So why does this keep happening to me?? Is this a compression problem??

R

Renflexx

New member
So, as i was mixing and recording, i do both at the same time, dont know if thats correct, i came with a problem.
My verse part is much louder than my chorus part, like in the chorus the voice just seems to go lower in volume and power, and i can't even touch anything or else it will peak on the red automatically.
Please download and listen to it and then tell me what you think i should do :/
Download here: View attachment WTF.mp3
 
do you have a compressor on it or any other automation or effects? maybe check you didn't accidentally automate something and check the gain on any effects you have on the tracks.
 
I have lots of compression. The chorus is a separated track from the rest.
But in both cases i have 2 compressors on the vocals, do you think i should lower my mix before the chorus?
 
Renflexx said:
I have lots of compression. The chorus is a separated track from the rest.
But in both cases i have 2 compressors on the vocals, do you think i should lower my mix before the chorus?
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If it's two tracks, maybe you were further away or off axis from the mic and it's just lower, and then if you add compression to that without really knowing what you are doing, you could create an even worse volume problem.

Why do you have two compressors on the vocals? Two total or two on each track's vocals? You should just need one per vocal track for most stuff.

I think you need to dig in and read about those compressors, and if you are going to record vocals on two separate tracks you should try to stand in the exact same spot and distance from the mic. Very small movement off axis of the mic can make it sound totally different and increase or decrease volume.
 
Okay, I'm not probably the guy to ask about compression. It's my biggest weakness. I like a lot of it and people are constantly telling me my stuff is overcompressed.... :)

Having said that, I listened and didn't think the chorus vocal sounded less energy or volume. Did sound like it was sung farther back from the mike. If you're running into situations where things are going into the red a lot, try turning everything down and making up the volume on the masters. Get the mix right, then get the volume right...

It's not uncommon in my mixes to have a compressor (say at 4:1) on each vocal track and several vocals sent to a vocal bus where I have a glue compressor (at 1.1-1.25:1). Same for guitars and drums. Then have all the busses going into the master where there will be a limiter (form of compressor). Can be upwards of 20 different compressors going in one song. Different types of compressor at various settings for different types of things..
 
I was going to say it sounds like things get tucked in a bit at :45 when the drums kick in- could be compression ducking the inst and vocal, but it could be you're pulling them down there? Also that's not the chorus yet(?
Vocals seem to stand out more in the chorus than the rest of the song,, so maybe I don't get the question.

Also- lots of stray 10k 'zinging around in the first half.

Regardles--
chorus the voice just seems to go lower in volume and power, and i can't even touch anything or else it will peak on the red automatically
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Get in with your volume envelopes-- on the tracks, the sub buss, or the master bus- as needed.. Most of this is shaped there- in the levels.
 
I don't see why you would begin mixing before recording is finished, first of all. My advice is to finish the recording, strip your vst's, and then begin the mix over.
 
Like andru said, don't mix while tracking. Record each track as best you can - at not-too-high levels, then mix. If turning up the vocal track is putting it into the red, then your other tracks are too loud - push them down.
 
Renflexx said:
So, as i was mixing and recording, i do both at the same time, dont know if thats correct, i came with a problem.
My verse part is much louder than my chorus part, like in the chorus the voice just seems to go lower in volume and power, and i can't even touch anything or else it will peak on the red automatically.
Please download and listen to it and then tell me what you think i should do :/
Download here: View attachment 96416
Click to expand...

Is that right off your main bus? Turn stuff down. Your mix level should be averaging around -18dBFS and peaks shouldn't even get close to 0dBFS.
 
mjbphotos said:
Like andru said, don't mix while tracking. Record each track as best you can - at not-too-high levels, then mix. If turning up the vocal track is putting it into the red, then your other tracks are too loud - push them down.
Click to expand...

+1 - you are probably too hot everywhere and you have no room left. Pull everything back down, get your mix correct, then on the master, when you are ready, bring all of the levels back up. You are going after loudness way too soon.

Turn up your headphones, speakers, etc. if you need it louder, but don't go for the final loudness while you are tracking and mixing. Keep compression usage to a minimum and use it only to tame the peaks. Use volume automation where it is a volume issue. Go easy with compression and EQ while tracking and mix only for tracking purposes, (mainly levels to get an idea of the song).

Unless it is an effect, try and refrain from using VSTs in the early stages.
 
