Bringing up a Mastered Mix

[zradioman]

Ok, so say I have a track that's mastered and ready to go. . .Peaks sitting at about -6 to -4. . .

What are the techie ramifications of bringing up the mix to -1.5 using say the Groove Tubes Brick. . .

I've done it before and I like what I hear. . .and since it's a clean pre with a bit of color, sounds very creamy...

Oh yeah, I'm in Radio. . .so it's not like I'm creating an opus or anything. . .

Anybody done anything similar?

 

[Massive Master]

Are you confusing mixing with mastering by any chance...?

Otherwise, if it's doing what you want, do it.

 

[mshilarious]

If it sounds good . . . it is good.

However, you say the track is already mastered . . . I would consider using the Brick as part of mastering, so I think you'd need make that part of the overall process. For example, did you limit the mix? Do you really want to do that before or after the Brick? And other considerations like that, etc.

 

[QMech]

You want to set the mix for the track so that it's pushing as close to 0 db as possible without any mastering (multiband compression/limiting/etc...). After a good mix is created, THEN get it mastered. Mastering should bring the track up front a bit more, and you can then get a consistently "louder" mix. If that's what you want... Keep in mind that all that compression and limiting kills dynamics.

 

[Massive Master]

You want to set the mix for the track so that it's pushing as close to 0 db as possible without any mastering

Where do people come up with this stuff?!?

Needless to say, if your mixes are coming up with peaks around -6dBFS, you're pretty much at where most would consider a "safe" area.

I always shot (well, occasionally "shoot") for mix levels around a somewhat "standard" (in some areas) -20dBRMS or so. 0dBVU, line level, call it what you will. Those mixes would usually have absolute peaks around -10, maybe -8dBFS give or take. It's not really important as long as the "bulk" of the signal is within the operating range of everything else.

 

[SouthSIDE Glen]

Where do people come up with this stuff?!?

I think what we need is an audio engineering version of snopes.com. So many urban legends, so little time .

 

[SMC Productions]

You want to set the mix for the track so that it's pushing as close to 0 db as possible without any mastering (multiband compression/limiting/etc...). After a good mix is created, THEN get it mastered. Mastering should bring the track up front a bit more, and you can then get a consistently "louder" mix. If that's what you want... Keep in mind that all that compression and limiting kills dynamics.

I take it, that THIS IS NOT a joke?

Funny...it should be!

 

[Mixxit12]

I think what we need is an audio engineering version of snopes.com. So many urban legends, so little time .

I think this is a superb idea.

 

[zradioman]

So. . .

How do I post a sound bite?

I'd like to show you what I mean. . .

If I can't, I guess I can only describe it as . . .adding an airy sting to the uppers and rounding off the lower freq. . .smashes it a bit too.

What ever it is. . .I've done it for the imaging of 3 radio stations and it doesn't matter what your listening on (old shitty truck speakers. . .grocery store PA etc. . ) it sound just as good, dynamicwise, as the music we play. . .

That's where most problems arise in radio imaging (everything you hear in between music). Your coming out of Talking Heads and you hear a stark contrast between the song and your voice guy doing his piece.

Distracting . . .

Not only that, but I need to anticipate the rack of Turd Polishers that the signal will be sent through before it goes out the door. . .

Our engineers love that "BIG AND LOUD" Preset. . .if they had there choice they'd be running everything through a @(%#in BBE Sonic Max....