Use This On EVERY Mix!
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- Опубликовано: 25 сен 2022
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I think people should care less about -6 db but focus on proper gain staging because a well balanced mix can be pushed more than a unbalanced -6db mix
Either way is long as there is room for mastering later on, again a well balanced mix doesn’t necessarily means loud mix, all elements need to be in harmony and sound sonically balanced.
i think both are true. gain staging to -6db is my method.
either way mixing mastering is subjective
@@eddienashproductions7856 I don't even have tiktok man what are you talking about 🤣 And yes mixing is very subjective so trust your ears maybe reference with your choice of track, monitor with different devices specially with the trash speakers and that should be good enough.
@@frightnite7655 dude my bad. I truly wasn't trying to troll i got you confused with another bol. Please excuse the mistake. I can take the comment down if you like last thing I wanna do is be a jerk🤣🙏🏾
I route all of my project's mixer channels to one channel called 'Pre-Master'. That Pre-Master Channel goes to the Master. That gives me double the mastering FX slots, but more importantly, it gives me one additional fader to control the Master gain all in one, so I can keep my leveling of everything else in place. It's a really easy way to reduce the total gain of my track if it's getting too loud. I can also put a soft clipper on the pre-master as an option to ensure it doesn't go over 0dB before it hits the final Master.
Another benefit of using a dedicated Pre-Master channel is that I can set up a standalone 'Reference' mixing channel that I can drop reference tracks into my project to compare my mix against. The Reference track bypasses the Pre-Master and is routed straight to the master. This ensures that if I have started adding FX to my pre-master chain, it does not apply to the Reference track as that's already mixed/mastered. So all I need to do is gain match the Reference to my Pre-Master, and I can start EQing or working to tonally balance my track in live time, and do a direct comparison with plugins like SPAN on my Pre-Master and Reference as they play simultaneously (Reference sidechained to master so no output volume so I get to listen to just my track).
So to sum up and simplify, for me, I allow only 2 channels to route to the Master directly. A reference track channel, and my pre-master channel which is a sum of everything else.
This here is gold
I do exactly this too, never seen or heard of anybody doing this before, glad to hear its a good idea to do this 👍👍
Similar 👏🏻👍🏻👍🏻
I do the same. Learned this from Graham on The Recording Channel several years ago.
Yes! I label mine "Final Mix" and I can add any processing to the whole of the track. I leave the master channel for mastering.
Never thought about routing a reference track into the master. Sounds like a good idea. Thanks! 👑👑👑
Hi Streaky - Thanks as always for kindly sharing your knowledge - it is hugely appreciated.😊
Nice one. Since I typically start my tracks with a kick drum, I always just turn the kick down -10 db and mix everything around it…A trick I learned from D. Ramirez like 12 years ago. Works for me!
I start with the kick at -14db ;-)
U must house or something 😎😎😎
@@Sey_Les ???
You can use K-14 scale on Span Voxengo and let your kick hit 0db
So you adjust the input gain of the kick to -10db? And then you balance everything else around the kick also using the input gain? While leaving the faders at 0/unity?
I’m asking this because I see a lot of engineers just turning the Input gain of everything down by -9 or so then balance everything with the faders and start mixing from there.
Good idea, Streaky!
What I do: rather than adding a limiter with +6 dB, I simply turn up the volume of the stereo mix track by 6 dB. When I get the mix sounding strong and balanced, the mixing is finished and the mastering begins. I put the level of the stereo track back to unity and engage whatever limiting/compressing I am going to use for the mastering.
Yeah, love the vids and the great advice brutha! For my purposes, I created and saved a couple of quick -20 and -12db settings. Just like most desks had on the line inputs. Saves me time and I don't have to leave faders so low, the resolution is effected. Glad to know we use the same method. Could just be a Logic thing too.
Brilliant advice. Definitely going to be using this. Love the vids. Getting a lot of your shorts on my feed. Great stuff!!!
