Hybrid Orchestral/Rock Trailer

[Cruciform]

And if all else fails I often curve volume levels at big hits so less sound is hitting the global limiter at the same time. Say I have thirty instruments all at full velocity at the same point, something's gotta give and it usually results in artifacts or fizziness or unwanted pumping. So I will shape volume envelopes on all unneeded sounds right at that point, allowing only the major impacts and instruments through.

I've thought of this but haven't done it very much as I thought it would make things sound more artificial?

Not if you do it well.

You can achieve the same effect by using sidechain compression.

Well, I sorta know what this one means. The input on the compression has something to do with the attack on track or something?? I'm not really sure how to set this one up

In essence it does what I do by hand, though it's compressing not level adjusting. It squashes things relative to a particular track. Having said that, I've not yet bothered to learn how to do sidechaining as I find it only takes me seconds to curve volumes as needed. But it's on my "to-learn" list.

Also, what Dave wrote about is how I mix as well. I don't work straight from the instruments. I use either bounced tracks and/or mini mixes.

Two other quick ideas - use K-metering for your mixing, if you're not already. It's a set of standards developed by Bob Katz. Doing that improved my mixes dramatically. Voxengo has a free (quality) plugin that provides K-meters. I think it might be their spectrum analyser.

And use high-quality compressor/limiters. I tried fudging it for ages with cheapies and the DAW-included versions, but once I upgraded to pro-level compressor and limiter the difference was immediate and remarkable.

[dschreiberjr]

Two other quick ideas - use K-metering for your mixing, if you're not already. It's a set of standards developed by Bob Katz. Doing that improved my mixes dramatically. Voxengo has a free (quality) plugin that provides K-meters. I think it might be their spectrum analyser.

And use high-quality compressor/limiters. I tried fudging it for ages with cheapies and the DAW-included versions, but once I upgraded to pro-level compressor and limiter the difference was immediate and remarkable.

I swear by iZotope Ozone 5 for limiting, multiband dynamics and stereo imaging. For compression I like to use T-Racks Opto Compressor right before Ozone. I never do much gain reduction with it, but it really helps glue the mix together. I also really like the Linear Phase EQ in the T-Racks bundle. Sounds more transparent than the one in Ozone, IMO; the interface is cleaner and it is slightly more flexible. I'll admit that I don't use metering systems enough, but the meter that comes with T-Racks is good. Spectrum analysis and volume and loudness metering....no K metering though. Especially good for comparing your mix levels to other commercial mixes.

Both bundles are a little pricey and might have a learning curve for non-engineers, but they are an invaluable investment and are the only self-mastering/mixing tools I need.