Im getting around 1db - 3db clipping on my master bus, is this normal or not good?
Should I reset all my levels and mix again?
Thanks
Should I reset all my levels and mix again?
Thanks
Should master bus be clipping AT ALL when mixing?
- Thread starter setyouranchor
- Start date
Lasse Lammert
HCAF Blitzkrieg
crillemannen
Member
Ermz
¯\(°_o)/¯
Try to mix in a way where the body of your mix sits at -18dBFS, and the peaks hit up into that headroom. No higher than -6dBFS if you can avoid it.
I think because I'm so use to having my monitors quite low, everything gets cranked in the mix and I dont pay close enough attention to my master output.
I've seem to got it stuck in my head just because the individual tracks arnt clipping ,the output wont be :/
So, in general, should the mix be quite quiet? Or should I just turn my monitors up
I've seem to got it stuck in my head just because the individual tracks arnt clipping ,the output wont be :/
So, in general, should the mix be quite quiet? Or should I just turn my monitors up
Skinny Viking
¯\(°_o)/¯ How do Lydian?
slashvanyoung
Dopefish lives!
You're mixing not mastering, keep the relative levels in balance and leave headroom for mastering. You can always raise a quiet mixdown, but not restore clipped peaks (without going back to the mix).
If you're individual tracks don't clip by themselves, simply drop the master fader.
If you're individual tracks don't clip by themselves, simply drop the master fader.
Machinated
Member
RiF
Member
Prevent any clipping on the master bus by any means. As the other already said, keep you levels low, like at least -8 dB.
Thanks a lot guys
Emrz, did you do a guide on an approach to mixing? I'm sure I remember reading a guide on here about lowereing all your levels and where each instrument should sit etc
Emrz, did you do a guide on an approach to mixing? I'm sure I remember reading a guide on here about lowereing all your levels and where each instrument should sit etc
Also, what's the best option... None of my individual tracks are cllipping and I'm happy with my mix, do I simply lower my master fader like slashvanyoung said or do I reset everything, keeping my master fader at 0db?
Bring the master fader down - it doesn't have to stay at 0dB. As long as individual tracks and plugin chains aren't clipping you'll be fine.
-Noodles-
3 Initals Mixer
- Dec 20, 2007
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Emergency post; ignore that advice above. Reasons coming.
Edit ; most people will suggest keeping the master at fader at 0 - there should be no reason to decrease the level. just ensure there's no red lights at the master fader on a digital system..
I'm working with analogue to s/n is paramount and you've gotta keep that master at 0 if at all possible
slashvanyoung
Dopefish lives!
If you're happy with the mix as it is and no track or buss is clipping, bringing down the master fader will be sufficient. If your relative levels aren't already in check, bringing down all the faders will give you more (head)room for the individual levels.
Brett - K A L I S I A
Dreaded Moderator
You're very unlikely to be internally clipping your master track very badly if your individual tracks are not clipping because most DAWs work in 32 bits so don't worry and just lower the master fader as advised.
RiF
Member
From a purely technical perspective, lowering the master fader when clipping is probably OK, BUT: if you need to lower the master fader, it is definetly an indicator for track levels being to high! Learn your track levels to get rid of the need of lowering the master fader in the first place. One approach would be to start your mix with "known as well working levels" (speaking about master fader levels) for the drums and the bass first and pin them. Then place everything else around them by trying not to touch those levels further in the mix anymore. Once you determined those "known as well working levels", you'll never run into master fader level problems in the future.
Another thing that led myself into too hot master fader levels has been the lack of gain adjustments in plugins (especially compressors). From the point where I really took care of the fact that no plugin should change the level of the signal, I got my overall levels under better control and did not step into this circle where your track levels go up and up and up during the mix process. Today, I really bypass and unbypass every plugin to make sure they do not change the level.
Another thing that led myself into too hot master fader levels has been the lack of gain adjustments in plugins (especially compressors). From the point where I really took care of the fact that no plugin should change the level of the signal, I got my overall levels under better control and did not step into this circle where your track levels go up and up and up during the mix process. Today, I really bypass and unbypass every plugin to make sure they do not change the level.
Excellent point. I find alot of the free plug's automatically raise the output level when you slap them on and you have to drop their level. You should only be using the faders to increase your volume, not relying on plugs.
To the OP, have your monitors cranked so that you'll mix at lower levels if you keep running into the problem.
-Noodles-
3 Initals Mixer
- Dec 20, 2007
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This is an awesome point.
Mixes, imo, should be -18dB RMS. Anything louder and you're just eating into the ME's headroom. Also, since most of us aren't working in full analogue then there's no reason to be that hot ITB.
darthjujuu
Member
i'll have a FEW stray snare transients stabbing the red. for those of us that usually aren't afforded the luxury of 3rd party mastering, i always figured a 2bus limiter swallowed those peaks BEFORE digital loss took place. so then ...limiter on the 2bus = no more clipping, on anything. so if none of the tracks are clipping (including the individual tracks) and the master bus isn't clipping... is there really any clipping at all ??
