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11-01-2016, 12:27 PM
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#1
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Human being with feelings
Join Date: Nov 2015
Location: Switzerland
Posts: 1,966
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Welcome to the REAPER Contest!
WELCOME TO THE REAPER CONTEST
Welcome to the REAPER Contest, a monthly mixing competition open to any REAPER user. We don't care if you are either an expert or a beginner: if you want to practise your mixing skills and get feedback from other users, this is the right place.
The contest is subdivided in 4 phases:
- Mixing
- Voting
- Results
- Feedback
Each month a new thread gets created where users that are interested or want to participate can come together and discuss all sorts of things!
Users can submit their own mix and based on the votes they get, a ranking is created and updated throughout the year. At the end of each year, the user that has gathered more points becomes the REAPER Contest Champion.
Don't be afraid and join us!
Last edited by DaveKeehl; 04-14-2022 at 08:18 AM.
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11-01-2016, 02:29 PM
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#2
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Human being with feelings
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: Louisville, KY, USA
Posts: 1,075
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Maybe we should request that people do not make any new files by gluing, etc. I don't see how that's absolutely necessary to get the job done and it increases the amount of necessary files to upload/download by a lot.
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11-01-2016, 02:32 PM
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#3
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Human being with feelings
Join Date: Nov 2015
Location: Switzerland
Posts: 1,966
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Quote:
Originally Posted by insub
Maybe we should request that people do not make any new files by gluing, etc. I don't see how that's absolutely necessary to get the job done and it increases the amount of necessary files to upload/download by a lot.
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I know but we can't even forbid it, everyone has different workflows. What I can do is to encourage not to glue files.
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11-01-2016, 03:37 PM
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#4
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Human being with feelings
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Kalispell
Posts: 14,759
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Quote:
Originally Posted by insub
Maybe we should request that people do not make any new files by gluing, etc. I don't see how that's absolutely necessary to get the job done and it increases the amount of necessary files to upload/download by a lot.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by DaveKeehl
I know but we can't even forbid it, everyone has different workflows. What I can do is to encourage not to glue files.
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That's a good point, I think any operation that would make it impossible to check out projects should be highly advised against. Actually, I think each participant should consider others, out of respect if nothing else. Heh heh, but then I'm an old fart.
Quote:
Listen to the studio version here
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Anybody else having a problem hearing the studio version. YouTube is wide open and I have to turn my monitors up in such a way that I don't really want to do that.
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11-02-2016, 12:56 AM
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#5
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Human being with feelings
Join Date: Nov 2015
Location: Switzerland
Posts: 1,966
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Tod
Anybody else having a problem hearing the studio version. YouTube is wide open and I have to turn my monitors up in such a way that I don't really want to do that.
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Mmmh not quite sure what you mean. I hear it fine without touching anything. By saying "Youtube is wide open" do you mean it's too loud?
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11-02-2016, 07:50 AM
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#6
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Human being with feelings
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Kalispell
Posts: 14,759
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Quote:
Originally Posted by DaveKeehl
Mmmh not quite sure what you mean. I hear it fine without touching anything. By saying "Youtube is wide open" do you mean it's too loud?
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I have to turn my system almost wide open to hear it, 80% to 90%. Normally about 25% is plenty.
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11-02-2016, 06:36 AM
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#7
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Human being with feelings
Join Date: May 2009
Posts: 29,269
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Tod
Anybody else having a problem hearing the studio version. YouTube is wide open and I have to turn my monitors up in such a way that I don't really want to do that.
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Can't answer. I'm avoiding hearing it at all beyond the raw tracks as I don't want to be influenced in any way. I'm about 1/3 done at this point. Cool tune btw.
__________________
Music is what feelings sound like.
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11-02-2016, 07:05 AM
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#8
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Human being with feelings
Join Date: Nov 2015
Location: Germany
Posts: 1,016
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Tod
...Anybody else having a problem hearing the studio version. YouTube is wide open and I have to turn my monitors up in such a way that I don't really want to do that.
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Confirmed. The live version is much louder than the studio version.
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11-02-2016, 05:37 AM
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#9
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Human being with feelings
Join Date: Dec 2015
Posts: 1,739
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Quote:
Originally Posted by DaveKeehl
I know but we can't even forbid it, everyone has different workflows. What I can do is to encourage not to glue files.
