Mixing/Mastering Loudness

[theshoegazer]

I have a quick question for those in the know. I'm planning on putting out a CDR in the near future and I've noticed that a lot of my recordings are well below the standard dB of most commercial recordings. I normally record things live, one take and just set the level (there's just one stereo track) to just below clipping (in the red). Is there a way to get my recordings up to the commercial standard without excessive compression/clipping/loss of detail (these are noise recordings so texture is everything). Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[theshoegazer]

In return for answers I will give you a link to an excellent free compilation from Bad Panda Records:


http://theneedledrop.com/?p=2125


It's excellent.

[tuffteef]

you record wayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy too hot
it can change from record to record
desk to desk
but mostly ill mix to like -3db and the small space for mastering -3 to 0
but theres no rules to mix lower then that
these are just standards i got taught during mixing 101

it all depends on your dynamics in your music
you would be able to create more texture if you were recording takes of different layers of sounds and what not
so when u go to mix it you can place sounds in different spaces with pans give everything its own space or it sounds super squished together usually muddy
and slap on on HPF to clean up the layers it will sound good
free tips haha

tape clippage is not as bad as digital

[theshoegazer]

you record wayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy too hot
it can change from record to record
desk to desk
but mostly ill mix to like -3db and the small space for mastering -3 to 0
but theres no rules to mix lower then that
these are just standards i got taught during mixing 101

it all depends on your dynamics in your music
you would be able to create more texture if you were recording takes of different layers of sounds and what not
so when u go to mix it you can place sounds in different spaces with pans give everything its own space or it sounds super squished together usually muddy
and slap on on HPF to clean up the layers it will sound good
free tips haha

tape clippage is not as bad as digital

Thanks for the tips! I actually don't record hot but I mix hot in an effort to get my recordings up to the loudness level I want but for some reason its still not there. I don't want to sacrifice the live aspect of my recordings by multi tracking so I'd still like to do the one stereo track deal. Am I just going to have to accept that I'll have to mix my noise like a commercial hip hop record extreme compression and all? Halp?

[the raytownian]

tape clippage is not as bad as digital

Factual.

And, yeah, EXTREME COMPRESSION is how people get overly-loud recordings these days!

If you're going to try that, I suggest looking at multi-band compressors, which compress different frequencies separately, and that allows for more wiggle room.

[tuffteef]

ah okay so your not recording straight metering to just below zero?

you could limit everything and blast the output but dynamics and everything get lost maybe thats what yer looking for
hip hoppers will use gate triggers to super low freq generators to get things pumpin and boomin

[theshoegazer]

I do know a bit about tracking. Haha. Thanks for the tips guys. I guess the real question is do I really want my record to be super loud. If you bought a record that was below what seems to be the standard extreme loudness of today's recordings would you just turn it up and DGAF or would you dismiss it as a lousy recording?

[tuffteef]

I do know a bit about tracking. Haha. Thanks for the tips guys. I guess the real question is do I really want my record to be super loud. If you bought a record that was below what seems to be the standard extreme loudness of today's recordings would you just turn it up and DGAF or would you dismiss it as a lousy recording?

i would prob just turn it up
theres loud
then theres beyond loud

i would never mix jazz loud id mix it low to keep dynamics
i think we all just fell into it with pop music
it works for some music some doesnt

i think good quality recordings, good ideas, good mixing and engineering go a long way before loudness
i reckon you shouldnt go to zero but thats just me

people might think its lousy cause its not " loud "
but engineers will laugh at you

[theshoegazer]

I do know a bit about tracking. Haha. Thanks for the tips guys. I guess the real question is do I really want my record to be super loud. If you bought a record that was below what seems to be the standard extreme loudness of today's recordings would you just turn it up and DGAF or would you dismiss it as a lousy recording?

i would prob just turn it up
theres loud
then theres beyond loud

i would never mix jazz loud id mix it low to keep dynamics
i think we all just fell into it with pop music
it works for some music some doesnt

i think good quality recordings, good ideas, good mixing and engineering go a long way before loudness
i reckon you shouldnt go to zero but thats just me

people might think its lousy cause its not " loud "
but engineers will laugh at you

Haha. Definitely agree with you. I have some technical musical education so whenever I hear a stupidly loud/compressed record I just groan. I guess I'm just catering to my audience. With noise stuff it tends to be super loud but when I mix/master that way I lose a lot of the detail that I want to keep. Its not so much about making it as in your face and abrasive as possible for me its more about the textural content (see sig). Thanks for help fellers. I'll just stay the course and hope for the best.