Hi!
I just signed up and I'm finding more and more interesting stuff on this site! Im loving it:)

Anyways I have been trying to figure out something as I am hearing all kinds of different things on limiters and compressors. Here are my questions:

1-When you start a projet ( in cubase for example ), do you set a Limiter ( in my case a vst ) on your output/Master out right away??

2-If yes I heard I have to put it at -0.5. Is that right?

3- Do you compress EVERY SINGLE SOUND on your mix before doing th mastering ( ie: bass drum, snare, keyboard,hi hats,etc )??

Thank you so much for your help in advance

1. No, I don't. I route the outputs through a mixing desk, and use that to mix with. On the outputs from the desk, I limit the INPUT back into Cubase for a final mix, that I set at -3.

2. No, I don't. I compress only signals that need compression.

so when im recording/mixing in cubase my output ( stereo out ) should be at -0.3 without limiter/compressor?

Well, that is pretty high...

I tend to keep signals down a little lower, -3.0 to -6.0 db to allow for some headroom. When you go to master, RedBook standards are -3 DB for a mastered work.

Hello Sadmafioso good questions they show a genuine interest in mixing:


Assuming you are just mixing totally digitally (which I think you are)

In my opinion only

1. you can have your master out set at -0.3 no problem in fact i would incourage that and what i would tell you to do is watch your mix and monitor the level of output as long as it is not clipping or constantly in the higher red you are ok.

2. avoid effecting the master output in any way!
If you need limitation because of clipping go through the mix and find out what needs to be turned down.

3. don't let your monitors deceive you, when mixing it's ok to turn them up (obviously just to normal hearing level) because what you are dealing with is a lower level at the mix stage.

the reason i mention point three is because so often an individual may be listening to other already mastered music and have studio monitors set to this level then one may go to mix and find it all sounds too low so this encourages a hot mix without limiting.
(problems i used to have)

don't compress anything unless you have a balanced mix but you find then that one particular instrument needs compression if at all then do it at that stage.
honestly though in the mix i try to more creatively eliminate unwanted frequencies rather than compress as such to create head room ,

i save it for the master.

hope that helps.
_________________

Stacey the Pagan Goddess of digitalindustry.

RhoneRanger wrote:

Well, that is pretty high... I tend to keep signals down a little lower, -3.0 to -6.0 db to allow for some headroom. When you go to master, RedBook standards are -3 DB for a mastered work.

although what Rhone Ranger says here is relevant and useful also.

although if we are speaking in the digital domain I’m not sure how many people stick to that standard, on the latest NIN album the first track is pulled to -3db but it's a very extreme mix.. the rest on analysis are at clip point or -0.3 under at the peaks.

as i said before i believe this is achieved with a creative amount of compression/limitation at the correct points.
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Stacey the Pagan Goddess of digitalindustry.

RhoneRanger wrote:

When you go to master, RedBook standards are -3 DB for a mastered work.

Are you sure about that?
_________________
Tom Volpicelli
The Mastering House Inc.
http://www.masteringhouse.com
CD Mastering and Media Production Services

I thought I was.... maybe not ?

Not to my knowledge. The -.3 cushion is there to help prevent digital overs from being detected, how ever due to how reconstruction works in D/A converters that may not be enough. Here a good paper from Nika Aldrich on the subject:

http://www.cadenzarecording.com/papers/Digitaldistortion.pdf
_________________
Tom Volpicelli
The Mastering House Inc.
http://www.masteringhouse.com
CD Mastering and Media Production Services