How do I make my recordings louder?

[TrippSTRAT]

I just got my new Digi 001 system a few days ago. I have recorded some classical guitar and electric guitar stuff with it. Whenever I listen to the final CD though, it just sounds too weak. I have to turn the volume way up in my car to get a good volume level. I have applied the "dither" plug in to a master fader and have normalized the tracks also. I think I did it right anyway. For the classical guitar, I'm using an AKG C3000 mic and I set the level to where it is almost clipping, but not quite. For the electric, I plugged straight in a Line 6 POD and went into the XLR input on the Digi 001. It still ended up sounding weak though. Can anyone please tell me what I may be doing wrong and give me some tips on how to fix this? Thanks. Oh, one other thing. Does it make a difference if I record in 24 bit if it's going to end up being in 16 bit on the CD?

[VillageGreen]

A lot of questions and I would be suspect of anyone who writes a post saying step 1,2 3, and your recordings are mastered.

24 to 16 conversion isn't the problem. Are you using any compression? Do you have a pre-amp besides the digi? What plugins do you have?

If you only started a couple of days ago, give yourself a some time to experiment.

[GORILLA]

TrippStrat welcome to the world of Digi!!!!
First off sounds like ya got good equipment, you just need more hours being an engineer [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img] What kind of plug-ins do you have? These will help tremendously! And you can download for FREE just about any plug-in you may want to buy. Your not doing anything wrong>>it's called, experimenting and learning [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img] You've only had yer system for a few days! Three years ago I was in the same boat as you...wondering why my stuff didn't sound as good and as LOUD as my C.D.'s of my favorite bands. Well, three years later an many $$$$$.$$ later, I'm just now getting KILLER results [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img]
Oh yeah click on the word search on top of the page and type in "loud C.D.'s" or "louder" or anything you have questions for and I'm almost positive you'll get some excellent answers then. I do it all the time!!! Most of all HAVE FUN you have your own home studio now and it aint costing ya nothing!!!

[TrippSTRAT]

Thanks for your help. I'll look into those plug ins.

[The Mighty Burner]

Hi Tripp -

I just want to second Gorilla's remarks...they are right on the money. You just need more ENG experience and some appropriate plugs...and you can't go wrong with Waves plug-ins...I love 'em.

I have learned alot here on the DUC....I try to check in on a daily basis now, mostly just reading and absorbing ideas which I can experiement with at home. I've learned about mic placement, signal flow, converters, sync issues, etc....you name it. I suggest you hang out here as much as possible.

To more specifically address your question (and someone correct me if I am wrong), I believe that the primary contributing factor to the overall volume of your final mix is compression. More specifically, the peak limiting variety. The idea is to figure out where the highest peaks in your stereo mix are and reduce them while bringing the overall volume of the rest of the waveform up. This creates a much louder overall signal, and many CDs today are compressed to death in an effort to make them as loud as possible. The trade of is (and this is key!) as you even out and boost the overall volume, you lose dynamics because now you can potentially make everything in your stereo track the same volume at all times. So the more you even out the signal, the more you lose the dynamics of "loud" and "soft", which has tremendous effect on the emotional impact of the recording, IMO. You just need to be careful...I try to make the compression "transparent", so it raises the overall volume just enough to be louder but you cannot detect it's presence due to overly reduced dynamics.

Of course, this is just MY preference, and compression is only part of the equation (but a BIG part of the final mix equation, as I am learning). If dynamic contrast is not a concern and you are just after sheer volume, that's fine, too...either way, the tool is the same: compression.

Good Luck, and definitely check out those waves plugs (especially the L1 ultramax)!

[rwhitney]

Mastering software will help bring up the levels and make your recordings sound more professional. I've been using the Waves Matering Bundle, which includes EQ, compresion, and limiting designed for mastering. It does a good job but it's expensive (about $900). If you can afford it, I highly recommend it. A much less expensive but still good similar software is IK Media's T-Racks mastering program (which also emulates tape and tube compression). I think it costs about $250. For PC, I recommend Steinberg's WaveLab. The software doesn't really compare with the best hardware, but it's much more economical.

[Joe Egan]

Ok, I'm experimenting too. Generally people answer this question with non specific almost meaningless answers about needing experience and listening and there's no one way to master. However, good intentioned they are they've only succeeded in telling you almost nothing.

So I'm going to go out on a limb. I'm going to tell you what I use and how I typically use that equipment. I'd like others to be specific too.

I compress a lot of my tracks while mixing. I think the compressor that comes with ProTools can do some good things. I have a RNC compressor for $200 or so and in some cases the Pro tools plug-in is better. I also use the MCDSP MC2000 multiband compressor and that is a real fix it tool.

I make sure that my drum tracks are not out of phase. I don't have phase reversal switches on my board. However you can see whether your drum tracks are in phase or not. I time correct my drum tracks and if they are out of phase I invert them. I usually correct my drum tracks to the bass drum because there is some small bleed from the bass drum to the other tracks. Maybe this is wrong!

