Mix too quiet (with limiter)

[Georgia_Boi]

I have an problem here. I have my mix sounding just as I want. The problem is my plugins are clipping (waves EQ), but the channel themselves are not. So I turn the volume down to keep them out the red. Now when I put a limiter on my final mix, it sounds way too low. What can I do to fix this problem? Is it ok for my plugin outputs to clip, and only watch out for clipping on the master? I'm totally lost here.

 

[Nutek Studios]

What are you turning down? Try turning down the plugin output, also try grabbing all the channels and turn them up before slamming it with a limiter. What DAW are you working in?

 

[Georgia_Boi]

What are you turning down? Try turning down the plugin output, also try grabbing all the channels and turn them up before slamming it with a limiter. What DAW are you working in?

I was turning down the volume in the plugin output. I'm using sonar x3.

 

[Zerker00]

Make sure the mix level on the limiter is all the way up, if the volume is low then use the gain knob and crank it up

 

[Georgia_Boi]

Make sure the mix level on the limiter is all the way up, if the volume is low then use the gain knob and crank it up

After about 4 db gain reduction, it starts distorting, which leaves me with a quiet mix.

 

[Lito313]

last ditch effort/fix, output your track, reload it into your daw, then boost the volume?

 

[mycbeats]

You're using a limiter wrong, most likely lowering the ceiling instead of feeding into it.

 

[deRaNged 4 Phuk'dup]

Most likely not setting everything up in the mix for the best outcome using the limiter in question.

You should be well out the red. Like peaking at -6 to -18db before applying the limiter. If not, you're probably not giving the limiter "room to breathe" and the ability to boost the signal to it's best potential. You should also be EQing before the limitwr to clean up freqs so the limiter isn't boosting the wrong elements.

Too many scenarios to explain each one beyond saying you either A. Need a better limiter, B. Need to learn how to use the one you have, or C. get an understanding that your music isn't going to get but so "loud" without a compromise of quality and recognizing ways to compromise and still get good results.

 

[Georgia_Boi]

You're using a limiter wrong, most likely lowering the ceiling instead of feeding into it.

Then how should I use it?

 

[Georgia_Boi]

Most likely not setting everything up in the mix for the best outcome using the limiter in question.

You should be well out the red. Like peaking at -6 to -18db before applying the limiter. If not, you're probably not giving the limiter "room to breathe" and the ability to boost the signal to it's best potential. You should also be EQing before the limitwr to clean up freqs so the limiter isn't boosting the wrong elements.

Too many scenarios to explain each one beyond saying you either A. Need a better limiter, B. Need to learn how to use the one you have, or C. get an understanding that your music isn't going to get but so "loud" without a compromise of quality and recognizing ways to compromise and still get good results.

Actually I did use EQ before the limiter.

 

[deRaNged 4 Phuk'dup]

Ceiling is the "cut off point. Think of it as a real ceiling. Nothing goes above it. So...you want that at like -0.00000000000000001db(if possible)just to keep everything below clipping. Most give you the option of -0.1 or -0.01db as the "lowest high".

 

[deRaNged 4 Phuk'dup]

Actually I did use EQ before the limiter.

Doesn't mean you used it right. Alot can be cleaned up going back and forth through the chain adjusting different modules until they all mesh together.

 

[Georgia_Boi]

Ceiling is the "cut off point. Think of it as a real ceiling. Nothing goes above it. So...you want that at like -0.00000000000000001db(if possible)just to keep everything below clipping. Most give you the option of -0.1 or -0.01db as the "lowest high".

That I already knew and I did use it right. I usually set my ceiling to -0.3. I'll just try other techniques.

 

[deRaNged 4 Phuk'dup]

All you're saying is you're doing everything right, but can't get your mix loud enough, so you must be using a crappy brickwall limiter.

 

[Zerker00]

All you're saying is you're doing everything right, but can't get your mix loud enough, so you must be using a crappy brickwall limiter.

lmaoo, He need to post a photo or somethings so we could see for ourselves. He probably have the mix volume low, increase the actual instrument volume

 

[Paschalis I.]

I have an problem here. I have my mix sounding just as I want. The problem is my plugins are clipping (waves EQ), but the channel themselves are not. So I turn the volume down to keep them out the red. Now when I put a limiter on my final mix, it sounds way too low. What can I do to fix this problem? Is it ok for my plugin outputs to clip, and only watch out for clipping on the master? I'm totally lost here.

Turn the volume down inside of your plugin.

 

[Paschalis I.]

That I already knew and I did use it right. I usually set my ceiling to -0.3. I'll just try other techniques.

Do you compress your individual tracks? How dynamic do your songs happen to be?

If you use 0 compression on the tracks, a limiter on your master fader is going to crash those peaks, thus the weird clipping sound.

 

[deRaNged 4 Phuk'dup]

^^^Not always true. Depends on the sounds he's selected, how they were processed before he touched them, how he's using them(example if they're layered, bleeding into each other, cutting each other, what freqs they occupy, ect). For all we know his song may just be a kick drum and a sine wave.

 

[laurend]

Please post your problematic track in PCM.

 

[TedH03]

For mix loudness, an understanding of RMS and Peak levels are needed. The RMS level is more associated with the perceived loudness of a mix than the Peak level. There is also a Perceived loudness level, but RMS, which is available on most DAWs, is good enough for an approximation.

To prevent fast transits from going beyond the established peak output level, a hard, brick wall limiter is needed. Not all limiters are designed to quickly compress fast transits. A good peak value is -0.3 db.

After the brick wall limiter is setup, place a gain VST before the limiter and a RMS Loudness meter after the limiter. Increase (or lower) the gain until the desired RMS Loudness level is reached. For the type of music that I produce, underground Deep House, I usually aim for an RMS of -10.0 db.

If the limiter is working too hard, there is probably an issue with the overall balance of the mix. A good, balanced mix, with proper EQing and leveling, is the first step to having a achieving a loud mix.

In addition to the information above, place a high pass filter on all elements of the tracks that are non-bass components (i.e., snares, pads, etc.). A good setting is about 150 Hz. However, solo each instrument and remove as much lower frequencies as possible without affecting sound of the instrument. Most of aforementioned frequency content is not heard, but it still clutters the mix and lessens the impact of the kick and bass. Also, it makes the mix bus compressor and limiter work harder than necessary.

Furthermore, it is also a good idea to add a high pass filter over the entire mix to remove frequencies below 25-30 Hz.

I hope this information is helpful.