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Can you give a procedure to return a project with the right files that's convenient for you to handle ? Because every time I render and zip the project, it seems that I didn't include the right files. :/
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11-02-2016, 06:28 AM
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#10
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Human being with feelings
Join Date: Nov 2015
Location: Switzerland
Posts: 1,966
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Quote:
Originally Posted by lolilol1975
Can you give a procedure to return a project with the right files that's convenient for you to handle ? Because every time I render and zip the project, it seems that I didn't include the right files. :/
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Simply follow the steps above listed and you'll be fine
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11-02-2016, 12:33 PM
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#11
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Human being with feelings
Join Date: Dec 2015
Posts: 1,739
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Quote:
Originally Posted by DaveKeehl
Simply follow the steps above listed and you'll be fine
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OK, I think I did glue a few items, and didn't know it would create new files but it makes sense.
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11-03-2016, 03:13 PM
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#12
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Human being with feelings
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: I'm in a barn
Posts: 4,467
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Quote:
Originally Posted by DaveKeehl
[*]a master mix (limited to -0.5 dB and at -12 LUFS): MP3 320kps
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Not comfortable with -12 LUFUS at all with this tune.
Parts get clipped in order to achieve that and be limited to -0.5db. Not nice when the best we can really use is event horizon JS which is a really nice clipper, but.... )
I think -14 is the better target (or even -16) - especially since we are encoding to mp3.
Id just submit mine at -14 LUFS, but I wouldn't want to have an unfair advantage of having an unclipped and exciting and dynamic mix
I mean it's not a mastering contest - let's give a bit more leeway.
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11-03-2016, 03:20 PM
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#13
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Human being with feelings
Join Date: Mar 2007
Posts: 21,551
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Is there a real (graphical) phase meter anywhere in JS?
My mix is going to be pretty "open" dynamically. Won't be using very much compression at all. The tracks are pretty well done although I haven't taken it into the studio yet and a few tracks sound kinda thin in my phones. Initial observations (again, listening in phones, MDR 7506's) ....
- Vocal sounds a little harsh to me. Just a bit.
- Drums need gating (kick and snare)
- Overheads are ok which makes the hat and cymbal tracks maybe optional, we'll see.
- Amp bass sounds way better than the DI bass, to me.
The only subjectively wasteful tracks space wise are the toms and cymbals. Being that the drums are obviously sampler tracks (no ambiance in the spaces that I can see like you'd get with mics) those could have been trimmed initially but it probably wouldn't have made a ton of difference in the archive size.
Mine will likely fall apart on the guitars, not my wheelhouse the pop/rock guitar thing.
Last edited by Lawrence; 11-03-2016 at 03:44 PM.
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11-03-2016, 03:21 PM
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#14
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Human being with feelings
Join Date: Dec 2015
Posts: 1,739
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Lawrence
Is there a real (graphical) phase meter anywhere in JS?
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What is a Phase meter ?
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11-03-2016, 03:30 PM
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#15
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Human being with feelings
Join Date: Mar 2007
Posts: 21,551
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Quote:
Originally Posted by lolilol1975
What is a Phase meter ?
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Like the right section below showing channel correlation. I typically use those on busses and on the master when I mix, to get a visual feel for mono compatibility all along the way.
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11-03-2016, 03:44 PM
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#16
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Human being with feelings
Join Date: Dec 2015
Posts: 1,739
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Lawrence
Like the right section below showing channel correlation. I typically use those on busses and on the master when I mix, to get a visual feel for mono compatibility all along the way.
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JS: Goniometer
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11-03-2016, 03:45 PM
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#17
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Human being with feelings
Join Date: Nov 2011
Posts: 3,409
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Lawrence
Like the right section below showing channel correlation. I typically use those on busses and on the master when I mix, to get a visual feel for mono compatibility all along the way.
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The JS version is the "goniometer" (loser/gfxGoniometer). I modified it slightly to add a configurable alpha and a visual amplification. Attached is my modified version.
Looking at it now, my version has a correlation meter and the 5.27 default one seems not to; i didn't add that, so i'm not sure what's up with that. Maybe the latest edition removed it or something?
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11-03-2016, 03:58 PM
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#18
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Human being with feelings
Join Date: May 2009
Posts: 29,269
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Quote:
- Vocal sounds a little harsh to me. Just a bit.
- Drums need gating (kick and snare)
- Overheads are ok which makes the hat and cymbal tracks maybe optional, we'll see.
- Amp bass sounds way better than the DI bass, to me.
