Anyway of getting my songs louder..?

Posted on

Member Since: Oct 02, 2006

i know this is probably a common question, obviously the ideal answear is to have it sent away and mastered, unfortunally not an option! so does anyone know any ways of getting that finished loudness to a track?
i'll tell you what i have: im using cubase LE and record stuff via my lexican omega (im thinking this might not matter). so when i have a track all done i set the markers, get the master fader on the mixer to the highest point possible without clipping and then do an audio mixdown... im happy with the mix and everything, just not with how quiet it sounds!!
anyone have any ideas?

cheers!

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www.TheLondonProject.ca
Member
Since: Feb 07, 2005


Oct 16, 2006 10:04 am

Hey Corin,

You will have to use some sort of compression to bring up the perceived volume. Squishing it will make it louder but be careful not to kill the transients.

Member
Since: Oct 02, 2006


Oct 16, 2006 11:13 am

hello, yeah thats probably a good idea, ill try. whats the best way to compress everything? should i do a mix down and and export that, then create a new project and put in the mixed track in as one track and compress that?

top banana, cheers!

The fat one always watches us.
Member
Since: Nov 08, 2002


Oct 16, 2006 11:38 am

post a finished song in mp3, ill do a quicky on it and see if its what youre looking for. if so then i can do it fairly quick to all youre songs....

Member
Since: Oct 02, 2006


Oct 16, 2006 12:27 pm

cheers for the offer, is there no way you can let me know how you do it though? that would be sooo helpful! (i'd hate to think id have to mail you my songs every time i needed one finishing - you'd be a busy person!!) what about the stero mastering setup, that anything? i've had a fiddle around and cant seem to get the level up without distorting it, i shall keep at the compression for now.

cheers again guys..

The fat one always watches us.
Member
Since: Nov 08, 2002


Oct 16, 2006 12:36 pm

i use magix studio software- they have a magic button- basicly with a little tweakin it does the hard work for you. as long as the song is well mixed and clean when you start- it does the rest. a combo of compression, limiter, and some other stuff. i was stuck where you were, then came the magic button. dont you have some webspace you can throw the mp3 to?

Prince CZAR-ming
Member
Since: Apr 08, 2004


Oct 16, 2006 01:15 pm

I use n-track, though the software shouldn't matter.

My steps:

1. mix song for mix-ness. make everything happy. I add compression to some things in the mix stage, like vocals and bass, but not on the master bus, just individual tracks.

2. mix song down to stereo, end up with song_mixdown_01.wav

3. close mix project, and open new mixdown01.wav file into new project.

4. add kjaerhus compressor to the mixed down stereo track (track 1). pick preset that works, adjust to taste.

5. add kjaerhus master limiter to the master bus

6. open both compressor and limiter on screen, so you can adjust both.

7. increase output gain, till signal gets up to the red, but keep limiter working, so no clips gets through. I shoot for -.3db as a max.

8. once all is right and tidy, mixdown again, this time making the higher-volume wav file.

Like mentioned, don't compress too much, or you'll squash all dynamics, and it'll all be loud all the time. This is a pain to listen to, and takes the life out of a song. Try to find a nice balance, between the max output, and still having transients.

You can adjust other things during this phase, like adding reverb, doing full sprectrum EQ, etc. I'm thinking this is actually the pre-mastering phase, but I now-a-days it's referred to as 'Mastering', with digital CD writing being the norm now, for us home-enthusiasts.

www.kjaerhusaudio.com/classic-series.php

To be sure, there's probably better ways of doing this. This is just my way of doing it on the cheap.

hth, ymmv

The fat one always watches us.
Member
Since: Nov 08, 2002


Oct 16, 2006 01:33 pm

basicly magix has a number of presets that you would apply at step 4. then with minimal tweaks good results. magix is at the bottom end of the recording software spectrum but it works well for some things.

Member
Since: Oct 02, 2006


Oct 18, 2006 07:24 am

cheers again, just another question that might seem basic: i have Cubase LE, how do i get the plug-ins on to the program? i've downloaded the kjaerhus plug ins to my computer and un-zipped them but i cant seem to find how to get them on the program! if its somehow not possible i can always use the cubase compressor.

to tonyd my myspace is www.myspace.com/amidbedlam

you'll probably see what i mean about everything being quiet! nice one again..!

The fat one always watches us.
Member
Since: Nov 08, 2002


Oct 18, 2006 07:37 am

check this out corin- its the only one i was able to download- (nice feeling stuff there by the way)
members.cox.net/anthony1535/Corin.mp3

see what ya think

Prince CZAR-ming
Member
Since: Apr 08, 2004


Oct 18, 2006 08:15 am

cubase should have a VST programs directory of some sort. This should have other *.dll files in there. VST plug-ins have the .dll extension.

In cubase, there should be a options, or preferences page. In there it should tell you the path for your VST plugins. Now just drop the .dll file for each plug-in into that directory.

Now, you may have to tell cubase to refresh it's plug-in list, so cubase knows the new plug-ins are there. After, you should be able to pick the new plug-in from the list.

This is just guessing, as I've seen cubase only momentarily. I've been using n-track mostly.

the process (for me) is pretty much the same if you're using the classic plugins, or cubase compressor. I'd be sure to use a limiter on the main bus, for mastering. I don't know if there's one with cubase or not.

Czar of Midi
Administrator
Since: Apr 04, 2002


Oct 18, 2006 06:02 pm

Corin, sent ya a freind request. Great tunes by the way.

As for the VST thing. Simply open your windows explorer. Then locate the Programs/Steinberg/VST folder as stated above. Then locate the kjaerhus plug ins and find the .dll files and drag them into the folder stated above.

Then you will probably have to run the VST registration tool, or possibly LE will find the new .dll files and make them available when you start Cubase LE the next time after draggin the .dll files into the folder.

Member
Since: Oct 02, 2006


Oct 19, 2006 06:00 am

Wicked, all done and they're working like a dream, cheers guys!! its always the little things that boggle me!
cheers Noize2u, got your request, Nice! when ive got these VSTs working how i want im gonna change the songs on there to ones that i've spent more time on during post-production!
cheers again..!

Czar of Midi
Administrator
Since: Apr 04, 2002


Oct 19, 2006 08:07 pm

Great, cant wait to hear what you come up with. Be sure and let us know when you have them up.

Noize

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