Hi guys,
We all compare our mixes to some commercial reference tracks to ensure that our mixing is following industry standards and sounds good and polished.
Recently, I have discovered that whenever I compare my mixes to some commercial tracks, my mixes lack that perceived loudness of commercial tracks. For instance, the perceived loudness of frequency range 35hz - 150 hz of my mix is much lower than the commercial one. I wonder how I should fix that. If it is about controlling dynamics and doing saturation, I have done so, using healthy dose of them. It is not only about that frequency range but also about the other frequency ranges too.For example, the perceived loudness of 1khz - 5khz of my mix might sometimes be higher or lower than the commercial track I use as a reference.
You see, when I don't have a balanced perceived loudness across frequency spectrum, my bass does not do its job properly to convey the feeling I want in the mix or the other parts just lack that power and energy. So when I put a limiter on the master channel of my mix and do healthy amount of increase in perceived loudness, all I am doing is increasing that perceived loudness across the whole range of frequency spectrum, not noticing that I actually have unbalanced perceived loudness in different frequency ranges so still my mix lacks it.
I might be wrong about all this and guess what(!) that's why I am asking this question from you guys and hope you give me some solid answers instead of just putting some Youtube links to some random youtube channels about mixing tutorials.
BTW, is there any plugin so I can control such perceived loudness deviation across frequency spectrum? like knowing how loud(perceived loudness) my mix is between 1khz-5khz range?
I am looking forward to hearing from you guys.

P.S. In addition, how do you guys balance the perceived loudness of your tracks across frequency spectrum?

 

Last edited: Feb 28, 2018

I would say any analyzer with rms measuring will do. Get Voxengo's SPAN, it's free and see if that helps you.

 

I Don't know if I get it quite right,
But isn't perceived loudness something that can only be measured by 'thump' on the whole frequency spectrum?

I think when measuring something like this is important to remember absence of a signal in a certain signal incorporates a lot in perceived loudness.

Ok enough about the terms, you could look into izotope ozone mix assistant from time too time while still in the mixing producing stage.

The eq it sets comes before compression so it concequently will balance the whole spectrum dynamics. I use it to go back to the individual channels

Ozone comes with a tonal balance analyzer, which can help.

To top off, very recently I had a very satisfying result with eventide/newfangled elevate. Which also has the best clipper I ever came across. But I'll open a whole new topic for that soon

 

By making sure the entire spectrum is represented by the instruments in the song: kick & sub, toms/bongos/snare & top bass, chords/pads, layered leads/clap/congas/plucks/arps, open hats, closed hats, tambourine, shaker, to name a few.
Then some plucky sounds and some soft sounds to create transient contrast (including in the drums). Then saturation, room reverb, parallel compression (only to some!) again, to create contrast and density. The proper EQ for each sound, then either compression or simply clipper (hard or soft - standard practice in today's commercial music) per every track to properly bracket it's dynamic range. If done properly all the above, the mix wil be 75% done with all faders at zero.

Then you can use a EL-able eq (like TDR SlickeqM) and with a twist of a knob shape your mix' curve: emphasis on lows & high if your mix is for non-club usage and emphasis on mids (because at very high volume our ears perceive the lows and highs very easy) of you make a mix for the club.

Finally, if you can't get -10LU (peak at 0 dB FS) in the low end with a simple solo'd kick (and then just kick & sub), your doing pretty much everythig wrong. Then when you have the kick at -10, just add the elements so they don't interfere with these elements - proper EQ them and all the things I mentioned above.

You may need to watch one or two mixing tutorials then do a lot of ear training by actually making the new mixes better and better. Cheers!

 

This is unusual for a tip, but try working backwards, OP.

Try starting with a limiter, dial in an amount of loudness you think your track can take without starting to sound farty/shitty because of hard limiting. Then dial it back a little bit more from that. This is your starting point.

Now you add compression (if desired or necessary) and finally your equalizers, prior to the limiter which you don't touch any more. Switch back and forth from your mix to your reference at equal avg loudness, and use the EQ and compression to get it to sound how you envision it should be, and try doing this circus balancing act "into the limiter". This might furnish you with some much needed insight so you no longer feel like all your adjustments are failing. Lets you focus on the result, instead of the measurement.

 

Last edited: Feb 28, 2018

Could you please restate this part again?
You mean with a solo'd kick and sub I should have -10 LUFS(perceived loudness)?
You may need to watch one or two mixing tutorials
Do you offer any mixing tutorial on Youtube which mixing the low end is done properly in it?
The problem is my low end is almost hit the ceiling and does not represent the proper loudness comparing to commercial mix(even though the eq and saturation are done for healthy amounts - I don't compress low-end since it almost kills it - only on special situations)

 

So you are simply saying I should add limiter to low-end bus like kick and sub and increase it until it sounds good? then add eq and compression before it?! could you please be a bit more clear? if I do so, and adjust the compression and eq, it won't be the RIGHT eq and compression since I'm listening to the output of LIMITER! what are you exactly suggesting?

 

Yes I'm suggesting listening to the output of the limiter, as you are adjusting the EQ and compression. On purpose, because this way the limiter won't ruin your balancing work down the line. Try it out.

Your chain would look like this: EQ -> COMP -> LIMITER
And you start by setting up the limiter, then you work with the comp, then finally the EQ.

You do this for the whole mix, not just the bass submix. So you can address the balance the way you feel you need to.

Pretty pointless adjusting just the lows on their own to some exact loudness, since they are not going to be listened to on their own but in context with the highs. Don't be afraid if your lows are kind of riding above everything and the highs slope off a little bit - that's normal for what we typically consider a good, balanced mix. I.e. a good balanced mix is not an evenly balanced thing on the spectrum analyzer, instead you'll find what sounds good usually has got a certain tilt to it.