Output fader level and Mastering

[Snowdon]

Howdy,

 

I have just mixed a song and have a question or two.

 

I have my output fader at -8.0 so the signal stays at the desired -3.0 to -6.0 db for mastering. Obviously when I put it into a playlist

in itunes to compare them to other mixes the song is at a really low level against the other mastered tracks (Beck, Stones,Beach Boys, Eminem) I used for the comparison.

My questions are, is the -8.0 output level to low, and how much will mastering help it compete against the other tracks I use for the comparison?

 

Thanks for your help.

 

Snow.

[Eriksimon]

Read these, and don't weep:

Guide to Levels in Digital Audio

Loudness when Producing and Mixing [Tips]

[David Nahmani]

is the -8.0 output level to low

-8.0dB is not a level, it is the position of your fader, meaning the amount of gain you're applying to your signal. A gain setting cannot in itself be too low or too high, since the resulting level depends on the level you had before you applied the gain change. For example if your original level was -80 dB FS and you apply -8.0 dB of gain, your resulting level is -88 dB FS. If your original level was +10 dB FS and you apply -8.0 dB of gain, your resulting level is +2 dB FS.

 

how much will mastering help it compete against the other tracks I use for the comparison?

The 2nd link provided by Eriksimon will answer that question.