track mixed down, peacking at 0db roughly... why is it so quiet

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EvezDroppin

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as title suggests,

I'm mixing my tracks down and when i bounce the audio it sometimes clips by 0.2 db or is at 0db without limiting ( not that this matters much )

yet upon sending the tracks to a label they are very quiet in comparison to other tracks..... whats the best way to go about this? drag the wav of my track into my daw and master it using Ozone orr something?

little knowledge from something who knows would be much appreciated!

Thanks
 
The old story was compression is bad, it's now used in just about every track you here, when you compress audio, you can then turn it up more. You want to use a maximizer, compressor and limiter but you need to do that from the start. I EQ , compress, and limit my drums as im building the track, the same gos with the rest...

Sounds like your in need of some education on compression and what it does and how to use it.. I went through those stages.. create, wasnt happy, learn, create, wasnt happy, learn.
 
What?!?!? My dude..

When you are done, bounce and open a new project and import your track just for EQ tweaking and more compression, i usually don't compress my master either when im tracking still.. Technically you should be using software that is made for nothing but Mastering but you can get by these days with some knowledge and working in your daw...
 
Only advice I can give to this is for you to get the mythical Izotope Ozone 4. The Loudness Maximizer manages to turn the volume up on your track a bit whilst limiting at the same time so it doesn't go over 0db, quite good imo
 
^^ i have that in my arsenal, i will try it nice one for the suggestions.

and yeah, studio one has a porject version meant solely for the mastering side of things... havnt delved into it tho..

thanks again
 
hmm I dont think diving into a maximiser is the right way to go about it, you should be able to get it loud in the mixdown stage, if not, the mixdown probly isnt quite there yet, so i'd keep tweeking that; got a clip?
 
miszt said:
hmm I dont think diving into a maximiser is the right way to go about it, you should be able to get it loud in the mixdown stage, if not, the mixdown probly isnt quite there yet, so i'd keep tweeking that; got a clip?
Click to expand...

john you still rightin tunes bud?
 
I do agree with you about getting it proper in the mixdown stage first but i disagree that using a maximizer wouldn't help... At least certain ones, i know different ones from different company's do different things... A simple limiter would probably help here but that will start smashing the transients and sound out where as software maximizers can be used for a couple different things depending on how it's used, adding color, low end, ect ect.. Multi Band is the way to go though if your going to use one, you need as much control as possible

The Maximizer will certainly enhance anything that is already there so like misz states, what ever is in the mixdown is only going to get louder when compressed or limited..

It would be so much easier if you had a sound clip, it could just be your eqing techniques need work... But if it sounds good already and you just want it louder, then look into some of the things i mentioned. Hell, send me a clip via email or what ever and ill send it back with a couple different processes...
 
Eternaloptimist said:
http://www.masteringmastering.co.uk/gainstructure.html
Click to expand...

/\ This. A phenomenal explanation/summary worth reading. If you're peaking at 0 but aren't satisfied, there's something going on within the mix, perhaps a few frequency clashes or some sounds hogging up head room.

To add, have a look at the K-Meter. Easily one of the best investments I've made. To add, the website has some great resources (videos as well as the K-Meter guide itself) explaining levels, mixdown, metering, etc.

Cheers.
 
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I've found simply not normalising the tune ensure's it is loud enough. By unticking the normalise option on logic, i've found that it exports the same volume the song sounds in Logic itself, and on programmes such as Traktor, the wavelength is up there, looking big and healthy the same as professionally mastered tunes as well as sounding loud without loosing dynamics, anyone else agree or use this method?
 
MistaBossman said:
I've found simply not normalising the tune ensure's it is loud enough. By unticking the normalise option on logic, i've found that it exports the same volume the song sounds in Logic itself, and on programmes such as Traktor, the wavelength is up there, looking big and healthy the same as professionally mastered tunes as well as sounding loud without loosing dynamics, anyone else agree or use this method?
Click to expand...

You shouldn't normalise your tunes.
 
Cut subsonic and other unhearable frequencies, eq in every bus so they fit together and not too much colliding frequencies, maybe sidechain if it happens, then all the mastering and it should sound clean. Your tune can be just as loud as it's peaking point, maximising, overcompressing and/or too much limiting kills it.
 
Can I just point out a couple of things you guys have overlooked? He mentioned about sending tracks to labels, and from previous experience, most labels dont want anything on the master channel, and peaking at a maximum of -3db, So to start, if youre peaking at 0.3 or 0db then your already too loud! Sure, if your tracks not being released, or sent off to be mastered by the label, then Id suggest rendering the whole track to audio, with nothing on the master, then re-importing into your DAW to self master. I use Izotope Ozone 5! Cant fault it at all!

But to get back on track, if these are indeed going to a label, then you need to focus on getting it as loud and as crisp as possible in your mixdown stages. Proper EQ work will limit your need for compressors and limiters, which all, if used incorrectly, will squash your track and lose alot of dynamics, leaving it dull and flat.

Try and write an 8 bar loop with all elements including drums / bass / lead / string / FX etc. Then try and get it sounding as big and full as you can. without using any compression, limiting or mastering suites and peaking no more than -3db on the master. Its worth the experiment mate, you'll benefit immensly
 
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