Audio How To: get professional sounding mix

this is a video showing you how to get a better sounding recording of your mixing.
using free software that you can download (link below) you can use the free plug-ins that come with it so tweak your audio.
audacity is so easy to use and you can also play around with it to do your own tweaks.
here is the link to the video showing you how to download it:
• Computer in your DJ se...
the bit you want is at 10:13 in the video.
here is the link to download audacity:
audacity.sourceforge.net/downl...
thank you for watching.
nice one!!!

[@escandals8775]

10 years on and this video is still incredible! I keep coming back everytime i make a mix ! great stuff

[@marcopoulos3493]

Exactly Hard Limiter is not in latest Audacity versions ;-)

[@Baboonery_]

@@marcopoulos3493 there's a general limiter and you can set it to "hard" or "soft" ...pause

[@michaelstine6228]

You just saved my life man, and my inspiration. You taught me in 4 minuted what nobody here irl has been able to teach me in 3 YEARS. Thank you so much for this amazing information bro! I hope that you get this comment, and I'll be sure to post my mix up, i hope you can give me just a bit of professional feedback sometime. You're the best man, and who knows, you may have just saved everything for me and even be the reason i make it big someday soon! Much appreciated bro

[@MarkPMus]

The issue I have with this method is that you lost the dynamic shift where the mix got louder in the middle, and you lost those lovely spikes, which are actually drum beats - the essence of vinyl is that it preserves the transients at drum hits. Hard limiting just flattens it all out. Often when people say, I prefer vinyl, or, I don't like CD/downloads, they really mean, I don't like hard limiting. Try this instead. Record at a lowest level, as you said. Do, Select All/ Effects/Normalise/OK. This will lift the volume of everything to a point where the loudest peaks touch 0dB. You'll still have preserved dynamic shifts, and also those all important drum and bass transients that hard limiting flattens. It makes for a much livelier mix.

[@MageAtYou]

+MarkPMus totally dependable for what genre

[@ler5299]

+MarkPMus My thoughts exactly. I am digitizing albums right now and it's important to preserve that dynamic range.

[@HybOj]

what turntable and needle u use?

[@MarkPMus]

I'm not a DJ. I use a rega RP8 with a Rega Exact Cartridge/Stylus.

[@HybOj]

MarkPMus hmm thats a nice equip, congratulations .) I use technics 1210 mkII and Im in a process of finding a good cartridge and needle for recording/digitalizing. For DJ use, I rock the Shure M44-7 catridge/needle. Ive spent 2 months recording with this needle just to realize its fuckin bent and had huge innergrove distortion, Im beyond upset mate, 200 hours of pure work basically for nothing :(

[@patrykb9091]

Man its 2019 and I still come to this video every time I record to follow this method best video on youtube!

[@InsaneToons]

Very helpful, and great tip about the -0.1 db max. This solved any pops etc. Thanks!

[@alohaspirit4dub837]

lol awesome couch mate

[@viperfrank]

Thanks mate, glad you like it. Looking to get a new one, thanks for your comment.

[@alohaspirit4dub837]

dont get a new one...

[@darrenhardy3]

viperfrank Hi Viper was wondering if u could do a vid on how to set up a dj controller to laptop to amplifier to behringer uca 202 i've tried it watching your other vids and i can't get any sound when trying to record through audacity just a flat line and no red bar on the meter? thanks Darren

[@mattkruze2480]

What an amazing tutorial. You make it sound easy at the beginning and then go on to explain it in such a way as to prove that it is! I'm using audacity to record an audiobook, so just my plain old boring voice, but that doesn't mean it shouldn't sound as perfect as I can make it so this kind of thing is great.

[@GeneRuyle]

What a gift! A clear, concise, introduction into making one's own tracks and sound files. Thank you for getting me off to a start. I'll be coming back often, I'm sure.

[@ssrgamer9726]

Thanks man! Finally found a video where someone actually helped improve my audio quality :)

[@ambitionempire506]

SSR Gamer do u mix r&b or rap song ?

[@Wizardofgosz]

No. He's ruining the video. He's making it play louder at the expense of quality.

[@Griiffin]

Thanks As a music producer I need this to take me to the next level

[@viperfrank]

@shad3aux No problem, thank you for your kind words and your feed back. nice one!!!

