CDK

THambrecht
A clipped file is an absolute absurdety.
Reduce the volumen in your project and / or use a limiter in the total mix.

Thanks... would I use a limiter in the original (multitrack) project? Or on the exported audio?

use a limiter before export (unless your going to master it).
where is this going  ? are you going to master it ? or is your export a final mix ?
 
even a little clipping/in the red on one side isn't a death sentence because it isn't clipping per say.
there is a huge difference between clipping the meter and clipping the signal.
 
it just depends on what the next stages are after export.
if your just going to upload it to soundcloud, or pass it around, your fine.
if your going to master it, re mix it and don't go anything higher than -3db.
The dynamic raw mix should be sitting (within 4-6 dB) before mastering.
 
what ever you do, don't use a limiter on the master bus if your going to master it, leave that to the mastering engineer.
your just going to ruin your dynamics with a limiter before mastering.

my advise to you is to experiment.
This is where I stumbled across my most important techniques. by experimenting.
 
if your not going to master it, place a limiter on the master bus and push the living dog snot out of it.
push it in the red. then listen to it. learn from dynamic levels and the sounds they produce.
 
it also depends on what kind of music your producing.
Typically I will send an artist home with a rough copy to listen, just to listen for mistakes, tonal characteristics
(Just something to listen before mastering) and I almost always mix those hot / in the red. 
ive had bands tell me they want that sound (typically its only Rock / metal)
but what it is, the levels begin to slightly distort, a limiter on the master bus pushes the dynamics closer together.
thus retaining more dynamics than a master mix would.
 
However they happier once they hear the master
ive accomplished great mixes without mastering, but ive created better ones with mastering.
make sense ?
 

chuckebaby

CDK

THambrecht
A clipped file is an absolute absurdety.
Reduce the volumen in your project and / or use a limiter in the total mix.

Thanks... would I use a limiter in the original (multitrack) project? Or on the exported audio?

use a limiter before export (unless your going to master it).
where is this going  ? are you going to master it ? or is your export a final mix ?
 
even a little clipping/in the red on one side isn't a death sentence because it isn't clipping per say.
there is a huge difference between clipping the meter and clipping the signal.
 
it just depends on what the next stages are after export.
if your just going to upload it to soundcloud, or pass it around, your fine.
if your going to master it, re mix it and don't go anything higher than -3db.
The dynamic raw mix should be sitting (within 4-6 dB) before mastering.
 
what ever you do, don't use a limiter on the master bus if your going to master it, leave that to the mastering engineer.
your just going to ruin your dynamics with a limiter before mastering.

 
The export is my final mix (well that's my preferred option anyway). These are backing tracks that will be used for live performance, played from a computer or iPod or CD.
 
My other thought is I would like it the playback to sound as consistent as possible across various devices and to be consistent with commercial audio CD volume if possible.
 
I'm not an expert on sound or mastering so I try to get it all right before export.
 
Thanks for your advice :)

Looks like you did not read my post so I'll say it again. 
I gave a few options but in the case of backing tracks which is what I do a lot of;  I put the LP 64 multiband on the master buss. It will give you a more even max volume without clipping.  
 
I still open all my wave stereo masters in a wave editor ( Wave Lab)  so I can check peak RMS value. This is important if you want all your tracks to playback at the same level. You can do this is Sonar too, but for me a wave editor does the job faster and with little fuss. It's what a wave editor is for. 
Peak level is not the same as RMS average level. One little peak will make your track over and leave the rest too quiet. So a multi band compressor will help you get closer to an average level. It will tame peaks and level the average volume. Notice I keep using the word average..this is what counts as this is how we precieve the volume of a song. 
 
Now we need to analyze the song to see what it's average RMS level is. I make all my backing tracks -14 average RMS level. Note, the peak level will probably be 0db. 
If a song comes out of Sonar at average level of say -17 average RMS and a peak level of 0db you will have a song that sopunds quieter than the others. To fix this I have to apply a loudness maximizer of + 3db to squish it up to -14db. There's no audible damage done. 
 
Please don't even think of using CD's for backing tracks....play wave files from your PC.  Any old laptop will do just fine. 
Here's my system. 
http://www.cactusmusic.ca/johns_rig.htm
 
 
 

Cactus Music
Looks like you did not read my post so I'll say it again. 
I gave a few options but in the case of backing tracks which is what I do a lot of;  I put the LP 64 multiband on the master buss. It will give you a more even max volume without clipping.  
 
I still open all my wave stereo masters in a wave editor ( Wave Lab)  so I can check peak RMS value. This is important if you want all your tracks to playback at the same level. You can do this is Sonar too, but for me a wave editor does the job faster and with little fuss. It's what a wave editor is for. 
Peak level is not the same as RMS average level. One little peak will make your track over and leave the rest too quiet. So a multi band compressor will help you get closer to an average level. It will tame peaks and level the average volume. Notice I keep using the word average..this is what counts as this is how we precieve the volume of a song. 
 
Now we need to analyze the song to see what it's average RMS level is. I make all my backing tracks -14 average RMS level. Note, the peak level will probably be 0db. 
If a song comes out of Sonar at average level of say -17 average RMS and a peak level of 0db you will have a song that sopunds quieter than the others. To fix this I have to apply a loudness maximizer of + 3db to squish it up to -14db. There's no audible damage done. 
 
Please don't even think of using CD's for backing tracks....play wave files from your PC.  Any old laptop will do just fine. 
Here's my system. 
http://www.cactusmusic.ca/johns_rig.htm
 
 
 

Hi John,
 
I missed your post up there earlier, thanks for replying again!
 
When you mention you 'put the LP 64 multiband on the master buss', do you mean in the original multitrack Sonar project? Or on the exported wave file?
 
Thanks :)