Finished/mastered mixes very quiet?

[MattDY]

Sorry to respond to an old thread but I’ve also had the same results with the final master being low. I’ve tried many of the suggestions posted here with the same results. I couldn’t find the SOP after searching. Could somebody be so kind to post a direct link?

The gist from what I’m reading is that I need to take better care when recording so that the mixing and mastering isn’t trying to compensate for defects.

 

[-mjk-]

http://www.tascamforums.com/threads...ansferring-files-to-computer.6046/#post-31141

This is the URL for the Search for "mastering" on the entire sticky:

http://www.tascamforums.com/search/15556892/?q=mastering&t=post&o=date&c[thread]=5747

Please note that when searching the forum, you should click on the Site Results tab. The results default to Google, not the forum.

 

[BikerDude]

I had problems with this to start with.
I got past it by making sure that my levels are pretty high on the DP and attenuate the input signal at my mixer till it doesn't clip. Basically I set the Tascam's levels where I want them and don't touch them. Making sure they are 12 O'Clock or higher.

 

[-mjk-]

What is comes down to is Mastering. You cannot get commercial sounding results without mastering. Whether you do it yourself, or you pay someone else, it must be done. Normalizing only raises the peaks to what you set. You need the compression and limiting of a good mastering engineer to get that punch and air out of your mixes.

 

[MattDY]

Thank you MJK for the guidance. After reading the articles, my very next mixdown and master was much closer to my expectations and quite acceptable. My mixdown was too hot originally. I’m still teaching myself digital recording/mastering after being familiar with analog for a long time. This means paying attention to levels differently.

 

[-mjk-]

@MattDY it's always the last 3 percent that you put into anything worthwhile that polishes it to perfection. Digital is another world, but once you get acquainted with it, it can be a good place. I'm very glad to hear you're getting better results. Keep experimenting, and save your mastering adjustments as library presets so you can go back and tweak them even better each time. I have no doubt that you will eventually master Mastering!

 

[Karl Brandt]

I've noticed very little level difference between a mastered and then normalized song. All forums/manual indicate you don't hit "record" after normalizing, but is this correct?

 

[Phil Tipping]

Correct, you do not (must not) press Record, otherwise the master file will be re-processed via the EQ & Compressor. If these are still on, you'll get another dose of effects added to the master file. Normalising operates in non real-time - you'll see a progress bar while it's working. When it's finished, the master file will be at the maximum possible level before clipping. If any part of the song had a peak which was near this maximum, you will not hear much increase. If the peak was already at the maximum, there will be no increase.... and if the peak was over the maximum for whatever reason, there will be a decrease in level. If you press Record after normalising, the additional effects may increase the level above this and you risk getting distortion.
If your song still sounds too quiet after normalising (i.e. the perceived loudness is too low for you), you need to go back a step and reduce your dynamic range (normalising does not affect the dynamic range). As mj said earlier, check out the sticky posts at the start of this forum for more info. re. levels and perceived loudness, and/or read some of the earlier posts in this thread re. compression etc.

 

[Erikdavid5000]

I’m new to the DP-24SD and I’m having the same problem with too quiet masters, however, in my case, after I do my mix, master and USB to my Mac and drag the WAV file to my desktop, the master sounds perfect when the file is played from my desktop. It’s when I upload it to Bandcamp where it sounds dramatically quiet and flat.

This process on my old DP-03SD had always resulted in a bit of extra compression occurring through the Bandcamp upload, but in the case of that machine, it was a desirable part of the process and the final “product” always sounded perfectly loud and punchy. What’s happening here with my DP-24 is dismaying. I’ve tried not using the normalize function and have even mixed/mastered with the stereo fader all the way up and the levels in the red and the master is just as quiet as if I’d had it rolled back. I’ve also made a master without EQ or compression just to see, and no matter what, the end result is extremely quiet and flat.

 

[-mjk-]

Use loudnesspenalty.com to figure out where your mastered level is.

 

[Erikdavid5000]

Says the sites mentioned will reduce the volume by 7.0 and beyond

 

[-mjk-]

It returns -7? Your master is very loud then.

 

[Erikdavid5000]

How come this was never a problem with the DP-03?

 

[Phil Tipping]

...after I do my mix, master and USB to my Mac and drag the WAV file to my desktop, the master sounds perfect when the file is played from my desktop

Doesn't this eliminate the DP-24 as the cause of your problem?

...I’ve ... even mixed/mastered with the stereo fader all the way up and the levels in the red and the master is just as quiet as if I’d had it rolled back

This sounds to be a separate problem. Does this sound louder when played on the Mac? If not, are you sure you are copying the correct master file to your Mac?

 

[Erikdavid5000]

I wouldn’t say it eliminates the DP-24 since the problem only occurs when it’s a file I’ve made on this machine.
I did wonder if I was playing the wrong file, but I am not.

I’ll pull a file off my DP-03 and see if the problem occurs.

I’m guessing it’s just a matter of my getting used to the more complex EQ/Mastering features on this machine.

 

[-mjk-]

If you upload it somewhere and post a link to the master file, we can analyze it and see what the actual specs are.

 

[Erikdavid5000]

I think what happened is, being new to this machine and having ears at perhaps 70% capacity at this point, I simply recorded the tracks too hot to begin with therefore the volume control on Bandcamp etc has been extra harsh.

 

[-mjk-]

That is very likely. Normally for streaming stuff, I try to master at around -11. That results in a pulldown of about -3. No matter what though, keep those red peak LEDs off at all times.

 

[Erikdavid5000]

Being that I have a recording I’d still like a presentable (for keepsake purposes at best) master for: any advice for what settings etc might suit?

 

[-mjk-]

No, that's virtually impossible. I'd have to do it hands on. There are genre presets that you can use as starting points. Each tune needs to be individually mastered, and also each mix of the same tune also needs individual treatment. Mastering is quite specialized.