[@dephc0n1]

I come back to this video after every mix I record. I have been doing this for years. Thank you for uploading this.

[@slaterbreaker]

"you dont need any of that shit" hahahaha funny. nice sofa son!

[@BroadwayAddiction]

This was EXTREMELY helpful!!! I always use WavePad Sound Editor but it's just not doing it for me....it doesn't have as many effects, as many options, or just as many anything as Audacity. I've heard so much about Audacity, I've heard wonderful things about it and I finally got it. I haven't used it yet (no privacy to sing covers) but I subscribed to your channel, when I use it, I will definitely upload a cover song to prove that it works!!! I believe it does, because I've heard amazing songs done through Audacity. I actually never knew that mp3 decreases sound quality either, so that was very VERY helpful! Thank you so SO much!

[@imaquickscopa]

Well it's not all Audacity's doing, it also has to do with what mic, mixer, and soundcard the person has to make nice sounding vocals.

[@BroadwayAddiction]

I have a decent mic and nice sounding vocals, so 2 outta 3 aint bad and its working for me so far so I have absolutely no complaints =)

[@KoyanagiEdits]

Liza Rome You have some great songs and covers! I didn't think a free sound program would do just all that! Keep up the great work! :)

[@BroadwayAddiction]

Koyanagi Edits Thank you! I appreciate the encouragement and kind words =)

[@arcr01angels86]

Liza Rome

[@AKAxanman96]

2023 and I still come back to this video every 3 months. Been that way since 2012!

[@viperfrank]

@NamoTVDK Thank you very much for your kind words, I'm just happy that my video has been of some use. Thanks again. Nice One ; )

[@grahamharding1]

on the version I got Audacity Meter Toolbar is not in the view menu???

[@ayuu.]

Here I am watching this 10yrs later in 2020

[@seancvtter1986]

Thank you! this literally changed the way my mixes sound. I knew something was missing and it was this tip. Again, Thank you.

[@shad3aux]

I use this tutorial over & over. I'll go months w/o mixing & then all the sudden get froggy & want to throw something down. I've usually forgotten how to use this software by then & just come & watch this vid again for a quick refresher. Cheers again, very helpful stuff!

[@MultiAndycool]

Learnt plenty today. Good place to visit before bed time in Sri Lanka.

[@viperfrank]

Thank you for your comment, I'm glad you like the video.

[@MultiAndycool]

interesting tutorials. Thank you! Be blessed and stay creative!

[@thesuccessfulbarber]

OVERCOMPRESSION CAN ALSO RUIN A MIX...MUSIC IS DYNAMICS AND TEXTURE

[@hueholla2100]

I was spending too much time trying to figure out how to do this on my phone. This was a big help. Thanks!

[@terryk954]

Thanks for putting this video together. It was very helpful. I'm a beginner so the negative talk about the -db's had no barring on me understanding how to produce a more quality mix to upload.

[@ojcieckstyka174]

1:18 the cat hahahah

[@lookupyourfaces]

funny

[@iamshu7298]

Ummm mine dont have the hard limiter i dont know why...help(T ^ T)

[@bmike6886]

Must have Limiter but if you go inside you will have that option up

[@viperfrank]

@StephenSuttieHouse its camtasia studio, I really like it, there is a free one called Jing project. I used it for a while but had some problems with vista and it put me off, but there is a new version of it now and apparently it works great. thanks for your comment. nice one!!!

[@viperfrank]

@alenka22 No problem, thank you for your comment and kind words, its greatly appreciated, I'm just glad the video was of some use. Thanks again. Nice One ; )

[@blossomarashi]

His accent is so cute,omg

[@mikeclalverl646]

Hanji Sonico Wtf bruh

[@jamiemartinwebb]

Sounds like a London accent.

[@kaivrock]

London accents are the coolest.

[@Luke-kb1sq]

Nice sofa

[@nidisha]

This is by far one of the best tutorials I've seen.... great job !!!!!!!

