TGF Do Something Challenge Week 6!

[norminal]

I came across this video. It might help?

Thank you! This helped a lot. So, let’s say I have double tracked guitars and I want to apply, say, a reverb to them both. Is it best practice to send all of them to a bus with the reverb VST inserted?

Also, I’m assuming this saves CPU because you’re using less instances of the same VST?

 

[DrewJD82]

Thank you! This helped a lot. So, let’s say I have double tracked guitars and I want to apply, say, a reverb to them both. Is it best practice to send all of them to a bus with the reverb VST inserted?

Also, I’m assuming this saves CPU because you’re using less instances of the same VST?

That's how I do it for everything, especially vocals.

Also, MusicTechHelpGuy on YouTube taught me more about Logic than any other channel.

 

[norminal]

Also, MusicTechHelpGuy on YouTube taught me more about Logic than any other channel.

I just found his channel. He’s got a ridiculous amount of content.

 

[norminal]

Looks like I won’t be participating here for a few more days. Apparently poison ivy grows in the winter.

 

[fretworn]

Looks like I won’t be participating here for a few more days. Apparently poison ivy grows in the winter.

Leaves of three, let it be … YT time

Sorry bruddah.

 

[norminal]

Leaves of three, let it be … YT time

Sorry bruddah.

That’s the thing. There weren’t any leaves. But apparently it was sprouting. To make things worse, I had gloves covering my hands and forearms. I’m very sensitive to it. If I just look at it, I break out.

 

[norminal]

Do this for the bass and the kick too.

If you want to get extra fancy you can use a multi band compressor to duck out only specific frequencies. I like my kick's low end to live around 60hz so I duck out the bass in the 60hz region.

Just tried this with kick and bass and already my mix sounds tighter. What’s the simplest way to normalize a mix to get the most volume without compressing the crap out of it? Limiter before the stereo output?

 

[mavrick102000]

That’s the thing. There weren’t any leaves. But apparently it was sprouting. To make things worse, I had gloves covering my hands and forearms. I’m very sensitive to it. If I just look at it, I break out.

Even when you kill it, the oil in the plant can remain active for nearly 5 years and cause the typical skin issues.

 

[DrewJD82]

Just tried this with kick and bass and already my mix sounds tighter. What’s the simplest way to normalize a mix to get the most volume without compressing the crap out of it? Limiter before the stereo output?

A limiter works, just watch how much it’s limiting or you’ll end up doing the exact same thing you’re trying to avoid, just with a different plug-in.

Gain staging takes a while to figure out and even though I’ve been at it a few years, I still find myself running into situations where I have to pull everything back. Just this weekend I checked a mix that sounded like a Napster Mp3 from ‘00 just because I had everything cranked slightly higher than it should have been.

I try to lower everything to the point the plugins have plenty of headroom to do their thing, but every mix is going to be different. Ultimately, there’s a certain amount of “If you want it louder, turn the f*cking volume knob up” that I place on the listener because the last thing I want is to get into brickwall territory, even if that means whatever I put out isn’t comparable to a commercial release.

 

[fretworn]

Just tried this with kick and bass and already my mix sounds tighter. What’s the simplest way to normalize a mix to get the most volume without compressing the crap out of it? Limiter before the stereo output?

Learn to use your multimeter… There are lots of good, YouTube videos out there.

Typically the advice is generally use your ears, but a good visual aid on monitoring your levels is critical.

Read/watch re: about rms, peak, and LUFs and standards. Kinda boring but quick, easy and key.

 

[norminal]

A limiter works, just watch how much it’s limiting or you’ll end up doing the exact same thing you’re trying to avoid, just with a different plug-in.

Gain staging takes a while to figure out and even though I’ve been at it a few years, I still find myself running into situations where I have to pull everything back. Just this weekend I checked a mix that sounded like a Napster Mp3 from ‘00 just because I had everything cranked slightly higher than it should have been.

I try to lower everything to the point the plugins have plenty of headroom to do their thing, but every mix is going to be different. Ultimately, there’s a certain amount of “If you want it louder, turn the f*cking volume knob up” that I place on the listener because the last thing I want is to get into brickwall territory, even if that means whatever I put out isn’t comparable to a commercial release.

This is exactly where I am right now. Currently watching a Music Tech Help Guy video.

