Creating More Headroom On Tracks To Compete With Records

[simeone.paul]

Greetings,

What's the best way in getting tracks as loud as possible before distortion point.

I use compression and limiters and get my tracks to the max but it's still not as loud as other recordings.

 

Thanks,

Paul

[Holger Lagerfeldt]

Headroom is the opposite, i.e. more dynamic space. You seem to want less headroom, i.e. more squashed and pushed to the max.

 

Loudness is not one thing. It doesn't come from compressors and limiters. It doesn't even start with the mix.

 

It starts with the arrangement where less is almost always more. Or at least less at the same time usually means more loudness. Then you have the production (and recording quality), selecting the right sounds, recording them in the proper fashion.

 

Then comes mixing; getting the balancing and equalizing right is a big part in preparing the mix for its maximum loudness potential. Mixing includes compression and limiting in a variety of ways to obtain the right dynamic control but that's only a part of the equation.

 

Then finally comes mastering where you have the potential to squeeze the lemon without losing all the punch - or potentially destroy all that nice work by squashing it completely

Edited December 9, 2009 by lagerfeldt

[gdoubleyou]

Try using the adaptive limiter on your master bus to raise the overall perceived loudness without clipping.

 

8)

[redlogic]

Loudness is not one thing. It doesn't come from compressors and limiters. It doesn't even start with the mix.

 

It starts with the arrangement where less is almost always more. Or at least less at the same time usually means more loudness. Then you have the production (and recording quality), selecting the right sounds, recording them in the proper fashion.

 

Then comes mixing; getting the balancing and equalizing right is a big part in preparing the mix for its maximum loudness potential. Mixing includes compression and limiting in a variety of ways to obtain the right dynamic control but that's only a part of the equation.

 

Then finally comes mastering where you have the potential to squeeze the lemon without losing all the punch - or potentially destroy all that nice work by squashing it completely

 

Beautifully put...

 

 

 

Could we make this a sticky in the LOUDNESS Forum?

[organsymphony]

alternatively... the listener could turn up whatever they're listening to.

[David Nahmani]

We've discussed this many times on this forum, although it may not be easy to search for those posts... here's one where my comments closely resemble Lagerfeldt's comments:

 

http://www.logicprohelp.com/viewtopic.php?t=29541

[biff_larken]

alternatively... the listener could turn up whatever they're listening to.

 

Excellent answer. Strategically ensure that the listener has the volume up appropriately will definitely give you the loudness you seek.

 

Want big drums that stick out? Perhaps turn down other elements that might be fighting for the same sonic space.

[Holger Lagerfeldt]

alternatively... the listener could turn up whatever they're listening to.

Unfortunately with iPod shuffled music etc. the loudness war won't go away that easily.

[biff_larken]

alternatively... the listener could turn up whatever they're listening to.

Unfortunately with iPod shuffled music etc. the loudness war won't go away that easily.

 

Shuffle can go "shuffle" itself.