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Recording, Mixing, Performance and Production
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Joined: Feb 2007
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Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 1,815 |
I know it is a blunt tool, but it does seem like a good first cut to see if you have some dynamic range in your songs. The hard core folks want DR values > 10, but it seems others want a minimum of 8. I did some DR analysis of my CD songs and this is what I got:  Some reference tracks:  P.S. Here's the download for the TT DR meter
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Recording, Mixing, Performance and Production
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Kevin,
Thank you for sharing the link to the dynamic range tool and for displaying the example graphs. I can understand how using such a tool can be informative as a way to measure how close you are to duplicating the overall feel of a particular cd. If you can find songs that are duplicated on multiple cds I bet you would find a song has different dynamic range on each cd.
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Recording, Mixing, Performance and Production
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Joined: Feb 2007
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Went through all my tunes and tried to squeeze more DR out of them. I moved the limiter output to -1.0 db (from mostly -1.5) and eased off on the limiter's threshold by a dB. It was enough to squeeze out another DR point on 11 of the 14 songs -- but not enough to bump the entire CD's rating to DR 10. Oh well, good enough for now. 
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Recording, Mixing, Performance and Production
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Joined: May 2000
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That metering plugin I always mention does just these types of things.
It let's you know the dynamic range, RMS, and the average of the ranges .. so you know if your mix is dynamic or 'Hot' .. and the average RMS (or RMS at any given point) so you know relative 'real' loudness .. etc.
There's a method to my madness..
I do not work here, but the benefits are still awesome
Make your sound your own!
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Recording, Mixing, Performance and Production
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... The only other thing you could use to honestly compare your finished product to commercial ones (besides your ears) is a good metering plugin.
I've mentioned PARMeter before. If you can find it anywhere it gives some pretty interesting stats/views/readings.
I should try to email Jeff and see if I can share it, as it is no longer available for sale. ... Did you contact Jeff? I found it one place, but it says "no longer available".
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Recording, Mixing, Performance and Production
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I did reach out to him on LinkedIn but have not gotten a response yet. Not sure how often he visits there. I may have to resort to tweeting after twitter-stalking him.  Or maybe try to find his FB account .. I'll give him a couple days. Looks like he landed a pretty impressive gig now, so his Rocksonic days are probably not very important to him at this point. I'll let you know if I hear from him.
I do not work here, but the benefits are still awesome
Make your sound your own!
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Recording, Mixing, Performance and Production
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Joined: Feb 2007
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Well here we go -- I did get up to DR 10! I know it doesn't make the songs any better, but it was fun seeing the dynamic range increase. Of course with all this stuff I am doing I did find 5 or 6 songs that I am going to have to go back a record a couple of things (fret squeaks, bad sibilance, bad ukulele strumming, ... etc..). I hope I don't make things worse. 
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Recording, Mixing, Performance and Production
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Congrats.
I like getting -12 to -14 range for RMS, and you seem to be about there.
I see a DR12 mixed in there also with just above -14 RMS, nice.
I do not work here, but the benefits are still awesome
Make your sound your own!
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Ask sales and support questions about Band-in-a-Box using natural language.
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Band-in-a-Box 2026 for Mac Videos
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