Try using thicker CDs that hold more electrons.

I would like songs I create to have the dynamic range of many of the older post-Gabriel Genesis tunes - like anything from Wind and Wuthering or And Then There Were Three.  (please do not mistake this song range for my preferred listening - I thoroughly enjoy Peter Gabriel's vocals and staging).  I am just referring to how wonderful the wide range of dynamics are on many of those tunes.

So, that is where I would like to have my music end up - dynamics-wise, if anyone can guide me to that magical place.

Bob Bone

I would recommend less compression if you want a more dynamic sound. Also there are expanders that can help when you want to add a little bit more dynamic levels.

I am not too keen on getting things loud for the sake of being loud. It a little too easy to wind up with a mash of sound that is fatiguing to the ear and unpleasant.

Try to think of a live music unamplified and think about how much more interesting it is and more pleasant.  

I'm not sure when it became fashionable to crank it up except that when we get an ability we often abuse it. 

If you want loud thats OK with me just don't ask me to listen to it. 

Maybe that is why I still have my hearing. 

I also wonder by trying to add "punch" while still cranking up the levels if we are not deceiving the ear into thinking its not as loud as it really is? How damaging is that to the ears of people we want to listen to it? 

Of late I've been using parallel compression a lot more on individual tracks: kick, snare, vocal ... helps make things sound 'solid' without sounding over compressed. Still apply a bit of compression before sending to the parallel compression busses. Means a lot more busses, but worth it I think. And an easy, go to compressor is the Sonitus one. Seems to bear up really well to fast attack settings, high ratio, around 25/ 30 db gain reduction. I'm a parallel compression convert.

@Jean

+1 on parallel compression.  Nice combo of slight and heavy.

Bob Bone

I actually tried parallel compression for the first time on the drums in this mix im working on. Definitely cool sounding!

Loptec

Bristol_Jonesey

brconflict



I've also found from Greg Calbi (I believe) who said that in your mastering chain, not to simply use one compressor or limiter, but maybe add a few with settings which are minimal, and with them all doing just a little bit instead of one doing a lot, you might get better results. Bub made a similar point above. Little bits at a time is sometimes better than taking one Limiter or compressor and infusing LOTS of gain.

I find it similar to painting - you get much better results form applying several thin coats than you do with a single thick coat

Be careful to compare anything that has to do with sound with anything that has do to with visual art on this forum, even if it's just metaphorical..

I did that once and "metaphorically" got shot in the head by a few members, who refused to see the cognitive connections you can make between the two and just focused on the technical differences.

It's referred to as synesthesia and actually occurs for 1 in 23 people according to Wikipedia (and a report that was on 60 Minutes about 10 years ago).  For people who have synethesia music is not only sound but colors, patterns, numbers, and shapes both linear and veriticle, hence the "feel" of playing a series on notes.  It also works in reverse.
My anecdotal feeling is that most musicians have it.  For me, it is great for memorizing music but interfers with reading it--my mind wanders.  So, don't let them shoot you in the head ever again!

go to the izotope website and download their mixing and mastering guide.

its a great primer on subject of getting the mix right. you dont need to use their plugins as the theory they teach is universal.

Player

Loptec

Bristol_Jonesey

brconflict



I've also found from Greg Calbi (I believe) who said that in your mastering chain, not to simply use one compressor or limiter, but maybe add a few with settings which are minimal, and with them all doing just a little bit instead of one doing a lot, you might get better results. Bub made a similar point above. Little bits at a time is sometimes better than taking one Limiter or compressor and infusing LOTS of gain.

I find it similar to painting - you get much better results form applying several thin coats than you do with a single thick coat

Be careful to compare anything that has to do with sound with anything that has do to with visual art on this forum, even if it's just metaphorical..

I did that once and "metaphorically" got shot in the head by a few members, who refused to see the cognitive connections you can make between the two and just focused on the technical differences.

It's referred to as synesthesia and actually occurs for 1 in 23 people according to Wikipedia (and a report that was on 60 Minutes about 10 years ago).  For people who have synethesia music is not only sound but colors, patterns, numbers, and shapes both linear and veriticle, hence the "feel" of playing a series on notes.  It also works in reverse.
My anecdotal feeling is that most musicians have it.  For me, it is great for memorizing music but interfers with reading it--my mind wanders.  So, don't let them shoot you in the head ever again!

Pitch comes in different colors just like light. If you play a chromatic scale and listen closely, you can hear another quality which distinguishes the notes apart from them being simply "higher" or "lower." In childhood we were taught to attach labels to the different wavelengths of light. It's a pity we weren't taught to add them to pitch as well. But once you attune your ears to the distinctive quality of the various pitches, it's like hearing in full color, having previously only listened in black and white.