Mixing for relative volume

R

RyanHubris

New member
I've got a question thats been on my mind for a while now in regards to getting my songs "louder".

I'm currently doing a full length for my band using Sonar and whenever I mix down the files, they seem to be really quiet. For instance, if you put it in Winamp, and listen to it, then listen to any commercial recorded track (lets say... Beck or something), Beck sounds much louder.

The first obvious thing that clicked in my mind was to just turn up the tracks! But when I start to raise up the faders on the drums, (2 tracks, left and right) they start to enter into the red, past 0.0. Is that a problem? Meanwhile the rest of the instruments are sitting somewhere around -3.

Anyways I have a few ideas, hopefully you can shed some knowledge on what I should do, and why. Should I keep raising the drum volume even if its in the red? Right now I have some peaks at 1.4ish and it doesnt sound like anythings wrong. Or is there a certain kind of program I can run the songs into to make them instantly louder?

Thank you much in advance!
 
Commercial CDs have gone through mastering. Part of the mastering process can involve using a limiter to raise the overall volume of the mixes. Achieving that volume on your mixes is difficult, but you can strap a limiter across the master bus and make them louder. Try the Kjaerhus Classic Master Limiter (it's free). Whether or not you should do this to your mixes is an entirely different discussion.
 
You should never go above 0. If the percieved volume of the drums is quiet, you need to compress them. Same goes for everything else. After that, the song needs to be mastered.
 
Farview said:
You should never go above 0. If the percieved volume of the drums is quiet, you need to compress them. Same goes for everything else. After that, the song needs to be mastered.
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Can you please explain why it shouldn't go over 0?

Also, can you give me some basic compression settings that would work good on the drums? Lots of threshold and ratio? What kind of attack and release?
 
scrubs said:
Commercial CDs have gone through mastering. Part of the mastering process can involve using a limiter to raise the overall volume of the mixes. Achieving that volume on your mixes is difficult, but you can strap a limiter across the master bus and make them louder. Try the Kjaerhus Classic Master Limiter (it's free). Whether or not you should do this to your mixes is an entirely different discussion.
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Thanks a bunch for the link, but how do I install it / get it to work? (feel like a total newb haha)
 
RyanHubris said:
Can you please explain why it shouldn't go over 0?

Also, can you give me some basic compression settings that would work good on the drums? Lots of threshold and ratio? What kind of attack and release?
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What I tend to do is set it about 4/1 with a semi-fast attack and quick release. Set the threshold so that you get about 4db of reduction.

Another thing to do (all this depends on what you have and what you want it do sound like) is set the attack slower and the release slower and let the compressor pump in time with the beat.

0db is clipping, that's why. If you are recording at 24 bit, there is no reason to record that hot.
 
When I unzip the files for the various VST effects I end up with a .dll file for each of those effects. Classic Chorus.dll Classic Compressor.dll etc... To use these files the Sonar 4 that I use has a utility that runs separately from Sonar. It's called Cakewalk VST adapter. I take the XXXXX.dll file that is the VST adapter file, put it in a folder named VST somewhere on my hard drive. I run the VST adapter program and put the path to that VST folder into the VST Plug-in Search Path. After completing all of the steps in the VST adapter program, the VST plugin is available in Sonar. The version of Sonar that you have may require a slightly different procedure. Look in the "help" in your Sonar. Search for "VST" There could be instructions for installing VST plug-ins.
 
May I suggest using the "Search" facility and read all the posts that you find. I suggest using keywords such as "mastering" "loudness" "clipping" "limiter or limiting" etc. This question comes up at least 4 times a day.
 
noisewreck said:
May I suggest using the "Search" facility and read all the posts that you find. I suggest using keywords such as "mastering" "loudness" "clipping" "limiter or limiting" etc. This question comes up at least 4 times a day.
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I actually get way better results and find it much more effective to simply ask with my specifics. The suggestion is appreciated though!
 
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