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Old 01-28-2016, 12:26 AM   #1
Mali
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Default Compression and volume variables

I've just made a new song: https://soundcloud.com/maliklauseth/serenity

I meant to to compression on it, since it could've been smoother I have both the Reaper beginner book and the 400pages user manual. I do understand the general idea, the problem is that how do I know the lowests and highest volume within a track (or an item)? And the example proposes a treshold of -37 db which is ridicolously low, since the (average?) volume is for example -7dB. I'm a bit confused to say the least...

I attached a screenpicture of most of the song.
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Old 01-28-2016, 01:06 AM   #2
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I don't think you should try going too extreme with any compression on that piece. Maybe put a little bit compression on the master track. The individual tracks likely won't need any. The volumes could of course always be adjusted and automated instead of using compression.

What I noticed much more than any out of control volume levels is the rather mono sound stage. The music is IMHO in a style that would benefit from a wider stereo image.
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Old 01-28-2016, 01:37 AM   #3
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thanks for the input i'm not sure I understand excactly what you mean, how do i do that, are you talking about not having the faders centered? The problem with doing stuff like that is that I do not hear in stereo, since I dont have a left ear. but if there are adjustments I can do that would generally work for this kind of music, I would love to know it.
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Old 01-28-2016, 01:50 AM   #4
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Mali View Post
thanks for the input i'm not sure I understand excactly what you mean, how do i do that, are you talking about not having the faders centered? The problem with doing stuff like that is that I do not hear in stereo, since I dont have a left ear. but if there are adjustments I can do that would generally work for this kind of music, I would love to know it.
I am so sorry to read about your lost ear.

Yes, I guess it will be tricky to do stereo adjustments in that case. Things like reverb, delay or chorus effects could be attempted to widen the sound stage. (Don't use too much though.) Also the track pan positions could be put a bit off center on some of the tracks.
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Old 01-28-2016, 02:03 AM   #5
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it's okay, I was born without it (3 months premature)

More reverb? Wouldn't it turn out kind of mushy then? I've added just a tiny bet of delay on a couple of notes in the last part of each verse... I guess I could adjust the faders and put it hear to hear what people here think before I published it
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Old 01-28-2016, 02:19 AM   #6
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Originally Posted by Mali View Post
it's okay, I was born without it (3 months premature)

More reverb? Wouldn't it turn out kind of mushy then? I've added just a tiny bet of delay on a couple of notes in the last part of each verse... I guess I could adjust the faders and put it hear to hear what people here think before I published it
Yeah I noticed the sounds probably already have some reverb, there just wasn't much, if any stereo spread in them. How did you make the sounds? Virtual instruments or recorded hardware synths or...? edit : I notice all the tracks are mono in your project screenshot, so any stereo image that might have existed in the instruments is gone. Maybe you didn't record as stereo, to begin with?

Anyway, don't worry too much about it, generally speaking mixes should also work if they are mono and many people listening won't even notice if things are mono or stereo. (I myself do stuff where stereo and more channels are extensively used, so I tend to notice those things more.)
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Last edited by Xenakios; 01-28-2016 at 02:33 AM.
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Old 01-28-2016, 02:28 AM   #7
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I use a keyboard, and with that specific instrument, the reverb is included. How do I make it more stereo-ish then?
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Old 01-28-2016, 02:32 AM   #8
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Mali View Post
I use a keyboard, and with that specific instrument, the reverb is included. How do I make it more stereo-ish then?
I updated my answer above.
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Old 01-28-2016, 03:12 AM   #9
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I recorded in mono, how can I record one instrument as stereo, I thought recording stereo meant having more than one instrument at a time? Btw, specifically I use a standard cable from the keyboard into the audio interface (I use the FOcusrite Itrack studio bundle (http://www.residentadvisor.net/revie....aspx?id=11917).
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Old 01-28-2016, 03:58 AM   #10
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I would be more than pleased if one of my daughters came up with such a piece for me...

But I was wondering about the whole issue of how you could mix in stereo when your hearing is monophonic. Can you perceive differences in stereo vs mono recording generally? Perhaps there is way of switching L and R channels so you could compare the mix as you go?

In any event it might be worth remembering that the Beatles stereo mixes were for the most part done with much less care than the mono mixes which some people still prefer!
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Old 01-28-2016, 04:28 AM   #11
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I have no idea if I can hear the difference, do you have sound samples I could listen to and find out?
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