Track, mix, master. Three separate issues.
A little bit of tweaking (i.e. making the drums/bass play well together before other tracks are done) won't hurt much, but yeah...don't keep going back and forth.
I've gotten into the habit of rendering my mix to stereo and making a new project with just the stereo track (and a reference track) for the mastering stage. It gets me to have better mixing technique if I don't have a glue compressor and limiter keeping things from clipping. If you need louder during mixing, turn up the speakers.

BTW, I've found it a lot easier to get a good mix (reference my last few attempts) since removing the mastering tools from the master bus. You just end up fighting when you turn up the vocal, the snare gets too quiet, then you fix that and the bass is wonky...on and on ad infinitum until you're frustrated and "settle".
Yes, it's more work to do your mastering separately, but it's a lot less work to get the mix right...and in the end, that's what you need to do. :)
 
I agree with the people who are saying to finish tracking before you start to mix.

I listened to the tune, and I didn't hear any issue with the verse being louder than the chours. It seemed to me like things got slightly louder in the chorus. My biggest issue is with the pad instrument(s). There was a guitar or a synth in there that had zero dynamics. It sucked the life out of the tune. There were a couple of vocal pitch issues too.
 
There's nothing wrong with mixing while you go, to a point. I like having things fairly compressed when tracking vocals. It encourages the singer to follow the dynamics more closely. Then I don't have to edit/compress/automate as aggressively.
 
bouldersoundguy said:
There's nothing wrong with mixing while you go, to a point. I like having things fairly compressed when tracking vocals. It encourages the singer to follow the dynamics more closely. Then I don't have to edit/compress/automate as aggressively.
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I also compress pretty hard when tracking vocals. But I don't see the point in trying to mix the entire song if tracking isn't done yet. I usually scrap those compressors and settings that I used in tracking when it's time to get them to actually sit in the mix. I don't want to get something all set and then track a new part that doesn't fit what I just worked hard on. How can you see the track as a whole if isn't finished yet? Just my opinion.
 
andrushkiwt said:
I also compress pretty hard when tracking vocals. But I don't see the point in trying to mix the entire song if tracking isn't done yet. I usually scrap those compressors and settings that I used in tracking when it's time to get them to actually sit in the mix. I don't want to get something all set and then track a new part that doesn't fit what I just worked hard on. How can you see the track as a whole if isn't finished yet? Just my opinion.
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Well, they do evolve and change, but I know from the start that I'll be compressing things. These days I mostly record one band in their recording/rehearsal/performance space, so I may have mixed the song live a dozen times or more before we go to track. As I'm part of the process of developing a song from the start I have a good sense of where it's going so I mix in that direction. If I weren't as familiar with the band I'd be more conservative, but I'd still mix as I went to some degree.
 
bouldersoundguy said:
Well, they do evolve and change, but I know from the start that I'll be compressing things. These days I mostly record one band in their recording/rehearsal/performance space, so I may have mixed the song live a dozen times or more before we go to track. As I'm part of the process of developing a song from the start I have a good sense of where it's going so I mix in that direction. If I weren't as familiar with the band I'd be more conservative, but I'd still mix as I went to some degree.
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With recording myself, over and over again, with the same guitars mics and drums, I get used to certain settings too and I have a good idea of what I'll eventually be using...I'm just saying, if the vocals are so out of whack, then maybe finishing the tracking first (with the gain suggestions ppl had) will help the mixing stage. In other words, it sounds like too much on the plate at one time. I didn't want to listen to the file and give a suggestion if there's still more to be done. Any tips or whatnot would be in the context of the song, and if that is still in progress, it would be difficult to give a final compression tip in relation to where the backing track currently sits.
 
And of course each song is different (no matter how much the same). Each brings it's own unique problems to solve. Everyone and every song has a different work flow. There is no right and wrong, but there are ways to do things that will be easier and yield consistently better results. It's just a matter of finding what those are for YOU. It's like the presets on a plugin. I've never just grabbed one and left it. Ever. There are ways to record that are tried and true in lots of major studios...that's a preset. :) Tweak it till it fits what YOU are doing.
 
The problem doesn't come from mixing too early, it comes from having the overall mix level too high. The exact same mix 12dB lower would solve the clipping problem. That's very much a technical problem and so it does qualify as "doing it wrong".
 
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