Help!!

[Mica]

Hey everybody. Well, I have been mixing our little demo and thought I was doing things right, until I had a listen to some other bands on myspace and noticed that their songs seem to be way louder and have more punch than ours.

As I understand it, one should make sure that the mix isn't clipping the Output track in the application they are using (Logic Studio in my case). So I have the mix sounding fairly decent and the peaks are hanging just below 0db and I'm fairly happy with the sound from my monitors.

So what gives when I go to myspace and the volume on my tracks seems to be way less than that of others?

Here is our page:

http://www.myspace.com/justatoms

I am going to post some mp3's with a proper (non shite) mp3 host once I'm done my rough mixes, but I'm really hoping someone can help me out with this for the time being.

Cheers and happy new year!!!

Mica

 

[pipelineaudio]

"loud" and "punch" are usually inversely porportional

Turn both songs up to the same RMS level and see which seems punchier

 

[TerraMortim]

punch usually comes from first the performance and arrangment..then the musical gear..then the way it was recorded, then and only then the mix.

such as, don't expect a punchy recording unless for instance, your drummer is wailing..

 

[danny.guitar]

If the tracks don't have "punch" from the start, without any effects, then it's going to be hard to give it that sound. You can use a compressor on some things to get that effect, like drums, but really, it starts at the tracking stage.

Forget the loudness until you have everything sounding right in the mix. Then worry about loudness, if you think it's really important. I personally can't listen to squashed songs for very long at all before it gets on my nerves.

 

[Mica]

Wallume

Well, having done some research, I feel a little more enlightened (sorry, I should have researched before posting).

I am happy with the sound of the instrument takes. The mix sounds pretty good to my ears...for an amateur. Myspace gives them that pop can rolling down the street vibe, but at home in my monitors, I do not think we are missing too much punch in our tracks and the mix sounds pretty good.

I played with a limiter on the output track last night and it was pretty easy to get more volume. I guess the dilemma now is whether to employ more volume to stand out on a pair of computer speakers or stick with a quieter mix and higher fidelity.

Unfortunately, music via the internet does not cater to audiophiles. So, I guess I am going to have to turn it up.

 

[IronFlippy]

Loudness war, psshhhhh

The trick is finding a compromise.

 

[TerraMortim]

Well, having done some research, I feel a little more enlightened (sorry, I should have researched before posting).

I am happy with the sound of the instrument takes. The mix sounds pretty good to my ears...for an amateur. Myspace gives them that pop can rolling down the street vibe, but at home in my monitors, I do not think we are missing too much punch in our tracks and the mix sounds pretty good.

I played with a limiter on the output track last night and it was pretty easy to get more volume. I guess the dilemma now is whether to employ more volume to stand out on a pair of computer speakers or stick with a quieter mix and higher fidelity.

Unfortunately, music via the internet does not cater to audiophiles. So, I guess I am going to have to turn it up.

a helpful (I think) tip.. try throwing the limiter on the master bus before you mix, and mix into it through to the end... you may just find that works even more in your favor.

Also when writing the songs, if you want a certain, say punchy sound...always be thinking about the different parts in the arrangement, and how they help, or hinder in that goal... I'm big on starting the "mix" in the writing process (playing with the arrangements until it already starts to resemble the sort of sound I want, then the mix isn't too terrible) It's very hard to get a band who has a really bad arrangement to sound any certain way with the mix alone.. I'll usually sit down with the band and explain how adding certain elements to the mix, even so subtle that you don't notice them right out will make the mix much more professional.