gain structure and mixing aka THE MONEYSHOT THREAD

[Debaser1]

can I just say that thanks to this thread, my mixing has literally become a gazillion (ear. doom ref.) times better.

MACC FOR PM

[charliefoy]

I know this isn't strictly related to this thread, but every time i hear a tune of mine played on radio (rood fm, sub fm ect) it sounds like there is some low end in there that i didnt intend, its hard to describe. I only ever hear it on internet radio like that, not on any other speakers or headphones. Any ideas?

[skimpi]

I know this isn't strictly related to this thread, but every time i hear a tune of mine played on radio (rood fm, sub fm ect) it sounds like there is some low end in there that i didnt intend, its hard to describe. I only ever hear it on internet radio like that, not on any other speakers or headphones. Any ideas?

is it the compression applied when streaming and shit? i had one of mine played on rinse and it sounded shit haha, btu when i listen to other tunes i dont think it sounds shit compared to their originals, might be cos i have a technical view of my own stuff. but yeah the compression may end up showing artifacts like that?

[charliefoy]

I know this isn't strictly related to this thread, but every time i hear a tune of mine played on radio (rood fm, sub fm ect) it sounds like there is some low end in there that i didnt intend, its hard to describe. I only ever hear it on internet radio like that, not on any other speakers or headphones. Any ideas?

is it the compression applied when streaming and shit? i had one of mine played on rinse and it sounded shit haha, btu when i listen to other tunes i dont think it sounds shit compared to their originals, might be cos i have a technical view of my own stuff. but yeah the compression may end up showing artifacts like that?

Yeah maybe. Something to do with it not being mastered maybe? I don't think its anything on my part cause I would have noticed it when mixing down

[BaseBass]

I heard that most radiostations compress the tracks when they broadcast. Just to make sure that people's speakers aren't blown up because of major volume differences in the various tracks. Especially if it's a radio station that plays a lot of demo's and/or previews. If your track is not professionally mastered... then maybe that compression is boosting the low ends on your track (which obviously you don't want).

[HGMuzik]

Hey all... Imma newbie.
At this forum at least..
I managed page 6 in 2 hours (2bcontinued) while multitasking and I gotta say AWESOME !!

Thanks for all those tips to all specialists! Wonderfull to see people who know share their knowledge!

You guys actually allowed my dreams to come true! I wanted to do music since a toddla but was always too scared and with your knowledge I can make hits!

BIG UP AND ETERNAL LOVE and RESPECT! KEEP IT UP ALL Y'ALL, specially Macc ))



HGM

[laurend]

I heard that most radiostations compress the tracks when they broadcast. Just to make sure that people's speakers aren't blown up because of major volume differences in the various tracks. Especially if it's a radio station that plays a lot of demo's and/or previews. If your track is not professionally mastered... then maybe that compression is boosting the low ends on your track (which obviously you don't want).

Broadcasters don't only compress and limit the tracks.They also boost high and low ends.

[Ldizzy]

radios often have sidechain compression going on as well with the voice of the host being the trigger and the beat being the compressed signal.. so when u speak over a tune u dont push shit too far on the vu meter

[charliefoy]

Thanks for all the feedback about radio, but i think most of the time its being streamed from different places rather than a dedicated studio, so im not sure about the compression ect that you get on bbc and even rinse fm. Could it just be to do with software/hardware at the streamers end?

[laurend]

Here's a typical broadcast processor:
http://www.claessonedwards.com/index.ph ... Itemid=136

[elyhess]

so basically i just figured out my tracks been clipping 6 db lol, red zone. so i just set all my tracks to 0 and took compressors and limiters starting over from scratch. should i just adjust the drums to like -8 db using compressor?

[Ldizzy]

so basically i just figured out my tracks been clipping 6 db lol, red zone. so i just set all my tracks to 0 and took compressors and limiters starting over from scratch. should i just adjust the drums to like -8 db using compressor?

dont use a compressor to squash sounds to a limit... ur gonna remove all the dynamics from them and kill the transients...

what u need to do is use the more efficient plugin that is ur channel volume fader. just set that to a negative value that'll allow the sum of all the sounds to sit around -3 ...

compressors u can use them but not as volume faders..

[elyhess]

so basically i just figured out my tracks been clipping 6 db lol, red zone. so i just set all my tracks to 0 and took compressors and limiters starting over from scratch. should i just adjust the drums to like -8 db using compressor?

dont use a compressor to squash sounds to a limit... ur gonna remove all the dynamics from them and kill the transients...

what u need to do is use the more efficient plugin that is ur channel volume fader. just set that to a negative value that'll allow the sum of all the sounds to sit around -3 ...

compressors u can use them but not as volume faders..

what would u recommend using?

[laurend]

what would u recommend using?

Ldizzy has been very clear.
Just put your finger on the master fader, and bring it down.

[skimpi]

what would u recommend using?

Ldizzy has been very clear.
Just put your finger on the master fader, and bring it down.

not master, bring everything down to nice healthy lower volumes. not ridiculously low, but low enough so that nothing goes into the red on the master when the master fader is at 0db. -3db on the master is probably better still.

[elyhess]

I've brought down the master fader to -3db just as you recommended, and i already feel like im on my way! but im just wondering what my next step is? cus basically i had everything compressed not knowing what the fuck it was, so ive removed all compressors/limiters and that shit, but now that ive kinda set everything back to how it was, how should i go about fixing my track up?

my audio samples for my song seem extremely loud, so i was going to compress everything else, as for everything else. is there a value i should set specific things at? or should i just do it by ear and try to get everything to sound as even as possible before putting a master limiter over my track?

