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Kick and Bass Headroom General Rule
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Obelizk
Amoeba
Started Topics :
115
Posts :
836
Posted : Oct 27, 2009 01:59:42
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I read on here a little while ago some people's rule of thumb on how loud the bass and kick should be to leave headroom for the leads and percussion. What's good? I have a song right now that is a soup that needs headroom. Does anyone know?
  www.musicproductionnatural.com || www.facebook.com/djamoeba | facebook page |
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soulfood
IsraTrance Junior Member
Started Topics :
10
Posts :
875
Posted : Oct 27, 2009 02:42
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It varies.
Sometimes -5 sometimes -10
Do what you have to do. But sometimes it's better to sacrifice a few things then let your main components drop out of existence. |
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Obelizk
Amoeba
Started Topics :
115
Posts :
836
Posted : Oct 27, 2009 02:44
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Axis Mundi
Axis Mundi
Started Topics :
75
Posts :
1848
Posted : Oct 27, 2009 02:47
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I always put my kick at -10 db and mix everything from there.
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frambonas
IsraTrance Junior Member
Started Topics :
14
Posts :
166
Posted : Oct 27, 2009 10:38
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me also between -5 to -10 dB full scale |
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Inner Demon
Started Topics :
6
Posts :
321
Posted : Oct 27, 2009 10:54
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Quote:
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On 2009-10-27 01:59:42, Obelizk wrote:
I read on here a little while ago some people's rule of thumb on how loud the bass and kick should be to leave headroom for the leads and percussion. What's good? I have a song right now that is a soup that needs headroom. Does anyone know?
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'Headroom' is not something you fill up with other elements than kick and bass. Mix at low levels to make sure there are no distortions, and then you leave this space for the mastering engineer to crank up the finished mix. Putting kick at -10 and going from there sounds pretty sensible to me. |
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supergroover
IsraTrance Junior Member
Started Topics :
39
Posts :
1505
Posted : Oct 27, 2009 11:08
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Quote:
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On 2009-10-27 10:54, Inner Demon wrote:
Putting kick at -10 and going from there sounds pretty sensible to me.
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+1
I usually use -8 but -10 might give you some extra space. |
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killik
IsraTrance Junior Member
Started Topics :
29
Posts :
186
Posted : Oct 27, 2009 13:36
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exactly -8 the kick  |
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soulfood
IsraTrance Junior Member
Started Topics :
10
Posts :
875
Posted : Oct 27, 2009 14:48
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There's no point in having too much headroom though. |
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Inner Demon
Started Topics :
6
Posts :
321
Posted : Oct 28, 2009 02:54
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Quote:
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On 2009-10-27 14:48, soulfood wrote:
There's no point in having too much headroom though.
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Well as long as you can hear the mix, there's really no such thing as too much headroom. Better to have a lot then too little. |
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infectedsilence
Started Topics :
6
Posts :
43
Posted : Oct 28, 2009 06:02
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Quote:
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On 2009-10-27 10:54, Inner Demon wrote:
Quote:
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On 2009-10-27 01:59:42, Obelizk wrote:
I read on here a little while ago some people's rule of thumb on how loud the bass and kick should be to leave headroom for the leads and percussion. What's good? I have a song right now that is a soup that needs headroom. Does anyone know?
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'Headroom' is not something you fill up with other elements than kick and bass. Mix at low levels to make sure there are no distortions, and then you leave this space for the mastering engineer to crank up the finished mix. Putting kick at -10 and going from there sounds pretty sensible to me.
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...and i want to ask..when you'll finaly export all the wavs mixed at low levels (usually my whole mix on master channel is around -5 to -3db at peaks) and start a new project for the final mastering of the song, how do you manage to make it sound at a normal desired level? (compressor,eq on master channel or something like that???) because you have already mixed the tracks before and you'll not change the channel volumes of the wavs...i mean you dont want your track sounding to low at normal volume and to need boosting from speakers...soooory if i confuse with bad english  ...
When the power of love overcomes the love of power, the world will know peace...
