bennychico11 said:
I was wondering if anyone "approves" of, or likes to put a limiter on an instrument or voice while recording. I always figured the best thing to do is leave any processing until after recording just so nothing is destroyed and you aren't wishing you hadn't done that. But at the same time, clipping can be a pain when trying to mix it. So do you like to throw a limiter on or just ride the fader and hope for the best?
Look, if it sounds like it needs limiting, and you put a limiter on the signal, and it's better, then by all means, us limiter. There is only one rule. Do what you think sounds best.
Yes, you can alway limit later, and if you're out of limiters, then limit later. But there is nothing wrong with limiting while you're recording. If you limit too much, live with it. Recordings aren't meant to be perfect.
I can't tell you how often I'll get a level on a player and set my compressors and limiters only to have him really dig in when it came time to make a take. I expect it and accept it. But, so long as the take is progressing well, I won't touch a thing. I'm trying to capture a magical preformance, not a prefectly limited sound. Once the performance goes to shit, then I start readjusting as necessary.
I recorded a take of one artist and the Pultec started spitting after the first line. It was the best vocal on the record. It was probably the best vocal of his career. Now, what if I had stopped the take, just because of some spitting? The vocal is on an album that sold a million copies, in all it's glory, with spitting pultec. The spitting only adds charm.
Mixerman