I often get asked if it’s possible to restore dynamics to a heavily limited, clipped or compressed source, to achieve a more dynamic master. The answer is… it’s complicated ! So in this episode we do our best to answer the question. Topics include:
- Why you shouldn’t do this
- When you might have to do this
- When doing this is a bad idea
- How to do it (the simple way, the complicated way and the really messy way)
- How compression can sometimes add dynamics
- What these techniques can never do
Links
How EQ can make your music sound louder – using LESS compression and limiting
iZotope RX Elements (affiliate link)
TMS #60 - The loudness technique you need to start using TODAY (Automation)
Hi Ian and Jon,
Good discussion. Yes to volume automation. A few additional ideas...
But first, a note that Acon Digital makes a good (and affordable) de-clipper. I have used it successfully numerous times to fix clipping that the client may not even have known about. Like Jon said, a little goes a long way. (I prefer it to the ones mentioned in the Show.) Often, I then go back and limit the peaks created by the de-clipper, but at least the distortion is (mostly) gone.
You didn't mention (at least I don't think so, since I was multi-tasking when listening to the Podcast...) the main technique I use for adding life to overly squashed mixes: dynamic EQ. It definitely can help. To further differentiate the effect, L-R or M-S can be separated out. If you haven't already, give it a whirl. Dynamically expanding (boosting) strategic frequencies does liven things up and is not usually obviously weird. Works great on bass and highs, where the ear is less discerning.
Sometimes when the mix is really crushed, I will resort to de-compression (expansion). But my technique is to intentionally overdo it, and then to compress back some of it again, but using slower settings. Multi-part compression in this second step can help too. This is fiddly, and does not always work, but in dire situations is worth a go, and I have managed on occasion to at least partially rescue disastrously crushed mixes.
Best,
Jeff
Good podcast. Thanks. I have a question about automating the master volume when mastering.
If you are using a limiter on your main output, at what stage do you do the volume automation? Before or after the limiter?
If you do it before the limiter, you're affecting the signal going into the limter which means that if you automate the volume up, the limter will just fight against that increase in signal, preventing you from getting the real effect of true volume automation. If you automate the volume down, I'm not sure exactly what the adverse effects would be but I'm pretty sure if you're using a limiter after the automation it's not going to sound that same as a pure volume change. I've also experimted with automating the gain of the Pro-L 2 intead of automating the master volume but that seems to cause similar problems.
However, if you do the volume automation after the limiter, you're going to be adding gain to the signal that you had controlled within the limiter which means you probably get peaks after the limiter. You could leave extra headroom after the limiter (setting the max output of the limiter to -5dB for example) for volume automation but that doesn't seem quite right.
What do you suggest? This would be a good topic for the podcast.