cd too quiet
- Thread starter icarus
- Start date
crosstudio
New member
you need to normalize the individual tracks which will bring the peak level of each track up to just under 0db. if a track then seems to loud (out of place) with the rest of the tracks, then lower the volume for that song. before you normalize however, check the dynamics of each song. if the dynamics of the song are too wide, you might want to either remix the song or put it through a multi-comp.
If your master vol in console view is 0 or higher and your tracks were recorded near peak, there is no reason why you shouldnt get a consistent and decent vol on your CD. It always works for me (I have other problems!) Normalizing is ok but you dont need it if you got a good level on your tracks. Possibly your CD recorder is not picking up the correct volume also. It should if it is a decent one though. I have a $135 Sony that works perfect.
chaosscott
New member
it sounds like you need to use a peak limiter, it basically sets a threshold for your peaks. Any peaks above the line get cut down and the peaks below the line get normalized. This will increase the overall volume of your recording without changing the mix that much. You can probably find one as a plugin somewhere. I know Cakewalk Audio FX 1 has one. Check out the Shareware Music Machine.
Aaron Cheney
Favorite Chord: C 6/9
Right chaosscott!
THis is a problem budding engineers run into all the time: You're looking at your wave form and thinking you have a nice hot level because the waveform is filling up the entire image. What you have to realize is that it is not; only the peaks are.
Take a voice, for example. This is one of the most difficult instruments to record in terms of dynamics. Suppose the singer sings the line "Two tickets to paradise", and the loudest parts of the wave form (all the "T" sounds) are at exactly 0 db. You think you have a nice hot level, but you don't because everything else is clear down around -12 db.
A peak limiter will put a lid on those quick transients that tower above the rest of the wave form, and bring them down closer to the level of the everything else, thus allowing you to raise the ENTIRE vocal level without clipping. Get it?
The same goes for a full mix. A peak limiter will pull those transients down (snare attack, hi hat, whatever) closer to the meat of the mix, allowing you to turn the ENTIRE mix up without clipping.
It takes a lot of listening to learn how to use compression well, but with DAWs it's easier than ever.
Good luck,
Aaron
http://www.aaroncheney.com
THis is a problem budding engineers run into all the time: You're looking at your wave form and thinking you have a nice hot level because the waveform is filling up the entire image. What you have to realize is that it is not; only the peaks are.
Take a voice, for example. This is one of the most difficult instruments to record in terms of dynamics. Suppose the singer sings the line "Two tickets to paradise", and the loudest parts of the wave form (all the "T" sounds) are at exactly 0 db. You think you have a nice hot level, but you don't because everything else is clear down around -12 db.
A peak limiter will put a lid on those quick transients that tower above the rest of the wave form, and bring them down closer to the level of the everything else, thus allowing you to raise the ENTIRE vocal level without clipping. Get it?
The same goes for a full mix. A peak limiter will pull those transients down (snare attack, hi hat, whatever) closer to the meat of the mix, allowing you to turn the ENTIRE mix up without clipping.
It takes a lot of listening to learn how to use compression well, but with DAWs it's easier than ever.
Good luck,
Aaron
http://www.aaroncheney.com
crosstudio
New member
that's why i advised putting the mixed track through a multi-comp. but i should have added that the appropriate compression/limiting should be done on the individual tracks as well.
with sonar, i love that fact that i can see peak and rmi volumes on the track display that way i can tune my compression/limiting accordingly. i'm using ultrafunk's compressor and it's graphic display is helpful also. i'm starting to get to the point of really hearing the difference, but having the graphics is still important to me.
another note, when you use the multi-comp on the final mix, set the thresholds for the frequency groups low and the compression ratio low as well. typically, i compress the lows more than the highs.... around 1.2 for the highs and 1.5 for the lows.
with sonar, i love that fact that i can see peak and rmi volumes on the track display that way i can tune my compression/limiting accordingly. i'm using ultrafunk's compressor and it's graphic display is helpful also. i'm starting to get to the point of really hearing the difference, but having the graphics is still important to me.
another note, when you use the multi-comp on the final mix, set the thresholds for the frequency groups low and the compression ratio low as well. typically, i compress the lows more than the highs.... around 1.2 for the highs and 1.5 for the lows.