Whenever I start mixing multiple sounds, it doesn't take long before my master meter goes in the red.

Anybody can give some good advice regarding how to create more headroom in your mix and if EQ'ing can help with this?

Also, do frequency-overlapping sounds in a mix eat up headroom alot faster? I notice when I mix sounds that have overlapping frequencies (like bass and pad), the master seems to go much faster in the red then when you mix for example a kick and a hi-hat. Is there a logic behind this? Anybody can explain this please? Thanks!

Turn the master fader down.

Also, What I tend to do for my sounds is have the loudest insert PEAK at around -8db [this would likely be your kick] and everything else below that. As a rule I don't let anything go over -8db and defiantly not over -5db, Then I adjust the master fader how I feel necessary

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Low cut everything that isnt bass, even hi hats, snares, perc hits and everything. Especially lead sounds and pads.

Of course, use your ears, if there is a sound that sounds great with a little low-mid end then keep it of course.

You may not notice alot of difference on each sound, but when it all adds up the difference is going to be significant.

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low AND high cut EVERYTHING
do general cuts around 500hz on bass and kick (you will find SPADES of headroom there)

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quote:

Originally posted by cronodevir Turn the master fader down.

Don't

quote:

Originally posted by cronodevir Also, What I tend to do for my sounds is have the loudest insert PEAK at around -8db [this would likely be your kick] and everything else below that. As a rule I don't let anything go over -8db and defiantly not over -5db, Then I adjust the master fader how I feel necessary

-8dB is way to low. If your track is getting a release, and it will be mastered by them, pull it to -3dB, if it isn't getting mastered, pull the final mix to -0.3dB.

quote:

Originally posted by Raphie low AND high cut EVERYTHING do general cuts around 500hz on bass and kick (you will find SPADES of headroom there)

Maybe, but if you cut your kick and bass above 500hz, there will be nothing decent of your kick or bass left. Kicks also contain vital higher frequencies, as bass (except for subbass ofcourse).

Creating headroom is really a matter of proper mixing. If you control the volumes, you should be able to create some headroom. Proper control of volume can be done by using compressors and limiters.

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Kyota - Senegal (Flashover Recordings)

The master is 0db peak when I work. But that doesn't mean the master fader is at 100% volume :P

___________________
i'm the alchemist without the cyst without a doubt out of the mist
dig out the grout expose the pest to take it out without the rest

they will attest my patients restorations from the best

i'm from the west i'm not an acmeist only the alchemist

quote:

Originally posted by cronodevir The master is 0db peak when I work. But that doesn't mean the master fader is at 100% volume :P

Lowering the masterfader in you sequencer just makes no sence!

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Upcoming releases:
Hernandes ft. Stine Groove - Without You (Kyota remix) (Redux Recordings)
Kyota - Senegal (Flashover Recordings)

Sure it does, the position of any slider means absolutely nothing at all, what matters is where the master is peaking at. If the master fader is at 15%..but it still peaks at -2db to 0db then that is fine.

___________________
i'm the alchemist without the cyst without a doubt out of the mist
dig out the grout expose the pest to take it out without the rest

they will attest my patients restorations from the best

i'm from the west i'm not an acmeist only the alchemist

quote:

Originally posted by cronodevir Sure it does, the position of any slider means absolutely nothing at all, what matters is where the master is peaking at. If the master fader is at 15%..but it still peaks at -2db to 0db then that is fine.

Sure, positioning of the fader is simple volume control. I guess you should know that by now, it's pretty important!

And you are pretty much contradicting yourself, first you say that you never let you peaks exceed -5dB, and now you are talking about -2dB to 0dB.

And something else, the masterfader, controlles the 'mastervolume' which means that if you pull the masterfader down, the overall volume drops.

And again, what you are saying makes no sence. If you set the masterfader at 15% (btw, the masterfader is the last chain in the mixer), your track will probably end up -20dB (or more), the masterfader should be at 0dB, don't adjust it.

I appreciate that you are trying to help people, but I'm not sure if you know what you are talking about.

___________________
Upcoming releases:
Hernandes ft. Stine Groove - Without You (Kyota remix) (Redux Recordings)
Kyota - Senegal (Flashover Recordings)

My inserts never go above -8db as I said.

The master never goes above 0db as I said.

How does that not make sense?

Sometimes I have the master fader at 120% and sometimes at 70% It depends how loud I want the track in the end. And where its peaking at. even though all my sounds may not go above -8db in each track the highest peak in the master won't always be the same.

___________________
i'm the alchemist without the cyst without a doubt out of the mist
dig out the grout expose the pest to take it out without the rest

they will attest my patients restorations from the best

i'm from the west i'm not an acmeist only the alchemist

quote:

Originally posted by cronodevir Sometimes I have the master fader at 120% and sometimes at 70% It depends how loud I want the track in the end. And where its peaking at. even though all my sounds may not go above -8db in each track the highest peak in the master won't always be the same.

So say that you have a sourcesound coming in on the masterbus, let's draw it out


=====
LIMITER
=====
EQUALISER
=====
EMPTY
=====
ANALYZER
=====

||
==
||
||
||
||

So, this represents the masterfader with the effects on it. The signalflow on a mixer starts at the effects, and ends at the fader.

So, if a soundsignal somes into the masterfader, these are the stages it passes:
1. Limitier
2. Equaliser
3. Analyzer
4. Fader

1. Limiter:
- with the limiter I control the overall volume. I already made sure that peaks are already compressed if necessary. The only thing the limiter does is keeping the sound at -3dB.

2. Equalizer:
- For some last adjustments (mostly cuts of from 30Hz and lower)

3. Analyzer:
- A visual tool to see how the spectrum, AND overall volume looks like

4. Masterfader
- since the volume is already controlled by the limiter, this one stays untouched.


The masterfader controlles the 'final' volume. if you turn it down to 70%, it means that the volume controlled by your limiter (which is set at -3dB), will be reduced with 30%, indeed, great headroom..... but you'll end up with a low volume mix.

___________________
Upcoming releases:
Hernandes ft. Stine Groove - Without You (Kyota remix) (Redux Recordings)
Kyota - Senegal (Flashover Recordings)

If I used a limiter. I hardly only use limiters on inserts.

When I actually render the final thing, my master channel is empty. Unless I have vstunnel or a anaylser loaded. Really it all depends on the project, but the point is. The location of the master slider means nothing aslong as the mix is at a nice volume. And even that depends on preference. There is no "too low" volume.

There is a too high however, because high volume can distort sound :P

___________________
i'm the alchemist without the cyst without a doubt out of the mist
dig out the grout expose the pest to take it out without the rest

they will attest my patients restorations from the best

i'm from the west i'm not an acmeist only the alchemist