A Plug to prevent the master channel from clipping when DJin

90's child · Post by **90's child** » Fri Aug 22, 2008 10:04 am

Hi

I am currently using either Vintage Warmer or Saturator over the master channel when DJing with Live. This is to prevent severe clipping when 2 tracks are mixing together. The problem is that these 2 plugs colour the mix too much even with every plug parameter set to zero.

I only use 1 warp marker at the start of each WAV and use complex mode because I prefer the sound.

Is there a plug that I can use over the master channel that will not colour my DJ sets and maybe add a bit of limiting/compression because it makes the mixes between tunes sound a bit tighter?

Many thanks in advance.

90's child · Post by **90's child** » Fri Aug 22, 2008 10:12 am

Rave wrote:Sounds like you need to normalise each clip/track individually like you would djing before you start mixing to start with using the clips indivual out put level.

Start using your upfaders to dj too.

If you are really lazy slap a limiter on the master but boy is that going to effect the sound if you are well out.

All my WAV's are directly off Beatport so are already normalised. When I pop a warp marker at the start of each file, the master channel peaks by around +5db on each tune. I don't want to have to lower each fader by -5/6 db before I even start mixing.

spkey · Post by **spkey** » Fri Aug 22, 2008 10:18 am

But all you need is a limiter at the very end of your chain! If you want to 'colour' your mix you can always add your favourite plugs right before your limiter.

90's child · Post by **90's child** » Fri Aug 22, 2008 10:23 am

No I don't want to colour my mixes. I just want to find a plug that prevents clipping before my laptop outputs hit the club soundsystem.

UKRuss · Post by **UKRuss** » Fri Aug 22, 2008 10:32 am

Live's native compressor comes with two Brickwall presets which will do the trick.

Most people us ea combination of these two plugs to acheive what you are after (as do I) and I never have my master clipping.

BBE Sonic Maximiser followed by Vintage Warmer.

I do start with a track faders at -12db and really you want to aim for your master peaking at -6db. You can always boost the signal using the make up gain in Lives compressor or the drive and output on the VW at the master stage.

You domnt want to keep the master level so high that when you do limit it crushes the dynamics.

limiting is really there to protect kit after your master from overloading and is not really meant to be working on your dynamics constantly.

However, given everyone know you can get your shit louder that way.

Knee at about 10, drive no more than +4 on the VW and it should be plenty loud enough even with your faders around the -12db mark and master peaking at -6/-4db

forge · Post by **forge** » Fri Aug 22, 2008 10:34 am

saturator

but just turn the tracks down and turn up your speakers

spkey · Post by **spkey** » Fri Aug 22, 2008 10:36 am

90's child wrote:No I don't want to colour my mixes. I just want to find a plug that prevents clipping before my laptop outputs hit the club soundsystem.

But what's wrong with a simple limiter then? That's what the limiter does!

90's child · Post by **90's child** » Fri Aug 22, 2008 10:43 am

UKRuss wrote:Live's native compressor comes with two Brickwall presets which will do the trick.

Most people us ea combination of these two plugs to acheive what you are after (as do I) and I never have my master clipping.

BBE Sonic Maximiser followed by Vintage Warmer.

I do start with a track faders at -12db and really you want to aim for your master peaking at -6db. You can always boost the signal using the make up gain in Lives compressor or the drive and output on the VW at the master stage.

You domnt want to keep the master level so high that when you do limit it crushes the dynamics.

limiting is really there to protect kit after your master from overloading and is not really meant to be working on your dynamics constantly.

However, given everyone know you can get your shit louder that way.

Knee at about 10, drive no more than +4 on the VW and it should be plenty loud enough even with your faders around the -12db mark and master peaking at -6/-4db

Cheers dude but I'm taking about DJ mixing not producing a track.
So the consensus seems to be use Saturator with the soft clip on?

UKRuss · Post by **UKRuss** » Fri Aug 22, 2008 10:48 am

The set up I describe is for DJing.

Do a search over at Abletonlivedj.com and you'll get the full lowdown from pro DJs using this set up and some tasty EQ racks as well.

90's child · Post by **90's child** » Fri Aug 22, 2008 10:50 am

UKRuss wrote:The set up I describe is for DJing.

Do a search over at Abletonlivedj.com and you'll get the full lowdown from pro DJs using this set up and some tasty EQ racks as well.

Dude, why would I want to put a sonic maximiser over a commercially released, mastered, Beatport track?

UKRuss · Post by **UKRuss** » Fri Aug 22, 2008 10:57 am

generally the feeling is that the depth in the bass and the shine on the hi's is faded somewhat ocne the wavs or MP3s are imported into Live. (That is open for debate and I'm not saying I agree one way or the other) But it certainly does add in a bit more sheen and more clarity to the bass IMO.

The settings used are very mild, check it out I'd say it made a difference to my mixes and I like the sound but thats subjective of course.

Also, DJs ( as you know I'm sure) regularly EQ tracks and use effects thus changing the sound of the source material, no difference here really...

90's child · Post by **90's child** » Fri Aug 22, 2008 11:00 am

UKRuss wrote:generally the feeling is that the depth in the bass and the shine on the hi's is faded somewhat ocne the wavs or MP3s are imported into Live. (That is open for debate and I'm not saying I agree one way or the other) But it certainly does add in a bit more sheen and more clarity to the bass IMO.

The settings used are very mild, check it out I'd say it made a difference to my mixes and I like the sound but thats subjective of course.

Also, DJs ( as you know I'm sure) regularly EQ tracks and use effects thus changing the sound of the source material, no difference here really...

Cool makes sense if you use MP3's but I hate them. I only ever buy WAV's off Beatport. That Ableton live DJ website is great though. Cheers for that.

UKRuss · Post by **UKRuss** » Fri Aug 22, 2008 11:02 am

No worries.

spkey · Post by **spkey** » Fri Aug 22, 2008 11:21 am

UKRuss wrote:limiting is really there to protect kit after your master from overloading and is not really meant to be working on your dynamics constantly.

However, given everyone know you can get your shit louder that way.

It does not work constantly. It only works when the amplitude exceeds the threshold

That's why it's exactly what he needs. "A plug to prevent from clipping"

UKRuss · Post by **UKRuss** » Fri Aug 22, 2008 11:23 am

Of course. That read wrong, I meat working on your dynamics constantly like a compressor with a high ratio setting but not at limiter level.