how to make a final volume of the music

V

viktor80

New member
hi

I am not a sound engineer, I m just trying to process my own records. so in this aspect, I m a beginner and do all the processing by ear, so maybe I could be wrong in the approach to achieve the desired result and must use some other method... so question is how to make a final amplification to make music maximally loud, when the high peaks of the wave amplitude beyond -2.5 but there is no overload? which VST tool is better to use to not disrupt the overall sound of the final master EQ settings, pan etc that I've already made? because VST enhancer tool after amplification makes the sound very different or goes to either the bass or to middle and then I have to do the processing is based on the resulting sound and finally lose the power of this volume again
 
You're looking for a limiter. Perhaps a compressor followed by a limiter, perhaps straight gain followed by a compressor followed by another, followed by straight gain followed by a limiter.

"Volume" is easy -- Volume and "good sound" is another story altogether. And as much as I don't want to sound discouraging, the vast (VAST) majority of recordings out there simply don't have the "volume potential" as others. At that point, it's going to be the proper gear and experience (and that's for another thread).

But start with a simple limiter. I might suggest G-Clip (okay, I guess I just did).
 
Massive Master said:
You're looking for a limiter. Perhaps a compressor followed by a limiter, perhaps straight gain followed by a compressor followed by another, followed by straight gain followed by a limiter.

"Volume" is easy -- Volume and "good sound" is another story altogether. And as much as I don't want to sound discouraging, the vast (VAST) majority of recordings out there simply don't have the "volume potential" as others. At that point, it's going to be the proper gear and experience (and that's for another thread).

But start with a simple limiter. I might suggest G-Clip (okay, I guess I just did).
Click to expand...

thx for your answer

well here I got a few track waves just for example

1. my track, the sound in the mastering process is raised to the maximum compressed little by little but still inside the lines and without any enhancer or limiter use, just normalized

2. depeche mode soothe my soul (remix). exactly what I'm talking about the wave beyond the limit of the overload and if you look closely the wave is look like a cuted but it just sounds loud no overload. if I do it with enhancer and limiter I lose original ballance, if I do same manually I just get an overload

3. rhcp blood sugar sex magik between -6,0 not very loud but sounds great

Untitled-5.jpg
 
On 2 - compressed and limited to the maximum, you can see from the wave form there is little dynamic change (ignoring the fade-out). As you have already figured out, compressing and limiting changes the overall sound of your mix. Most of us here prefer dynamics.
On 3 - plenty of dynamics, if compressed a little it would bring the overall volume up without changing the dynamics too much.
 
well here I got a few track waves just for example
Click to expand...
Leaving the 'looking at sound' thing aside (it doesn't always work that way, but I know where you're going), volume isn't "free" -- It costs you. ** You're losing something to get it. It might be skewed dynamics, it could be and frequently is skewed spectral response, it could be straight up distortion, mix imbalance, imaging damage, etc., etc., etc., yada, yada, yada.

Exceptionally well done mixes tend to handle that damage better than others. Now I haven't heard your mixes, but you're trying to visually compare them to mixes that were done by teams of industry professionals with aggregate decades of experience using the best gear available in the best rooms available (etc., etc., etc.).

Again - I'm not saying "can't" -- I'm saying that it's rarely a simple process.

** Long story for another thread, but there is somewhat of a point of diminishing returns. Many normal-volume mixes can be made louder and "punchier" and have "more impact" and all those wonderful buzzwords up to a point (that point, IME, is around -15 to -14dB(FS)RMS in a typical application on a typical "rock" mix). After that point is where you start to trade off quality for sheer volume -- which is why we're all sick and tired of the whole 'volume war' thing in the first place. The listening public never wanted it and they'd probably have a cow if they knew how the recordings they're buying could sound...
 
thanks you for your answers

I downloaded a few of compressors and limiters

Sonnox Oxford
Sheppi
limiter6-v102
Klanghelm
Algorithmix

so let's see
 
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Hi, Viktor. I'm at the mastering stage too and have been experimenting with many limiters and soft clippers to get a good final volume level but without squashing the dynamic range. I know that there are so many different things you can do so it can be rather bewildering at first. But don't worry and don't be in a rush. Just take your time.