[@NaturallyCuriousUK]

Thanks for posting this. Despite it being nearly 10 years old it has just helped me boost the volume of some music my wife uses for her ringtone! She'd been finding it to be too quiet even though it was peaking at 0dB. Thanks to you, and to some judicious use of Audacity's hard limiter, it is now much more audible for her. Good job viperfrank! Also, I do like your presentational style. Informal but to-the-point without too much faffing about. Kudos! 👍😎👍

[@av3nger3]

Why not just use Normalize instead of Amplify?

[@MATALOMUSIC]

+av3nger3 I know when I used Normalize, it ended up distorting part of my audio but I'm not sure if I did something wrong

[@ddanci1973]

Hard limiter will distort the sound...

[@viperfrank]

If you take it too far than it will destort the audio, in fact you can go really hard with it and it will sound like crap, but as i stated in the video if you use it cearfully, in small amounts it should be ok for the most part. Thank you for your comment.

[@viperfrank]

@minhajnyc Thank very much, I'm glad you like the video and my telescope. I will try to get some more videos up soon. Thanks again. Nice One ; )

[@viperfrank]

@speedfamgirl excellent, great I'M glad the video was of some use to you. good thing you didn't throw your UCA 202 away there actually quite good, and good sound quality. thanks for your comment. nice one!!!

[@itsmejenson]

I stopped once Audacity was brought up, Reaper is free to use that not Aucrapity

[@devinchacon229]

Audacity is freeware

[@Zaios0987]

This is very far from professional. Having your mix always at unity is just shoving every note of the song in your face. What you achieve by shoving everything in your listeners face is.... (wait for it) they turn it off! Your ears like dynamics and fatigue when everything is constantly at the same level. This technique is helpful your your doing bites for TV or radio commercials.

[@BlackArroToons]

This was helpful. I was using an older version and this Hard Limiter to flatten out the jagged peaks is a great new feature in Audacity. Thank you for the tips!

[@kenlawrence6716]

Great information. worked it step-by-step for my DJ Mix from a Reloop Recorder. Still working on creating/separating tracks for when I upload to Beatport, Mixcloud, Mixcrate, etc.

[@maxmoefoegames]

You licking your lips throughout the entire video sure could use some NOISE REMOVAL. CHRIST..

[@wardrap]

shit make me nervous as fuck

[@ivancastanedamusic]

Maxmoefoe!!!!!!! :DD

[@source2531]

Get the fuck outta here

[@spoonman3764]

what are the odds lol

[@sen-te8oq]

good evening

[@Thoby.]

I watch this video every single time for a mix :D haha. Still havent managed to remember by heart... also because this video is just too good. Makes my day everytime I finish of recording and watch this

[@assoprandocartuchos_real]

Thank you so much, Frank! It helped me a lot. In my infinite ignorance, regarding audio editing, it works for me much more like Levelator. This is one of those tips that makes audacity worth a try, specially por podcasting (in my case). Sorry for my bad english

[@ChaseMarch]

Thank you so much for this video. I've watched a lot of them and this is by far the best one I've ever seen. My recordings sound so much better now. Thanks!

[@viperfrank]

@FrAnKWGS Thank you, I'm glad you like the video and hope to do more soon. thanks again. nice one!!!

[@daduragbandit8023]

i 1st watched this video in 2012 and have been using your advice since, thank you for a great tutorial

[@viperfrank]

@plagueblack hi there, Normalisation is similar to limiting but limiting doesn't make it louder, it just compresses the peak level, so you have the ability to make it louder without clipping. normalizing takes the average volume and brings the quiet parts up to that volume and brings the louder parts down to that volume. so the overall volume stays the same. hope this helped and thanks for your comment. nice one!!!

[@DJSELECKTA]

Thanks M8, been having a few issues with my music production and your video has been a great help, thanks

[@ToneyDanza]

Viper Frank saves the day again. Thanks for the input. You tell it like it is without getting too technical.

[@RireInActionNZ88]

Really helpful Thanks! I always come back to this video - super straight forward.

[@viperfrank]

@YoungYoppa Thank you very much for your feedback and your kind words. I'm glad the video was of some use. Nice One ; )

[@bodsfunk]

Very Helpful Video, i have been messing around with Audacity for few days trying to get my Serato mixes overall volume up, hard limiter is exactly what i have been looking for, Thanks.

