The latest SOS mag. has a short piece about a new plug-in that offers an increase in loudness without sacrificing the dynamics of the music.
I have recently been trying a simple DIY method of achieving this that seems to work pretty well.

First I normalise the final stereo mix. If the music has real dynamics you will find that it peaks at 0dB FS only a few times during the track (typically 6 or so times). I go through and find each one of these peaks and cut the peak sample and a couple or so on either side. I have found removing half a dozen samples is inaudible but reduces the peaks by typically 2dB. Having done this for all the peaks I normalise again. Now you find it reaches 0dB FS a few more times - 10 to 12 is typical. Repeat the process of removing the peaks and samples either side of it and again you typically get a 2dB reduction. After normalising once more the song is 4dB louder but has the majority of its dynamics intact.

Cheers

Ian

I'm struggling to see how this is different to using a simple limiter.

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An Eagle for an Emperor, A Kestrel for a Knave.

Well, it wouldn't be, if you had a limiter that responded to peaks of 3 samples.

Most of us don't.

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Composer;
www.ogonline.org

Exactly so -- he's doing the work of a ultra-fast transmission limiter. Look-ahead software limiters should be able to achieve the same thing.

Hugh

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Technical Editor, Sound On Sound

I remember going doing the same thing 15 years ago when I first got cool edit, and thinking to myself... "I wish there was a way of doing this automatically".

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www.thediplomatz.com

There are so many look-ahead limiters available - free ones, in fact.

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An Eagle for an Emperor, A Kestrel for a Knave.

One thing I forgot to mention is I do not use a computer for recording/editing etc. A fast look ahead software limiter is therefore not an option for me.

Cheers

Ian

Quote ruffrecords:

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One thing I forgot to mention is I do not use a computer for recording/editing etc. A fast look ahead software limiter is therefore not an option for me.

Cheers

Ian

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Perhaps its time to invest in a computer then.

Then how do you normalize and trim the samples!?

You can achieve look-ahead limiting in hardware land quite easily — just mult the mix and send one of the stereo mults through a transparent delay unit (zero feedback, 100 percent wet), and the output of that into a compressor. Feed the compressor's side-chain input with the non-delayed mult, and Bob's your uncle. Tweak the delay time to suit.

Cheers!

Chris