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I think you should save this for post contest, could be wrong though.
__________________
Music is what feelings sound like.
Last edited by karbomusic; 11-03-2016 at 04:10 PM.
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11-03-2016, 03:21 PM
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#19
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Human being with feelings
Join Date: Dec 2015
Posts: 1,739
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Quote:
Originally Posted by James HE
Not comfortable with -12 LUFUS at all with this tune.
Parts get clipped in order to achieve that and be limited to -0.5db. Not nice when the best we can really use is event horizon JS which is a really nice clipper, but.... )
I think -14 is the better target (or even -16) - especially since we are encoding to mp3.
Id just submit mine at -14 LUFS, but I wouldn't want to have an unfair advantage of having an unclipped and exciting and dynamic mix
I mean it's not a mastering contest - let's give a bit more leeway.
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There is also JS: Master limiter
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11-03-2016, 04:29 PM
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#20
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Human being with feelings
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: I'm in a barn
Posts: 4,467
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Quote:
Originally Posted by lolilol1975
There is also JS: Master limiter
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The best limiter in the universe isn't going to change that fact that I have to alter the dynamics of the mix such that the end lacks the impact that I want.
I have a modded version of the Master Limiter that I think is really really good on some material. It doesn't fit here though.
There is a reason that on the youtube video there for the studio version that it fades out the ending...
the mixer or mastering engineer blew it
we can do better.
-12 LUFS just doesn't feel appropriate for the contest in any way.`What if next month we get a soulful and sparse song to mix? We have to inappropriately smash the %^&* out of it?
It's an arbitrary number here that limits creativity.
Having some sort of loudness target so that everyone is on basically the same playing field is great. -12 LUFS is just way to fucking hot in my opinion. -14 is a great spot - I'm likely biased there cause that's what I Master my own productions to, but anyways...
Like I said, it's a mixing, not a mastering contest.
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11-03-2016, 04:39 PM
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#21
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Human being with feelings
Join Date: May 2009
Posts: 29,269
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Quote:
Originally Posted by James HE
-12 LUFS just doesn't feel appropriate for the contest in any way.`What if next month we get a soulful and sparse song to mix? We have to inappropriately smash the %^&* out of it?
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Your post got me to measuring. I'm not good with knowing how to limit to that spec but if my guess testing is correct, I 1000% agree with you.
I'd probably be concerned about continuing if I had to crush/destroy the dynamics that much; so I'm hoping I'm wrong.
Edit: I think I'm probably wrong, just so I can confirm, how do I tell with Tone Boosters EBU Loudness meter?
__________________
Music is what feelings sound like.
Last edited by karbomusic; 11-03-2016 at 04:51 PM.
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11-03-2016, 04:52 PM
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#22
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Human being with feelings
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: I'm in a barn
Posts: 4,467
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Quote:
Originally Posted by karbomusic
Your post got me to measuring. I'm not good with knowing how to limit to that spec but if my guess testing is correct, I 1000% agree with you.
I'd probably be concerned about continuing if I had to crush/destroy the dynamics that much; so I'm hoping I'm wrong.
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you are not wrong.
-12 LUFS is absurd - it's loud even for this track. add in mp3 conversion and it's likely disaster (I haven't even done any test conversions yet - but I just know)
My mix really isn't that dynamic - I mean the material isn't - not by my standards at least. But I do want that last little bit of elbow room to push that ending a bit. It's just not there at -12 LUFUS.
-14 would be fine imo - but if we get any other genre to mix other than rock, -16 is probably safer.
balance the mixes by giving a target - but don't make that target un-reachable.
* ok yeah, I'm being a bit hyperbolic here I think for this particular mix -12 is pretty close to reasonable and is obtainable - I'm just concerned because -12 seems like a bad precedent for these contests.
Last edited by James HE; 11-03-2016 at 05:05 PM.
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11-04-2016, 06:45 PM
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#23
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Human being with feelings
Join Date: Dec 2015
Posts: 1,739
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Quote:
Originally Posted by karbomusic
Your post got me to measuring. I'm not good with knowing how to limit to that spec but if my guess testing is correct, I 1000% agree with you.
I'd probably be concerned about continuing if I had to crush/destroy the dynamics that much; so I'm hoping I'm wrong.
Edit: I think I'm probably wrong, just so I can confirm, how do I tell with Tone Boosters EBU Loudness meter?
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I believe it's the integrated loudness value, so you're in the right ballpark.
