What tools to get that FM ultracompressed pre-broadcast radio sound ?

[The Noodlist]

Another direction, get it played on radio.
Radio Stations Who Play Unsigned Artists List (Aug 2021)

[DJErmac]

Another direction, get it played on radio.
Radio Stations Who Play Unsigned Artists List (Aug 2021)

Well, I'm signed, since 2007, and some of my songs have been played on FM radios. I could A/B one of my tracks btw. But I want (sort of) that sound straight out.

The main reason is that several artists nearly got THAT ultrasquashed and still perfectly clean sound. And it drives me crazy. It's not only in the mix, as the broadcast treatment always gives almost the same result on the radio.

One example would be this :


What I had tried before sounded either overexcited, never loud enough or bass-killer. My new chain is better. Now I got new clues : parallel processing, several multiband compressors stacked...

[scalawag]

I've found this one:
http://hornplans.free.fr/mbprocess.html

But it's just for Windows, and vst 32bits

[HAL76]

I can´t sing and I don´t want to, but there are many singers who offer their services. Or I really like the sound of Vinyl and dislike the results that you can achive with plugins, so I´m really glad that you can order a dub plate for 40€. There are also thousands of mastering services and what ever out there too and I really have the impression that thanks to the web nobody ever needs to reinvent the wheel again.

So cool

[DJErmac]

I can´t sing and I don´t want to, but there are many singers who offer their services. Or I really like the sound of Vinyl and dislike the results that you can achive with plugins, so I´m really glad that you can order a dub plate for 40€. There are also thousands of mastering services and what ever out there too and I really have the impression that thanks to the web nobody ever needs to reinvent the wheel again.

So cool

Yeah sure, I could also let another guy make my mix for me, make my mastering for me, make music instead of me also... or I could try to get the sound I’m looking for myself so it’s unique and I need nobody else but me.

[RikkShow]

When I was a radio DJ we had a four band compressor with limiter behind it. There might have been more equipment at the antenna station.
It took an engineer about six months to dial it in.
Then LA compressor for the mic.

[HAL76]

I can´t sing and I don´t want to, but there are many singers who offer their services. Or I really like the sound of Vinyl and dislike the results that you can achive with plugins, so I´m really glad that you can order a dub plate for 40€. There are also thousands of mastering services and what ever out there too and I really have the impression that thanks to the web nobody ever needs to reinvent the wheel again.

So cool

Yeah sure, I could also let another guy make my mix for me, make my mastering for me, make music instead of me also... or I could try to get the sound I’m looking for myself so it’s unique and I need nobody else but me.

You mean that you to build a synth and all FX on your own?

That radio sound is a technical issue and division of labour is mandatory in the complex world we live in - and also because of the price tag.

[DJErmac]

I can´t sing and I don´t want to, but there are many singers who offer their services. Or I really like the sound of Vinyl and dislike the results that you can achive with plugins, so I´m really glad that you can order a dub plate for 40€. There are also thousands of mastering services and what ever out there too and I really have the impression that thanks to the web nobody ever needs to reinvent the wheel again.

So cool

Yeah sure, I could also let another guy make my mix for me, make my mastering for me, make music instead of me also... or I could try to get the sound I’m looking for myself so it’s unique and I need nobody else but me.

You mean that you to build a synth and all FX on your own?

That radio sound is a technical issue and division of labour is mandatory in the complex world we live in - and also because of the price tag.

Since you’re the person I’m here to convince, indeed you’re absolutely right : it’s all about the price tag. If I build my own, it’s free.

[HAL76]

I can´t sing and I don´t want to, but there are many singers who offer their services. Or I really like the sound of Vinyl and dislike the results that you can achive with plugins, so I´m really glad that you can order a dub plate for 40€. There are also thousands of mastering services and what ever out there too and I really have the impression that thanks to the web nobody ever needs to reinvent the wheel again.

So cool

Yeah sure, I could also let another guy make my mix for me, make my mastering for me, make music instead of me also... or I could try to get the sound I’m looking for myself so it’s unique and I need nobody else but me.

You mean that you to build a synth and all FX on your own?

That radio sound is a technical issue and division of labour is mandatory in the complex world we live in - and also because of the price tag.

Since you’re the person I’m here to convince, indeed you’re absolutely right : it’s all about the price tag. If I build my own, it’s free.

How to say? I mean I´m not 20 anymore and made my experiences. I hope you know what I mean? And on the other hand I have learned to accept that you should better outsource some tasks then to try to reinvent everything from fire over wheels to a CPU. That time is over. And as a professional I´d recommend nodody to try to do what I do every day. Sometimes I´d make three clicks while you´d break your head for days. I guess a pro engineer would say the same about radion fm

#donttrythisathome!

[kPere]

I can´t sing and I don´t want to, but there are many singers who offer their services. Or I really like the sound of Vinyl and dislike the results that you can achive with plugins, so I´m really glad that you can order a dub plate for 40€. There are also thousands of mastering services and what ever out there too and I really have the impression that thanks to the web nobody ever needs to reinvent the wheel again.

