. But to get something super loud you need to get a pristine mixdown and then compressing in stages. Compress a little at a time, individual tracks, then busses, then bussing busses. Then the master a little bit to catch peaks before limiting.

Basically, can't tell you anything else based on a waveform.

I dunno m7 that sounds like a lot of compression....

I'm talking about only a few -dB of gain reduction in each stage, low ratio. Like I said, I could be wrong, but I've seen this technique discussed a lot. Again, not what I personally do, but if I was trying to get an ultra-loud with a bit of headroom for mastering (aka, stupid intense hard limiting) this is what I'd do.

Icetickle wrote:

wolf89 wrote:Predicting that loadstar track sounds like utter shit...

EDIT: Yep I'm right

Go predict shit somewhere else.

@fragments: thanks

Dude seriously you want to master your track to sound that flat and abrasive?

i see youre using ableton. when i am ready to export a song i'll make sure the levels are hitting well in the red. you won't actually hear digital clipping until you boost the levels "over" the red, so if you want to have any chance of being loud enough then you might just have to throw a limiter or utility on the master and pump it way up.

mtl6 wrote:i see youre using ableton. when i am ready to export a song i'll make sure the levels are hitting well in the red. you won't actually hear digital clipping until you boost the levels "over" the red, so if you want to have any chance of being loud enough then you might just have to throw a limiter or utility on the master and pump it way up.

m8...................

do not listen to this advice.

nah man it's legit advice. it gets the song loud enough for soundcloud and when you need to get it actually mastered you can take the limiter off. can you hear any clipping in my mixes?

mtl6 wrote:i see youre using ableton. when i am ready to export a song i'll make sure the levels are hitting well in the red. you won't actually hear digital clipping until you boost the levels "over" the red, so if you want to have any chance of being loud enough then you might just have to throw a limiter or utility on the master and pump it way up.

additionally, make sure to add a 2nd or 3rd limiter if the first one isn't enough!

mtl6 wrote:nah man it's legit advice. it gets the song loud enough for soundcloud and when you need to get it actually mastered you can take the limiter off. can you hear any clipping in my mixes?

Its a good way of making it sound crap even if it doesnt clip tho.

Is Crimsonghost the only one slapping Sausage Fattener on the master? Just asking because I have it.
And what would be a "proper" use of it? I don't want to over compress my track! D:\

@mtl6: dafuq?

@wolf89: I don't want my track to be a sausage like those two. The waveforms in yo guys signatures look nice.

it really does not matter what the waveform looks like though, isn't it more important that it sounds nice?