limiters / mastering in live performances :

[lonemale]

Hey all,

When you play live, do you run limiters or mastering plugs?
If so, do you run separate instances on each track, or on the master?

Any suggestions on good individual track limiters/processors for a live environment? I use TRackPLug, but the CPU draw is too big for me.

Would the new Live Limiter work well for this use, if so what settings?

Thanks,

LM

[7G]

Hell,i don't even use Limiter in my productions...
Imagine how it will sound to have your tracks squashed twice (1st w/ableton and 2nd venues limiter)
The most important thing is the sound.If your mix it right you won't need even mastering
Pay the biggest attention to your Mix and leave your master only with some audio analyze tools like:

ableton's Spectrum analyzer
and
http://www.dontcrack.com/freeware/downl ... -exoscope/

My 2.5 cents

[Superchibisan]

don't use a limiter unless you are not confident in your ability to keep your mix under 0db.

[Pitch Black]

There was quite a discussion about limiters for live performance here: http://forum.ableton.com/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=102299

(yup, i'm bumping my own rants... )

[MrShine]

I find this confusing, why in any environment would you want to use a limiter? The basic rule of thumb for Djing is to keep your levels tight...

I must ask though..have you ever mixed on anything other than a laptop?

[drumrak]

I find this confusing, why in any environment would you want to use a limiter? The basic rule of thumb for Djing is to keep your levels tight...

I must ask though..have you ever mixed on anything other than a laptop?

youre assuming hes DJing?

i wouldnt put a master limiter on because more than likely the venue has one and you sure wouldnt run 2 outboard compressors in a row. if youre using a PA without a limiter i might use one if huge volume spike could occur.

[audiovoid]

I recommend that you use a transparent limiter as a safety net. It's perfectly fine. Of course everyone knows that you're supposed to manage your levels but levels can get out of control now and again can't they? Ecspecially when using multiple effects.
Also nothing is going to be squashed until it passes over the Limiter threshold so if you maintain your levels from the start then you will not have to worry about (as someone else mentioned in this thread) multiple limiters squashing your sound. You can throw the limiter on and basically forget about it.
on the other hand Live itself actually has a lot of extra headroom on the master output so (without using a limiter) even if you're seeing the meters going into the red you won't always hear any distortion until the signal is really pushing it. Still, I think it's good to have a limiter just in case.

[michaellpenman]

A limiter allows you to have you music load but never over a certain volume say -1db
every record through the last deCADE HAS HAD SOME SORT OF LIMITING Be it from mixing or mastering.
Limiting is essential in todays music. Its all a loudness competition. So compress then use auto gain to get back the level, then limit the sound to stop it going over the 0db line.

When making a mix limiting is always used by the club or venue,
but i know a lot of people who mix mastered tracks (other artists tracks) and their own loops send their own loops to a master buss to be compressed EQ and limited etc to make it sound the same.

[rikstar23]

When playing through a small PA, i use a limiter to keep unintentional level spikes from unexpected loud tracks/samples. Good metering such as leaving headroom, staying in the green etc are a must but you never know when a loud track might slam in or in the thick of a mix, a fader was left high and suddenly you and your fellow party maniac's have split ear drums... a limiter will take care of this. Its true that larger systems will more likely have their own limiters, but its prob safer to send non-spiky signal to an expensive rig. I would avoid using a mastering limiter, such as L3...you don;'t need to be dithering!

[Tarekith]

If I'm sending individual tracks out of my soundcard to a DJ mixer, then I don't use a limiter. If I'm doing a live set where everything is going out the master out, then I use Live 8's new limiter "just in case". I've yet to have my levels anywhere near the threshold, but I suppose it doesn't hurt to be safe.

If you're actively pegging the limiter on the master, then I think your levels are too hot and you need to go back and adjust them down some. Just my $.02 though.

[inakiesarte]

I use a limiter on my performances

[AudioRuso]

I'm running a hardware compressor on my mastering chain for my liveset.... which I use as a limiter..... but lately I find myself bypassing the hardware chain and using ableton's limiter..... it's a great tool....

[hurlingdervish]

accidents happen when working with delay and distortion or filter resonance live

use a limiter

[7G]

accidents happen when working with delay and distortion or filter resonance live

use a limiter

On tracks & Sends yes but not in your master....