8/17/2019 Pre Master Levels

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Pre-Master Levels

I can see no reason why all the pre-master tracks should not be

peaking at 0db (or slightly under) as long as compression hasn't been used

to take it there

I! it peaks at less than -"d# or higher$ chances are good the mi%

engineer did that purposely to avoid a clip

&ot necessarily bad but with diligence it I possible to get the peaks

closer to 0d#- I o!ten get up to -d# or -d# when I*m trying

+emember you loose resolution when the , volume is low I o!ten

mi% down a couple d# when I*m trying to make a rough mi% or save time-

when I wouldn't want to do another pass o! the mi% because the levels

clipped I should make a point about normali.ation - it is &/ the way to get

higher levels

1hen you normali.e something$ you're also bringing up the level o! 

the noise 2oor - a very bad thing 3our mi%es should be as hot as possible$

without peaking and without too much compression to keep your noise 2oor

down to a minimum Look at it this way - i! your peak level is at 405 and

your noise 2oor is at 605$ when you normali.e you're adding "05 to #/7

those numbers (assuming you're normali.ing to 005) I would also &/

normali.e to 005 - go to 885 or 885 his gives room !or additional

gain$ should it be needed &ormali.ing shouldn't even be used$ e%cept in the

mastering stage$ i! at all avoidable It is a common misconception that

normali.ing is a 'magic 9%' and it's completely untrue I see as much abuse

o! normali.ing as I do o! compression