Seeking feedback on a smooth improv

[jonetsu]

Hello, long time no write.

The concern here is about bringing up to a suitable LUFS level what is essentially a very smooth, relaxed piece, without loosing any characteristics, without having it sounding terminally compressed, eg. while still keeping the space between the instruments. This is synth based, with some pianoteq piano thrown in. The goal is that for a relaxed piece the listener should not turn up the volume. That it should be possible to go from an upbeat piece to this relaxed one without adjusting the volume.

If you can spare a few minutes, this is a short 3 minute improv I'm using to illustrate. Your feedback would be helpful - thanks !

jam220

Cheers.

[kevmsmith81]

I will have a listen later. In my experience, you can apply a limiter to simply bring the volume up and when actual limiting starts (ie, the signal starts getting compressed) just pull it back a bit so all you've done is increase the volume without any compression taking place - if of course, I've read correctly and you want to get it to the maximum volume you can without any of the dynamic range being altered.

Most limiters will have some kind of visual cue as to when compression is happening. I've only just downloaded Mixbus so haven't had the chance to use it as yet, so don't know how the packaged tools behave, but I assume there will be something to show. If not, then you can always download a VST limiter plugin and use that instead.

[kevmsmith81]

Having listened to it, I think the levels are fine. It does need a bit of EQ work though, there's some synth sounds, which seem to be mainly ones which appear to the left, which have some frequencies which sound a bit harsh and need bringing down a bit. I can't quite decipher where those frequencies sit, but there's something about them which have an unpleasant resonance about them. Find those and cut them out and you have something there which is quite nice to listen to.

[Studio Saturn]

Kevmsmith81 I guess it is around 2300 and multi band or dynamic EQ will do the trick.