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Forums > Software: Cubase

Mixdown Volume

ElectricMonk	Date: January 16, 2005 @ 4:22 AM Does anyone here suffer from exceptionally quiet exports from cubase? Is there any way to boost the volume without distortion within cubase (other than heavy compression?) I have Soundforge and am considering buying waves l2 maximiser...but if I get get a boost without spending cash...bring it on!
AdamsGod	Date: January 16, 2005 @ 2:42 PM dude.. you need to master the track. if you want to get more volume, with no distortions, its all about the mastering, has nothing to do with cubase.
ElectricMonk	Date: January 17, 2005 @ 7:13 AM Yes, I am aware of that (SoundForge is a mastering tool...as are maximizers)...I was asking if anyone knew of a MASTERING technique as there is a MASTERING suite within cubase...and the technique will be portable from package to package as it will almost certainly be based upon a traditional signal processing technique. So, once again - anyone know how to get that punch?
Evolved	Date: January 17, 2005 @ 4:50 PM 3 things: 1. EQing - Getting rid of all the freqs you dont want in each Audio/Midi track. This will give each sound its distinctive shine in the finished track. 2. Stereo Field - decide which sound to pan right/left and how much. Leaving enough space in the middle for more important instruments. 3. Leveling - decide how much Db you want on each Audio/Midi track, balance the tracks so each sound sitts perfectly in the mix. (once you got rid of unwanted freqs, this should'nt pose much of a problem). You can decide which track in the mix need a compression and which one dont. Maximizer on the stereo output channel can also help keep things tame.
pog	Date: January 18, 2005 @ 7:35 PM Basically, a mastering app is a combination of a gain control, an e.q. and a compressor. Thats what mastering is.... adding compression to a sound so that it sounds good on big stereos, and small stereos. All radio stations use compressors, because some people don't actually master at all... the trick is to add enough compression so that if a radio technician tries to add compression, it will sound like mud, so they don't bother, and you end up with the mix that YOU intended. Otherwise if you didn't add compression, the techs add their own compression, and the song has a chance of turning out all over the place, or not quite how you intended it to sound. Well that's my take on mastering, anyways.
hueseph	Date: January 22, 2005 @ 10:37 PM My guess is, however, thaqt you aren't getting enough signal to disk in the first place. In which case you should at the very least be using a limiter to bring to levels up before it goes to disk. On the other hand, if you are trying this and finding that you are getting distortion, it's very likely that your souncard does not have enough headroom to produce a decent signal. Always start from the bottom then work your way up. That's my take on recording.
Traf	Date: January 27, 2005 @ 10:00 AM You definately need some mastering compression. The waves maximizer does this really well and is one of the best tools for the job. You can get some form of mastering compression by just using the VST dynamics plug that comes with cubase. Plonk it in the master effects box and shove a bit of compression on and you should be able to get a bit more relative loudness.. You just have to be a bit careful not to flatten it out too much.. hope that helps..
ElectricMonk	Date: January 28, 2005 @ 6:19 AM Thankyou all for your advice - I have been testing the EQ'ing/compression/limiting out to a more extensiuve level than before and I have been getting much better results. I have also got a demo of the waves L3 maximiser which is working excellently for me! I am using a Motu828 MkII instead of a soundcard, so its definately got the headroom! Hoever that makes sense to look at that also, so thanks hueseph. Sorry If I sounded tetchy before - I was getting frustrated!! I think I have just been being way to gentle with compression and eq on the whole, as I find I am really sensitive to it (I know PRECISELY what you mean about radio compression! although I didn't know the stations did that!) I have always previously mixed on analogue gear and I don't think I have ever been this harsh with a compressor, or EQ for that matter (although now I am a great fan of subtractive EQ'ing). Thanks again everyone, very useful advice.