I use a limiter on the mix bus towards the end of a mix just to get an idea of how it will react to mastering but my preference is to keep my gain staging in check from the start by changing the gain of the regions or the output of whatever soft synth/sampler and keep it in check each time a plugin is added. This helps to get the best out of analogue emulation plugins and also means my mix is in a pretty good place with all faders at unity, which (in logic at least) means the scaling of the faders is much more precise than when you have the fader near the bottom. I usually just use the faders for fine tuning and volume automation. Most importantly I know my monitoring setup well. When working on a mix my control room level is always at exactly half way and I know how loud it should sound and how much energy the track should have at that volume without clipping and if it doesn't I still have work to do. If you know your monitor setup well then why fool yourself?
First, add a limiter to your master channel and add 5.5 to 6 dB of gain. Since you're looking to get your mix somewhere between -3 and -6 dB, this added gain will trigger your limiter around 2 dB of attenuation.
Next, Leave faders at 0dB (zero unity) and adjust input gain for all tracks first, before mixing! Moving your faders is considered output volume and is at the end of your Effects chain. If i have a signal coming into my mixer at -3 dB and adjust the output volume, it may sound quieter, but it doesnt change the input volume, or how loud the signal is coming in. When I load a plugin, I'll notice that the sound s still coming into it at -3 dB and if I, for instance, use and eq to make a boost, I'm essentially clipping now. You can use a gain plugin as the first slot on your Effects chain if you'd like, as opposed to the pregain slider/knob for each one. This still achieves the same thing, and helps to manage the volume on its way to your EQ, compressor, etc., and not stress them out.
By leaving faders at zero, you can also accuratley check the volumes going into each individual channel, and bus tracks as well. You should not be clipping in any of your channels!
Your pre-mix should contain a balanced volume of all your sounds and sit between -3 to -6 dB on the master. Now, time to start processing!
Make your adjustments, but always make sure to use the make-up gain in whatever effect you use to adjust the volume of a signal back to the level it was at before you added the effect! When it's all done, your mix should sound cleaner than your pre-mix, and still between -3 and -6 dB.
Then, if you want to move your faders, go for it. You'll only have to make slight movements to get a better blend of your signals.
As for what volume levels certain sounds should be around, that usually changes depending on genre.
Ive learned this recently, and as someone who mixes purely "in the box", this was game changing. Now I have to go back and fix it all.
Go forth and create! 👑👑👑
Dude! This is EXACTLY the process I've recently discovered, and it is a game-changer!
Isn't this the same if you record on 0dB and in the end you mark all and push the volume lower ;D
@BorislavStoyanov faders control output volume, not input. If you record at zero dB (you can try this), and then put an eq with a volume meter or limiter, then move the fader down, the volume level in the plugin doesn't change with it, because what the plugin is detecting the volume of the signal coming in. So the moment you process that sound and boost it (say your kick), you are now over 0db, despite bringing the fader down.
Input gain controls the volume of the signal before it enters the mixer. Output volume (faders) control the signal coming out from the mixer to your speakers.
I hope this helps.
I just learned this recently. I have gone back and remixed a couple dozen past mixes, and with recent new bus routing knowledge, I am making great progress. Old mixes are coming to life with so much more professional polish.
I'm right with you. I'm gaining so much knowledge in how to use all of the tools together to best maximize the final outcome. So much to learn, but one new technique seems to open a door to another, and in the end, you can just critically listen instead of trying to be an octopus on the fly and not being able to keep up.
Thank you! Am going to try it out! More vids like this pls!
This will definitely change how your mix will sound like when you remove the limiter, so you are basically mixing into a limiter and everything interacts as such. Unless you are super used to this method, with a known limiter, with tried and true settings, I simply think that lowering the gain of each individual track in the beginning of a mix is much safer method.
Absolutely...I think mixing into a limiter is actually pretty terrible advice esp. for beginners. In the worst case it just hides the clipping on the 2buss. Oddly in the thumbnail of this vid is a utility gain plugin shown that would do the job much better without changing relations and sound...