[skimpi]

I've brought down the master fader to -3db just as you recommended, and i already feel like im on my way! but im just wondering what my next step is? cus basically i had everything compressed not knowing what the fuck it was, so ive removed all compressors/limiters and that shit, but now that ive kinda set everything back to how it was, how should i go about fixing my track up?

my audio samples for my song seem extremely loud, so i was going to compress everything else, as for everything else. is there a value i should set specific things at? or should i just do it by ear and try to get everything to sound as even as possible before putting a master limiter over my track?

i meant to have the levels on your master peaking at around -3db, not to have you fader set there. if things are too loud dont compress them to make them quieter and fit better, use a gain plugin or the channel fader to bring the volume down. compressors are for controllin fluctuating levels in audio tracks, or for shaping transients, so you should only be using it when maybe a track of yours sounds at the right level, but at certain points it drops out of the mix because the level of the track has gone down slightly, so you would compress the track so that there is a smoother overall level of it. or for with drum hits for example if hard transients are are causing the sample to clip, but then the rest of the sound is lost, you would tame the transient so the sample as a whole can be heard louder in the mix, and the initial hit wont be too over powering. or the other way round if yo need more snap with them. there are no set levels, people keep mentioning levels that your drums or sub should be at, but its based entirely on the track and where everything else is. ramadanmans tunes always seems to have a high level of sub compared to other track, but its not to say that his sub is too loud, or other arent loud enough, its how loud YOU want your sub to be.

dont put a master limiter on the track! maybe when you have finished mixing the track you might wanna put a limiter on just to bounce, but i prefer to bounce a clean unlimited wav, and then put the wav back into logic for slight limiting.

as for how to fix up the track, make sure that everything tht doesnt have bass or you dont want to have bass is low cut. even high hats with no low end on the analyser at all, it doesnt hurt to cut. EQ everything properly make sure everything has its own space in the mix, contrasting elements will create muddyness and unclearness in the mix. if two things occupy the same frequency range try boosting and cutting different areas to separate them, and use panning to separate too.

[elyhess]

I've brought down the master fader to -3db just as you recommended, and i already feel like im on my way! but im just wondering what my next step is? cus basically i had everything compressed not knowing what the fuck it was, so ive removed all compressors/limiters and that shit, but now that ive kinda set everything back to how it was, how should i go about fixing my track up?

my audio samples for my song seem extremely loud, so i was going to compress everything else, as for everything else. is there a value i should set specific things at? or should i just do it by ear and try to get everything to sound as even as possible before putting a master limiter over my track?

i meant to have the levels on your master peaking at around -3db, not to have you fader set there. if things are too loud dont compress them to make them quieter and fit better, use a gain plugin or the channel fader to bring the volume down. compressors are for controllin fluctuating levels in audio tracks, or for shaping transients, so you should only be using it when maybe a track of yours sounds at the right level, but at certain points it drops out of the mix because the level of the track has gone down slightly, so you would compress the track so that there is a smoother overall level of it. or for with drum hits for example if hard transients are are causing the sample to clip, but then the rest of the sound is lost, you would tame the transient so the sample as a whole can be heard louder in the mix, and the initial hit wont be too over powering. or the other way round if yo need more snap with them. there are no set levels, people keep mentioning levels that your drums or sub should be at, but its based entirely on the track and where everything else is. ramadanmans tunes always seems to have a high level of sub compared to other track, but its not to say that his sub is too loud, or other arent loud enough, its how loud YOU want your sub to be.

dont put a master limiter on the track! maybe when you have finished mixing the track you might wanna put a limiter on just to bounce, but i prefer to bounce a clean unlimited wav, and then put the wav back into logic for slight limiting.

as for how to fix up the track, make sure that everything tht doesnt have bass or you dont want to have bass is low cut. even high hats with no low end on the analyser at all, it doesnt hurt to cut. EQ everything properly make sure everything has its own space in the mix, contrasting elements will create muddyness and unclearness in the mix. if two things occupy the same frequency range try boosting and cutting different areas to separate them, and use panning to separate too.

thanks for clearing that up, but how can i see what my master track is peaking? because it doesnt show? it literally just has a fader volume channel thing. all the rest of the channels do show what they are hitting

[elyhess]

sorry for being so stupid lol, i figured it out, but like is there a specific way i should bring it down? or just adjust the volume fader until its hitting -3db? or is there a plugin that i can just set to -3db or whatever? cus im trying to adjust the volume fader and i cant get it to sit at -3 db its all over the place. maybe im just stupid lol

[skimpi]

sorry for being so stupid lol, i figured it out, but like is there a specific way i should bring it down? or just adjust the volume fader until its hitting -3db? or is there a plugin that i can just set to -3db or whatever? cus im trying to adjust the volume fader and i cant get it to sit at -3 db its all over the place. maybe im just stupid lol

bring everything down so that the peak is around -3db, i mean if the peak hits -2.5db thts still alright. but the volume will be moving all over the place as you said it is, thats alright, but you dont want it to EVER go over the -3db if you get what i mean? so you dont want it so that the volume is constantly at -3db, you want it so that the upmost, loudest points of your track hit at around -3db.