Sonible SMART:LIMIT | Another NAIL In The Mastering Engineer's COFFIN??!

In this video we have a look at the new content aware limiter from Sonible - smart:limit. To be in with a chance to WIN a copy of smart:limit download the free trial from: www.sonible.com/smartlimit/
and then send us a mix you've done without limiting, and a version using smart:limit. We'll pick a winner and put you in touch with Sonible to claim your prize! To enter and send us your mix, visit:
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[@tomsidback]

I welcome AI software. I rather spend my time writing songs than worrying about mixing and mastering but I still want a decent result. It's not always about 'trust your ears.' You need at least a starting point. Thanks Sonible and thanks for the video.

[@amosluyk]

Why would you need to master? Pay a professional to do the jobs you don't want to do and get a great result. It's not expensive, and your work will sound better.

[@LukeSaward]

@@amosluyk Ever heard of a lack of money?

[@Shkodo]

@@dizx1982 mastering is very cheap and mixing is a crucial part of making music. I would never let someone mix my music. Thats like giving 30 percent of composing my music away=)

[@Ryahan]

REALLY appreciate this and your channel

[@mrfixit0]

I always appreciate the great production and great information. I don't think you can be replaced yet though!

[@error8418]

Wow, 3 videos in 2 days that's impressive! 👏

[@PresentDayProduction]

Thanks mate! :) hopefully all useful to everyone :)

[@secretelitemusic]

Had a play with it on a funk track I let loose at the weekend, and it's pretty impressive. Unfortunately for Sonible, I use a TC Brickwall HD for the exact same purpose, and the Smart:Limit only confirmed that I'm doing it right with the TC. Fine, fine, and fine at AES settings will do me. It's definitely worth the outlay for their sensible approach to taming resonant peaks. Colour me well impressed, Professor Murkiarty. I'll give it a twirl at the weekend with a drum n bass track that's nearing completion , and see how it compares to the TC gizmo in the wubstep bass domain. It could get messy.

[@kadiummusic]

I use Tokyo Dawn's superb TDR LImiter 6 GE followed by the equally excellent Meterplugs Loudness Penalty plugin. These basically combined do a similar thing to the SMART:LIMIT but I have to admit it looks and sounds very good and had lot's of extra information that would be really useful.

[@IanJamesBeats]

Great video guys!

[@PresentDayProduction]

Cheers Ian!

[@a2bs333]

Best insight in the game hands down

[@Simeon_Harris]

i'd love to hear your opinion on the Lurssen Mastering Console. i've used it a couple of times and for a quick and dirty master, it seems to do a great job. i find i need to use it in conjunction with a loudness meter, because it doesn't have one built in, which i think is a bit of an oversight, but i have to say it sounds pretty great.

[@PresentDayProduction]

I tried it a few years ago but didn’t really get on with it, although I was pretty much entirely ‘out the box’ at the time. Maybe I’ll give it another shot

[@squoblat]

This looks like a very suave way of cocking up all my half decent mixing

[@user-js3op5lu7y]

What target loudness for the competition？I just found i love the clipper on the drum bus recently ^_^

[@umanoid1523]

Ive been spending the past five years trying to learn how to mix and master my own tracks. Ive learned a lot and improved BUT id rather be making music. Anytime theres a new AI plugin that gives me a good starting point I’m all for. I have all of sonnible other plugins. I dont always use them. I have Izotope and Plugin alliance plugins. It depends on the track and what I’m trying to do. Having this on the end of my chain might be just the tool that i need. I downloaded the demo and threw it on a track im working in. Early stage of the track but so far so good. Does the job with less muss and fuss. I can turn off my other meter plugins i use to check loudness etc now.

[@KozmykJ]

Fair dos Mark. As open minded as one can be. Pro Mastering Engineers shouldn't be too worried by this kind of device. The opportunities for 'getting it wrong' are as numerous in this one as in all the other toys. Perhaps not to such a disastrous extent though. 🙄 The ability to discern, feel and identify 'Just Right' is still the domain of the human ... so far. You and Fluffy should be able to afford your Catnip a while longer methinks ... Oh! btw I snapped up the Smart:limit intro offer despite being boracic after the BF Sales ... 💰💸 Too good to miss. 👍

[@theswedishmusicstudio]

Wot?! This is the first time i have ever seen a composer named when the tracks come from Epidemic! 👏👏👏👏

[@PresentDayProduction]

It’s all great music on ES, so it’s worth giving them a shout out!

