Questions re: meters & mixing for mastering

[muxlow]

I'm trying to be a good mixer and keep my levels low for the mastering engineer.

Common wisdom seems to be "Keep it about -12."

To keep my mix that low, faders for instruments are routinely -20, -22 and even lower. This seems very wrong.

Additionally, the level coming out of the monitors is really, really, REALLY quiet and commercial recordings are deafening in comparison. I get that unmastered is less loud, but this is a shocking "you'll hurt yourself if you accidentally hit play in iTunes w/o turning down the speakers first" difference.

And, when I play a commercial, mastered track the meters on the Master fader are hitting +6 (no clipping).

So is +6 actually 0 and -6 actually -12?

If so, why?

If not.....wha?

Thank you so much and I hope this isn't a RTFM situation cuz I didn't find nothing in there.

[waxman]

This tutorial should answer your questions... It has to do with Voltage.

https://www.myrecordingrevolution.com/p ... -to-mixing#

Here is another if you want to read it...

http://www.studioskills.net/written-blo ... sweet-spot

[Nibiru]

Great reads. Thank you.

[muxlow]

Excellent, thank you so much!

The written article explained a lot but I'm still trying to wrap my head around that works in a mix.

Do I put a Trim plugin in front of my other plugins (all pre-fader, by default) to get the incoming audio in the sweet spot?

[muxlow]

Watching the video now (didn't realize it's free) and yep:

Put a Trim in front of your plugs and get the incoming, pre-fader audio to about -18.

Thank you so much, Waxman!!!

[waxman]

YW