Yeah, I think this is more for an intermediate to advanced mix engineer. I usually now use channel gain in Studio One to reduce volume, so as not to be messing with the faders so much, and I find that would probably help beginners more so, because it can be hard to see where the RMS or Peak level is on the meter at very quiet levels.
Your videos have been a great help. Thank you ever so much for sharing your sorcery!
This one lesson had the most positive impact on my recording and mixing. Thanks Streaky. Bake on.
Wow. I've been mixing for 25 years. It never dawned on me to do this. Great tip. Thanks Streaky
Flipping brilliant.
This one and the Pultec Punch both.
Thank you.
I do a similar thing but with no latency, as I track instruments and vocals throughout the production/mix process: a utility gain plugin into "cliponly" by airwindows. Gain staging with HoRNet's "TheNormalizer" is a great time saver too.
Great lil vid will definitely use this amazing tip thank you 🙏🏽
wow, this was a new thing to me. I will absolutely try it! Thanks! :)
I've been using the Steven Slate FG-X2 at my master bus with the 6dB of gain and works wonderful for allowing a good headroom for mastering.
Weird advice but I guess makes sense if your listening volume never changes. I simply set my kick, the loudest sound in the mix to -18 dbs rms and everything else mixed to the kick. I never clip and have more than enough headroom for mastering (usually -10 to -12 db). Limiter on the master with default settings from the start just to keep a hot signal from crushing my ears.
How is it weird? That's how YOU mix. Not everyone does. Some people mix through a limiter. Some pick a different start point to start their mix with. It's just a tool to have. He's literally just working backwards.
@@thesoundmajors9858 I've worked with and learned from many established artists who don't do this...this is why its weird to me. I think I'm entitled to that opinion, aren't I? But thanks for explaining what was already obvious to me.
Lol I’m that weird person that mixes at -10dB 😂😂
I’m gonna give this a try on a mix I’m gonna do tomorrow. Thanks!
This is my process also, i find when I produce/ mix this way, by the time the track is finished, I'm typically left with more than enough headroom on the master. Then bounce out and master as a stereo track in a fresh project!
I modify the gains on tracks to make the clips -6dB from max and keep the faders around the 0dB mark for a range of +12 to -infinity automation. I also use a gain plugin on those tracks that need more than +12dB of automation. Quite useful using a separate gain plugin on vocal tracks for doing the bulk of automation, and using the fader for longer-term lifts, such as in choruses.
I use -6dB on the main busses to feed the output stages, and automate around this figure to bring dynamics to the track. With all the previous gain-staging done, this works perfectly for me. The output limiter usually needs about ~6-9dB of gain to get to a -10 LUFS output, and a little more for -8 LUFS. But usually I'll leave the headroom and master it in a separate project after a week of not listening to the track.
Same exact way I was taught! I still use this method, I believe it is the proper method to gain stage any project
@Outside The Octagon with James Semrow I usually master in a separate project but leave as long as possible in between mixing and mastering to clear my ears. Gives a fresh listen and sometimes mistakes pop out like a sore thumb.
I set input gain levels so signals peak at a good chunk below clipping, perhaps -6 to -12dB. If I then need to HEAR the mix louder, I turn up the speakers!
Same here. This is mainly because i do the mastering in a different project (studio one has a brilliant separate mastering project function) so i leave the mixing projects master channel usually naked without anything in it (if i don't want some sort of effect to work on EVERYTHING in the mix) . 👌
Similar move for live mixing. For digital mixing we start with maybe -16 when gain staging live - then just build the mix forward from good instrument gain.
Pretty simple, really 👍
I heard someone recommend leveling the drum bus to -23Lufs and mixing from there. So far with this technique I've ended up in the -17Lufs range at the 2buss. So, it's not quite 6dB, but not terribly far off.
Brilliant, thanks! Will definitely try this right away 👍
Thanks for the short and simple video!
