 Limiting and Clipping and Loudness... |
Digital Cause 
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Registration Date: 06-07-2006
Posts: 447
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Im currently trying out a few different ways to maximize the levels of a tune I am working on. After a while your ears can seem to play tricks on you when they get tired and was wondering if anyone had any good insights, preferably derived from personal experience and not from Sound on Sound.
I used to just put a good limiter on my master bus and push it up slowly until I could hear it working, then ease off it some so it was as transparent as possible. I am now trying basically the equivalent but instead of using a limiter I am clipping the track a couple of dB into the red on the master. I tested that last night, and the effects are pretty in-audible and it does get the track loud. I think the limiter sounds just as good, but which way do you think is actually better?
I am considering first clipping the track a little, and then bouncing that, and then putting a limiter on , so that the effect of the limiter when i put it on will be more constant and therefore audible as it is dealing with a more average level, rather than small sparse peaks (as my tunes seem to have lots of... mainly when the kick and snare hit). Have not tried that yet though...
Bear in mind I am using a good limiter-logics adaptive one, and I am talking about this and those such as L2 and L3... and I know all the theory about them leaving distortion artefacts , but I am wiling to have a little distortion for loudness sake.
p.s. compression techniques etc are also welcome
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www.myspace.com/digitalcause
www.myspace.com/mysterious1000
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10-10-2008 12:56 |
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Muad'Dib
Andrejnalin
Registration Date: 02-12-2003
Posts: 4,197
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Well, I wouldn't recommend clipping in the first place - apart from a possible equipment destruction you can also get "you are lame lazy producer" looks. 
The limiter acts just like that "technique" you described, but doesn't interfere with the real clipping. Limiter is, actually, a compressor with a very hard ratio, very fast attack and release times and a big knee value. Why don't you try using a compressor instead of limiter? You can change the settings more precisely that way.
If you really want that gritty sound, try inserting a Tube distortion plug-in on your Master channel. I do this sometimes, and it gives me a nice, warm harmonic distortion which doesn't clip but sounds like it (if I turn up the knobs, of course). Try TubeVST.
Also, if you are addicted to seeing the red flashing "LEDs" in your sequencer when the sounds clip, just take a red marker and drew some red spots on the places where it should clip - I believe you will think everything is clipping then, keeping you satisfied.
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10-10-2008 15:46 |
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Digital Cause
Player
Registration Date: 06-07-2006
Posts: 447
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clipping is used by a lot of people dude. y not
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www.myspace.com/digitalcause
www.myspace.com/mysterious1000
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10-10-2008 16:29 |
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D2o
Ghost
Registration Date: 30-05-2005
Posts: 2,545
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10-10-2008 21:24 |
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the moneyshot
str8 outa nocash
Registration Date: 31-12-2007
Posts: 328
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| quote: |
Originally posted by Ghost
vintage warmer is very good for boosting mixes plus it gives a nice warmth |
ill second that!!! its very good
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12-10-2008 13:15 |
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