How to get a cd ready hot mix? (ProAudio 9)

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homeuser

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I've been burning my mixes to cds and playing them in my car stereo. I've noticed my tracks sound lower in volume. And then if I turn the volume up on my tracks in the cd player they sound distorted where the commercially purchased cd's sound clear at loud volumes!

So, I don't know if the term is normalizing, or limiting, etc. But I'm wondering if there is a plug in for ProAudio 9 that will allow me to crank up my mix to a hot level comparable or better to commercial cds? Any information about this would be appreciated. Thanks...
 
It's sounds like you want your tracks mastered. Now, the best way to do that is sending them to a mastering-studio, but that's gonna cost you...

But you can always use compression to even out the signal, so that you can turn the overall volume up.

You'd better read up on compression and mastering.

To make my tracks sound louder, I use the WaveHammer in SoundForge, and it does a good (fair?) job. The Waves L1 (?) does it even better.
 
You can normalize the tracks, that would bring the highest peak right up to the maximum level without distorting. But actual mastering should be done in a separate program if you have one. WaveLabs is OK for this, and there are many others out there that will bring your waves right up there and add multiband compression limiting etc. to your 2-track mixes.
 
Thanks again guys, "mastering limiter". This was the buzz word of the day for me. :) The waves bundle was too expensive for me so I ended up looking around at the http://directxfiles.com

There I found this:

http://www.db-audioware.com/dbl.htm

Long story short, this thing is like $39.00 so I downloaded the demo and to make a long story short, I'm still freaking out how loud and clear I can make my mixes now! amazing...

Still, for $39.00 I'm wondering what advantages the other plug ins may have over this one?? Anyone ever use the Dbl Mastering Limiter?

In any event do you think I should Normalize to 0 THEN apply a mastering limiter?

Thanks again, hey my mixes probably still suck but now I'm loud and clear! :) lol...
 
homeuser said:
In any event do you think I should Normalize to 0 THEN apply a mastering limiter?
Click to expand...

...I suggest not to normalize to 100%. Normalize it to 95-97% will be more safe. There you can apply the mastering limiter. I don't use dBL, but I think it's good to try yourself...
 
Ok. Maybe I need a double check here on this subject (Normalizing), 'cause maybe I'm not getting it.

When I'm mixing, I make sure the Master meter in PRE-fader mode is not clipping. If it is, the tracks have to be lowered, (or maybe compressed or limited). Personally, lately I've prefered to just start the mix so it ends up a bit low -less hassle overall.
Ok so far?
Now if you have a comp on the main, or even if you have nothing on the main, you raise the gain a bit 'till it's at or near max, with the meter post fader. This is about as loud as this mix is going to get with out more processing, right?
At this point, you've 'seen' this mix, what, a dozen times at least, each time being an opportunity to tweak the final level. A lot of times, short tripps into the 'red' aren't even audible.
Now, if wer're so concerned about getting the last 1/4 db in maximum volume out of it, you (or Mastering) are going to go ahead and put a Limiter on it anyway, and bring it up as much you can get away with. Or matbe better yet, go back and do some dynamics control at the track level.
So I guess at this point, I need to ask, when (or why) Normalize?
 
There is usually no need to normalise if you're limiting the mix.

I usually set the maximum level on my limiter to -0.3 dB (i.e. *just* below maximum volume). I then set the limiting threshold so that it limits just the loudest peaks in the song.

The lower the threshold, the more limiting you're doing. There's a trade-off between average volume and dynamic range - in other words you get to a point where although the mix is louder on average, you've squashed the dynamics so much that it sounds flat and "monochromatic".

By the way, as I understand it the reason for not limiting (or normalising) to 0dB is that some CD players get upset with absolute 100% volume signals and treat them as errors. 0.3 dB seems to be an adequate margin.

Normalising brings the volume of the entire track up to a point where the loudest peak is 100% (or 97% or whatever you set) but it doesn't change the relative volumes of different parts of the track.

Limiting reduces the relative volume of the loudest peaks, which allows the whole signal to be made louder without clipping. Done sensitively, limiting allows a larger perceived increase in volume without (audibly) reducing the quality of the sound. As you increase the amount of limiting you start flattening, then eventually distorting the signal.

All of the above is to the best of my knowledge, but I'm not an expert by any means. Believe it at your own risk!

Cheers

AB
 
alibish said:
There is usually no need to normalise if you're limiting the mix.

I usually set the maximum level on my limiter to -0.3 dB (i.e. *just* below maximum volume). I then set the limiting threshold so that it limits just the loudest peaks in the song.

By the way, as I understand it the reason for not limiting (or normalising) to 0dB is that some CD players get upset with absolute 100% volume signals and treat them as errors. 0.3 dB seems to be an adequate margin.

AB
Click to expand...
And even if you don't limit the mix. :)
As you near finishing the mix, set the output meter to include Peak Hold, and at the end of the song it shows how much you get to raies it.

Why be Normal.:D

"All of the above is to the best of my knowledge, but I'm not an expert by any means. Believe it at your own risk!
Cheers"
The feeling is Mutual:)
Wayne
 
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