Great tip and one I commonly use. Enjoying the vid’s Streaky. 😊
Great trick there - will try that - What I have been doing on my stereo buss (first insert) I have a slate mix rack my first module is the trimmer then the mix buss module then an eq all on that mix rack - adjust the trimmer as needed when channels get to hot but I then have to adjust my waves SSL buss compressor when moving the trimmer - but it works great keeping at least 2.5 to 3 db of head room on the stereo buss - I like to drive the channel faders a bit to get nice saturation manage the stereo buss as needed -
Nice idea. I generally just keep an eye on the master and do add a limiter of forms towards the end of the mix for any rogue spikes.
Thanks Streaky you’ve done it again! Would love to see you do a video on harmonic distortion & how to apply it. Using Saturn 2 and other in the box methods. Cheers mate.
That's really interesting. I end up with this setup, but I haven't started with it, and it's a great idea. Thanks for sharing.
I very often do this during the writing phase. Very nice tip 👍
Usually the struggle is with negative phase on synths can be checked by correlometer by voxengo and fixed with for example bx_control2. Also If looking on the meter there could be sometimes a big difference between peak and rms on literally transients are poking trough which could be fixed by a peak limiter.
I needed this. Thank you for
Your videos
Wow, I’ve never thought of doing that before. Thanks for the tip!! 😎👍👍👍
Yes I do this, I actually prefer this to using a limiter on the master, as you’re working without the cieling
Thank you, this was very helpful!
Thank you I dint understand it initially
but now I do
Good workflow! Will check it out
Simple bot powerful tip..!! thanks @Streaky !👍👍
I set my kick at -18dB (roughly analogue 0dB), then build everything around it. After rough mix, I put a limiter to bring the volume up to roughly -12lufts, then finish mix, remove limiter, then master. Never had an issue with clipping/distortion.
thanks... I was taught (way too late) in dance music which is centered around the kick, to keep the kick at -6db and then the track goes around it which has worked for me, and then I carried that into other types of music. But good to know another way.
Thanks Streaky🤝
I've done this ever since!! I know Tchad Blake and Shawn Everett does this as well where they've cranked the gain on their limiters without even limiting the mix so basically making up gain and then internally they're not clipping
Great tip. Thank you!
Ohhhhhh that’s a sneaky little trick. Thanks man, nice tip! I’m totally gonna try that
I used to worry about clipping in individual channels but then when I was on a settings diving period, I realized that reaper internal processing is at 64 bit floating point. You can't clip it is just an indication , I use the stock eq as the first plugin in my master buss and if I need I reduce the gain there, so I don't mess with the balance of the tracks. You don't clip the individual channels but you need to pay attention not to oversaturate the next in line plugins and to not clip at rendering. I use it as a gain plugin in every group also, so I can change the gain staging of my whole fx chain and keep whatever setting fits the track
I like to export my mixes for master at roughly around -6db. Plenty of headroom for mastering but not too low so limiters etc don’t have to work so hard. I’ve seen people shoot for -9db or -10db. It’s all personal preference and style but as long as there’s enough headroom and things aren’t already clipping most mastering engineers don’t care what the mix arrives to them as.
I don't understand this tho. If your in a digital daw... Why would it make a difference if u export at -6db or -1db? Isn't it the same thing but one is louder
Nice thought! I myself gain stage so that my master output is loud. It’s the same psychological hack/ idea without involving anything on my main out/ stereo out. As my monitoring level is loud, I naturally turn everything down.
Genius your videos are amazing lots of useful knowledge 👌
Love this tip man! Thank you...
I put on the major elements, in specific order bass kick groove , claps hats , synthn vocal fx, iuse ableton, at a certain moment i mute from all and unm7te 1 by 1, and gain stage each element. Using utility, to get around -6 on each channel. On the master i put lim8ter which i put later to 0db.
Neat idea! I like it.
Nice one streaky !!
