Ways to get your track louder!

[neonmansion]

OK so i thought I posted about this but apparently it didn't go through so this time i'll be more turse.

I ab''d a track of mine against some heavyweight major releases and I felt that they were at least 5 DB louder! So what did I do.. I just boosted the limiting adding 5 DB. My mix was as good as I good get it. Plus I'm pretty sure thats the most commonway people get their tracks that louder. Sure it cause some distortion and loss of dynamics but I want that loudness right now.

My question is post mixing.. almost post mastering what is the best way to make the track as loud and commercially friendly aspossible. What export settings are best?? for example does a 4800 rate 32 bit depth triangular dithering export translate best to a 320 kbs mp3??? Also has anyone ever gone into the itunes settings of a song and just boosted the playback volume another couple DB's?? I mean can you really do that.

[wub]

Have you tried using the search?

How to make really quiet instruments louder? - http://www.dubstepforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=252750
My track is kinda silent ... how to make it louder? - http://www.dubstepforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=209506
makin finished tracks louder help!! - http://www.dubstepforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=194593
How do I get things louder without peaking? - http://www.dubstepforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=182033
How can I get this track to sound louder? - http://www.dubstepforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=113751
Louder tracks? - http://www.dubstepforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=80903

Some links to get you started

[Eskimo]

Try the master volume fader, if that's not enough try a maximizer, or a plain compressor. Before that try to mix your track as good as possible.
Here*

[bkwsk]

[fragments]

You could try using compressing instruments or buses in stages w/ multiple compressors at lower settings as well as using parallel compression. A little bit here, a little bit there instead of trying to squash the master with a limiter (I mean, you'll probably have to do some of that).

Also, no, none of that stuff in your second paragraph will make your track louder.

[Cubicle]

As long as you stay don't go over -8 RMS I think you should be fine if you want to raise up the volume.
Nothing I would ever do tho, but if you're ok with just throwing out some dynamics just for the sake of being 'loud enough' go ahead.

[RmoniK]

Sigh, people on here are the biggest dicks on the internet, i swear.

Honestly, if you find your loudness to be lacking, it's probably more due to mixdown rather than mastering. Make sure the mids as well as the sides are filled in every frequency, push stuff to the back using verbs, ...

If you're really looking for mastering, i doubt export settings 'll change much, i just stick to 44.1 16 bit, basic ableton dither. As for the mastering stage, i've found mild harmonic excitement does wonders, as well as multiband compression.

[neonmansion]

but what about boosting the playback volume in itunes.. what is that about??

i mean i make the track as loud as i want in ableton.. then play it in itunes.. and i can still add a few db's by boosting the playback volume of teh mp3..

What is wrong with doing that? (in technical terms, and support your claims with reasoned arguments and evidence)

[MKRUGGER]

but what about boosting the playback volume in itunes.. what is that about??

i mean i make the track as loud as i want in ableton.. then play it in itunes.. and i can still add a few db's by boosting the playback volume of teh mp3..

What is wrong with doing that? (in technical terms, and support your claims with reasoned arguments and evidence)

Are you fucking with me, kid?

[wub]

You could boost the volume in itunes then record the output back into an audio recorder like Audacity to capture the extra db.

[neonmansion]

ok.. now that you got that out of your system, do you have anything of substance to add to the universe or are you just content to join the prestigious ranks of lonely losers who post quasi-relavant pop culture memes in the place of actual human communication?

[wub]

You could create three duplicates of the track, one centered, one hard panned left and one hard panned right. Mix all three together and you'll create a wall of sound.

Also, try duplicating the track and low passing the duplicate before mixing both together. The bottom end frequencies will be 'louder'.

[Brothulhu]

Boosting it on itunes isn't going to help anyone but you hear it louder

[wub]

Boosting it on itunes isn't going to help anyone but you hear it louder

However...

You could boost the volume in itunes then record the output back into an audio recorder like Audacity to capture the extra db.

[Hircine]

ok.. now that you got that out of your system, do you have anything of substance to add to the universe or are you just content to join the prestigious ranks of lonely losers who post quasi-relavant pop culture memes in the place of actual human communication?

this guy is too much

[Brothulhu]

Boosting it on itunes isn't going to help anyone but you hear it louder

However...

You could boost the volume in itunes then record the output back into an audio recorder like Audacity to capture the extra db.

He could also crank his speakers up and record it with his phone to get some nice digital warmth mixed in

[wub]

Boosting it on itunes isn't going to help anyone but you hear it louder

However...

You could boost the volume in itunes then record the output back into an audio recorder like Audacity to capture the extra db.

He could also crank his speakers up and record it with his phone to get some nice digital warmth mixed in

DJ Krust did something similar for the bassline on Warhead, recording the reverb from his speakers back into itself.

[SMOR3S]

Boosting it on itunes isn't going to help anyone but you hear it louder

However...

You could boost the volume in itunes then record the output back into an audio recorder like Audacity to capture the extra db.

He could also crank his speakers up and record it with his phone to get some nice digital warmth mixed in

Damn dude, you just discovered a way to make digital into analog! @__@ dis be some twilight zone shit!

[Artie_Fufkin]

(in technical terms, and support your claims with reasoned arguments and evidence)

EQ your master with a boost around 5k and then limit it. Fletcher munson

[sluggy]

ok.. now that you got that out of your system, do you have anything of substance to add to the universe or are you just content to join the prestigious ranks of lonely losers who post quasi-relavant pop culture memes in the place of actual human communication?

The reason you are getting such un- "human communication?" is because in the world of mixing it is considered 'unwell' to brick wall limit a track just for it to be louder.
Please watch this video, and listen to my example of how loudness "destroys" a track.



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