Catching transients

C

Camazza

New member
Hi guys, I'm mixing&mastering a metal song for a local band. It was recorded in my studio with some modest but solid equipment. We didn't want the track to sound overproduced and clinical as most modern metal tracks are, especially since the track has more of a sludgey-type sound.
The performances, drums in particular, were not heavily edited nor recorded in multiple takes as to maintain that "live" feel intact, so I ended up with a recording that has a few very loud transients (mainly snare). Not that many, but they are there.
Now, the track sounds good, and that's all that matters as we all know, but I wanted some feedback so I know if I can make an even better choice.

My FX chain is as follows.

- L1 Limiter, threshold as high as I can get while still catching those loud transients, unity gain (-6db threshold, -6db ceiling). Gain reduction is 3-4db tops and only for the duration of those peaks
- H-EQ, +4db at 14khz, 2 octaves wide for some additional air.
- API-2500, 3:1 ratio, attack 30ms, release 100ms. Med knee and med thrust (kick is farly present, so I don't want it to pump). 3db of gain reduction.
- S1 Shuffler to widen things up a bit
- L2 Limiter as the final bit to squash it all up and apply dithering. 3-6db of gain reduction tops.

I hope there's nothing blatantly wrong with those choices. Otherwise, I'm eager to hear your suggestions.

I would post the track but I know this isn't the right thread for that.
 
If that is the chain the mix is telling you to use and those are the settings that are making the mix do what you want it to do, then there you go. Otherwise, no one could possibly hazard a guess.
 
Camazza said:
Hi guys, I'm mixing&mastering a metal song for a local band. It was recorded in my studio with some modest but solid equipment. We didn't want the track to sound overproduced and clinical as most modern metal tracks are, especially since the track has more of a sludgey-type sound.
The performances, drums in particular, were not heavily edited nor recorded in multiple takes as to maintain that "live" feel intact, so I ended up with a recording that has a few very loud transients (mainly snare). Not that many, but they are there.
Now, the track sounds good, and that's all that matters as we all know, but I wanted some feedback so I know if I can make an even better choice.

My FX chain is as follows.

- L1 Limiter, threshold as high as I can get while still catching those loud transients, unity gain (-6db threshold, -6db ceiling). Gain reduction is 3-4db tops and only for the duration of those peaks
- H-EQ, +4db at 14khz, 2 octaves wide for some additional air.
- API-2500, 3:1 ratio, attack 30ms, release 100ms. Med knee and med thrust (kick is farly present, so I don't want it to pump). 3db of gain reduction.
- S1 Shuffler to widen things up a bit
- L2 Limiter as the final bit to squash it all up and apply dithering. 3-6db of gain reduction tops.

I hope there's nothing blatantly wrong with those choices. Otherwise, I'm eager to hear your suggestions.

I would post the track but I know this isn't the right thread for that.
Click to expand...

It's all wrong. The transients are squashed to death with too much multiband compression, the top end is searing my ears and the API is pumping. The S1 is WAAAAAY to wide and the L2 is squeezing the last dying breath out of what was once dynamic and punchy! DOOOOOOOD. PLEEAAASSSE. Ease up on the processing!






































































































































We don't know because we can't hear your song. Post an example, perhaps?
 
Camazza said:
Now, the track sounds good, and that's all that matters as we all know, but I wanted some feedback so I know if I can make an even better choice.
Click to expand...
If the mix already sounds good,..as Mo suggest. "ease up on the processing"

Specially if you mixed the track and it's right there, you shouldn't have to do to much in mastering.

A dB or two of broad strokes on Eq to tilt it a bit in the right direction and level. done.

I'd start with one EQ and a better limiter than what you are using.
Checkout Massey L2007 if you're on PT, or Fab filter ProL or Elephant..
All much better than the L2 L1.
Good luck.
 
If, as you say, you know for reasonably sure that it's a few snare whacks here and there that are poking up too far, then you should go back to the snare track itself and fix that. Volume automation or compression/limiting on the track itself. If that makes it "over produced"... I guess I'd prefer a bit of a squashed snare to a pumping and distorted mix, but it's up to you.
 
I will second that. It would be much better to turn down the few snare hits that are too loud, if it means being able to do without one of those limiters.

Between the two limiters, you are taking 6-10db off the top. If you take care of the loud snares manually, you could probably bring that down to 3-4db and make it sound much more natural.
 
I agree with what waltz mastering said, I recently purchased the voxengo elephant and it's an amazing limiter, MUCH better than anything else I've heard for a digital plug-in, it's very transparent, have you tried parallel compression? that could be all it needs.
 
Also, if it is just the snare that is a problem, try putting a limiter to catch the big transients just on the snare track or drum buss. That way, the rest of the mix still breaths.
 
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