[@theswedishmusicstudio]

Absolutely. I get sad and angry every time someone (even public service…) uses an epidemic track and i want to know what track it is and all it says in the after texts is music: Epidemic Sounds. In sweden, where ES comes from, its illegal to buy the composition copyright but they found a (immoral) way around that i guess.

[@musicxtech6680]

is there an oversampling feature???

[@unclemick-synths]

I've never seen these things as a threat - the people who buy products so they can master their own recordings wouldn't be using a mastering engineer anyway. Regardless, any product that makes the mastering engineer's job easier is a good thing!

[@peterbrandt7911]

You know what? I'd really dig a comparison to the Ozone mastering assistant. I'm a "happy" owner of Ozone advanced, but never use it. Well, not to finish something. I use it for fun and some single modules on tracks or buses. I'll prefer going for that second pair of ears, unless there's a plugin that tells me "You suck mate, you can't release that crap" and I'll need to trust that thing. Thanks for showing, even if I'm not the biggest fan of AI in music.

[@PresentDayProduction]

We’ll have a play between the two and see what we can come up with!

[@peterbrandt7911]

@@PresentDayProduction Great! I'm already pretty curious.

[@emiel333]

An extra like for the cat 🐈

[@brokensilence6790]

I don't know much about this, so it's probably a stupid question. What would happen, if you recorded the Delta audio onto one track, and the original mix onto another track (in Cakewalk, I'd do this with Aux sends, No idea about other DAW's), then in a separate mix (without the limiter in other words) played the two tracks together with the phase flipped? Would it have the same effect as the limiter?

[@PresentDayProduction]

That’s a really good question, I would imagine the answer is exactly as you said, it would phase cancel the limited audio, and you would get the same result as a limiter. Whether it actually works in reality, I don’t know. We’d have to try it!

[@brokensilence6790]

@@PresentDayProduction I'd like to see it tried. If I tried it, I may get something wrong aa my experience is limited (not compressed, though), so I'd probably mess up the levels somehow.

[@sword-and-shield]

That title is funny, but it ain't no joke.

[@MajorOSC]

My question is, if you don't have any synthesizers or keyboards in your setup, but you have a mixing console and other mastering equipment, does your Cat then become a "console cat" rather than a keyboard cat? How is your cat coping with this situation ⸮

[@PresentDayProduction]

He doesn't care what he's sitting on, he'll still flop all over it! He's happy anywhere!

[@ak-gi3eu]

love you and cat

[@tob2089]

you know its gonna be good when flops there from the start

[@TonyJBrennan]

Great review - if you could do a shootout with Izotope it would be lovely , Id love to dump Izotope from my system .

[@error8418]

Regarding "a second set of ears": It almost seems like mastering is slowly evolving into what can basically be described as "quality control". There's not much vinyl to worry about and cut, and many people mix at output levels that don't really require much, if any additional loudness. So, isn't mastering already mostly about consulting, quality control and some precise finishing touches?

[@PresentDayProduction]

Yep, exactly that (although pretty much every label release I’m mastering requires a version for vinyl)

[@error8418]

@@PresentDayProduction Yeah, vinyl isn't dead after all - especially in the genres you mostly work in. Good point, as no one is going to do mastering for vinyl themselves at home, I guess.

[@axilleas]

For the average home-studio-Joe, electronic stuff, midi instruments plus auto tuned vocal etc the mastering engineer has been obsolete for at least 10 years. For someone who wants the absolute best in quality and fidelity the mastering engineer will never go away. That said I still enjoy hearing about this sort of tech, it is fascinating to me what we’ve managed with AI. And not just in music, phones today can take stunning shots, complete with post processing transparently from the end user’s perspective!

[@thlgnd]

You are wrong. The new generation don't care about quality anymore. AI mastering is the new Instagram. As time goes on AI will dominate the industry. LOOK out for Android or Humanoid popstars too while you are at it.

