Need help with my kicks and snare peaks in my mixes

[dcour21]

This particular issue has been bugging me for awhile and I still haven't figured it out. I'm no mixing/mastering wiz by any means. I am wanting to post some beats that I have online and I want the volume to be comparable to other beats on the particular site I'm using. My kick and snare peaks are so much higher than everything else in my mixes, it's making it hard to master a preview for the site that is loud enough without sacrificing certain frequencies. I've been using a limiter on my kicks and snares but it's not quite having the effect I was desiring. I'll post a few pics and mp3s for reference. Using Logic Pro btw. Please, any suggestions would be great. Thanks

[itb]

Is this loud enough?

[iHipsterMusic]

Then working with audio there are a few important things to note
First Clip volume(Volume of the audio clip or.wav or mp3/whatever else)
This is the first and most important place for the gain of your sound. You always want to make sure that you turn your audio clips down to a reasonable level before going into your mixer.

When a sound is in your mixer, (channel gain) its pulling the info from the audio clip and then adding whatever you have on the mixer.

So what Im getting at is that you need to make sure your kicks and snares/claps are not having super loud peaks before putting them into your mixer.

This is part of a process called "gain staging"
After you pull the levels of the samples down, you can throw them into your mixer and add a solid compression and come out with something that sounds much closer to what you're listening to on those sites

Hope this helps

Edit: After listening to the mp3's you sent, those kicks and snares are just too loud. try turning them down in your mixer

[Charade]

lower frequencies will always peak louder than high frequencies

try bringing up or limiting the other elements in your mix & see if that helps balance things out more.

don't clip of course in the process

[Boumax]

Yeah in my opinion the kicks and snares are just to loud. Maybe sidechain them a bit more and turn down their volume. That way you will hear them clearly and not mess up any frequencies.

[chris carter]

Dcour,

I listened (sounds good) and looked at the waveforms. You just need a limiter/clipper on this. You can stick it directly on your mixbuss as the very last insert, post-fader, or you can bounce the mix so you have an non-limited version (very good idea to do) and then re-import it and just apply the limiter/clipper and bounce that for the master level mix. It’s always a good idea to have both a master level mix and the unadulterated mix. You could also just do a mix like you have (as a 24bit wav file though, obviously), and then do a second mixdown with the limiter/clipper on it (also as a 24bit wav file - you can then make a separate mp3).

Basically, what you have is the normal mixdown. This is like what a mix engineer would send to a mastering engineer (if it had vocals). What you need is a mastered version, or just a master “volume” version that’s as loud as a mastered record. We usually technically call this a “master level” mix. Meaning it’s the mixdown, just turned up to a mastered level with a limiter or clipper. When you "shop" your beats, you want to shop the master level mix. The artist or engineer working with them will later ask for the multitracks (although, mixtape stuff, they might just ask for the non-master level mix.... or they might not!).

For a free version, I would recommend Limiter No. 6 by Vladg/sound. Just use either the limiter or the clipper. Experiment with both and see which you prefer. I usually use a clipper with a 4 or 6dB knee. There are many others out there that might be simpler if Limiter No. 6 seems overly complicated and your DAW probably has a built-in one that might be okay (or it might suck).

P.S. - I would not follow the advice of the previous posters. Nothing against them, I just don't think it's appropriate advice for the problem you are having.

[dotwreck]

They just need to sit better in the mixes....

Nevermind all the limiter bs - bring them back some. they're too up front and in your face, while all the other elements are way back... you just need a lil bit of a better balance.

Personally, I usually have my drums a lil more up front and in your face than other elements.....but just a little bit. I always strive to make the drums sound like part of the instrumental, as if it was all 1 sample..... instead of the instrumental sounding like a sample, with drums just thrown on top........and thats what I hear with these 2 tracks. The instrumentals sound on point... but sounds like the drums was just layed on top and cranked up....

Make sure the drums have their own space in the mix as well.... If they fit as they should, you wouldn't need to crank them up for them to stand out. They'll have their own space to shine, and will compliment the other elements instead of fighting with them and drowning them out

[philsick]

I'd suggest listening to it at very low volume in order to get a feel of the volumes of each instrument... Just my opinion.


Peace.


DC...

[dotwreck]

I'd suggest listening to it at very low volume in order to get a feel of the volumes of each instrument... Just my opinion.


Peace.


DC...

Yup..often overlooked advice right there. Recording, and listening quietly, makes for bigger and louder tracks

[mitchiemasha]

Yes... turn it down and listen quietly, you'll soon hear that all you can hear is the Kick and Snare, way too loud. I used to think master limiting/compression was they key but now I get loud mixes with non.