Great Tip
Thank you for these genius tips
So simple!!! nice thanks for the tip
Thanks man
I always mix with a VU meter set -18LUFS on master channel as a reference for individual tracks and/or whole mix
Best for all plugins 👍🏻
This is how I work as well. A VU meter calibrated to -18 dB on your master is good for checking individual tracks, but make sure you calibrate the VU to -15 dB when checking the whole mix. This always gets me a -6 dB mix. If your VU is set to -18 dB when checking the whole mix, this tends to lead to unnecessarily quiet mix.
You meant you calibrated your VU meter to -18dbvu to act as a “zero”. Dont know how much does that result in dbfs now without checking but anyhow. You can only set your VU meter to a measuring unit of dbvu. Or am i wrong here? What VU meter plugin are you using?
@@mariobutkovic8033 Yeah, I'm assuming that's what he meant. Can't measure LUFS with a VU! 🙂
This Is my favorite way to mix too, i also use gain on tracks to manage the gain staging.
what I tend to is turn down the output level on any compression or EQ plugins I use on a track, I find that really helps with avoiding clipping
Best practice is actually matching the output of EQs and Compressors to the input (in fact all plugins that change the sound/tone). I say matching and not 'turning down' as sometimes you need to turn the output up, sometimes down to match the input, depending on what the plug is doing.
In other words, if your compressor is doing 3db gain reduction then you should 'make up' the same amount of gain on the output by turning up 3db so input matches the output. I do this for two reasons - 1. Then you know exactly how the plugin is changing the sound and not just making it louder/softer, then you know if you actually want the sound of the effect and are not being bias towards volume changes. 2. This actually also helps massively with gain staging. If you do a rough ballpark gain stage + volume balance at start of mix for each track to get the master output where you want, then any plug you add for processing throughout your entire mix will not massively effect your master output if you match input+outputs each time. When you get used to it it becomes automatic and then your mix never gets out of control. Any gain/volume changes that you need to do for balance/automation you can then do using faders or an additional gain/trim plugin at end of chain (so you don't mess with other plugin settings e.g. GR on compressor).
Great video Streaky and thanks for the tip! I like to keep a 'brick wall' limiter on the Master Buss (and saved to a template) set so it doesn't clip from the start. You can save a preset on the limiter of -6DB output, if you wish. The reason I don't do this is I also route every track to a single Mix Buss, and reduce the gain on the Mix Buss to -6DB. So every track is summing to the Mix Buss, reduced by -6DB, then routed to the Master Buss, which has the brick wall limiter. Not sure if it's right, but it works in most cases, thanks again!
Redirectin to 1 mix bus is A God level trick!
So every track in your mix is routed to a mix bus door everything, Than To the master? What brick wall limiter do you use? Noob here sorry
An added bonus of summing all your tracks to a "pre-master" bus is that you can have a reference track on another fader for A/B testing, so you can alter the gain on the reference and the pre-master (which usually has some effects on it that you don't want applied to the reference, but that would be applied to the reference if all your tracks were sent directly to the master with effects on it). In these days where we effectively have infinite tracks, it makes sense to create and use several busses/groups for workflow improvements.
@@sealinski Hi, sorry that it took so long for me to respond. What I was talking about is routing all faders to a "Mix Bus", then routing that to the Master Bus. You can then control the volume of all tracks before anything hits the Master Bus by simply controlling the Mix Bus. For instance, if clipping is occurring during/after export, you can lower the DB level on the Mix Bus below the amount that was clipping to compensate (ie, -4DB). In terms of a brick wall limiter, I use Waves' L1 Ultramaximizer on the Master Bus, set to 'True Peak', set at about -0.5 on the 'Output.' In terms of a reference track, you can leave a track just for that, it doesn't have to be summed to a Mix Bus or anything else, but it will go through the Master Bus, and you will have to disable effects/inserts in order to hear that track 'as is.' There is also such a thing as a 'Listen Bus' but you can also use a plugin called "Metric A/B" for referencing that works extremely well. Hope that helps!
However you do it, just make sure your gain staging is good throughout the entire chain. If I’m working with tracks that are recorded very hot, I might reach for the trim plugin in ProTools and have that first. But I only do it on an as needed basis.
