Limiter?? what is it, how do i use it?

macman01 · #1 June 21st, 2006

I have been posting many covers over backing tracks of late. Here is an example of my work and I am trying to get it sounding better:

http://www.digitech.com/soundcomm/pa...rickinWall.mp3

Someone with regards to my above track mentioned that if I used a Limiter on Master track it woud improve sound a lot.

So, how can I do this...I am using Garageband software......Is Limiter an effect I can add on in that software or is it something else I need to buy...

I am so new to recording I don't even know what a limiter is.

Any help, thx guys

Tekker · #2 June 21st, 2006

I tried to play your song and the link doesn't work. For some reason the "..." stays in the address when I click on it.... Weird.

I'm not familiar with Garage Band at all (I'm strickly a PC guy

) but all a limiter does is keep the signal from "clipping". Digital clipping occurs when the signal goes above 0dB. Anything above 0dB is chopped off and you get a bunch of samples in a row at 0dB, which produces some really nasty pops and clicks. These pops are the sound of digital clipping and it is very unpleasant.

NOTE: Another key point to make is that you may not necessarily hear these pops and clicks in your recording program, but you will hear it when you mixdown to a wave file or mp3 file. This has to do with the bitdepth of your recording program, which usually are 32-bit float point, which won't clip internally. But once you mixdown to a wave file or mp3 file, you will generally be at 16bit which can clip very easily. So the moral of this story is to always stay below 0dB even if you cannot hear any clipping in your recording program. You might think it's ok in your recording program, until you mixdown.

Now, this is where the limiter comes in handy, the limiter makes sure the signal ALWAYS stays below a certain value (set by you). That value is usually just below 0dB to make sure the signal never actually reaches 0dB (in case something slips past the limiter). I generally go somewhere between -0.3dB and -0.7dB.

Here are some links that will go into a little more detail. They are mostly on compression, but start by first understanding compression. Once you understand how a compressor works then it will be really easy to understand how a limiter works, because a limiter is a compressor with a very high ratio. (10:1 and above)

(Sorry, this forum won't let me post links, so just add an extra "w" at the beginning of the links.

)

Good charts:

Better explainations for the controls on a compressor:

Quote:

Someone with regards to my above track mentioned that if I used a Limiter on Master track it woud improve sound a lot

I haven't heard the tracks, but if you have clipping in your tracks, then yes a limiter might help. However if you clipped during recording, then I'm afraid a limiter isn't going to help and there's not a whole lot you can do unless you get some sort of de-clicker plugin or restoration program that can clean up various noises in an audio file. Re-recording the song would be a better option if you did clip while recording.

Without hearing the song, it's hard to tell though, so I'm trying to throw out some different possibilities.

Hope that helps.

-tkr

allthumbs · #3 June 21st, 2006

Not a good idea to look for ways around our rules Tekker.

Here you go.

http://www.ptme.com/et/audio/referen...g/compress.htm

Better explainations for the controls on a compressor:
http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/1996...mpression.html

Tekker · #4 June 22nd, 2006

Quote:

Originally Posted by allthumbs

Not a good idea to look for ways around our rules Tekker.

I did not mean to try find ways around the rules. I figured that the 10 post rule was in place to keep people (or bots) from logging in just once to push their own products or post potentially worse websites. I've seen that a few times on some of the other forums I frequently visit.

I figured this would make it easier on people trying to access the links and meant no harm by it. But I guess I'll have to hold off on posting links until I find some more meaningful things to say.

BTW, thanks for posting my links.

-tkr

macman01 · #5 June 22nd, 2006

appreciate it Tekker, I can't see how u broke any rules

Tekker · #6 June 22nd, 2006

Quote:

Originally Posted by macman01

appreciate it Tekker, I can't see how u broke any rules

It wasn't in this thread, it was in another thread. If you have under 10 posts, the forum will not let you post links to other sites. I only had 6 posts at the time, so I several posts after each other in another thread that I started to get up to 10 so I could post those links that allthumbs posted for me. See above for what I thought that 10 post limit was for....

But anyways, glad that was helpful.

Also, does the link that you posted work when you click on it? I still can't get it to work. Maybe try reposting it but leave off the www that way the forum won't see it as a link and add the "...." in the middle of the link to shorten it.

-tkr

allthumbs · #7 June 22nd, 2006

The links work for me Tekker. Good ones.
Mac, check out the forum rule about spamming to increase post counts. People have been banned for for doing that. Tekker was not spamming for any malicious reason but, spamming non the less. If we let one person do it, all the newbies will and this site will fill up with spam so members can get to ten posts to do links and 100 posts to get into the chat room. It is our job to protect the general membership from this kind of thing.

Tekker · #8 June 22nd, 2006

Quote:

Originally Posted by allthumbs

The links work for me Tekker. Good ones.

Actually, I was referring to macman's song link. Does that one work for you? It shows up in the address bar the same way it looks on the forum, with the "...." to shorten the link.

-tkr

allthumbs · #9 June 22nd, 2006

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tekker

Actually, I was referring to macman's song link. Does that one work for you? It shows up in the address bar the same way it looks on the forum, with the "...." to shorten the link.

-tkr

Sorry bout that. I can't get it to work either. Page not found.

macman01 · #10 June 22nd, 2006

my mate mastered my song using his mastering software. Here is final result

Attachment 1890

Tekker · #11 June 22nd, 2006

Hey macman,

That link worked. Good job on the song and arrangement.

I didn't hear any problems with clipping other than that first voice thing you posted at the beginning (what is that btw?). I never got to hear the first clip, but this one sounded fine with no clipping.

You went pretty heavy on the reverb, but that was probably the sound you were going for. The vocals are pretty boomy in the low end, so maybe cut a little of the low end out of the vocals and possibly add some high end. I kind of like the dark sound for this song, so don't add to much high EQ.

Nice work.

-tkr

macman01 · #12 June 22nd, 2006

the clip at the beginning is actually me. I am from England and I was doing my best impersonation of the School Teacher.

the reverb is probably a bit too thick i agree

thx for feedback

Tekker · #13 June 23rd, 2006

Quote:

Originally Posted by macman01

the clip at the beginning is actually me. I am from England and I was doing my best impersonation of the School Teacher.

LOL! Ok, I thought you had taken a sound bite from something else and put it into your song.

-tkr

brandondrury · #14 September 15th, 2006

Limiters seldom make anything sound "better". They usually just make things sound louder. Unfortunately, limiters are monstrously abused the mastering engineers of today so if you don't smash the living crap out of an otherwise decent mix, you sound inferior.

Brandon