Final Mix Volume

Are you using a limiter?

This is currently one of the biggest issues in mastering...
 
Now that music can be squashed and EQ'd to a continuous maximum volume (The Loudness Wars), we're all faced with doing this (or not) to our material... Originally mastering was actually the process of creating the transfer process from tape to vinyl with vinyl's limitations... "Sweetening" was applied to try to compensate for the loss (Read about RIAA curve)...
 
In it's current manifestation, tho sometimes it can be to correct for mix problems and the likes... It's main purpose seems to be to increase gain... That comes at a cost of dynamics/tone and deciding such importance is much a matter of taste... tho when you hear your material broadcast back2back with material mastered loud, it can feel bad when not near as loud... If someone liked what they hear they will probably turn it up and not think about it...
 
I'm currently in my own dilemma with this too... tho I'm a seasoned recording and mix engineer, I'm not actually a mastering engineer and I seriously question every piece of work I do... I'm finishing my 8th album right now and I've mastered it two ways... The first is a very minimalist approach... Nothing more than a tiny bit of peak limiting... The second is a more "modern" approach and uses a number of levels of compression/limiting/etc... and it is louder, but I don't know if I like it better or if I'm simply impressed at the relative vlume when played against other peoples' work...
 
Hard to decide...
 
But there's somewhat of an answer for you... It's not actually the mix, it's how much of this do you apply to your mix to increase the volume and can you still enjoy the listen! ;-)
 
Best of luck... I still don't know which mastering approach I will finally use...
 
I wish I could hire a mastering engineer as well seasoned as I am in my work... but alas, I'm also worse than flat broke! <sigh>
 
Keni
 

Mix hot and pump up tracks when the output vol flags - lower them when the tracks get louder.
comp/limiter on the output bus
comp/limiter during mastering
 
If that is not enough vol for you, use audiacity (or sound forge) to go through the tracks of the mix and pull down any hits using vol envelope or erase tool so you can raise the overall vol of track(s).  There might be a few spots on a track - or there may be 20-30.  Mutiply that by however many tracks make up the song.
 
Now, do the same thing for the master.
 
 
Or:  you can use the vol knob on your amplifier.  While mixing hot often works for loud music, you also want your music to "breathe."  Dynamics.  Mix to -6 to -3 dB and use the limiting on the master to raise the vol.  If it ain't as loud as a commercial CD, use the vol.  The music will sound better.
 
@

To add to CJ's comments, low frequencies take up a lot of band width without always adding to the perceived volume.
 
You definitely want low frequences, but you may have low frequencies eating bandwidth that are not contributing to the sound.  I usually high-pass filter the bass at 50hz or so, and take unwanted bottom out of guitars and other instruments.  I only want low frequences that are actually foundational and contribute to the track.  (Most people cut the kick and bass at different places so they each have a space.  For example, they may cut out some 300 hz on the kick and let the bass take that area, and cut sub-50hz from the bass and let the kick own that region.)
 
What I am saying is just one small piece, but something to look at.
 
I am ready for an argument on this, but here goes:
 
While I think it is important not to sound a lot quieter than other CDs, to me it is more important to be consistent across an album even if you are a little bit under the preceived level of the competition.  The style of music I write is never going to come across as loud an AC/DC album without some really ugly pumping.