How To Increase Volume On Master Bus?

Hello Everyone,

Sorry, noobie question here.   I am recording at 24 bits, and RMS is around -15db before the mastering process as I read that is a good level to record at which leaves enough headroom.   
 
Now my track is mixed and it's ready to be mastered, the RMS is -15db.   What techniques are used to increase the RMS to around -0.1db or 0.0db (which is what I notice most professional music seems to be mastered at).
 
I was using Boost 11, but that just ruins all the dynamics the track had.   Here is my current Master Bus chain:
 
LP64 EQ -> LP64 Multiband -> Boost 11 
 
Should I be raising the output volumes on the LP64 EQ and the LP64 Multiband before it hits Boost 11?   Maybe my Master Bus needs a different order of effects?
 
Any help would be greatly appreciated.
 
Thank You,
 
Adam 
 
 
 

Now my track is mixed and it's ready to be mastered, the RMS is -15db. What techniques are used to increase the RMS to around -0.1db or 0.0db (which is what I notice most professional music seems to be mastered at).

 
WOAH!!!
 
Frist thing is first.   Peak levels should be -0.1 or -0.2.  RMS or average levels are better left to approx. -10dB or better yet -12dB for loud, but dynamic pop music.
 
Other than that, yes.  EQ first, then use compression to even out levels, and then limit to the desired RMS with peaks at -0.2dB.  It really is best to use a compressor with a gentile curve to tame dynamics rather than a peak limiter.

You do not master at the time of the mix. Export the mix as a premastered file. Wait a week and master this separate premastered stereo file in a separate session. Any advice contrary to this is simply incorrect. Period. Mixing into some slight two buss compression is not mastering and quite acceptable. In fact if I know I am aiming for a loud master I often do it. It can help a lot.
 
-10 dB rms for pop music is not loud at all. Average mastered pop levels are closer to -7 dB rms. I agree that -10 or -12 dB rms would be nice but it is not that way in reality. (for Hip Hop even -6db rms is common)
 
In the following I am referring to rms levels. Peak levels should be up around between -0.1 to -0.2 dB FS. (in your final master that is) VU meters (real or VST) make it much easier to read rms levels.
 
Boost 11 limiter is one of the worst limiters on the planet so you will never get what you are looking for with that one. Get rid of it.
 
Obtaining loud masters is a series of processes and each process should not be drastic in nature but smaller. There are some simple steps one can do to obtain loud masters.
 
1  The Pre mastered track needs to put into an editor and the average rms level assessed. Often the peaks are high in the premastered track and the rms levels are a little low. Peak limiting your unmastered track to say -3db and then raising the gain of the entire track 2 dB will increase the rms level by 2 dB with little change to the dynamics. Sometimes a premastered track might be peaking up to -1 dB but have an average rms level of -20 dB. In these cases this editing approach is even more important. I might then limit the peaks to -7dB FS and add 6dB of gain to the whole track. The track will get 6 db louder and still retain lots of dynamics. Now you have just added 6 dB of gain saving a whole lot of gain adding later. Pre-preparation in a decent editor is almost vital before mastering actually begins.
 
2  The EQ is there to redefine your overall EQ. You can sometimes add 1 dB or so to the overall level after the EQ. Check the level going IN and coming out of the EQ
 
3 Compression only needs to be slight eg 2 to 3 dB gain reduction, slowish attack to let transients through. But the good news is you can add some makeup gain here usually about 2 dB
 
At this point if your tracks started at rms of say -15 dB you have added 5 to 6 dB of rms gain so you are in the ball park now even before the limiter. Even if you have added only 4 dB you are now at say -11 db rms.
 
4  The limiter should only be adding 3 to 4 dB max of rms. I use PSP Xenon. It is probably one of the best limiters on the planet and it can add 4dB very cleanly without destroying your mix. It is expensive but there are other limiters out there that could add say 3 dB of rms value to your track and cost less and not destroy your mix.
 
Now you should be up to -7dB rms and still sounding loud and punchy. One stage alone will not achieve this, it is a series of things that you have to do and a little here and there but it all adds up.
 
Some Extra Tips
 
Be careful of the multiband compressor. You have to get all the bands gain reducing the same amount otherwise the EQ of the track can be easily thrown out. I am not a fan of multiband compressors. Some say they are good for solving problems with a difficult mix. If your mix is great then you don't necessarily need it. I prefer full range single band compressors and this is one of the best I have heard and it is free:
 
http://www.tokyodawn.net/tdr-feedback-compressor-2/
 
Very important. Limiters (and Xenon included) do not like it when the bass end is out of control. Out of control bass will smash the limiter first and destroy your mix fast! You must get the bottom end of your mix perfect and it all starts right back at the LP64 EQ. Watch the GR meter in the limiter and see what part of the music is kicking it down hard. If it's the bass then your bass end is wrong. Sort it then check again. You will find when the limiter is responding to all of the music equally you are in much better place.  You can then easily add 3 or 4 dB rms to your track without any distortion or breakup.
 
