tips on mixing in logic?

[SynGatesFan200]

ok so.... i basically finished the pre-production of my album and everything sounds absolutely fantastic.... through garageband and logic that is. when i export the song to itunes or my desktop, everything is very distorted. i understand that this is a volume/clipping issue. when i have "auto-normalize" on, everything sounds just the way it should but very quite. so, in an effort to make it louder, i turn off this option. the volume level returns to normal but everything is distorted. how can i fix this? can i have some examples of EQing, compression, and filtering? i am recording through a Lexicon lambda into my iMac 24 inch.

 

[wphantom]

If clipping occurs then your mix level is too high ! depending on the guys, the master maximum peak level should be in the -6/-14 dBfs range. At least it have to be inferior to 0dBfs. Above 0dB the sound will be clipped.

You should then lower the level of all your track or at least (not a real good option) level down your master level.

For the loudness issue, this is a (pre)mastering... Not simple for a beginner but you will find starting up tutorials on the web.

You will have do use at least a compressor (or muliband compressor) on the master, there are also maximizer, EQ etc... But too much will kill the dynamics of your mix. There is some compromise to find here between loudness and dynamics..

Sylvain aka wphantom

 

[noisewreck]

If clipping occurs then your mix level is too high ! depending on the guys, the master maximum peak level should be in the -6/-14 dBfs range. At least it have to be inferior to 0dBfs. Above 0dB the sound will be clipped.

While you're right about the levels being too high, you are confusing RMS and peak levels. Peak levels don't have to be that low. In fact, as long as they don't go past 0dBFS, you're OK. You might want them to be around -2 to -3dBFS just to have a safety margin, but -14dBFS is way too low.

To the OP. Don't worry about the level being too low. As long as it doesn't distort you're OK. Loudness comes from applying limiting, which is best left at the mastering stage.

When you're playing it back in Logic, what is the output level on that master outputs? If it's going past 0dBFS, it's too loud and will distort.

 

[wphantom]

While you're right about the levels being too high, you are confusing RMS and peak levels. Peak levels don't have to be that low. In fact, as long as they don't go past 0dBFS, you're OK. .

Yes it absolutely has to beunder 0dbFS.


But, a lot of mastering studio advises that you mix at peak between -6/-12dB FS (no confusion at all). It is just an advice. This is to leave some headroom so that you can amplify some frequency and also for a problem of line level of hardware components (comp, eq etc...).

This is not an obligation. If your mix reach say -1dBfs, they will decrease the level first. Not a big issue but it's better if this operation can be avoided.

In 24bit recording there is no problem in lowering the level.


But here the only mandaotry rule is "don't cross the zero line"


Sylvain

 

[guitar zero]

If clipping occurs then your mix level is too high ! depending on the guys, the master maximum peak level should be in the -6/-14 dBfs range. At least it have to be inferior to 0dBfs. Above 0dB the sound will be clipped.

You should then lower the level of all your track or at least (not a real good option) level down your master level.

For the loudness issue, this is a (pre)mastering... Not simple for a beginner but you will find starting up tutorials on the web.

You will have do use at least a compressor (or muliband compressor) on the master, there are also maximizer, EQ etc... But too much will kill the dynamics of your mix. There is some compromise to find here between loudness and dynamics..

Sylvain aka wphantom

I agree with this. I aim for peaks of -12 to -6 dbfs for the master track that will go off for mastering. If you want to export to iTunes for a listen, and want it louder, you can just put the adaptive limiter in Logic on the master track. Set the maximum for around -0.2 dB and adjust the volume coming in to the master so that the limiter is just doing some gentle reduction. Then bounce.

As for mixing, do this and your clipping problems will go away, and your mixes will sound better: Insert at the top of each channel a gain plug followed by a level meter. Track by track, with the gain plug, turn down each track until your peak levels meter reads -18 to -15 dbfs peaks. Do this with every track. This will remove all possibility for digital clipping within your plug-in comps, eqs, etc. Your mixing will get a lot easier.