MAKE IT LOUD! MPC limiters in standalone. Are they any good for actual limiting?

In this video I look at the MPC standalone Air Limiter, what it does, how it sounds, and if it is actually any good.
Chapters:
00:00 Intro
00:22 Limiters. What are they?
00:57 The Air Limiter and a quick word on premasters
01:34 The Air Limiter as a mastering limiter
10:52 A visual result
11:59 Clip to Zero technique
15:02 Outro and a quick tip
Track: LYP - Sensory Overload
For mixing and mastering services feel free to email me at: [e-mail]
Rare breaks for your beat tapes:
thecratesmotel.bandcamp.com/a...
If you enjoy our videos and would like to support The Crates Motel, you can donate an amount of your choice to the following link:
paypal.me/thecratesmoteluk
Come and join us at Akai MPC Tutorials.
A hub for sharing and learning tips and tricks on mixing, mastering, beat-making, workflow, production,
and sampling on the Akai MPC.
/ akaimpctutorials
Follow us at The Crates Motel:
www.thecratesmotel.com
/ thecratesmotel
You can buy me a coffee at:
www.buymeacoffee.com/thecrate...
Equipment I use:
Headphones:
Audeze LCD-X
Beyerdynamic 770/880/1990
Shure 535
Sennheiser HD25 MKII
Pioneer HDJ X10
Aiaiaia TMA-2 Wireless+
Presonus Studio One 6
RME ADI-2 DAC FS
SPL Phonitor 2
Presonus HP4 (My Grot Box)
Presonus Faderport V2
Arturia Minilab MKII
Novation 49SL MKII
Arturia Microlab
Akai MPC One
Akai MPC Live II
Roland SP404 Mk2
Content Creation:
Presonus Revelator IO24
Zoom H6 Recorder
Earthworks Custom Icon Pro Microphone
Sennheiser MKE 600 Microphone
Logitech Brio 4k Cam
Apple iPhone 12
DJI Osmo Mobile 6
OC White Ultima Mic Arm
Davinci Resolve
Filmic Pro

[@BreckLatneyOnAir]

The most useful tutorials in the MPC is here. There is so much more that I hope you will do in this context. There is so much mixing capability in these machines when understood correctly!

[@TheCratesMotel]

Thanks for watching dude. Yes I have a load of videos planned for mixing in the MPC, as well as workflow, sampling, beat-making, production etc. I really appreciate the comment and have a great day.

[@BreckLatneyOnAir]

Good to hear! Will be watching!!

[@marcopolo4350]

Thanks for the best tutorials on the MPC, I have yet a suggestion for future videos: An overview of Reverbs on the MPC

[@TheCratesMotel]

That’s a great idea. Noted. Thank you for watching.

[@tom22333]

+1 and this man will deliver too I bet

[@yayyhy]

Thank You for your videos they are very helpful

[@TheCratesMotel]

You are more than welcome. Thank you for watching.

[@FTW9]

Nice

[@TheCratesMotel]

Thank you

[@stevekirkby6570]

These MPC tutorials are excellent! Thanks.

[@TheCratesMotel]

You’re welcome. Thanks for watching dude.

[@dodgecitystudios3719]

Amazing content.

[@TheCratesMotel]

Thank you for watching dude

[@JBWozEre96]

Thanks ☺️

[@TheCratesMotel]

Thank you for watching

[@InsideOutBeats]

been using the AIR Limiter however your in depth tutorial has explained it in much finer detail. Many thanks for the info as always. Much appreciated!

[@TheCratesMotel]

You’re welcome dude. Thanks for watching.

[@Noise-Conductor]

This was very insightful. I like that you break down everything in simple human talk.

[@TheCratesMotel]

Yeh man, I just like to say it how it is. Thanks gain for watching.

[@dimonwait9079]

Probably best videos with specifics techniques such this one which you explained very well, thanks a lot I now know how to user a limiter, at least air one ^^

[@TheCratesMotel]

Awesome man. Glad to help. Thank you for watching.

