Delivery level for music to post mixer

[j-kizzle]

Hi,
Is there a standard level for delivering the music 2-mix to the post mixer? Since they are in control of the final output can I just deliver at -0.2 dbfs and expect them to trim it or should I leave more headroom for the mixer? I recently saw a FCP file for a TV commercial where the music was delivered at -7 dbfs.

Also any advice on professional protocol regarding delivery would be greatly appreciated. Do you throw a reference tone in there? A 2 pop so the mixer can sync the music up? Oddly, a lot of people I deliver to can't really definitively answer these questions and they just wing it when I post my file.

Thanks.

[TheHenchman]

I would love to see all music delivered with at least 10dB of headroom.
Anything but fullscale.

FULLSCALE SUCKS FOR POST.

[Starcrash]

FULLSCALE SUCKS FOR POST

Especially if they have to smash it with a limiter to peak at -0.2dBFS and not clip.

[KK Proffitt]

Hi,
Is there a standard level for delivering the music 2-mix to the post mixer? Since they are in control of the final output can I just deliver at -0.2 dbfs and expect them to trim it or should I leave more headroom for the mixer? I recently saw a FCP file for a TV commercial where the music was delivered at -7 dbfs.

Also any advice on professional protocol regarding delivery would be greatly appreciated. Do you throw a reference tone in there? A 2 pop so the mixer can sync the music up? Oddly, a lot of people I deliver to can't really definitively answer these questions and they just wing it when I post my file.

Thanks.

I agree with the 10dBFS headroom quote, but mainly as an average. Peaking to the top, but without compression is OK. NO OVERS. Reference tone is useful only if you are expecting a transfer to analog. 2 pop matched to white flash at the front and at the tail of video is a beautiful thing to have when the music is matched to video.

I sometimes have to use music from a CD cut and mix that with dialogue for a music video. Or I have to create SFX for syncing live video to a CD cut, but making the atmosphere live. In that case, I use the original mix, CD sfx (which are often full scale), my own foley (which varies) and dialogue I record, so stuff is all over the place.

What I really, really would like is the mix before it's mastered. I have run into so many compression artifacts for streaming with music that is squashed. I try to explain this to the music companies, but they think a mastered CD is the platinum standard for everything. It isn't.

[TVPostSound]

I try to explain this to the music companies, but they think a mastered CD is the platinum standard for everything. It isn't.

Hear. hear!!!
Producers insist on using that canned music, and then wonder why you can mix it properly with dialogue!!!

[philper]

The less I have to do to it the better. I understand concerns about not "mastering" in the modern pop music sense (ie "Finalized" to a flat line), but I would very much like peaks controlled. I'd also like the composer to realize that they are not mixing for a CD and respect the level structure I use in my mix (ie -10 peaks etc). After that it's all about how perceptive, careful and talented they are about composing around the dialog (if they actually ever listen to the dx). The music I get from really good composers often "just works" w/o much fiddling. Bless them.

Philip Perkins

[Mubeau]

hi!

please, no 0dBFS!
Eg.: for music which is intended "on screen", you need to apply EQ, reverb etc......
so if 0dBFS you´d have no headroom and therefore I´d have to lower the filelevel or the EQ gain first.
moreover, as said before: a music score compressed or limited to CD-max wont match well with recorded dalogue.
Just make sure (as you certainly know) that things like drums, percussion or solo instruments
are well balanced in the music... for TV I prefer them "a bit" lower-levelled (around 1 to 2 dB) than you´d do it for CD. So you will still hear "pad-sounds" or "soft string" cords on the "furniture" .
Yeah, and there always is +12dB fader gain in PT if needed...

thanks,
m.

[TheHenchman]

I disagree KK Proffit, I prefer a proper mix, not supercrompressed, but without peaks shooting out all over the place.
It is possible, as I've received music like that to work with.
Especially in TV land, I don't have time to be chasing peaks in music.

[Joe Mendelson]

i agree with all that's been said:
absolutley NOT fullscale. but i don't have a specific max peak i want you to hit. -3, -6, -10, i don't care as long as i've got SOME headroom. the original suggestion you made of -7 sounds fine to me.
and i also prefer somewhat compressed, but not smashed. as has been said, smashed sounds like crap, but we don't have time to chase peaks. so maybe i would say 'mixed, not mastered'.

[KK Proffitt]

I disagree KK Proffit, I prefer a proper mix, not supercrompressed, but without peaks shooting out all over the place.
It is possible, as I've received music like that to work with.
Especially in TV land, I don't have time to be chasing peaks in music.

You've received a "proper mix" with "peaks shooting out all over the place"? That would be very rare for me to receive here in Nashville. Over-compressed by neophyte "mastering engineers", sure, but a proper mix with "peaks shooting out all over the place", I haven't seen. Just lucky, I guess. On the other hand, I think that's kind of an oxymoron.

Actually, it's "Proffitt" with two f's and two t's, but you can call me "KK".

Hmmm, I thought a lot of people in "TV land" were having increasing time on their hands lately.