Why is my initial recording not as loud as CD mixes?

[skunkyfunk]

Another tip I learned to avoid clipping in the final mix - MONITOR VERY LOUD.  (I mean, your monitors must be maxed out.  When you listen to mastered mixes at that volume setting, it should be deafening.)  And rightly so, you have no choice but to tame down the levels on your mixer (whether outboard or itb.)

[abyssinianson]

Another tip I learned to avoid clipping in the final mix - MONITOR VERY LOUD.  (I mean, your monitors must be maxed out.  When you listen to mastered mixes at that volume setting, it should be deafening.)  And rightly so, you have no choice but to tame down the levels on your mixer (whether outboard or itb.)

i don't think my monitor drivers - or my ears - would like that.

[starfugger]

thanks starfugger, but im having a problem with compressing the kick, it seems if i adjust it, it tends to blend with the bass guitar and it doesnt cut thru the mix anymore, the only solution is to let it peak and let the limiter do its job, is that a good idea? would that sound pumpy when the song is played in large live sound speakers or car sound system?

getting a track to stand out is not only done by increasing the volume but by using other means such as equalization, panning, etc. 

the kick and the bass would pretty much fall within the same frequency range.  to get your kick to stand out, you could try increasing it's mid frequencies. also, you could compress the bass guitar using a faster attack setting so that the very first hit of the bass is tamed a little, giving more room for the kick to stand out. 

[KitC]

I tend to put the kick through a high pass eq especially if the bass is somewhat percussive; I try to give each their own sonic territory. If you want the kick to stand out a little, emphasize it's click - a bit of high mids similar to what Hazel says.

Another method is to try parallel compression to give the kick more meat. Insert a compressor in an aux channel and set it to 100% wet. Send the kick to that aux (using the track's aux send) and compress the heck out of it, eq to taste, then mix it in with the regular kick track.

[bassman88]

to get your kick to stand out, you could try increasing it's mid frequencies.

Is it okay to increase in EQ? I've heard kasi that you should only decrease EQ of a recorded digital audio.

[bassman88]

Maybe just research on how other people do it...  for my taste, I would advice you to just apply light compression unless certain parts need it or juz draw volume curves...

Do you slice your overall stereo mix into different parts? (ex. chorus, verse) then apply compression only on the chorus part? Is that what you mean? Wouldn't that cause a noticeable difference? How should i deal with that problem? faders? hehe.. thanks!

[bassman88]

I tend to put the kick through a high pass eq especially if the bass is somewhat percussive; I try to give each their own sonic territory. If you want the kick to stand out a little, emphasize it's click - a bit of high mids similar to what Hazel says.

Another method is to try parallel compression to give the kick more meat. Insert a compressor in an aux channel and set it to 100% wet. Send the kick to that aux (using the track's aux send) and compress the heck out of it, eq to taste, then mix it in with the regular kick track.

i don't understand, what is an aux channel? do you mean duplicating the kick track and setting it to heavy compression and 100% wet then adjusting it's volume so that it'll blend with my kick?

[KitC]

How should i deal with that problem? faders? hehe.. thanks!

Learn how to use envelope automation in your mixes. Most, if not all, plugin parameters can be automated,  including your software's faders, sends and whatnot. Learning how to use automation judiciously will help your mixes tremendously. Go to bruceamiller.us or bamaudioschool.com and learn how he uses automation, as well as other recording and mixing techniques.

[xjepoyx]

Boss Kit,

I think its time for you to have the Part 3 of your "Home Recording Workshop" again since theres a number of people posting for queries on their recordings and who really wants to plunge into the most expensive GAS of all hehehe.

[KitC]

Pwede... let's schedule during summer kaya?

[bassman88]

sir kit na nosebleed ako sa reply mo, haha! i have so much to learn pa! Sama ako workshop! hehe

[skunkyfunk]

Another thing you might wanna tackle:  PERCEIVED LOUDNESS vs. ACTUAL LOUDNESS

When one says the master is LOUD, the RMS volume values don't necessarily connote loudness.  You can have badly squashed -9dBFS RMS waveform sound softer than a -10dBFS RMS waveform which sounds 'louder', because of the concept of perceived loudness.  A lot of youngsters tend to want their mixes to sound loud by looking at the waveform if it looks like a 2x4.  Listen with your ears, not with your eyes!  Better turn off your PC monitor!

[KitC]

I think this is one point where we should integrate with deltaslim's psychoacoustics thread at the GC forums. 

At the sake of opening a can of worms, we might even have to take Fletcher-Munson into consideration, but I feel we must forsake this to prevent further nosebleeds, aside from other things. Another thing that can increase apparent loudness is the use of enhancers such as those found in Aphex, BBE and other aural enhancers. These work on harmonics, btw, although I tend to favor the Peavey Kosmos. Unfortunately, my preference is based mostly on user reports and not on actual hearing tests since I can't find any Peavey units around here.

One plugin that I tend to favor is the use of multiband compressors. The Sonitus multiband in Sonar gets a lot of use in my mixes, especially when patched across the drum group channel.

[stilljey]

Boss Kit,

I think its time for you to have the Part 3 of your "Home Recording Workshop" again since theres a number of people posting for queries on their recordings and who really wants to plunge into the most expensive GAS of all hehehe.

good idea sir jeps...sana about plugin compressor, delay, convolution reverb, multimaximizer ang subject....naku baka bitin ang 1 day 

@ sir kit,  sana 1st week ng april ...count me in, di kasi ako naka attend sa TMS but sa 1st audio seminar sa PIMP present ako.

[KitC]

Why not? Basta schedule permitting. Let's go from theory into actual na. Baka sa miking techniques pa lang, buong araw na abutin.

[bloodshedd]

...you cant really over-emphasize the importance of micing techniques.

Garbage in=garbage out...

[bloodshedd]

Learn how to use envelope automation in your mixes. Most, if not all, plugin parameters can be automated,  including your software's faders, sends and whatnot. Learning how to use automation judiciously will help your mixes tremendously. Go to bruceamiller.us or bamaudioschool.com and learn how he uses automation, as well as other recording and mixing techniques.

....you can also use automation on fader levels like whenever a chorus comes the group of drum faders can be programmed to go up... same thing with the other elements in the mix. It might beat compressing the hell out of a song for some applications.

[fascinatedbymusic]

...you cant really over-emphasize the importance of micing techniques.

Garbage in=garbage out...

Agree

[TheHunter]

What about sidechaining for the kick and the bass? Share your experience...

[bassman88]

@KitC
Thanks sir Kit! your links are really helpful, haha, why can't i google these sites out!?! haha.


@TheHunter
Sir! I can't understand the tutorials on how to apply side-chaining! I've been interested in the technique as well. haha

[titser_marco]

your software has nothing to do with your problem. the definite answer to your problem is to maintain a good relative level of the instruments.

Duh.

[fascinatedbymusic]

Duh.

 

[bassman88]

Duh.

sir bago lang po ako sa recording, im sure nagdaan ka rin dito.

[titser_marco]

sir bago lang po ako sa recording, im sure nagdaan ka rin dito.

It wasn't directed at you.

[bloodshedd]

Mabalik nga po pala sa original na tanong.. Why is my initial recording not as loud as CD mixes?

...Mastered na po kasi yung CD...
pero me isa pang magandang rason kung bakit mas mababa dapat ang levels ng raw mix...

Kasi pag nasagad mo na yung dynamic range kahit sa mix stage pa lang ay wala ng "leeway" yung mastering engineer sa kung ano mang mga processes ang gagawin pa niya.