Cutting a hot CD out of PT!?

[nemisis63]

Hello again,

As I stated in my previous post, I'm new to PT and need some help with a few basic things. This is a big issue with me. How can I cut a "loud" CD that will measure up to commercial releases as far as level. I tried putting a trial of maxim on my master fader and it didn't really cut the mustard. I'm sort of looking for a step by step process that works well for alot of you guys. Thanks again in advance, and pardon my ignorance.

Jon

[Alécio Costa]

play with Q10, L1, Master X, C4 and Power dither.
try that:

q10 > L1 > Power dither
q10 > TC MASter x > Power dither
q10 > C4 > power dither
Waves Master series
also might add some Stereo Imager

[jackruston]

It starts with the tracking and mixing...pay attention to gain structure. I'm sorry not to elaborate but there are numerous threads on the forum about this sort of thing... levels etc. I will say though, the importance of balance in the mix is crucial not only to the sound, but to the amount you can increase the level. If you have disproportionate amounts of a certain frequency band, when you limit, you will overload in that area, preventing you from maximising level. This is where multiband compression can be used to even things out, but it is much better to get the mix balance right first, than to have to fix things. Think of it like autotune...It will always be better to have a vocal right to start with than to have to fix it. Thats not to say that mastering is always a fix...it's not. But if the mastering engineer is spending hours fixing problems, he wont be spending those hours generating fairy dust. [img]images/icons/smile.gif[/img]

It ends with a pro mastering job, but if you need to get the levels up yourself, you wont go far wrong with the waves L2. It gives great level increase without crushing the track. (you can of course kill the track if you go too far!)

Good luck

Jack

[audiaudio]

Loudness and level are different animals. Two mixes at the same level can have different loudness.

You'll match the loudness of commercial releases by recording, processing and mixing like those releases.

Developing those techniques won't come easy, but they are the key.

Maximizing the level of the final mix (using L2, preferably) is only one small factor.

[Mick F. Cantarella]

What's the difference between Waves L1 and L2 plug ins? -Mick

[Doug Ring]

A quick fix is to normalise your finished mix files, but you have to avoid any spiky peaks on those files that will push the overall level down.

In the past I've zoomed into the waveforms to see what might cause a spike - maybe a drum hit that even the compressor doesn't flatten out - and used the volume graph editor to notch it down. Sometimes if the band was all in the same room, and you've got a bit of spill, the problem might be across a few tracks, and you'll have to tweak them all. Then normalise away. Done right, the tweaks's inaudible.

This won't bring your mix up as loud as a Sheryl Crow album, but it won't be far short.

[jackruston]

The L2 is a 'better' L1. You'll get more limiting for less audible squish!
J

[Corey Shay]

Alittle word of advice. Don't compete to make your CD the loudest. Compete to make it sound the best. The louder you make it with compression/limiting the worse it sounds. The industry needs to back off this near-decade long trend.

[nemisis63]

Thanks for all the help thus far, and I agree, compression and extra overall volume can definately squash a mix. The only problem is, when the public see's something as a good thing.. despite out personal views.. we're often expected to deliver.

Jon

[doug_hti]

I agree it should obviously sound good to our ears, but the biggest trick or problem is learning to make it sound good in other people's stereo....whether it's 2 inch Alarm clock radios or a $200k consumer stereo...this many times involves compression/normalizing/limiting. We can't have huge dynamics on everything...unless we only intend for it to play on our monitors

As already said in this post and many others, is that the key is to get it pretty consistent in DBs with automation before you put on the L2.

The L2 shouldn't be working hard at all, but only bringing up the gain so the level's peak is below 0 and grabbing a few things.

Also, as mentioned in a earlier thread and was a good reminder for myself...
Put on a high pass filter between 20-40 Hz...with digital music and synths, there can be a tendancy for subharmonic stuff to find it's way in and eating up room in your mix without you knowing it. I believe tape rounds off around 40hz