Bring Kick up to what level?

[bluntedforce]

What up to all my fellow hip hop mixers. I have a question. At the start of a new mix, advice given to me, is to solo the kick, keep the master- out at unity and bring the kick to between -12 to -10db. After that everything else should sit nicely. This advice was from engineers who don't mix much hip hop if none at all, and don't know the roots of hip hop. I have used this technique, but usually I end up bringing the kick up so that it really bangs. I was wondering at what level does anyone else bring their kick up to, before piling on new tracks.

 

[MASSIVE Mastering]

-12dBFS or so should be a decent place to start. Might wind up needing to be a bit lower later, but it's easy enough to do.

 

[TXbeatbang]

everyone has their methods or practices when mixing. i don't go above -6.

regardless of what you're highest level is, the kick should be one of the loudest elements in the mix.

 

[bluntedforce]

I'm from Texas, I'll take your advice into consideration, I don't really like the down south tip though. but thanks!

-12dBFS or so should be a decent place to start. Might wind up needing to be a bit lower later, but it's easy enough to do.

cool, thanks for the feedback.

 

[Azrael Kennedy]

yeah keep your master at unity... Then depending what i'm trying to do with my mix is where i set the kick, i set my kick and snare and build everything around that.

 

[Disasster]

-12dBFS or so should be a decent place to start. Might wind up needing to be a bit lower later, but it's easy enough to do.

In your opinion, what should a good mix sit at once its done. -10dBFS?

 

[MASSIVE Mastering]

If a mix has 3dB of natural (unlimited) headroom, I'm a happy dude.

Average levels around -24 to -20dBRMS are pretty normal.

 

[Disasster]

If a mix has 3dB of natural (unlimited) headroom, I'm a happy dude.

Average levels around -24 to -20dBRMS are pretty normal.

What do you mean by natural (unlimited) headroom?

Mixing it in 32bit?
or
Having a max peak of -3dbFS?
or
am i just way off?

 

[MASSIVE Mastering]

I should have said NON limited. -3dBFS peaks, no limiting on the 2-buss.

Lower is fine also, of course. -12, -10dBFS... Nothing wrong with that. Start getting peaks around -20dBFS and it's probably time to make some adjustments (although it's still well within a reasonable level in 24-bit).

 

[Disasster]

I should have said NON limited. -3dBFS peaks, no limiting on the 2-buss.

Lower is fine also, of course. -12, -10dBFS... Nothing wrong with that. Start getting peaks around -20dBFS and it's probably time to make some adjustments (although it's still well within a reasonable level in 24-bit).

That makes more sense now, thanks for clarifying!

 

[Nuff CeD]

-12dBFS or so should be a decent place to start. Might wind up needing to be a bit lower later, but it's easy enough to do.

Is -12dbfs a general rule for all instruments or should you start each instrument or track at a different db level?

 

[moses]

i always use 15, 78, 4 and espescially 22.

by the way, what's the standard frequency and bpm?

 

[MASSIVE Mastering]

Is -12dbfs a general rule for all instruments or should you start each instrument or track at a different db level?

Gawd no -- Overheads might come in at -40dBFS, vocals at -20, guitars at -20, bass at -16, yada, yada, yada... You go with what the mix is telling you - not what the meters are telling you.

But at some point (and usually quickly) you have to establish a level for the mix. I tend to start with bass on the average rock mix - Set it around 0dBVU (which is going to give me around -18dB(FS)RMS with peaks of maybe -14 or -13dBFS) and go from there.

If you tracked with typical levels, throwing everything up at unity is going to get you 95% there.

I've made note that a lot of people here don't track using "normal" levels though...

 

[deRaNged 4 Phuk'dup]

When Producing, I honestly don't look at the DB Meter, as long as it's not clipping, I'm good to go. I think People think too hard when making the music, and since I understand mixing and mastering process, I put emphasis on making music when I make music. I don't cutoff anything below blah blah hz, I don't compress, eq, or use limiters, I just turn my speakers up, play music, and the only "mixing" I do while creating a beat is volume and pan adjustments, oh, and the obvious apply sound fx(reverb, chorus, flange, delay,ect.)when absolutely needed.