Quote:
Originally Posted by James HE
Quick poll:
How do you all have your metering display setup for the Master? and How conscious are you of hitting a target level when mixing?
I have a RMS display offset of -14. If I see too much red on the RMS meters, I try to back off. Generally I do not use any Loudness metering when mixing.
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For volume I only look at my tracks, including master, during mixing, making sure I am in the right ballpark. I use sophisticated plugins only at the end.
Last edited by lolilol1975; 11-04-2016 at 06:55 PM.
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11-03-2016, 03:33 PM
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#24
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Human being with feelings
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Kalispell
Posts: 14,759
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Quote:
Originally Posted by James HE
Not comfortable with -12 LUFUS at all with this tune.
Parts get clipped in order to achieve that and be limited to -0.5db. Not nice when the best we can really use is event horizon JS which is a really nice clipper, but.... )
I think -14 is the better target (or even -16) - especially since we are encoding to mp3.
Id just submit mine at -14 LUFS, but I wouldn't want to have an unfair advantage of having an unclipped and exciting and dynamic mix
I mean it's not a mastering contest - let's give a bit more leeway.
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Heh heh, you got a mix ready yet James?
I'm getting close, but I don't know the rules about submitting, if I submit an mp3 now or soon, will I be able to improve it and post more mp3s? I have a feeling people are waiting to see what others have done before they post theirs, so I thought if I, or others, post their mixes as they go it would encourage other to do the same.
I really screwed up my first mix, I was involved with a thread about using a monitor EQ for mixing with headphones, and in the process I loaded an EQ into my monitor FX that I came up with for my ear phones. Yeap, I forgot and mixed the whole thing before I realized what I'd done.
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11-09-2016, 11:12 AM
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#25
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Human being with feelings
Join Date: Jul 2009
Posts: 7,595
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Sent in my mix.
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11-09-2016, 11:43 AM
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#26
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Human being with feelings
Join Date: Nov 2015
Location: Switzerland
Posts: 1,966
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Quote:
Originally Posted by EpicSounds
Sent in my mix.
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great
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11-11-2016, 06:13 PM
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#27
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Human being with feelings
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: Arlington, VA
Posts: 421
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Still working...and questions.
Had my mix initially finished a few days ago, fitting it in among other work; now of course the nitpicky stuff. Also doing some fun experimentation with vocals and such. Really groovy track to work with. Looking forward to submitting my mix next week.
Questions: as this is my first submission with this contest, I just wanted to be sure I submitted things correctly.
1) Regarding the subfolder for JSFX plugs, do we actually copy and paste the plug itself? I ask as I'm not sure where those files sit within my Reaper menus to copy them. I know where I store my standard VSTs, but where can I find the JSFX files - is it in the C:\Users\username\AppData\Roaming\Reaper folder somewhere?
2) I know we should not rename files or tracks; however, if we add tracks to the projects, should we name them with the same protocol as the original source files? Like, if an original source file is "24_LeadVocal", could we name another track "24B_LeadVocalChorus", for example?
3) Is there any rule for how we name or group fx busses or parallel busses at all?
Thanks in advance for your help!
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11-11-2016, 07:18 PM
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#28
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Human being with feelings
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Kalispell
Posts: 14,759
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Quote:
Originally Posted by thunderbroom
Questions: as this is my first submission with this contest, I just wanted to be sure I submitted things correctly.
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First of all I'm not totally sure about any of your questions, but I'll respond according to what I think.
Quote:
1) Regarding the subfolder for JSFX plugs, do we actually copy and paste the plug itself? I ask as I'm not sure where those files sit within my Reaper menus to copy them. I know where I store my standard VSTs, but where can I find the JSFX files - is it in the C:\Users\username\AppData\Roaming\Reaper folder somewhere?
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If they are regular JSFX, you shouldn't have to worry about this. If it's a JSFX that is not part of the regular JS plugins, then I guess you should point to where ever it can be obtained.
Quote:
2) I know we should not rename files or tracks; however, if we add tracks to the projects, should we name them with the same protocol as the original source files? Like, if an original source file is "24_LeadVocal", could we name another track "24B_LeadVocalChorus", for example?
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I don't think there's any problem in renaming tracks, they will show up in your projects just as you named them. It's renaming the audio files that's the real problem, but as long as you keep the original audio file names in tact, there should be no problem. For example, you can cut the audio files up and edit them in any way you want to, just don't rename the "Source Files" and there should be no problem
Quote:
3) Is there any rule for how we name or group fx busses or parallel busses at all?
