find peak and RMS

[ben HP]

hi all....
i wanna know my tracks peak volume and RMS for compressing...
can you tell me which numer is refering to my peak and RMS ???
and how should i know whether it needs to compress or not ???

 

[Jake_JW]

You'll want to look at the average to get the rms over the whole track.

However, one should always avoid compressing/processing by the numbers. Use your ears, not your eyes. Wether something 'needs' compression is entirely down to what you want the end result to sound like - there is more than one way to approach dynamics processing and going by the numbers will not get you there by the quickest route.

Get a compressor, experriment with it, see what it does, and then decide if you want to use it.

The numbers can be a bit of a red herring and catch quite a few people out.

 

[ben HP]

You'll want to look at the average to get the rms over the whole track.

However, one should always avoid compressing/processing by the numbers. Use your ears, not your eyes. Wether something 'needs' compression is entirely down to what you want the end result to sound like - there is more than one way to approach dynamics processing and going by the numbers will not get you there by the quickest route.

Get a compressor, experriment with it, see what it does, and then decide if you want to use it.

The numbers can be a bit of a red herring and catch quite a few people out.

you say that i dont need to know how much is my min and max volume for compressing ???
i really confused how to properly setup a compressor .......

 

[rob aylestone]

It depends on what you are setting the compressor to do? Extract ever last dB of loudness from a PA in a nightclub, or blend in with a live band as a track? These two examples need radically different settings to make it sound 'right' - whatever 'right' is. There is no mathematical or operational rule, apart from the ones you invent for yourself, on your kit, for your own usage.

I have to say I'm with Jake - and simply set the compression (if, not when) I use it to make the track sit properly in it's context. In a mastering situation, you might have 6 or more tracks that if they follow each other, need to sound similar, in terms of levels and compression in the mix.

I tend to always mix at a similar level, and my output always sits in a similar place. You just need to invent a system that works on your material, so it is similar in feel to somebody else's track.

People often simply slap their favourite compressor settings on everything, no matter if it needs it or not! Let your ears decide.

 

[bouldersoundguy]

I do all my compression and limiting by ear but when mastering I check the results with the TT DR Meter.

 

[witzendoz]

T-racks have a free metering download, I got it as part of a package and it works well.

IK Multimedia. Musicians First.

Cheers Alan

 

[ecc83]

"RMS" has little meaning when applied to a music signal. You can only specify an rms value to a signal when averaged over a time interval and what interval are you going to choose over a musical performance?

Sine waves have a precise peak to rms value (1.414) as do other periodic waveforms but noise, of whatever hue must be averaged over time to give a meaningful (well, a bit) value.

Try measuring the "true rms" voltage of computer generated pink noise on a range of meters of varying prices? They will all give a different value! Music signals are even MORE time variant than noise.

Dave.

 

[GONZO-X]

the diff between your peak values and your rms values helps you determine your crest factor,
which is more important when mastering,
not so much with mixing.

you do not have much dynamic range NOW...... with those numbers...
why would you want to diminish it even more with compression?

 

[ben HP]

the diff between your peak values and your rms values helps you determine your crest factor,
which is more important when mastering,
not so much with mixing.

you do not have much dynamic range NOW...... with those numbers...
why would you want to diminish it even more with compression?

a little confusing...
can you tell me which number is showing min volume and peak ???
which number show RMS ??? and when i have to use compressor( what RMS and Peak )

yes

 

[bouldersoundguy]

Of the two peak numbers the smaller one indicates your absolute headroom. In your example, if you boost the level more than 4.88dB the right channel will clip.

Of the RMS numbers the Average is the one that represents the whole song. The other two numbers are for some unspecified smaller time period, to give you an idea of level variations in your mix.

 

[ben HP]

Of the two peak numbers the smaller one indicates your absolute headroom. In your example, if you boost the level more than 4.88dB the right channel will clip.

Of the RMS numbers the Average is the one that represents the whole song. The other two numbers are for some unspecified smaller time period, to give you an idea of level variations in your mix.

so peak = -5.48 and RMS = -16 ????
and does this track need compressing???

 

[bouldersoundguy]

so peak = -5.48 and RMS = -16 ????
and does this track need compressing???

Peak is -4.88dB and average is about -16.67dB. If you simply raise the level by 4.5dB you will leave 0.3dB headroom (for intersample peaks) and your average will be -12.17dB, which is either plenty loud or a bit too loud (this is subjective) depending on how RMS is measured (from a square wave or sine wave reference).

Whether it needs compressing or not is up to you. I would have to hear it to have a strong opinion, but those numbers suggest to me that it's already plenty compressed.