mixes are very quiet

[bassmonkey144]

I've been trying to figure this out for weeks, but whenever I have a final mixdown of something, it's too quiet compared to a normal audio CD. i know the whole debate about overcompressing/limiting the track vs leaving dynamics in (which i much prefer), but I just want my tracks to be at the same level as anything you would stick in a cd player without sacrificing dynamics. is there something I'm missing in Sonar?

 

[Jammer429]

I've been trying to figure this out for weeks, but whenever I have a final mixdown of something, it's too quiet compared to a normal audio CD. i know the whole debate about overcompressing/limiting the track vs leaving dynamics in (which i much prefer), but I just want my tracks to be at the same level as anything you would stick in a cd player without sacrificing dynamics. is there something I'm missing in Sonar?

can up upload so I can try and see if there is somthing wrong that is causes you from getting loudness

 

[bassmonkey144]

this was something a friend and i recorded for fun a couple months ago.

 

[Jammer429]

this was something a friend and i recorded for fun a couple months ago.

I am getting ready to upload it

 

[Jammer429]

here you go I got is louder I don't have time to give to work on more volume but I will give it another shot later http://www.lightningmp3.com/live/file.php?id=15963 sorry about that

 

[bassmonkey144]

here you go I got is louder I don't have time to give to work on more volume but I will give it another shot later

you might want to check that....nothing is there

 

[mixsit]

.. i know the whole debate about overcompressing/limiting the track vs leaving dynamics in (which i much prefer), but I just want my tracks to be at the same level as anything you would stick in a cd player without sacrificing dynamics. is there something I'm missing in Sonar?

Really? What's a "normal cd- with dynamics?
'With out sacrificing dynamics is what it is (or would be) and is at the opposite end of the spectrum prior to being crushed for volume.

'Smashtering-- the art of 'damage control'.

 

[bassmonkey144]

Really? What's a "normal cd- with dynamics?
'With out sacrificing dynamics is what it is (or would be) and is at the opposite end of the spectrum prior to being crushed for volume.

'Smashtering-- the art of 'damage control'.

could you maybe explain that a little clearer? i'm a bit confused by what you mean. do you mean that all songs, before they are mastered, are super quiet and at the 'opposite end of the spectrum?'

 

[Jammer429]

I added the link in there

 

[bassmonkey144]

I added the link in there

and how exactly did you make it louder?

 

[Jammer429]

and how exactly did you make it louder?

the only thing I did was add a decent amount of compression but not too much that is would smash it..then I added a limiter and booted up the volume

 

[Jammer429]

the vocals are kinda high in the mix which is keeping you from getting more volume

 

[mixsit]

could you maybe explain that a little clearer? i'm a bit confused by what you mean. do you mean that all songs, before they are mastered, are super quiet and at the 'opposite end of the spectrum?'

Well yes, exactly if you want to look at it in a backwards sort of way.
A 'raw recording or mix (anything even remotely like live music) you could say is "quiet", but only in the context of saying cd's, after about 2000' or so, smashed for loud- are now the new normal volume?

That's the pisser of it. All this extra effort and fretting over how not to sound 'abnormal', dealing with that compromise, limiting our sonic options in a huge way, and.. generally sounding the worse for it..
Nice ah?

 

[bassmonkey144]

sigh. i guess that explains the move back to vinyl...

thanks jammer for your observations and help