And its highly important i get the best result possible.
How much can i limit this before it loses dynamics?
I know this all depens on everything else ofcourse, and that i should use my ears, but i need your input.
Mastering, how much should I limit ?
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- KVRist
- 83 posts since 14 Jun, 2004
Alright, im going to master my latest track:
And its highly important i get the best result possible.
How much can i limit this before it loses dynamics?
I know this all depens on everything else ofcourse, and that i should use my ears, but i need your input.
And its highly important i get the best result possible.
How much can i limit this before it loses dynamics?
I know this all depens on everything else ofcourse, and that i should use my ears, but i need your input.
-
- KVRist
- 110 posts since 21 May, 2004 from Pennsylvania
As a guideline here are some settings for you:
Ratio: 2 to 1, or 1.5 to 1
Gain Reduction: On average you want no more than -2dB of gain reduction. Be sure to makeup the gain reduction on the output side; so if you are gain reducing -2dB with the compressor, add +2dB to the output stage.
Attack: Fairly fast attack and a moderate release. If you set your release too fast, your program material will pump. A lot of hip hop and dance music use fast releases to get the compressor to pump, but in general most other styles of music try to avoid hearing the compressor pump.
Whenever you are passing the majority of your program material through a compressor, you want to use very low ratios and use very moderate gain reduction as is spec'd above.
Ratio: 2 to 1, or 1.5 to 1
Gain Reduction: On average you want no more than -2dB of gain reduction. Be sure to makeup the gain reduction on the output side; so if you are gain reducing -2dB with the compressor, add +2dB to the output stage.
Attack: Fairly fast attack and a moderate release. If you set your release too fast, your program material will pump. A lot of hip hop and dance music use fast releases to get the compressor to pump, but in general most other styles of music try to avoid hearing the compressor pump.
Whenever you are passing the majority of your program material through a compressor, you want to use very low ratios and use very moderate gain reduction as is spec'd above.
Last edited by anfmusic on Sat May 31, 2008 12:58 am, edited 1 time in total.
Alphonse Faggiolo, Producer & Engineer
http://airplaydirect.com/music/bands/21470/index.php
21,000+ FREE music contacts & Resources.
http://MusicScroll.com
http://airplaydirect.com/music/bands/21470/index.php
21,000+ FREE music contacts & Resources.
http://MusicScroll.com
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- KVRist
- Topic Starter
- 83 posts since 14 Jun, 2004
Hi, thanks for the reply.
What i do, is i limit the the peaks. so i get a fairly flat waveform.
Like this:
Then I add the Timeworks Mastering Compressor, which has not ratios or anything, and i get this:
What i do, is i limit the the peaks. so i get a fairly flat waveform.
Like this:
Then I add the Timeworks Mastering Compressor, which has not ratios or anything, and i get this:
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- KVRian
- 527 posts since 10 Oct, 2006
Ouch!Then I add the Timeworks Mastering Compressor, which has not ratios or anything, and i get this:
Edit:
There are still a few nasty empty spaces to fill..
Last edited by tonAP on Fri May 30, 2008 10:30 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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thecontrolcentre thecontrolcentre https://www.kvraudio.com/forum/memberlist.php?mode=viewprofile&u=76240 - KVRAF
- 37262 posts since 27 Jul, 2005 from Scottish Borders
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- KVRist
- 110 posts since 21 May, 2004 from Pennsylvania
Well I think you'll get better results running first through a high quality compressor such as the SSL G Buss compressor, the Neve Buss Compressor, Fairchild 670, etc... and then run the compressed signal through a limiter/maximizer such as Timeworks. By running through the compressor first, your mix will be smoothed out a little and the peaks that remain will be the peaks that you can push over the limiter threshold, therefore raising the overall volume level of your mix.
Alphonse Faggiolo, Producer & Engineer
http://airplaydirect.com/music/bands/21470/index.php
21,000+ FREE music contacts & Resources.
http://MusicScroll.com
http://airplaydirect.com/music/bands/21470/index.php
21,000+ FREE music contacts & Resources.
http://MusicScroll.com
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- KVRian
- 527 posts since 10 Oct, 2006
I think that @anfmusic explained it pretty well.
Anyway your first snapshot did show a nice dynamic-range; roughly
we could say mostly inside the 06db, then there are 2 patterns going slightly over 06db and, inside those, single (or short groups of) peaks going clearly more over. Those peaks should be your target for tame them smoot; this way you'll gain headroom so that when you'll increase the overall level, still there will be enough space to keep 'almost' the same average dynamic.
Sadly in your snapshot 2 you did already destroy allot of that dynamic, cutting heavvy at 06db. From that on (snapshot 3) you just 'zoomed' a cutted dynamic..
but since you asked for:
"How much can i limit this before it loses dynamics?"
Well you already lost it on step 2 (if you see what i mean).
Anyway your first snapshot did show a nice dynamic-range; roughly
we could say mostly inside the 06db, then there are 2 patterns going slightly over 06db and, inside those, single (or short groups of) peaks going clearly more over. Those peaks should be your target for tame them smoot; this way you'll gain headroom so that when you'll increase the overall level, still there will be enough space to keep 'almost' the same average dynamic.
Sadly in your snapshot 2 you did already destroy allot of that dynamic, cutting heavvy at 06db. From that on (snapshot 3) you just 'zoomed' a cutted dynamic..
but since you asked for:
"How much can i limit this before it loses dynamics?"
Well you already lost it on step 2 (if you see what i mean).
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- KVRAF
- 4692 posts since 28 Jan, 2003 from In these very interwebs
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- KVRAF
- 2657 posts since 13 Mar, 2004
Limiting IS losing dynamics.Subtle wrote:Alright, im going to master my latest track:
And its highly important i get the best result possible.
How much can i limit this before it loses dynamics?
But more to the point, why would you go for such a sqished waveform like in step 3?
I think pulling out every single bit of dynamics does no good.
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- KVRian
- 527 posts since 10 Oct, 2006
Well I wouldn't be so 'radical': sometimes pulling out a *few* db of peaks can help on bringing out the overall dynamics.. then it's the well known "matter of taste"No_Use wrote:I think pulling out every single bit of dynamics does no good.