Have to kill bass to make it fit

[Scatcat]

So I've written a simple su bass line, which sounded really nice and big. But it kept clipping, so I tired adding a compressor (and limiter) and playing with the settings but the track still clipped.

So then tried using an Adlimiter on it's own (still didn't work).

Finally with both compressor& limiter and Adlimiter together and then bringing down the drums stopped it clipping. But now it sounds shit.

Surely I'm doing something wrong.

Safe

 

[tv_g]

maybe im confused about the problem but why not pull down the master volume so you have more headroom?

 

[Thin and crispy]

put your drums up loudest in the mix (not clipping) with nothing else on the up the volume of ur bass till its in and sounding right without it clipping, if theres still a problem u probs need to EQ either or/ or sidechain the bass

 

[StrifeII]

knock it all down and start from scratch. your tracks should NEVER clip, and you should never compress to try and make them quieter. keep everything with plenty of headroom, and find the balance that way.

 

[fractal]

ye if your tracks are clipping bring down the gains on everything.

if something is hitting -6db it is taking up HALF of all your headroom. For this reason drums usually peak around -12db and bass a bit lower than this. This makes getting a clearer mix so much easier if you are just pushing the gains up on everything to get them heard.