So cool

Yeah sure, I could also let another guy make my mix for me, make my mastering for me, make music instead of me also... or I could try to get the sound I’m looking for myself so it’s unique and I need nobody else but me.

You mean that you to build a synth and all FX on your own?

That radio sound is a technical issue and division of labour is mandatory in the complex world we live in - and also because of the price tag.

Since you’re the person I’m here to convince, indeed you’re absolutely right : it’s all about the price tag. If I build my own, it’s free.

How to say? I mean I´m not 20 anymore and made my experiences. I hope you know what I mean? And on the other hand I have learned to accept that you should better outsource some tasks then to try to reinvent everything from fire over wheels to a CPU. That time is over. And as a professional I´d recommend nodody to try to do what I do every day. Sometimes I´d make three clicks while you´d break your head for days. I guess a pro engineer would say the same about radion fm

#donttrythisathome!

Well said, totally agree! It took some time for me to overcome my ego and learn that.

[DJErmac]

I can´t sing and I don´t want to, but there are many singers who offer their services. Or I really like the sound of Vinyl and dislike the results that you can achive with plugins, so I´m really glad that you can order a dub plate for 40€. There are also thousands of mastering services and what ever out there too and I really have the impression that thanks to the web nobody ever needs to reinvent the wheel again.

So cool

Yeah sure, I could also let another guy make my mix for me, make my mastering for me, make music instead of me also... or I could try to get the sound I’m looking for myself so it’s unique and I need nobody else but me.

You mean that you to build a synth and all FX on your own?

That radio sound is a technical issue and division of labour is mandatory in the complex world we live in - and also because of the price tag.

Since you’re the person I’m here to convince, indeed you’re absolutely right : it’s all about the price tag. If I build my own, it’s free.

How to say? I mean I´m not 20 anymore and made my experiences. I hope you know what I mean? And on the other hand I have learned to accept that you should better outsource some tasks then to try to reinvent everything from fire over wheels to a CPU. That time is over. And as a professional I´d recommend nodody to try to do what I do every day. Sometimes I´d make three clicks while you´d break your head for days. I guess a pro engineer would say the same about radion fm

#donttrythisathome!

So sorry that you gave up. I’m 40 and I’m still trying to improve my own sound on my own.

[DJErmac]

I can´t sing and I don´t want to, but there are many singers who offer their services. Or I really like the sound of Vinyl and dislike the results that you can achive with plugins, so I´m really glad that you can order a dub plate for 40€. There are also thousands of mastering services and what ever out there too and I really have the impression that thanks to the web nobody ever needs to reinvent the wheel again.

So cool

Yeah sure, I could also let another guy make my mix for me, make my mastering for me, make music instead of me also... or I could try to get the sound I’m looking for myself so it’s unique and I need nobody else but me.

You mean that you to build a synth and all FX on your own?

That radio sound is a technical issue and division of labour is mandatory in the complex world we live in - and also because of the price tag.

Since you’re the person I’m here to convince, indeed you’re absolutely right : it’s all about the price tag. If I build my own, it’s free.

How to say? I mean I´m not 20 anymore and made my experiences. I hope you know what I mean? And on the other hand I have learned to accept that you should better outsource some tasks then to try to reinvent everything from fire over wheels to a CPU. That time is over. And as a professional I´d recommend nodody to try to do what I do every day. Sometimes I´d make three clicks while you´d break your head for days. I guess a pro engineer would say the same about radion fm

#donttrythisathome!

Well said, totally agree! It took some time for me to overcome my ego and learn that.

So you’re basically here to teach ?
Nothing to learn anymore, people are doing it for you, that’s what you mean ?

[DJErmac]

I absolutely love people who have too much free time, answer a thread they have no interest in, only to say : "you shouldn’t be doing that, you’re wrong". Anger managment problem, boredom, intellectual superiority complex, I don’t know, but they’re here. You guys rock. Keep on going, I love you.

[Chemik]

Before this thread digressed (like most do here), I wanted to thank the OP for asking the question and for all of the answers. For years I would listen to the radio and think, why does nothing I do ever sound close to what I hear on the radio with all of the tools (expensive ones at that) at my disposal. I always figured that radio stations were doing something to the sound but I had no idea how intense that actually was. Thanks to all who responded. Read the links one of the posters put up and am blown away by the existence of a world I knew had to be but never had actually seen evidence of until now.

StereoTool might be a go for me but the price to curiosity ratio is not favorable. Like the OP, just because I want to see what my songs sound like in that environment, I still prefer my mixes where you can actually hear the drums and intricate work done in the song before radio wrecks it all into a flat pumped mess.

[kPere]

I absolutely love people who have too much free time, answer a thread they have no interest in, only to say : "you shouldn’t be doing that, you’re wrong". Anger managment problem, boredom, intellectual superiority complex, I don’t know, but they’re here. You guys rock. Keep on going, I love you.

Keep in mind that you've got your questions answered (by me including, giving you link to stereo tools and some radio insight). That doesnt mean that digression about outsourcing various jobs is out of place. And even looking back, your post that I just quoted is the first that seems to be emotional, out of nowhere actually.