Obviously, everyone's music is different and it all depends on what you're looking to achieve. My mixing was done without compression. On mastering, gentle multiband compression (1.1:1 threshold of -33 db) has been applied. Other effects, such as EQ and a touch of enhancer have been used to suit the song. Now comes that tricky part of getting the final volume result. I have used free plug-ins, hard limiters and clippers such as on Audacity, the schwa Soft Clipper from Reaplugs, and others such as the Stillwell Event Horizon. However, on listening carefully (in headphones) for audio artefacts (basically nasty noises!) created by limiting, I hear occasional distortion creeping in even at conservative levels of limiting such as 3 db.

However, yesterday, I came across Tone Boosters' Barricade and Loudness plug-ins developed by a chap who has worked for Philips and Dolby. You can download a functional trial version. Barricade is the best limiter I’ve tried so far. It has a lookahead function which anticipates peaks to attenuate them before they arrive thus reducing distortion. You can set your peak level, say -0.3 db and the gain rise you want, say 3 or 4 db. It also has a true peak ISP function (read the manual).

The loudness meter is excellent to see how much you are reducing the dynamic range by and that you don’t overdo it. The ideal Dynamic Range is around 12 and this relates to the new Loudness Units Full Scale LUFS -12 db or approximately -12 db RMS (basically the average level.)

Hope this helps and tell us how you get on, Viktor!
 
AstraLeadGuitar said:
Hi, Viktor. I'm at the mastering stage too and have been experimenting with many limiters and soft clippers to get a good final volume level but without squashing the dynamic range. I know that there are so many different things you can do so it can be rather bewildering at first. But don't worry and don't be in a rush. Just take your time.

Obviously, everyone's music is different and it all depends on what you're looking to achieve. My mixing was done without compression. On mastering, gentle multiband compression (1.1:1 threshold of -33 db) has been applied. Other effects, such as EQ and a touch of enhancer have been used to suit the song. Now comes that tricky part of getting the final volume result. I have used free plug-ins, hard limiters and clippers such as on Audacity, the schwa Soft Clipper from Reaplugs, and others such as the Stillwell Event Horizon. However, on listening carefully (in headphones) for audio artefacts (basically nasty noises!) created by limiting, I hear occasional distortion creeping in even at conservative levels of limiting such as 3 db.

However, yesterday, I came across Tone Boosters' Barricade and Loudness plug-ins developed by a chap who has worked for Philips and Dolby. You can download a functional trial version. Barricade is the best limiter I’ve tried so far. It has a lookahead function which anticipates peaks to attenuate them before they arrive thus reducing distortion. You can set your peak level, say -0.3 db and the gain rise you want, say 3 or 4 db. It also has a true peak ISP function (read the manual).

The loudness meter is excellent to see how much you are reducing the dynamic range by and that you don’t overdo it. The ideal Dynamic Range is around 12 and this relates to the new Loudness Units Full Scale LUFS -12 db or approximately -12 db RMS (basically the average level.)

Hope this helps and tell us how you get on, Viktor!
Click to expand...

thank you very much for your advices

I tried this limiter and some other limiters and compressors

and got not a bad result!

but I still need a lot of practice
 
I master my music in purple...

Sorry Astral, I had to go there. lol

Just curious tho, as you mention using a ' gentle multiband' compression at a certain ratio/threshold amount, yet you don't mention the frequencies that would be needed for such a compressor. This is quite incomplete as stated. Not to mention, that this is a blanket statement, that cannot be related to every situation. The only reason I have found for a multiband comp, is to fix things that are not taken care of in the mix. Only when remixing is not possible. I have a feeling you may be talking about a compressor you have used, but not used it in the way is was meant. Sorry, I just do not want to confuse a new member, by describing the tool incorrectly.

That being said, I like the fact that you are contributing your experiences. Keep in mind, this is not something that is ever recommended by professional mastering engineers. Only as a last resort to fix crap.

Not trying to be a dick, but we have to be careful here as some may consider statements as fact, when in fact they are only personal experiences.

Onward Purple Typing Guy! lol! I am just razzing you man. No offense meant buddy. :)
 
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