The last track I posted here was about -8 dB peak on the output and is much lower than even some of the more dynamic recordings that I’ve been listening to. Will report back.

 

[fretworn]

Other can people chime in here, cause I’m brand-new to this… DAW recording. (Came from analog and you had to watch signal to noise ratios on everything and clipping was bad. I realize clipping is still bad ha!)

-0.1 dB peak limited (I use Ozone 10)

Last track was pretty hot at -4.5 LUFs … I think more common in -7.5 to -8?

I’m using izotope ozone’s to manage but any good limiting plug should work.

Ozone makes it pretty freaking simple as long as you are generally aware of the tools concepts.

Ozone 10 Features

Explore Ozone 10's new features. Balance with the new Stabilizer Module, add punch with the new Impact Module, and match the sound of your favorite chart-topping hits with the new Master Assistant. .

www.izotope.com

Improved Maximizer threshold learning using integrated loudness measurement
Loudness and ceiling optimization for Streaming and DJ Player NEW

Magnify Soft Clip for mastering NEW
IRC III & IV
IRC LL (Low Latency)
IRC I & II
Transient Emphasis
Threshold & ceiling link
Threshold learn
Stereo Independence
Available as module
Three soft clip intensity styles
Maximizer

 

[norminal]

Without turning this into a mixing thread, below is the original track that I posted and a new mix with side-chain compression on the bass and adaptive limiter on the output:





Please ignore the rest of the mix, for I haven't really touched anything else.

 

[la szum]

So I was thinking about this a bit… And I think the explanation is this.

The drums are bussed to f/x pair of faders that has a short drum room reverb… Read small and bright.

(Getting a little deeper here. I think small and bright provides kind of an early reflection action against the background of a longer reverb tail, but maybe seems like a pretty long pre-delay, indicating a huge room? That’s the theory.)

I think when that is mixed against the larger verbs on other instruments it gives the impression of a lot of impact without getting smeared by a larger reverb.

I also tend to mix my drums up forward for reasons… Not always the best choice necessarily lol.

I love a forward mix on drums, too. I was just commenting that the drums were big and kind of bombastic. Maybe it
was the 'Verb. Not a critique as much as an observation. I'd rather hear/feel more drums than less.

I also like drums as effect.... or highly effected drums. That can be a cool feel/basis for a song. Think 80's era Phil Collins.

 

[norminal]

I love a forward mix on drums, too.

I like a snare that smacks you in the face.

 

[fretworn]

I like a snare that smacks you in the face.

Next tune will be a big kraken sidestick

Working on week 7 currently

 

[fretworn]

I love a forward mix on drums, too. I was just commenting that the drums were big and kind of bombastic. Maybe it
was the 'Verb. Not a critique as much as an observation. I'd rather hear/feel more drums than less.

I also like drums as effect.... or highly effected drums. That can be a cool feel/basis for a song. Think 80's era Phil Collins.

I get you brother.

I need the feedback because it’s hard for me to ever understand how other people hear these things.

And then the words we use make it harder even yet, no?

So I try to break it down into what actually happened on the track and how it translates so that I can repeat it… Or not lol.

 

[Iron1]

Without turning this into a mixing thread, below is the original track that I posted and a new mix with side-chain compression on the bass and adaptive limiter on the output:





Please ignore the rest of the mix, for I haven't really touched anything else.

Definitely a huge difference on my system when listening to those two. Thanks for the idea.

I've been wrestling with how to get a louder final mix on my band, 2x4's debut song for a few weeks now. Just applied the Limiter on the Output and viola... sounds much better. Had to pull all the levels back a bit, and still need to tweak a bit, but it was dramatically quieter than a commercial release, and now I think it's getting closer:

And, of course, trying to anticipate the way Soundcloud squashes stuff is always a thing.

But, here's the last pre-vocals version at "normal" output volume:



and what I just output using the Limiter trick:



Still needs work and fine-tuning, but definitely a big volume difference.

Edit to add: Turned on my DB meter and there's roughly a 7-10db difference in the room playing these through my monitors.

 

[Iron1]

Threw this together last night and this morning to see how my new (to me) Solar A2.7FRLN gets along with my Jackson Pro HT7.



Gear used (link to another TGF thread)

 

[TravisG406]

Yet another iPad demo