-Jimi Hendrix- |
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dj chichke
Chichke
Started Topics :
83
Posts :
705
Posted : Oct 28, 2009 12:34
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Quote:
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On 2009-10-28 06:02, infectedsilence wrote:
Quote:
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On 2009-10-27 10:54, Inner Demon wrote:
Quote:
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On 2009-10-27 01:59:42, Obelizk wrote:
I read on here a little while ago some people's rule of thumb on how loud the bass and kick should be to leave headroom for the leads and percussion. What's good? I have a song right now that is a soup that needs headroom. Does anyone know?
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'Headroom' is not something you fill up with other elements than kick and bass. Mix at low levels to make sure there are no distortions, and then you leave this space for the mastering engineer to crank up the finished mix. Putting kick at -10 and going from there sounds pretty sensible to me.
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...and i want to ask..when you'll finaly export all the wavs mixed at low levels (usually my whole mix on master channel is around -5 to -3db at peaks) and start a new project for the final mastering of the song, how do you manage to make it sound at a normal desired level? (compressor,eq on master channel or something like that???) because you have already mixed the tracks before and you'll not change the channel volumes of the wavs...i mean you dont want your track sounding to low at normal volume and to need boosting from speakers...soooory if i confuse with bad english ...
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just mastering...some people put a limiter or maximizer on the master channel but it's not recomanded. it's ruining the mix if you don't realy know how to use it.leave this for the experts or learn mastering.... |
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Pythagoraz
TimeDrained / Pythagoraz
Started Topics :
8
Posts :
337
Posted : Nov 4, 2009 12:27
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It doesn't matter in any way. the only point of staying low on the dbs is to avoid distorting/clipping peaks. There is absolutely no quality difference between a mix that peaks at -1db and one that peaks at -10 db. the only exception being that the -10db mix would have slightly more silence-noize in it. But nothing anyone could hear so again it doesn't matter at all.
But anyway... The -db rule everyone speaks off is for the whole mix. Not just the kick/bass. you may have misunderstood this?
www.iono-music.com
www.myspace.com/timedrained |
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Pythagoraz
TimeDrained / Pythagoraz
Started Topics :
8
Posts :
337
Posted : Nov 4, 2009 12:37
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Quote:
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On 2009-10-28 06:02, infectedsilence wrote:
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On 2009-10-27 10:54, Inner Demon wrote:
Quote:
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On 2009-10-27 01:59:42, Obelizk wrote:
I read on here a little while ago some people's rule of thumb on how loud the bass and kick should be to leave headroom for the leads and percussion. What's good? I have a song right now that is a soup that needs headroom. Does anyone know?
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'Headroom' is not something you fill up with other elements than kick and bass. Mix at low levels to make sure there are no distortions, and then you leave this space for the mastering engineer to crank up the finished mix. Putting kick at -10 and going from there sounds pretty sensible to me.
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...and i want to ask..when you'll finaly export all the wavs mixed at low levels (usually my whole mix on master channel is around -5 to -3db at peaks) and start a new project for the final mastering of the song, how do you manage to make it sound at a normal desired level? (compressor,eq on master channel or something like that???) because you have already mixed the tracks before and you'll not change the channel volumes of the wavs...i mean you dont want your track sounding to low at normal volume and to need boosting from speakers...soooory if i confuse with bad english ...
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If you are sending the track to a label for mastering and releasing, You should not use any dynamic mastering tools on the master at all (compressor, maximizer, limiter etc.). You can do moderate EQing though.
If you are talking about tracks for more personal use (no release etc.) You probably have to do mastering on it yourself. Which is a complicated process One can't explain quickly here. You can try and search for "mastering".
www.iono-music.com
www.myspace.com/timedrained |
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makus
Overdream
Started Topics :
82
Posts :
3087
Posted : Nov 4, 2009 14:48
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I start with -6-8 db kick but usually end up with lowering it to -10-12 db. And after having the final export my tracks have -17-20 RMS.
www.overdreamstudio.com |
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