I listen to each track for low frequency crap and with the MC2000 filter that out, especially for vocals and guitars. Since I track guitars live with the drums and bass, some of that low frequency stuff gets into the guitar mix. Taking it out actually makes the guitars sound better and it leaves some more space in the low frequency area.

After I do my mix I rerecord the mix via the analog outs through the RNC compressor in Really Nice mode. I try somewhere between a 3 to 6:1 compression ratio , slow attack and slow release, with the threshold down low enough so I can squeeze around another 3 decibels or more of compression. I then send that through my Rosetta and set the gain level so that I'm averaging around -4 to -6 decibels on the Rosetta meters.

I then take that mix and EQ it so it sound good to me, and then with the MCDSP filterbank attenuate with a 12decibel filter all the bass frequency I can till I hear a difference. I listen to the bass through a subwoofer to make sure I'm not chopping too much off. Usually around 40 to 50 hertz. After that I then push it through the MC2000 one more time, move the crossover points where I think I need them, tighten up the bass with the attack and release control and make other adjustments that I feel improve the sound.

I then put it through the Waves L1 maximizer, set the miximum level to -1 and adjust the threshold as low as I can till I hear it affecting the sound and then back off.

This might be a mistake. I then take that mix from the L1, print it and then bounce it as a stereo interleaved file. I'm going to experiment with sending that mix through my Lexicon PCM-91 converters into the Rosetta and use the UV22 algorithim.

That's how I typically do it. I'd love to hear anyone else give some specific examples.

[Mark Staples]

Well, if you limited in funds to buy plugins and outboard equipment to send it through, you can try the following:

1) Record your trax as hot as possible without clipping.
2) Add compression to your guitars, bass, kick, snare, and strings. You'll need to listen to get the right settings but there are excellent resources on learning the art of compression at
Studio Covers.

Read all of the articles by Paul White.
3) You should add back or "make up" any gain that is lost due to compression. Again, use your ears.
4) Whenever you buss trax, be sure that you don't overload the buss and add distortion.
5) You can accomplish a lot through EQing by cutting certain frequencies that will open up your mix.
6) Once you've got a good mix (don't worry about your levels, but get them reasonably hot, but don't try to peak), then bounce down to two trax (at 24-bit).
7) Create a new session and import the two trax into the new session.
8) EQ to taste in order to add a some "polish" to your mix.
9) Again, add some compression to get some punch (if that's what you want). Read the articles on compression - they are helpful.
10) Using the limiter as your second to the last plugin to raise the volume. Be aware of the attack and release to avoid pumping (unless that's what you want).
11) Add the dither plugin and then bounce down to a stereo track at 44.1K/16-bit.
12) Burn to CD
13) Check your mix and levels with other like projects.
14) Go back and tweak as necessary.

All of this can be done with the Digirack plugins. Once you get more money, buy the Waves, a Distressor, better preamps, better A/D & D/A converters, go broke, better mics, more compressors, more plugins, acoustical treatment, more debt, more toys, more experience...

Editorial:
Nothing replaces time and experience. However, there is A LOT of material out there to read - on the web and through books.

Experiment! Study! Experiment! Read! Experiment! Research! Did I say Experiment yet?

I have basically lived on DUC, Prorec.com, prosoundweb.com, read every book that I could get my hands on and have read reviews of gear to learn their nuances and uniqueness. In all of this, I have learned a lot. However, I still have to experiment and put it into practice.

Enjoy yourself and be patient with yourself.

Mark

[Mark Staples]

Oh yeah, record at 24-bit. There is a definite difference in the depth of the trax. Once you are done, that's where dithering comes in to take those 8-bits and "dither" them down to the 16-bit CD standard.

[The Mighty Burner]

Joe and Mark -

I didn't initiate this thread, but thank you both so much for your posts. I have started threads recently (check one out here ) looking for this type of info, and yes, I got lots of vague, non-specific replies. Kudo's to both of you for taking a chance and listing practical suggestions and settings.

Unfortunately, I can't really contribute too much! I'm just starting to experiment with this stuff...I use to just record my tracks (never using plugs), get the master fader up as high as possible without clipping, and BTD. No wonder I was getting poor to mediocre results!

However, I have been using the Waves L1...what a great tool. I've been using it much like Joe, setting the output ceiling at just below 0db and setting the threshold moderately. I not a big fan of overly compressed, non-dynamic music, so I use it to bring the volume up to the point where the dynamics begin to get lost, and then I back off. I am willing to sacrifice a some dynamics for volume, but just a little....I really enjoy perceiving dynamics as I find they help to create a three dimensional space (when used with effective panning and EQ).

In that link I posted at the top there is a couple of quick MP3 examples of the L1 in action, in anyone is interested.

Thanks again guys...great stuff.