Good tip thank you! I would like to see if you could give any tips on balanding edm music cheers!
I set every channel to around -18 db using a gain plugin at the end of my chain. Then I balance from there by raising and lowering those gain plugins. That way all my faders are at zero even after I've achieved a good balance. And my master bus is nowhere close to clipping.
I'm also very careful to get the right input levels into each of my plugins. You can either do this using a gain plugin, or the input and output dials on the plugins themselves.
👆🏻👆🏻👆🏻🔥🔥🔥
Great tip! Cheers!))
I do this with the dimmer function, just set your headphones louder. If it is still too loud, then I set a limiter. But a limiter may confuse you later, i don’t know. I also have a send just for gain.
i just pull all the faders down to -6 and stick a limiter on the master while im writing, so what i hear in the final mix is similar to the end product - I used to do mastering last, but I find that if i do it near the start, my mixes are a lot cleaner when i remove the limiter.
i go even further, i max the gain on my monitors/headphone on the dac and work from there, then ill raise stuff up if i feel like it but normally i balance all with compression and pull the lvls in the end to relative close lvls to send to mastering.
I feel like im doing something out of the ordinary but i like the sound and the work flow around it
GREAT IDEA BROTHER!
Excellent info.
I'm doing something similar, except I go about it differently. I have a free clipper called KClip Zero doing very light clipping first. Then I'm doing a serial limiter with the free D16 Frontier with soft clip active and getting audio to about -6 peak, going into my Melda UltraMaximizer brick wall. The Melda is set to +3 input and a -1.5 ceiling. This nets me -1.5 dBFS peak, according to the Melda MLoudnessAnalyzer. For this Livestream project, it's more than acceptable to limit dynamics somewhat, and it's intentional on my part.
I actually found out about the first trick +6db on my own. Glad to know someone else using this trick
When I started using a digital mixer the manual said, that you are best off with the channel gain if you aim for -18 dB. In a daw you can use a utility plugin or just adjust the output of your softsynth or whatever so that you are around -18 dB. You'll never overload anything. Similar principle as described in the video but done by proper channel gain instead of tricking yourself with the limiter. Maybe the mix might sound great with the limiter, but without it is really bad. The proper way is to make the mix as good as it gets without anything on the master and of course not overloading it. You'll get a reasonable good mix to start mastering it.
Great tips
As an aside. In Logic, I route all tracks to Buss 1 then route Buss 1 to Stereo Out. I run all channels at -14, or K14
I will def try this on future mixes. In the past I’ve used a gain plugin on the mix bus to tame the overall output. Seemed to work ok but what are your thoughts on this? Thanks for all the great knowledge!
This is a good trick… I also diligently work towards -6Db by composing and writing at around -12Db. By the time I get my mix “right” I’m at -6!
So you aim everything at -12db At the start? Or what do you do? Noob here, thanks.
I do exactly the same but instead of the limiter I use the utility gain plug in on plus 6db as I feel the limiter changes the sound somewhat so when I take it off it sounds slightly different but doesn’t with the gain plug in 👍
Good one!
All ready doin it but yes that is great 🙌🏼
Hello sir. Since I didn t see anyone s comment like mine here it goes... First I set my gain staging at -17db in every sound, sample or synth I m using... I am bad at mixing, so I try the 3db rule... I ll start by pulling down -3db in every sound until the desired volume... Usually I stay between -8db and -10db in my master fader , plenty of headroom for my mastering. I would love to get some tips on mixing , so if you can please put down a video about it, I ll be eternally grateful. Tks for sharing and have a great week sir.
Streaky you the best!
Everything helps.. I do something similar. Even after decent gainstage, I actually turn my speakers up quite a bit and then mix down. That kinda gives the same elusion which in turn forces me to mix quieter as far as how hard mix hits the output
Wow I didn't know I was doing the right thing but it was working now I have a witness.
