low Volume levels for final mix

[bmcguinness]

I'm having trouble getting a decent volume level on final mix. I bounced my audio tracks to disk and the resulting stereo track sounds good when I listen through on my monitors. Then when I export and burn to disk or import to itunes.. the volume level is very very low.

How do I raise that final volume level?

equipment:
mac G4
dp3

thanks,
Brian

[Electric Lotus]

It seems Itunes always lowers the volumes of imported mixes...you can always bring it back up using the Itunes 'option' tab, once you get into the INFO on a given track....but you might want to improve levels at the source....

Do you premaster ?

What does your 2 track waveform say compared to your favorite 'commercial' songs ?

From experience, I prefer running a mix out of a board into a standalone CD-recorder, if your budget allows, get the latest TASCAM mastering station DR-1000, I think....

[bmcguinness]

thanks for feedback..

Do you premaster ? DON'T KNOW WHAT THIS MEANS. ALL I DO IS HIGHLIGHT THE TRACKS (RIGHT NOW ALL AUDIO) I WANT TO BOUNCE TO DISK THEN I BOUNCE... USING BUS 1-2... MAYBE I'M MISSING SOME STEP OR SOMETHING.

What does your 2 track waveform say compared to your favorite 'commercial' songs ? DON'T KNOW WHAT THIS MEANS.

THE WEIRD THING IS THE SOUND IS GREAT WHEN I PLAY IT EVEN AT A LOW VOLUME SETTING WITHIN DIGITAL PERFORMER THROUGH MY MONITORS.

[Electric Lotus]

Caps are for yelling, young pedawan.....


Import your fav tracks in DP, or create a project just for that, line them up, and analyse them in your sequence window.....How hard is the snare against the 'body' of the song ? Can you spot the kick ? Is bass taking too much energy out of the mix's DNA ? compare theirs against yours, you'll lear a lot... Try altering them to see what happens....


To premaster is to make sure a mastering engineer will have a decent material to be creative upon, not just for him to 'fix' 101 errors....

[blue]

It seems Itunes always lowers the volumes of imported mixes...you can always bring it back up using the Itunes 'option' tab, once you get into the INFO on a given track....but you might want to improve levels at the source....

I would suggest turning off Sound Check and Sound Enhancer in the playback preferences, as well as turning off the EQ. With those settings turned off, iTunes will not alter the playback volume (or quality) of any imported tracks.

[HCMarkus]

Commercially released tracks are processed (called "Mastering" or "Pre Mastering") to address a number of audio issues including levels, dynamic range and frequency response. While most will discourage overly agressive mastering by artist/engineers, restrained equalization and a little compression and/or limiting will make your masters sound a lot closer to the often severely smashed tracks we hear in the mainstream. There are a number of threads on this subject in UnicorNation. Search and ye shall find...!

As Electric Lotus notes, by observing the graphical representations of your mixes as soundbites in DP, and comparing the appearance of your tracks to those of commercial releases,you will quickly note the higher average level of the commercial releases. This translates to "sounds louder."

Later versions of DP include some decent mastering tools, noteably the Masterworks series of plugs which include dynamics (limiting and compression) and EQ. A number of third party plugs are also available that are designed to polish mixes. Just don't hope for too much... it takes a great mix to make a superb mastered track.

[chrispick]

To premaster is to make sure a mastering engineer will have a decent material to be creative upon, not just for him to 'fix' 101 errors....

Technically speaking, premastering includes all processing done to a track after mixdown and prior to placement on media. That is, premastering is what most people simply call mastering. And that includes all of the final compression and EQ necessary to make your finished mix sound loud and full and bright and deep as the songs you buy on CD.

This can be completed within DP with passable results using MWEQ and MW Limiter. Refer to your DP manual for some instruction.

There are some relatively inexpensive third-party software options that avail better results. Look into test-driving iZotope Ozone (available from their website). They also provide a great primer PDF that talks you through the premastering process.

Do consider though: Professional mastering houses usually have better hardware EQs, compressors and other processors than most software can provide. And they staff professional mastering engineers who specialize in all premastering tasks. So, many people forgo home mastering and pay for the pro service.

In any case, I suggest picking up the iZotope PDF. You'll learn a lot about what it takes to make your home mix sound like a pro CD mix.

[HCMarkus]

In any case, I suggest picking up the iZotope PDF. You'll learn a lot about what it takes to make your home mix sound like a pro CD mix.

Yes, very helpful.