[@viperfrank]

No problem, I'm just glad the video was of some use. Thank you for your comment and your feed back. Nice One ; )

[@EthanSh1n]

Thanks for the video man. It helped me out alot. My sound quality improved so much because of this video.

[@ANTiXPresents]

You're an amazing guy for doing this. Big thank you from myself, and the others that passed by your video without commenting. :)

[@robh3753]

This guy knows. Thanks for your tips, mate. Helped a lot with my general Audacity meanderings.

[@viperfrank]

@alenka22 Wow, thank you very much, I'm glad you like the video, I am planning to do some more videos like this. Thanks again. Nice One ; )

[@deejayluke]

cheers for the video. i used to just keep my levels down when I recorded mixes. Never bothered with tweaking the peaks because I never knew how until now! top one nice one get sorted

[@racebearstv]

I'm just getting into using Audacity,and this was really helpful.Thanks,and I hope you keep uploading stuff like this!

[@brettwhetstone46]

mate i seen this so long ago and never commented but this is so helpful. i used it for some mixes to give to friends and the quality was excellent.Thanks heaps!! DNB4life :)

[@viperfrank]

@crosshairs3 Thank you, I used audacity for this because FL studio is a sequencer pattern bases music production software and not really practical for recording long audio clips. Also Audacity is free and people are not going to want to pay for FL for just recording there mixing. audacity really is designed for this type of work, were as FL is mainly for music production rather than recording and editing. Thanks for your comment and your feedback. nice one!!!

[@MrNolz33]

Have even taken to going back through all my old mixes thanks to this vid. Thanks bro!

[@SharpEdgeWoodworking-UK]

Just learning the Audacity basics for editing my vocal audio for my channel. Most helpful video I've watch yet....cheers bro.

[@richpickins]

MATE!!!! i saw this vid the other day and thought now that is just what i need...i'll come back to that......and DAMN!! ive been looking for you for about 2 hours clicking on all other stuff...but hey..ive found you again........THANKS...GREAT TUTORIAL..

[@d-man4937]

Thanks for the help. Very useful. I'm new to audacity and this clears up allot of my questions.

[@gussy24]

another great vid james. Needed this aswell because all my mixes are really quiet and ive been using the gain to make them louder which ruins the sound quality, so cheers for this !

[@f.of.c.fullonforchrist8200]

thanks brother so simply done. without normailzation to. im gonna go a little further and select tracks in mix that need bring up a little with amplify. great vid

[@AdamTurkNumberOne]

Remember those 'back in the day,' thanks for your video, and it's true about the equipment, lots of people spend thousands & don't know how to use it, or get the best sound! Hope more videos! Thanks for your video!

[@DjPerryDay]

great video james! was looking for something like this keep these audacity videos coming bruva!

[@viperfrank]

@1787dude Thank you, I'm glad the video was of some use. Thanks for your comment and feedback. Nice One ; )

[@viperfrank]

@mapledutch Its actually just a cheap yoga one I bought from eBay years ago. I think its the Yoga DM330B, it cost me about £15-20, but it sound great though don't it? For the price I paid for it I was really shocked about the good audio quality. I have ordered a new one though, an AKG, cant wait for that to turn up. I might do a review on it maybe? Thanks for your comment. Nice One ; )

[@SpazztasticGamers]

I do tutorials, game commentary, and SFX Makeup How to DVD's and this really helped. Thanks for putting this up on youtube and taking the time to do so. You da man!

[@superhumansight]

wow, this is exactly what I needed to do audio repair on independent films cheap and easy. great video! thank you.

[@SilentMotive]

Dude, this video helped me out big time. Thank you! It seems to me like this is a manual normalization algorithm; however, I think the most important part of the clip lies around 8:25.

[@antuanjohnson6468]

yo God bless you bro! not many folk help others out like that. im about to try these steps,because i want me and my music staff to be a success#thankyou

[@SeraphimsChannel]

SO helpful for my (beginner) DJ mix, thank you! And I'm going to use this to mix my own tracks, that always sound waaay too low when I bounce them from Logic. Cheers! :)

[@viperfrank]

@polytwobeers sure if your recording vocals its always good to use compression, but less is more, don't go over the top with the compression, just a little bit goes a long way. To much and you will destroy the dynamics of your vocals. I was going to do a video on this, as well so there should be some more tips in that. Hope this helped and thanks for your comment. Nice One ; )

[@viperfrank]

@gilboogie yeah I miss my MD recorder as well, I had a nice SONY one and I sold it a while ago, the funny thing is I'M finding more uses for it now I got rid of it than when still had it. as for the video request its in the list ill hopefully be doing it in a couple of videos time. thanks for your comment. nice one!!!

