Level match for a DJ set

Discussion in 'Mixing and Mastering' started by SSSSHHH, Feb 20, 2021.

  1. SSSSHHH

    SSSSHHH Noisemaker

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    I'm talking about a DJ "mix" for promotion for example made in Ableton Live. I know it is not technically a DJ set like could be something live on a DJ mixer. I talk about making a compilation of tracks on my own, not live.

    Do you know how can I make an automatic match of the level of every track for getting a constant level in all the session? Or which could be the best way to have a good level?
    Could help Izotope Insight?

    I put this question here because I think it is more about "mixing/mastering" than about really DJing.

     
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  3. clone

    clone Audiosexual

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    Depends how precise you want to get it and how much time and/or effort you want to spend. You are dealing with already mastered material for the most part, right? You could babysit a realtime print through a console if you want to, or you could do something like stick a subtle instance of Waves L1 Ultramaximizer and maybe even some limiting and call it a day. and anywhere in between.
     
  4. SSSSHHH

    SSSSHHH Noisemaker

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    Yes, it is mastered material. I only added some transition effects (reverb, delay...).
    Okay, I could put the limiter and turn up volume for every track until they touch the limiter.
     
  5. clone

    clone Audiosexual

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    you really shouldn't even get that much attenuation. if you are playing well produced tracks and keep your levels relatively consistent while you are mixing all you really are doing is gain matching them to adjust to the differences in the mastering. Normalizing using a noise print or whatever will kill any dynamics so you can quickly overdo it.
     
  6. Jim Von Gucci

    Jim Von Gucci Producer

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    If you want to make a DJ promotion mix. Step 1. Learn to DJ. That's what DJ'n is. Level and beat matching.
    If it was a DJ set recorded all it would need is slight limiting to bring the level up but levels between songs should already be matched.
    Hope you are not sending out mixes pretending you are a DJ and try to play a pre mixed set. :rofl:
     
  7. clone

    clone Audiosexual

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    that applies less if it's from vinyl. limiting is very useful so you don't damage someone's speakers either way, but actually bringing up levels on more quietly pressed or more frequently played tracks to a consistent level is just as important. From CDJ's/Media Files, you would just play a version with the track already fixed first. You don't/should not really have tracks that can vary by +- 5db or even more, but that is a normal variance with vinyl.
     
  8. recycle

    recycle Guest

    in the analog days, the most performing mixers had the PFL vu-meters: you could compare the volume of what was playing on the master with what you heard in the headphones. In addition, every DJ already knew how every single vinyl sound without having to listen to it first: the professionals knew by heart the gain and equalization that they had to set for each single 12 ".
    This happened until the last century, today in the digital world, the function called replay gain is very widespread (all the big streaming platforms use it for their playlists): this feature reads the lufs value of the song in the metadata and adjusts the output volume accordingly.
    All DJ apps include replay gain (traktor has it), unfortunately ableton - being a daw - doesn't include it. I recommend you use a different app for your djsets
     
  9. Anubhav Ukil

    Anubhav Ukil Producer

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    Best Answer
    Here is my two cents.
    1. A good mix will always have Macro dynamics, that is level differences between section to section. Like Drop louder than buildup or Verse etc. So do not worry about it.
    2. Honestly you should worry about the transition points only.

    (These above points are only with respect to Loudness and level matching only)

    Now, if you dig down deep, that's what top tier DJs do as they don't kill the macro-dynamics and what they do is level the transitions (say Outro-Intro mixing or during chop mixing or cue point mixing or whatever you call it) properly so the flow feels smooth and not forced.

    Now, the loudness matching during transition is solely done using ears in live condition. But in offline condition, i.e. creating DJ sets using DAWs, you can use several loudness meters like WLM or Izotope Insight or even TB Pro AB_LM (this will tell you loudness differences, straight away) and then do either volume automation or '3 band EQ' automation, to make your DJ set more organic because that's what DJs do in real world scenario during live sets.
     
    Last edited: Feb 21, 2021
  10. SSSSHHH

    SSSSHHH Noisemaker

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    :hillbilly: don't worry, I have been djing for more than 10 years with vinyl and CDJS... :dj:
    I produce in ableton and I'm doing an ambient pre-mixed set hahahaha not as always on a mixer, my ears need a bit of relax. :guru:
     
  11. SSSSHHH

    SSSSHHH Noisemaker

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    Thank you very much clone. It is a good idea to bring up levels a bit on this ambient music. Some tracks are very compressed and other nothing.
     
  12. SSSSHHH

    SSSSHHH Noisemaker

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    Thank you recycle, since I began with digital DJing one year ago, I usually use Serato, but this time I wanted to make it as an Ableton "project". I will use MAAT Dynamic Range Meter that I think it can measure LUFS or RMS..

    Would be great to find a plugin that makes the replay gain automatically.
     
  13. vanhaze

    vanhaze Platinum Record

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  14. D-Music

    D-Music Rock Star

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    Analyze volumes from each track with an Integrated Loudness meter like the one in iZotope RX 8. Write down the results, take one result as your 'master volume' (the first track for example or the one with the highest result) and turn the faders from all lined up tracks up/down to match that level. Besides this, volume automation is also helpful for the 'busy' parts.
     
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