[@tom22333]

Very informative. Great info especially tid bits like the LF mono and vinyl history. Next id love to see the maximizer. And comparisons and when you might use the limiter vs maximizer. Other ideas maybe saturation options or youd do a great deep dive on the air flavor pro settings. Keep up the great work

[@TheCratesMotel]

Thanks for watching bro. Some great ideas there. I’ll add them to the list.

[@IMakeBeats]

Nice that you showed this because so many mpc owners believe that you have to export the stems to the DAW in order to do vocals and or mastering, and thats just not true. It can all be done in standalone as you just demonstrated! 👍🏾

[@TheCratesMotel]

Yeh man. The technology we have at our disposal is crazy in the MPC. Obviously as a mixing and mastering engineer I work in a DAW when working for clients, but the principles of mixing are definitely applicable in standalone and most things can done to a professional level. Thanks for watching dude.

[@dja.selekta]

Thanks for the content, always keen to master the box (pause) Would be nice to see an example of the clipping to zero,, it was Baphometrix btw

[@TheCratesMotel]

Yeh man, he does some insane stuff. I’m going to wait for Akai to include an actual clipper and then I’ll definitely do a video. If they drag their heels, I may do one anyway lol

[@philippebackprotips]

Drum programs have DrumFX with an actual clipper in there. Hope they give us a clipper plugin for anything.

[@TheCratesMotel]

Yes exactly. It’s not a bad clipper actually. I’ve requested a clipper a few times from Akai but nothing yet. Thanks for watching dude.

[@magicizaproblem]

I used the air transient shaper with the limiter on for the longest....but technically the air limiter is a clipper as well because limiters clip at the end of the signal.....But the air limiter does leak with overs so stack the limiters.

[@dja.selekta]

Soft clip needs compensation, it also doesn’t soft clip at 0 dB

[@djchemie]

The problem with pushing too much is that you lose the dynamic range and it can be a huge problem depending on the genre and the specifics of your track. I use Air Limiter but I think MPC limiters and Compressors are very brutal. They get the job done though. Nevertheless, I will release my first track fully produced, mixed and mastered in MPC Software.

[@TheCratesMotel]

Yes that is correct and exactly what I explain in the video. As a mastering engineer I definitely won’t be mastering in the MPC for my clients any time soon, but for a quick fix on loudness on your beat it gets the job done. Reducing dynamic range is generally what my job is, as a mastering engineer, to increase perceived loudness, but doing it in such a way that there is no distortion and it does not compromise my clients work. Thanks for watching.

[@djchemie]

@The Crates Motel Yep! For example I like how nice the limiter worked for that client's of yours in the video presumably it was already a very good mix to start with. Also in the section you played, not many layers going on so it helped too. I have multiple tracks in production and for some of them Air Limiter is just no-go (other than just using the ceiling). But in general all stock Air plugins in MPC are amazing and gives really good results.

[@babysunn2]

I Love Using Izotope's Plugins In Combination With The MPC2 Software While In Controller Mode, When I Take My Time With It, Especially With Neutron 4, I'm Always Amazed How Much Better And Louder My Projects Become. I Think The MPC Devices Should Be Look At As An INSTRUMENT To Form Your Track, Then Process The Final Product In Your DAW. But Its Good To Have What Akai Has Given Us, Because It Trains Our Brains To Listen and Not Rely On Graphs So Much. I've Actually Made A Couple Tracks With ALL STANDALONE Plugins And I Refuse To Bounce It Out Because It Registered At 9.5 LUFS and Sounds GREAT.

[@TheCratesMotel]

If it sounds good dude, that’s what matters. It doesn’t matter how you get there lol. Thanks for watching.

[@babysunn2]

@@TheCratesMotel True... True.

[@Vivre-os3ht]

Yo some Guy hit -5 lufs in standalone mode with maximiser and limiter without distorsion. If you have a good drumkit loudness is easy you dont need fency plugin..

