Yeah i'll keep that in mind while mixing. But my main question is how do i set up limiter correctly after I'm done with mixing(and my peak level is below-6dB etc).

 

Unlikely. Inter sample peaks are real existing peaks between two samples. Hence the names ISP and True Peak.

 

That depends on the mix, the limiter and your aim.
Some limiters have an auto gain which means they raise the level to the set output value, some don't do this.
The amount of limiting depends on the mix and your aim. Sometimes -0,5dB is enough, sometimes -1dB isn't sufficient.

Your version is ok for me. Only the E note of the bass is a bit too loud and thus boomy.

And btw, according to LUFS standard the True Peak should be -1dB, not higher.

 

May i know why you have the need to use a limiter on your mixes after you done mixing? What are you trying to achieve by using limiter?

Please don't be shy, the more we understand your reasons and target, the easier for us to guide and learn together with you for a better understanding

 

I assume to make it loud as **** of course.

 

I saw mastering is an important part of creating tracks.
Many people use limiter to make their songs louder=more enjoyable(?) to ear so I thought it's a necessary thing.
But I don't really understand how it works so I thought someone could maybe guide me through it and tell me how to set it in a simple way

 

Awhh, I get it now.

Well, my friend, the truth is, there is no easy way without really understanding how gain and loudness works.

If you ask me how to correctly use a limiter, I would tell you, insert it, set your output/ceiling between -0.1db and -0.5db (your choice) and push the input gain until you did not actually distort it (audible).

But that's just a basic understanding of how a limiter correctly work.

What you seek is to get more loudness, and it is an entirely different topic which it is more than just slapping in a limiter at the end of a chain. How you can get more loudness in mastering also have a close deal with how well balance your mixes are. How balanced the gain structure of your mixes thru the entire freq spectrum is crucial. It is a heavy topic and I can't think of any easier answer for you, but you should start by studying about gain staging.

But for the sake to entertain your needs to enjoy your mixes at a loud level, just push the limiter until you meet your desired level and if it starting to clip and distort, pull it back until it is not. Be careful, make sure limiter is last in the chain, if you put another processing plugin after it, it will break the ceiling. And of course, this is not mastering, this is just to make ur mix a bit louder for previewing purposes.

Don't think so much about mastering as for now, it is more fun to focusing on how to achieve a well-balanced mix.

 

Last edited: Sep 19, 2018

Alright! Thank you for your comment.

 

Nah, input levels for emulation plugins. During gain staging.
I suppose I also need to read a bit more on inter sample peaks, lol.

Good thread, OP!

 

Honestly, at this stage I wouldn't worry about limiting at all. You still have to write a full arrangement out of this. Also, working on master limiting makes no sense when the bass and melodies are way too loud. Finish your track first, then mix it, then worry about limiting.

Regarding levels, most synths output way too loud, I would shoot at the -12dB area in your DAW meters. Don't use your mixer faders for this, turn down the volume in the synth itself. If it's too quiet, you've got your volume knob.

 

Well that track preview is already mixed and there's a limiter on it.
Hmm also my loudest synth(lead melody) is -13dB and other ones are like -20dB

 

That doesn't really matter. I made this some time ago for a different purpose:

Both sounds have the same source and same source eqing. They're playing the same tune with the same velocity, shifted by an octave and changing to the other octave at the middle of the part. And although everybody would agree that the sound on the right side sounds louder, when it comes to measurement the centered sound has fractions of dB more peak and rms than the one on the right side.

 

Last edited: Sep 19, 2018

Regarding LUFS ("Loudness Units relative to Full Scale", the new de facto standard for measuring loudness for broadcast and streaming post-"Loudness Wars"), this is what you should bear in mind:

1) Your DAW should be set to measure dBFS, which is actual digital full-scale, not LUFS. I can't tell from your pictures which thing is set to dBFS (it looks like it's your main output) and which thing is set to LUFS (it looks like your limiter), but everything should be set to dBFS -- I think the disparity between those two types of metering is what's confusing you here. You only have to worry about LUFS if you're mastering something for TV, movies or broadcast streaming. Check your prefs and see if you can set up your DAW or limiter or whatever meter you're using for dBFS instead of LUFS across the board. You'll be a lot less confused and it may resolve all your issues right there.

2) LUFS is used to measure perceived loudness. This is where your confusion is about to get a lot deeper. A track with no limiting and mixed for dynamics (little limiting or compression) will probably top out at -19 LUFS. That's right. -19 LUFS. A heavily limited track, like the one you're aiming for, will end up being around -4 LUFS. Still not at 0 LUFS!!! Nothing you do should EVER go all the way to 0 LUFS (or worse, over that)!!! Remember, LUFS is relative to full scale. it's not regular 0 dB.

Now, here's where the Loudness Wars lost, and what you'll want to keep in mind. Spotify, iTunes, all your favorite streamers set everything they stream to -13/-14 LUFS, so everything plays at the same relative volume. This means the dynamic track topping out at -19 LUFS gets a little louder and still remains dynamic-sounding, while the asshole who brick-walled his mix into a solid black -4 LUFS waveform will now sound horrible. It gets even worse for TV, since TV broadcasts now have to keep a constant volume of -24 LUFS.

For what you're doing, your best bet is to stick with dBFS, since that's what you seem to be going by. If you want, you can use something like Insight 2, Waves WLM or NuGen MasterCheck on the tail end of your master fader to see if your mix is too hot in LUFS, but if you're just mixing for CD and you're trying to brickwall your mix to make it loud as possible (which I don't advise doing, see above), just make sure you're going by dBFS to avoid further confusion.

 

Last edited: Sep 20, 2018

That would mean they apply some sort of dynamics. Didn't know they're doing this.

 

The numbers doesn't matter in the slightest. If the bass is louder than everything else, you turn it down. Simple as that. Numbers mean nothing - you can have your volume coming from the synth at any random place, and usually the volumes in those actually are all over the place.

 

It's my understanding that they're actually just changing the gain on a case-by-case basis (actual track editing) before putting it up on their site, not through a broadcast limiter like radio. In other words, if you already maxed out your mix with a limiter, you don't get more limiting, your gain is just lowered to -13/-14 LUFS, and if you have a dynamic mix with no limiting that tops out at -19 LUFS, they raise the gain a couple of dB, but again, not running it through a limiter. I know that joints like CDBaby actually do this in-house when they prep your CD tracks for digital distribution.

 

Even if it already peaks at 0dB?

 

Chances are high that anything with a LUFS of -19 dB (or even -14/-13 dB) isn't peaking at 0dBFS. Like I said a few posts back, a heavily-limited solid bar track is about -4 LUFS, so the scale is closer to VU (where "0" would equal -24 dBFS) than digital full scale. I imagine there would have to be some sort of brickwall limiter in there somewhere, just to make sure there's no overshoots or something, but they're not applying any sort of limiting to the actual track. It's more like a "normalizing" function.

 

Actually, Youtube and several others will not turn you up, but will turn you down. So you still want a decent level, especially if you want to check your music in your car or phone, or it's to be released on CD. The deal is not to skip mastering entirely, it's just to prevent people from doing too much of it and hurting the song.

 

I just wanted to get it straight that if your track has something below -16LUFS and peaks at 0dB (due to limiting or normalizing), there's no chance any platform will raise it's level, afaik.