PSP Xenon is on special right now too and it is a good time to invest in it if you can. Danny has made a good point too in that Xenon does not always limit certain styles the best. He also uses the Waves L3 (L2?)  I think and he points out that it does a slightly better job on certain genres. (Power rock, heavy metal, more crunchy styles.) I don't doubt him. I would like the L3 as my second limiter choice too but it is also not cheap either. I think Xenon can handle a wide variety of styles though and well.

if you try to increase your RMS on your master buss as you are doing your final mixing...
i think you will find it will emasculate your mix.
 
actually, sticking with the levels you have now, will afford you the best possible sounding track, with maintained dynamics, going into the mastering effort.
 
 
now, some people arrange songs with nothing but the most flat, in your face, no dynamics-allowed type tracks, because that is a sound they hear in their head..
unfortunately, probably from listening to over mastered modern recordings, or too much radio limiting.
 
LOL
 
but, it is an artform...
 
i mean, think about it:
 
you could track your entire drum track, completely flattened by limiting, to the point that every drum hit sounds like an explosion...
and bring that track up in the mix, and use that as your basis for all your other sounds to surround..
 
keeping the drums close to mono, or near the middle, you have the entire left and right side to completely fill and flatten with absolutely limited guitar tracks, background vocals, keys, and a super hot limited vocal track right up the middle, all tracks flattened to about -1db on the peaks, and then mix it all together...
 
 
as long as nothing is ever mixed on top of something else (voila brilliant arrangment skills!!), then you will have a premastered mix that will probably peak somewhere around -1 with a RMS of about 8, and then you can master that.
 
 
(facepalm)

jeff,
you missed me, man.
 

Hi bats, it was this statement that I thought was not so good:
 
....then you will have a premastered mix that will probably peak somewhere around -1 with a RMS of about 8, and then you can master that.
 
Sorry for any confusion. I would not be aiming for such a loud premastered mix that is all. I know some do for sure and I have had to master tracks like that and it is just so hard because you cannot undo anything that has happened before you get to master it. Often the processes they used to get it there sound terrible and you are just stuck with it as a mastering engineer. I send them back in those situations and ask them to turn everything off the master buss during the mix.
 
But yes I agree he is sitting at a perfect pre mastered level right now.

I just finished a pop-rock tune that my son is going to sing (Radioactive by Imagine Dragons) 
 
It's out of my wheelhouse, but fits what you're talking about. It's mixed up to be loud and in your face (and distorted and saturated)
 
What I learned from the process was that I cranked it up and bounced it down to buses...
 
So I have a Drum Master
A Bass Master
A BGV Master
and an Instrument Master
 
These are stems. All FX were used to create the buses. Then I take those "stems" and send them to the mains and limit there. The stems have some dynamics, but the limiter on the main keeps everything just below where it needs to be. 
 
It may be easier to get the buses tweaked and bounce them? And then just send the stems to the mains and squash it there. But yes, obviously this by definition affects the dynamics... And you'll go back and tweak what you did to create the stems several times during this kind of process. 
 
This weekend we'll work on his LV Master and mix it all together. I don't speak with authority on this issue, I try different things all of the time. So my best advice would be to try different techniques and see what works best. What I described above seems to have worked pretty well for this project.
 
Also, I use FabFilter Pro-L, I think it is one of the better limiters. And Ozone5 also on the mains (w/o the Ozone limiter) And some other tricks I'm trying. Best thing is to experiment IMO.

Thank you all for your help!  I did make a mistake, I asked how to raise my RMS to 0.0, I meant to around -8db or so, and PEAK around 0.0 or -0.1 or so.
 
I will take all this into mind when I am mastering my tracks.  Any more to add is always welcome!
 
 
 
 

So let me just get this straight.   Pre-master demos should be @  -20 db to -15 db RMS and peaks around -5 db to -2db, and after the mastering, I should be around -10 db to -8 db RMS and peaks no more than -0.02db?   I imported some tracks from the last few years, and I see RMS around -8 db but the peaks are at 0.0.  
 
Thank you all for your help!

i highly recommend this book as well... quick read. 
http://www.musiciansfriend.com/books-sheet-music-media/berklee-press-audio-mastering--essential-practices-book-cd?source=3WWRWXGP&gclid=CLT9tIKa3roCFck1QgodRgIAjg&kwid=productads-plaid%5e41953126835-sku%5eJ00012000000000@ADL4MF-adType%5ePLA-device%5ec-adid%5e30432806787