Mixing loud: Managing your dynamic range using limiters

Understanding how to get the dynamic range you want is part of a professional-sounding music production. It's the key to making your music loud and punchy, if that suits your genre.

This tutorial explains how you can gain control over your dynamic range using basic tools included in any DAW. It explains compression and expansion, and some basic audio technical concepts you need to know early on in your music production career to help your ideas have impact.

Once you are comfortable using limiters to reduce the dynamic range of your signal, a world of new options will open up, like compressors, saturation, and clipping. Your mixes and masters will sound more punchy, clear, exciting and loud when you apply these principles.

Content:
0:00 Introduction
0:52 Recap of peak, RMS, Dynamic range
2:05 Two processes: compression and expansion
3:36 Using a limiter for downward compression
5:14 Workflow tips for limiters
6:39 Compression is not the solution to everything!
7:06 Genre-related loudness and mastering engineers
8:01 Other useful tools
8:45 LUFS - Loudness Units & tonal balance

[xphorm]

This is one of the best and most understandable explanations of I saw so far!

[Labyrinth]

Dude.

You’re one of the absolute best teachers on YouTube.

[mazak]

Finally someone who properly takes the time to explain the base principles behind a confusing concept instead of just demonstrating how they use the concept. Thanks!

[real.demesure]

I wish this was there 10 years ago when I started producing.

[Steyreon]

Very good video! Remember: dynamic is your friend, it is the breathing soul of your music.

[Ollever]

Now this is what I call a tutorial !!! Heads UP

[dj_instruments]

Definitely the best teacher...my head isn't scrambling with unnecessary jargon.

[napoleonbousoulas]

Great lesson! Nowadays the streaming services have control over loudness, something which gives the artists the chance to not take the life out of their music by overcompressing their creations:)

[rocketpewpew]

I waited for this explanation for 12 years

[marijapaskeviciute]

I love your channel so much, very informative and you explain everything so clearly

[sundaymorningmassradioshow]

So well explained youre a natural teacher and know to express it for techno heads!

[kitokajimo]

Finally after years I’ve found the best teacher 😊

[luuinternational]

5:02 I was just looking for this for weeks. And I didn't know what to google. But it is showed on my youtube today. Cant believe that just happened!!!! you are a professor goddamn!!!
Keep it going until 3021

[kevinstoneham]

This wax my break through tutorial for getting my track louder. I had to think about it a bit as to how to do it in Reason, but got there. I only applied it to the kick, share and bass. You can even achieve it with the Maximiser in Reason.

[kaeiofficial]

He’s one of the best teacher on YouTube!!!!

[staticGeneratorYou]

So far, your videos have been the simplest, most direct explanation of audio mastering while be very thorough. Thanks!

[d.m.ebeats]

Thanks so much for your dedicated toturials you just thought me something no one ever talks about in details about RMS and Peak volume, and how to use that in referencing a mix.♥️♥️♥️

[Emenut]

Im not that much into techno but im a producer and a musician. Your videos are some of the bests out there!! Thanks for all.

[attiliohollige]

It's like I'm back to school but I like the lessons. Thank you!

[grmblfzzzt]

Straight to the point. Great explanation, 100% worth every second watching.