Master Bus Question! (Plug-in?)

[SouthSIDE Glen]

I maybe be wrong, but this is the way i read the post:

xmortumx is clipping in is master fader, he wants to know if he should
A: lower the fader to prevent the clipping
B: add a limiter to prevent the clipping

And what most everybody here is saying is that if you're clipping in the master bus, it's most likely because there's something being done with the levels too hot upstream.

Yes, you can simply pull down the master faders and get rid of the clipping. And that's certainly better than using a limiter. Why? Assumilg all you want to do is get rid of the clipping and not actually modify the mix itself, then just pulling the gain down is the answer. A limiter, OTOH, will actually change the nature of the mix. Save that for the mastering part of the operation if that's what you want to do.

But it's usually wise to treat those clipping lights like the "Check Engine" light on your dashboard, and go back and see just why your signals are so hot, instead of just making the light go away by taking your foot off the gas. Maybe it's the summing of peaks in the mix that can be better tamed via editing or automation so you don't have to mess with the master bus. Or maybe it's that "record as hot as possible" bugaboo, in which case you can either re-track this time, or know better when you track the next project.

I don't know why, but my pro-tools method one video says "you want to record every track as hot as possible with out clipping"

The people who write the equipment manuals either do not feel it's their job to teach gain staging techniques or to take overall gain structure in the recording chain into consideration. Instead they are just telling you how to push the performance of that particular device they built to show it off. They are telling you what will show off their design the best, not what is best for you in real life.

It's like when Ferrari tells you that their car operates best when you punch the accelerator and open it up on the highway to keep carbon deposits in the cylinders to a minimum. They don't bother to take into account that in real life there are things like traffic, driving skills and, oh yeah, speed limits that mean that you really DON'T want to drive 180MPH like it says in the manual, even though that may be what the car was designed for.

G.

 

[MessianicDreams]

I don't know why, but my pro-tools method one video says "you want to record every track as hot as possible with out clipping"
that to me is kinda weird.

that's totally wrong. the reason being, you'd probably be driving your preamps way too hot anyways. Anaolgue circuitry was design to work optimally at 0dBVU - and most converters calibrated 0VU to be either -18dBFS or -14dBFS.

Which means if you're recording things it that peak at -2dbFS, then you're running your analogue stuff at around +16 to +12dBVU!!

 

[michaelst]

A limiter, OTOH, will actually change the nature of the mix.

I try to mix as close to -5 as I can. When using mastering plugs, I don't want to hear a different mix, just a more present, punchier, thicker mix. My 'pre-mastered' mixes are very close to the 'post-mastered' mixes.

 

[SouthSIDE Glen]

When using mastering plugs, I don't want to hear a different mix, just a more present, punchier, thicker mix.

A more present, punchier, thicker mix IS a different mix. It's more present, punchier and thicker .

What I was referring to was that a simple change in gain/volume won't even do that. It's just a proportional increase in final volume. If one's mix is already where they want it, then the limiter is probably not the right tool because it by design *does* change the nature of the mix and not just provide transparent gain change. If you do, however want to make the mix more aggressive sounding, then by all means, use the limiter.

G.