is putting a Limiter on every track just to cut off the very high peaks of every track good idea or not? at the mixing stage....

maybe that helps on mastering?

thanks

 

You should always have enough headroom, sometimes you just can't get a handle on a swing above O dB, then you reach for the limiter. Mixing and mastering in modern DAWs is mostly the same.

 

Nope. It's at best unnecessary but basically, useless. Since you don't know how the various sounds in a song add up (because that's unpredictable by nature) they will cause new peaks and spikes at new spots and then you'll first need to find them and then limit these too and this will only cause unnecessary distortion (and a bunch of work/time).
You can use a limiter in sub-groups but even this is mostly not needed. Use limiters and clippers in the channels only where it contributes to the sound, IOW, has a clearly audible effect, and in the main out (brickwall/TP).

 

A limiter doesn't need to be focused at 0 dB, it can aim for anything under that when for instance such as - 12 or wherever one wants such as when I have used the FabFilter Pro L for example (if memory serves me right) or when I use Limiter °6 if I master. However, that being said...I never have used limiting on every track nor do I know of anyone that has...however, that being said...there's no reason not to try it to see if it delivers your aural vision if you feel that's the flavor that you desire. It will either work for you or not. No rules, no harm, no foul.

 

That's really not necessary indeed, because on the group busses or mixbus all the sounds still add-up to each other so it would be more wisely to add limiters in the final stage of mixing, for example 2 on the mixbus, one for taiming peaks and one for overall loudness (maybe preceded by a clipper). Now, if a certain instrument causes extreme peaks that do affect the instrument plug-in chain or group/mix heavily, a limiter - or even compressor - could be helpful after all. But if it's midi related, try velocity changes and note placement first. It's just a matter of consideration in that case.

 

The best outcome is you waste resources and time.

 

ive seen mixers doing that, L1 on every channel. they are all out of the loop now and doing video tutorials.

 

A true metal-head doesn't use limiters on the guitars, clipping just makes the distortion sound more badass

 

Joey sturgis did it

 

Dont use a limiter on every track!! Any peaks that need chopping look at these freebies
https://plugins4free.com/plugin/849/
https://plugins4free.com/plugin/857/

 

I wouldn’t put a limiter on in mixing stage . There’s no need . Limiters are added during mastering process . With using limiter this way during mix downs you going to kill all the dynamic range and transients to the mix the track ends up squashed over compressed .If you’re trying to remove all the peaks at mixing stage why not pull all the faders back untill you reach the -6db level . I guess if your wanting to add limiters to all tracks I’m guessing your tracks are all hitting hot just pull the faders back

 

Some people are just not meant to be making mixes, music or both

 

The IKM Stealth Limiter lives on my master bus and it's always on, and if anything triggers it I simply adjust the volume and/or add compression to the offending track. I also run BX Meter alongside it, so I always have a good visual impression of what is going on regarding levels and dynamic range. The solo button is your friend here.

The complete mastering chain is also always present on the master bus in offline mode, if I ever need to do a quick check on anything.

 

Last edited: Apr 9, 2022

It gives you a signature sound if you know what you are doing.

 

Then logically and by authoritative definition he is not actually a metal head!!

 

This is wrong. Mix and work in 32bit float (e.g. wavpack) and forget the term "headroom". Natively you have under that circumstances < 1.500 db. Never ever in your life you think of "headroom" again.(yah, if you use Pro Tools.. OK, then you are f'ed. )

And: if I have the problem that something pokes out that I cant get by with a compressor or waveshaper I grab a clipper. (GClip, like mentioned above, or cliponly by airwindows with a pre-gain and after-gain because cliponly is a fixed clipper at -0.4 db). Way, Way less sound changing this way. Or use a little bit of comp and clipper. Never a limiter, because these make things dull if you use these heavy handed.

Another thing is Melda Auto Volume. If it gets really messy in terms of dynamics this is an excellent choice. And then clip the rest. But never a limiter. Igitt...

 

Please spare me with such an idiotic tips.

 

If you want to remove unnecessary crest factor, do so. These crest factors will mainly occur in drums. Control it using the bus. The limiter is kind of like a compressor. In skrillex's video, he showed how to use the l2 as a compressor for many synth sounds. There is no right answer to mixing, so focus on making a good sound.

 

I don't agree with all of it. But some of what he is talking about could be directly taken from the gain staging article :
https://www.izotope.com/en/learn/gain-staging-what-it-is-and-how-to-do-it.html

You posted it yesterday.


it's all good.

 

I am tired of having to have a discussion with statements like this. Who already starts with forget everything they have learned. Especially I quote again " forget the term "headspace ", sorry there it really stops ...!