Hi!
I want to tame peaks on every track of my song in order to be able to get a little bit louder at the mastering stage. (I know that squashing everyrhing just for loudness is nonsense. I just want to tame everything on the mixing level what should be tamed).
I want to use Pro-L brickwall limiter on every channel. Could you tell me what settings I could try (as a starting point) on such instruments? :

1) kick/snare
2) hihats
3) clean electric guitar (single notes)
4) short plucky synths
5) pads (e.g. with automated LP filter cutoff freq )

I'd be grateful for your help!

cheers!

 

Mmh, difficult to say but for kicks and snare, I would go for the punchy style. Try shortest release without distortion.

Another option is to put a vca compressor on the whole mix to glue everything together.

 

Yeah i do use limiters on channels OCCASSIONALLY. Just keep in mind that you dont have to do that to get the maximum loudness possible. Thats what compressors are for. Before using a limiter on a channel make sure your EQ is good, and that the instrument has good dynamics, so no crazy changes in volume. Then you can a limiter to catch any crazy peaks.

For kicks, snares drums and other instruments with very quick transients u want to use a fast attack time and fast release.

For pretty much everything else you dont need a limiter. There really arent any 'peaks'to a string instrument or a pad, you smooth those out with gentle compression.

You know what i mean? So yes you can use a limiter on things that have strong peaks and transients, but you dont need to use it on everything

 

I use tape plugs to tame peaks on 'spiky' tracks, buses, or inflate - saturate(peaks under controll). Never use limiters cuz cut the transients, IMO. The limiters strict to the mastering stage.