When to use a limiter on instruments?
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- KVRian
- 811 posts since 10 Sep, 2015 from You haven't unlocked this character yet
When you want to chop peaks off.
...and the electron responded, "what wall?"
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- KVRer
- 24 posts since 27 Sep, 2020
I would not use a limiter on individual tracks tbh. I am open to experimenting and do it a lot but in this case i find it not the most elegant solution.
When you are still in the mixing stage you have no reason to contain yourself that much.
First of all, a Limiter is actually a Compressor with a hard knee and an infinite ratio.
So the compressor is a bit less "absolute" and is more on the "massaging-chilled" side than "chopping off limbs" like a limiter.
A problem is that if you use a limiter and it does not chop anything then i would say go for it.
If the limiter has to catch peaks however, this will add distortion. So the more you use it on individual tracks the more they will add up on the Master Bus. So if you know you want to end up with distortion , then it could be a way of "distortion gain stagging" in a way but if you overuse it (which can happen very fast) you concentrate too much on individual channels instead of how the whole mix sounds like.
In short , i would use compressors on individual tracks 98% of the time. A limiter is something i almost never really need on individual tracks unless i want to experiment. Its just a "safety net" for your master . If you start using it as a mixing tool i find it as much overkill as using a mastering Eq on individual instruments.
I know what i write might sound weird but it probably is so because i used no limiter while writing.
Cheers
When you are still in the mixing stage you have no reason to contain yourself that much.
First of all, a Limiter is actually a Compressor with a hard knee and an infinite ratio.
So the compressor is a bit less "absolute" and is more on the "massaging-chilled" side than "chopping off limbs" like a limiter.
A problem is that if you use a limiter and it does not chop anything then i would say go for it.
If the limiter has to catch peaks however, this will add distortion. So the more you use it on individual tracks the more they will add up on the Master Bus. So if you know you want to end up with distortion , then it could be a way of "distortion gain stagging" in a way but if you overuse it (which can happen very fast) you concentrate too much on individual channels instead of how the whole mix sounds like.
In short , i would use compressors on individual tracks 98% of the time. A limiter is something i almost never really need on individual tracks unless i want to experiment. Its just a "safety net" for your master . If you start using it as a mixing tool i find it as much overkill as using a mastering Eq on individual instruments.
I know what i write might sound weird but it probably is so because i used no limiter while writing.
Cheers
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VELLTONE MUSIC VELLTONE MUSIC https://www.kvraudio.com/forum/memberlist.php?mode=viewprofile&u=404834 - KVRAF
- 2441 posts since 19 Sep, 2017 from The Future
Multi band compressor on track seems more reasonable,than limiter.
My mistake before was that i fktp the tracks with unneeded compression,now use very slightly 1.1-2.2 when design presets just to give them fatness,but always depends what style you play and may let exceptions.
Compressor on track for me is needed when presets settings don't fit well among other instruments,if the preset is programmed 'right' it sounds better without compression.
For sure the mix needs define usage of fx.
Cheers
My mistake before was that i fktp the tracks with unneeded compression,now use very slightly 1.1-2.2 when design presets just to give them fatness,but always depends what style you play and may let exceptions.
Compressor on track for me is needed when presets settings don't fit well among other instruments,if the preset is programmed 'right' it sounds better without compression.
For sure the mix needs define usage of fx.
Cheers