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
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Louder Mix without Losing Dynamics
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ruffrecords - New here
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Re: Louder Mix without Losing Dynamics
I'm struggling to see how this is different to using a simple limiter.
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The Elf - Jedi Poster
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Re: Louder Mix without Losing Dynamics
Well, it wouldn't be, if you had a limiter that responded to peaks of 3 samples.
Most of us don't.
Most of us don't.
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oggyb - Frequent Poster
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Re: Louder Mix without Losing Dynamics
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
Hugh
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Hugh Robjohns - Moderator
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Re: Louder Mix without Losing Dynamics
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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The_BPP - Frequent Poster
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Re: Louder Mix without Losing Dynamics
There are so many look-ahead limiters available - free ones, in fact.
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The Elf - Jedi Poster
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Re: Louder Mix without Losing Dynamics
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
Cheers
Ian
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ruffrecords - New here
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Re: Louder Mix without Losing Dynamics
ruffrecords wrote: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
Perhaps its time to invest in a computer then.
- johnny h
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Re: Louder Mix without Losing Dynamics
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
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
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