So I was applying some final touches to a track i'm mixing/mastering and the reference song's RMS (at loudest) was -7.

In my head i'm thinking, fuvk this is way to loud but time and time again when listening to my mixes on cellphones, mine come out way quieter than the sausages people push out mastering studios.

So my question is, should I:

A: Mix it to the loudest point possible without ruining transients.
B: Mix it to where i'm happy and have it play softer than everything else on smaller devices.
C: Let LANDR do it (lol)
D: Burn my studio down, because the loudness war is getting to me. (joke)

I know I shouldn't be mastering what i've mixed but you know how it goes.

Any input on this topic would be appreciated.

 

The more people ignore the loudness wars the faster we can get rid of this fucking nightmare that is plaguing the modern music production.

 

Valid point, I think I will do just that

Nice dynamic mix btw

 

Always remember the listener has the final say with every song... the volume dial.
If it's a great song they'll turn it up. Simple, and this enforces the brain into liking the experience more.

Nobody likes being forced to turn down the volume.

 

Ohh I like that concept, nice one thanks mate

 

I would say: answer B

 

what if corporate greed makes them pay for your mixes to go in lower volume compare to ladygaga just thru an algorythm

iTunes, YouTube...

etc

They all say they are supposed to lower a too loud mix or raise a mix that is too low...with their special algorythm inteaded exclusively to kill the LoudnessWar ounce and for all...

I question this...

Because I see weird stuff all the time...

except for artist that are dead...

 

I do know of the iTunes Soundcheck algorithm but ey you never know

 

Loudness matters when the listener is playing your mix back from media player and track A is loud, clear, crisp and then your track is weak af. Or if he's playing through his phone and no matter how much he pushes the volume, it doesn't sound loud enough to get that pump. Or when it does, it sounds squashed af. I think some mixes sound amazing even "squashed" cause they know what they doing. Hitting 0 db is easy, what's hard is getting those dynamics squashed and still sound "normal".

 

One more thing is, pros create different mixes for different purposes while amateurs create one squashed mix that sounds good on media player but on SC, youtube, etc sounds bad cause there's no dynamics. :D

 

Now that's my dilemma, i've grown up listening to mixes that have a nice subtle distortion when on maxed on a cellphone (specifically vocals), but i've always been afraid to push it that far on studio monitors, i find it such a hard subject to tackle.. but ey that's why the guys that do it are called ' mastering engineers '

 

Totally true, some mastering engineers can do wonders BUT the most important part begins with sample selection, mixing decisions and generally the job of the producer. As they say, you can't polish a turd :P haha

Idk if you've listened to KSHMR tracks but tracks like "secrets, strong, wildcard" they just so well mixed and mastered and if you throw izotope imager on one of them, you will see the depth, width we all want. If you A, B with one of your own tracks there will be a big difference.

 

a client once comeback because the final mastered version was way too loud, had to make it quieter... haha

 

Haha wow, do you remember what chain you used to get it that loud? What was the RMS and genre of it?

 

A. Obviously.

 

ALWAYS A/B your programme with some ref. tracks when mastering. Regardless wether the ref. tracks in question are eager participants of the 'loudness-wars'. It gives you a very clear contrast to what you are doing. (probably doing wrong.) I bet not all the tracks in your refference basket are loudness-sheit, but some are probably done by someone who knows his chops. (Bob Ludwig, Bern Grundman, Bob Katz undsoweiter.) So, ALWAYS, A/B. Preferably loud (96db - 103db) and on your main speaker programme.

ups, not me at all, I just mentioned dudes, old dudes and forgot to mention: Emily Lazar. Female. Mastering engineer. Amazing! sorry about that Emily.

 

Last edited: May 28, 2016

when u set a lowpass with arround 12 db slope arround 110 hz
can give a more realistic value, in the end bass heavy material is going to lower the dynamic range, nothing to worry about

 

@Kwisbeats ; When Mastering?

 

Last edited: May 28, 2016

my answer: E.
Work out your levels and your rooms' waves. Every room is different, as is the gear you are working with. Loud doesn't mean s***t.
Your understanding of what happens in the space your doing the mastering matters more than anything...