How does one master a song with a huge dynamic range?

JG96

JG96

Active member
My band has a song that jumps about 10 db higher in one section. I don't know how to master it. I want it to be dynamic but most of the song is too quiet and the explosive section is basically a brick wall. I have T-Racks 3 and Logic Express 9.
 
JG96 said:
My band has a song that jumps about 10 db higher in one section. I don't know how to master it. I want it to be dynamic but most of the song is too quiet and the explosive section is basically a brick wall. I have T-Racks 3 and Logic Express 9.
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I've never had to do this personally, but my first thought would be to automate your limiter (I assume you're limiting it for volume right?)
Or maybe you could just bring the entire songs volume down some, and then just limit the soft parts and barely hit the loud parts? Idk, just thinking aloud I guess.
Good questions, I'd love to hear someone's real answer.
 
I don't know if this is the kind of answer you're looking for - but I think it might be... With songs that have "quiet parts" and "explosive parts", you don't have to rely on volume differences for the dynamic-contrast-effect. Lessening the stereo range, low end, and high end of the soft part will give the same impact when suddenly a much bigger (stereo-wise) and fuller (frequency-wise) sound is heard, even if the volume is exactly the same. Give it a shot :)

edit: disclaimer - I do this as part of the mix, I've never mastered anything, and don't ever really intend to get into that.
 
This '10db difference is how it came out in the mix (before, w/o making adjustments towards the final?
You could call this part of the mixing', rather than all in a later step. I.e, find most of it at the track, sub bus level, find most of your compromise between this 'dynamic hit and the rest of the song being lower than you might like.
JG96 said:
...and the explosive section is basically a brick wall. ..
Click to expand...
It's hitting the limit, or you want the sound of that?
 
Its hitting the limit. I don't mind this too much but its just so compressed that it almost sounds like white noise.
 
As an ME you would speak with the artist, band /label and ask if he or she has any specific input related to dynamics and or perceived volume levels and work accordingly.

SafeandSound Mastering
Mastering
 
I would go back to the mix, if possible, and deal with it there.
A final mix "should" be able to stand on it's own feet, meaning that the "mastering" should not be intended as a mean to fix problems but a final step to add shine to something otherwise already good.
 
Try to mix using some more compression on the busses or some tape saturation plugins. Parallel compression can work, too. What you want to achieve is a mix where the transients aren't as prominent and get smacked down a bit when things get loud. Either that, or use parallel compression to bring up the softer stuff.

Either way, if the dynamics of the song fit the song, then maybe it's ok? 10dB is quite a jump, though, and if it's rock or pop, it may be too much.

Cheers :)
 
Yeah, its a rock song that goes from being fairly soft to very loud. The dynamics are not a problem but intentional. When we play it live we play gently but at the part where it gets really loud we turn up our amps and then strum hard. It is not transient peaks but simply an extremely loud section.
 
So where after having time to look into and play with the options are you now? Worked out any progress?
 
Volume automation?? Make the soft parts louder and the loud parts softer? You can do this individually on the tracks or group tracks together by bussing them to an aux
 
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