[@GPH2474]

watched this vid loooong time ago and only just got round to using the info provided... thanks frank.... quality

[@desmondregan7499]

dude thank you so much for making this video, i always wondered how people get mixes sounding so loud on soundcloud

[@thebanginlucyband]

Kick ass video, please add more, love this app and the cool people supporting it...and using it. Rock on!!!!!!

[@viperfrank]

No problem, just glad the video was of some use, thank you for your comment. Nice One ; )

[@lsrewlrd1422]

thanks alot mate, been wrestling around with mastering for long, this helped alot Merry christmas ! x

[@reletivmusic]

Thank you so much! I've been trying to figure this out for so long.

[@andybrown1608]

great video clear and to the point far better than some of these americans who spend 5 minutes showing you how to plug in a cable thanks from gordon in scotland

[@TheMarcoFiles]

Thanks for the vid!....i've added this to my list of techniques... I mainly use it for quick turn over demos after a rough take and mix.......I believe most of the time during the "take" is where dynamic range is captured, that is, if you have a plan on where you're going with the track; then some slight limiting and overall amplification can sweeten your track nicely.....i've gotten some nice results.......I played a Vocal/Guitar track to a Grammy Nominated Producer I am acquainted with, and I used this method to boost the track (on audacity even though I mainly use Logic Pro X); he loved the song and thought it was captured beautifully, which goes back to my point that if you record and mix with a plan you will add dynamics where necessary.

[@J77housedj]

Viper frank .do more videos please... I still watch this one continuously, much love for this video, it's one of the consistent KZbin videos I watch as I have an awful memory and need to remind myself :)

[@rhonin420]

Thank you sir! Trying to learn to master my Dnb mixes.

[@Jaxxcb]

Brilliant mate, was looking for the simple answer to this for a wee while. Very Handy indeed.....

[@56dlp]

@gilboogie Excellent question. That is exactly what I am now wondering how to do. At first I assumed it would be best to run an audio cable directly into the video camera, but now I suppose the sound quality may suck as a result.

[@chuckarmsden4744]

This was so great, I love Audacity. I've been trying to find this information for a while. Thank you!

[@viperfrank]

@NitishakaSwiftz Thank you, I'm glad you like the video, I will hopefully be doing some more video on audacity, so I hope they will be just as useful. Thanks again. Nice One ; )

[@jaec6986]

I just wanted to say thanks so much for this informative video, I got my DJ mixes sounding real good.

[@Kraiks1]

Top video man - helped me out alot. Its slightly different on todays audacity but I was still able to get the job done thanks to your advice. NICE ONE!!

[@PeterWinnett]

This is a very useful Post for anyone trying to get their sound quality up. Thanks for posting, great Tutorial............Regards, Pete

[@Skanoh]

Thanks to you I just uploaded my first mix ! Respect goes out to you friend !! It finally sounds decent ..Cheers !!

[@kobalt77]

Thanks Frank, your videos are always well presented and so helpful ! :)

[@viperfrank]

@97ickis Ah actually a few other people have asked the same question about recording at gigs and live events, so I think I might as well do a video on it, I'm sure there are lots more needing this video, at least then I can add a lot more details in there. as soon as I can I will have a video up for that. Thanks for your comment and your feed back. Nice One ; )

[@viperfrank]

You could have it set to mono, in the top tool bar there should be another little symbol of a mic with a drop down menu next to it (the one were you select your sound card) next to that one you should have a drop down menu with two options ether, "1(mono) input channel" or "2 (stereo) input channel". Make sure you have stereo selected, it was like this on mine when I installed it, for some reason it seems to be in mono by default. Hope this helped and thank you for your comment. Nice One ; )

[@viperfrank]

@gussy24 thanks you, I'M glad the video was a help, thank you for your comment. nice one!!!