Isn't using a gain plugin with 6db better than using a limiter with 6db because the limiter may be doing some gain reduction especially on the kicks so it doesn't guarantee that you're going to have enough headroom once you get rid of it at the end of the production session...
Streaky thank you for this
We live in amazing time! Thanks
Genius!
Another advantage is you are getting a sense of what your track is going to sound like after it's limited... And you're getting the advantage of getting to mix towards that from the beginning.
That’s genius! 👍
While I don't understand how other people end up with overloaded channels (I rarely have that problem and it's usually only because I've added or removed an unusual plug-in and it can be remedied in a few seconds). However, I like the idea of the -6 dB as a sensible precaution to endure that the master output will always prove headroom. I'll give that a go tbh! Thanks!
I always start with the kick at -6 I keep the master fader at 0 db , I only put a mono plugin on the master channel, only at the end I then add effects and take it off , I have tried adding doing it that way but I like the I do it .
Nice tip 👍🏻
i like when videos are not longer than needed ! NIce education thanks !
Similar principle as just mixing into the mix buss compressor. If not, I would suggest good gain staging.
I dont need a limiter...just use -12dB on every channel when you start. If you still have overdrive/ reds , that will teach you recognizing low and top end headroom . Low end headroom is like a tsunami, top end is like 'fuck it's still clipping' -> way more headroom (peaks) , and easier to to miss. I also sometimes use the 4dB rule in leveling. Drop volume until the track starts to wash (away) in the mix, by using 4dB steps. That will teach you dB ear training as well, while speeding up the process.
Or use a white noise track as a reference leveler, drop volume until the noise starts to wash away on said channel. One might argue; anybody would prefer a different type of noise instead of white noise.Noise profiles have an EQ profile.
Another tip; close your eyes when you're not sure if the track pops out enough without overdoing gain.
Use your feeling to decide if it's enough/ too much
What do you mean by "wash away"?. Thanks.
@@fviannaval
Noise method; Add a noise track, and drop the volume of any sound track until the noise track washes (interferes) away the volume of the sound track, and stop there. I see I have to correct my comment. Thanks...It's not a definitive method , but it will get you faster towards overall balance of the entire mix.
4dB rule method; drop volume in steps of 4 dB and listen if the sound starts to wash away in the overall mix. You will notice how much (dB) margin you will have in the mix. it's more then you think.
@@Projacked1 you are too kind, sir, thank you!
You should really reference to pink noise as white noise will be too biassed towards the high frequencies.
@@Pinkybum You are right sir, but that could be intentional. It's a good starting point, but not definitive.
White noise will give a very linear result.
Just some thoughts, okay:
1. As long as you are still in the digital domain the red channel clip lights don't matter. If you really don't care for proper gain staging and your master goes into the red ... pull the master fader down. That's why they made that thing. Otherwise we wouldn't need a master fader, would we? 64bit internal processing makes that possible. There is no such thing like internal channel clipping.
2. Instead of a limiter, insert a bus compressor in your master bus. If you hit THAT too hard you hear it pumping and choking the mix. That's an audible way to know if you should take down the level of your tracks or even better: WHICH track is too loud because a too loud kick drum triggers the compressor differently than a rythm guitar. By using a bus compressor you can also dial in the vibe you want to hear by setting the track levels accordingly.
3. You got a volume knob for your monitor output on your interface. Use that bloody thing! Gainstage a signal to -18dbFS RMS and crank that volume knob to the point where it is almost too loud. Then leave it there and start mixing. You will stay below that ouch-threshold automatically. But if you can't get a channel loud enough although you hit the red light chances are you need to compress it.
I try to start the mix with a high output from any monitor control to avoid high output level from the tracks
I’m struggling with dolby atmos mix how to make sure I’m leaving room for mastering !! And mixing settings
Produce into my mixing template pretty much. But sometimes i add ProL and add good 6-8 db.
cranking the volume on the monitors and mixing up from negative infinity db works too
Very educative... When mixing I avoid any sort of clipping on the mix buss. I generally hit -6 to -3db range. Never ever clip. Standard practice