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Here again, busses whether FX or not, are just tracks, and should show up as you intend. However, you will want to delete any track icons if you have them, that could present a problem.
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11-11-2016, 07:22 PM
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#29
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Human being with feelings
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: Arlington, VA
Posts: 421
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Tod
First of all I'm not totally sure about any of your questions, but I'll respond according to what I think.
If they are regular JSFX, you shouldn't have to worry about this. If it's a JSFX that is not part of the regular JS plugins, then I guess you should point to where ever it can be obtained.
I don't think there's any problem in renaming tracks, they will show up in your projects just as you named them. It's renaming the audio files that's the real problem, but as long as you keep the original audio file names in tact, there should be no problem. For example, you can cut the audio files up and edit them in any way you want to, just don't rename the "Source Files" and there should be no problem
Here again, busses whether FX or not, are just tracks, and should show up as you intend. However, you will want to delete any track icons if you have them, that could present a problem.
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Tod, I appreciate the feedback. Thanks!
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11-11-2016, 08:47 PM
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#30
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Human being with feelings
Join Date: May 2009
Posts: 29,269
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Quote:
Originally Posted by thunderbroom
1) Regarding the subfolder for JSFX plugs, do we actually copy and paste the plug itself? I ask as I'm not sure where those files sit within my Reaper menus to copy them. I know where I store my standard VSTs, but where can I find the JSFX files - is it in the C:\Users\username\AppData\Roaming\Reaper folder somewhere?
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I haven't crossed that bridge yet but I assume default ones wouldn't matter, custom ones would.
Quote:
2) I know we should not rename files or tracks; however, if we add tracks to the projects, should we name them with the same protocol as the original source files? Like, if an original source file is "24_LeadVocal", could we name another track "24B_LeadVocalChorus", for example?
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I made copies of a couple which turns 24_LeadVocal into 25_LeadVocal - I think if it makes sense it wouldn't matter how you do it.
Quote:
3) Is there any rule for how we name or group fx busses or parallel busses at all?
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I doubt it, I have a few folders I just named them what I wish. Oops, looks like Tod already answered similarly.
__________________
Music is what feelings sound like.
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11-12-2016, 07:06 AM
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#31
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Human being with feelings
Join Date: Nov 2015
Location: Switzerland
Posts: 1,966
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Thanks @Tod and @karbomusic for answering, I was busy
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11-21-2016, 11:38 AM
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#32
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Human being with feelings
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: Louisville, KY, USA
Posts: 1,075
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I like this voting method better than last month's. Great job DaveKeehl!
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11-22-2016, 05:39 AM
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#34
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Human being with feelings
Join Date: Nov 2015
Location: Switzerland
Posts: 1,966
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Quote:
Originally Posted by insub
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haha let's hope not
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11-22-2016, 07:23 AM
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#35
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Human being with feelings
Join Date: Nov 2013
Posts: 2,818
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SmajjL throws DaveKeehl up in the air, wiiie!! good stuff.
__________________
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11-22-2016, 12:38 PM
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#36
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Human being with feelings
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: Arlington, VA
Posts: 421
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Too much of a good thing!
Gotta say one of those just added tracks added last minute made me have to reconfigure my thinking. Might have to rethink my original vote now.
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11-22-2016, 01:57 PM
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#37
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Human being with feelings
Join Date: Nov 2015
Location: Switzerland
Posts: 1,966
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Quote:
Originally Posted by SmajjL
SmajjL throws DaveKeehl up in the air, wiiie!! good stuff.
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hahaha yeaaah
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11-22-2016, 05:37 AM
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#38
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Human being with feelings
Join Date: Nov 2015
Location: Switzerland
Posts: 1,966
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Quote:
Originally Posted by insub
I like this voting method better than last month's. Great job DaveKeehl!
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thanks
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01-05-2023, 07:13 AM
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#39
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Human being with feelings
Join Date: Jul 2021
Location: Swiss Zürich
Posts: 846
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Voting method has changed ?
Quote:
Originally Posted by insub
I like this voting method better than last month's. Great job DaveKeehl!
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What has changed ?
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01-05-2023, 07:35 AM
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#40
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Human being with feelings
Join Date: Nov 2015
Location: Switzerland
Posts: 1,966
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Wallaby
What has changed ?
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That's a 6+ years old post
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