Boosting volumes when mixing down

  • Thread starter Thread starter laj35
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laj35

laj35

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When I export tracks to burn them to CD I never seem to have the volumes high enough. I now that alot of this is a result of poor monitors, hence not optimum mix, but is there a way to get the sound louder when exported other than having the output "in the red"? How bout software that boosts volumes without disturbing the tacks integrity?

Thanks alot for any suggestions.

Laj
 
Some of the guys on this board consider compressors as the devils tool or something like that - I love 'em :D I use compressors on drums,bass and vocals - always ! I'm working on a track right now containing Fender Rhodes and piano as well, and I've compressed it. Not much, a ratio from 1,25/1 - 2/1, just to keep the peaks down, in that way you can get the main volume of your track higher before it peaks ( did I just repeat myself ? )
Then I master it in sound forge, maybe adds a little master compression and uses the " normalize" function to get it as high as possible.
bizz
 
hi Lja...the EQ and effects in CuBase are very effective at raising the apparent loudness...for acoustic guitar, I have found that
a few dB boost at around 150Hz, 1k, 10k, and at 20k starts to "add" things up nicely...then, you might try adding some
"Symphonic" found under "Modulation"...next, check out a couple of the Reverb32 choices...
with moderate use of just these three effects, and the EQ mentioned above, you can give your acoustic guitar track
considerable depth and fullness--which, if you have been very careful, will translate your track into what you heard "while"
you were performing the recording--all six strings and various subtleties of each string...oh, and by the way, it should
"sound" louder as well...hope this helps...let us know.
 
sorry about mis-spelling your name laj...please take a shot at what I've suggested, and then let us know how it worked out...also, don't be afraid to test the "overdrive" effect found next to Modification--I believe it actually functions to increase the "apparent" loudness, and it is flexable enough to work with most any signal/instrument....let us know what you think...thanks.
 
Thanks alot for those suggestions toyL, they are all very effective tips, and have added alot to my mixes. Do you usually add some of those effects to the whole song after one first mixdown or do you give some to each audio track before any mixdowns?

Oh, and hey bizz (or anyone else) can you suggest a good, hopefully inexpensive, compressor that adds very little noise, but definitely boosts volumes? And how is sound forge? What is it's main function? Is it mainly for post production?

Thanks again guys, I really appreciate it!

Laj
 
Go grab the demo of Sound Forge and check out the compressors, I'm using the track compressor a lot, easy on the cpu and well functioning, I like the waves goldbundle too, but that's expensive and cpu hungry.
Sound forge is for single file editing, you can set it up as your wave editor in Cubase. I use it a lot for cutting up samples, editing samplepoints etc. I won't say it's only for post production, it's the best wave editor around :eek: here the flames are coming, some like Cool Edit, some like Wavelab - I just happens to like Sound Forge the best ( and I've been workin' a lot with all 3 programs )
bizz
 
you're very welcome laj...to answer your questions--it's "generally" considered standard procedure to record dry (no EQ) and with no CuBase effects--because CuBase allows you to add them well enough "later"--when they are not a permanent part of the recording and you can experiment until you get what you're looking for or "find" something that works well...adding "effects to the whole song"--as you say--is called "mastering"...of course, this will only occur "after" each of the individual tracks have been doctored-up and placed in their respective positions in the stereo field--this is called sub-mixing/sub-mastering....hope this helps...personally, I listen to the individual tracks by themselves and try to figure out which details of the performance didn't quite make it onto the recording...then I "attempt" to add those things back into the mix by using whatever tools are available...for example, as a guitar-player performs during the recording, he can "hear" all six strings and even various nuances of each string, the wood, reflections, and so on...many of these nuances are "musical", but, never make it onto the recording...at least part of the purpose of sub-mastering is to re-create the musical nuances that didn't make onto the recording...once this is done, mastering the final product takes place...generally, the rule of thumb is to "add" very little at this point...CuBase is such a great tool because it allows us to complete the entire project from start to finish, and because most of it's functions actually "work"--and quite well too.
 
Thanks again ToyL, I am just really coming to grasp the meanings behind such terms as mastering as it seems often people have different ideas about what such terms should entail. I really appreciate the help you wise ones provide!

Thanks again,

Laj
 
other than compressors, get yourself steinberg mastering edition or waves gold bundle(gonna cost you) and a copy of wavelab.i do the simple stuff under cubase, and if the song is lower than some ofhter songs i use a leveler or a maximizer.
 
thanks for the ideas c9, which program in particular works best w/ Cubase, and has the most features and boosts volume the most without upsetting the track's integrity. estimate on the price?


thanks again


Laj
 
Try it!

From Masteredition, the LoudMaximizer plugin....easy to work, try it!
 
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