[@MakingMadBeats]

👍 for a clipper 😎!!!

[@TheCratesMotel]

Exactly!!

[@Mopantsu]

The loudness wars was and still is a contraversial subject. Too many modern tracks try to stand out on radio broadcasts although since the internet this does not always have to be the case. It's still an issue though on live instrument tracks. A lot of remastered rock tracks from the past suffered from this issue. I am still watching the video as I type this so I don't know if you made mention of the Maximizer plugin. EDIT: Looking at the wave form is a good way to check you are not cutting off the peaks and clipping.

[@TheCratesMotel]

The only issue is that the waveforms are not always 100% accurately depicted. It is better to train yourself to listen out for any distortion if possible.

[@RoomAtTheTopStudio]

I love how you state that a mix needs headroom. I tried to explain this to a top DnB producer but he couldn't get it. He wanted his mix to be peaking in the red with no place for the mastering to enhance the combined signal. Of course I gave him what he wanted but it sounded disgusting to me. This is why when I have listened to my mixes and masters play in big venues mine sound better than many producers/DJs who just want loud distorted final masters. That said, a lot of audiences like loud distorted masters as that's what they are bombarded with and that's the norm nowadays. Only us old Gs and people listening on their own home systems respect a quality sounding master, it seems.

[@TheCratesMotel]

I get sent premasters on a weekly basis that are way too hot. I mean, I’m all for giving them a super loud master, but I need headroom to work with. Sometimes if I can’t get a new premaster I have to use techniques to literally reverse the dynamic loss, almost reverse compression. I’d rather just have a nice premaster and then I can get it loud as they want with no distortion. Thanks for watching dude.

[@TheCratesMotel]

@@user-kx3nw4yw4h Hey buddy, thank you for watching. In a perfect world -6dB is nice, however, I receive them louder and quieter, I can still work with them, but yeh, I advise my clients to try and get me something at around -6 if possible. It's just better if a mastering engineer has some headroom to work with as a rule.

[@Rox0rCreativeHelp]

always wanted to know how the Clip to zero technique translates to the MPC (as an ableton user). Definetely interesting stuff as I myself am making boom bap and need loudness. Leaving a sub and watching some other videos of yours. any recommendations based on the fact that i am a hip hop producer? cheers

[@TheCratesMotel]

Hey man, to be honest, most of my videos would be relevant for multi genres including Boom Bap. Certainly all the MPC ones and definitely some of the mastering ones. Thank you for the sub and thank you for watching.

[@Rox0rCreativeHelp]

Great, I’ll check it out. Have a great day/evening

[@TheCratesMotel]

@@Rox0rCreativeHelp you too dude

[@nepntzerZer]

how would you send premaster using clip to zero then? is simply pulling the master fader down to -6 ok? or would the rms values from limited right the way through the whole project interfere with the mastering engineer ?

[@TheCratesMotel]

What an excellent question. Yes, you’d bounce with the masterfader bringing the overall volume down. To be honest, I’m not sure using that technique would be the best thing in an MPC. I just wanted to point out that it could be done and that you can reduce the dynamic range throughout the mix before it reached the mastering stage.

[@nepntzerZer]

@@TheCratesMotel i don't intend to produce in the mpc, but use it as a live performance instrument. im just interested in which approach to use, and if clip to zero gain staging would be an issue for a mastering engineer...

[@TheCratesMotel]

@@nepntzerZer I have mastered a few tracks for clients that have used the technique in their production. Generally they want the track to be super loud, so by using the CTZ technique they are getting themselves halfway there anyway. I just have to polish it off in mastering. It's not a problem. And obviously people who want dynamics in their music wouldn't use that technique anyway.

[@JR_Music]

What head phones are you using?

[@TheCratesMotel]

I’m using Beyerdynamic DT770s in this video, but when I’m actually working I use Audeze MX4 and LCDX. Thanks for watching.

[@JR_Music]

Thank you for the vid, very informative.