[@axilleas]

@@thlgnd the vast majority doesn’t care, that’s true. But the vast majority NEVER cared. People who actually value music have always been a minority. And I would even dare to say that there are more people paying for music (Spotify) nowadays than ten years ago. Still not enough to make a living from selling records but better than nothing.

[@IanJamesBeats]

I like your cat.

[@PresentDayProduction]

He likes you too

[@secretelitemusic]

Is there no limit to this AI madness...oh!

[@phoenixmediaforge]

Of course, KZbin's audio processing destroyed your examples so we can't really hear much of a difference. But we believe you.

[@roberthunt1540]

The average Joe will abuse this with his predictable "If some is good, more is better!" mentality. Used sparingly, this seems like a worthy tool in the good old box.

[@Prodby_duke]

Facts 🤣

[@LongshanMusic]

Flopcat needs to join a union.

[@PresentDayProduction]

Which one? Sleeping Union? Flopping Union?

[@secretelitemusic]

@@PresentDayProduction The Honourable Guild of Kipper Testers

[@LongshanMusic]

@@PresentDayProduction It's the Feline Labour Organized Pussycats obviously. ;)

[@Zarabozo]

I'm confused. Was this a sponsored video?

[@chuckwagon5518]

Application of limiters and compression to music across the streaming services seems to border on modifying the content of the music. Messing with an artist's work used to be unthinkable!

[@Hanssone]

they are great for quick and dirty bounces. But I believe you missing alot of potentials for louder and better masters that still preserves dynamics and integrity

[@1337murk]

This comment was posted using Murkible SMART:COMMENT

[@allen394]

One question, If this has presets for each streaming service what will happen if/when they change their preferred input levels? Endless updates is my guess! Or is the 'AI' telepathically aware of the 'services' future volume requirements? All right that was more than one question but I am a loyal Flop Cat supporter.

[@MrSmithvideo]

Due to a shortage of coffins and the number of jazz bands that refuse to stop playing, we will be needing mastering engineers for the foreseeable future. With this in mind, we politely request you don't die.

[@theofficial27s70]

I actually find the more smart software employed the less I’m using it lol.

[@almightytreegod]

2 videos today? Are you guys okay?

[@PresentDayProduction]

Three in under 24 hours, it’s just like magic

[@alexomeltschenko2193]

now thats a studio .. look at those speakers ... top headphones all the best gear in there and he doesnt use a mouse .. he uses a cat .. this is something else ..

[@onemanband3579]

Do you ever get the urge to poke the speakers? With your finger, I mean.

[@PresentDayProduction]

No, because that would be an expensive mistake!

[@onemanband3579]

@@PresentDayProduction So you're saying you've never been tempted to chuck your keys in the river?

[@artysanmobile]

No smart anything can possibly make my services obsolete. None. Never.

[@Mr_G]

Audacity! That is horrible! Santa got nasty behavior recently...

[@nght4795]

is this cat alive ?

[@PresentDayProduction]

Very much so!

[@CheapoCardCompany]

So, how is Santa going to perform his act of digital computer corruption... by using a Trojan Reindeer..? Is Santa’s secret cyber-crime base in Lap(top)land..? Is the DAW-wiping app Santa’s Xmas-Present-Day Production for producers on his naughty list..?

[@PresentDayProduction]

You’re on the Audacity list for sure! :D

[@simontassano5992]

But I LIKE Audacity!!!!!!!!!

[@simontassano5992]

[@PresentDayProduction]

Always good to know who’s watched to the end :D

[@simontassano5992]

@@PresentDayProduction I soak up every crumb of knowledge… and sarcasm. I am a Brit living in Texas after all.. Happy Holidaze guys - keep up the great work 🙏🎄🍻

[@PresentDayProduction]

Cheers Simon! Happy Holidays!

[@logi2k17]

but he has a cat though

[@assshakerstudios549]

Can you pretty please with too much God Aweful American Sugar on fucking top....test this limiter against some good plugin limiters, and even Plugin Doctor? Like say the best limiter I know of is TC Electronics TC6000 limiter(or whatever the hell it is on that fucking rack that it's "Good fucking studios, not basement fuckeroo's that every 2 bit chum has with a shit ton of plugins on a crappy computer and calls it their studio! As if it only took computers and a 5 minute youtube video to quantize at least 20+yrs of mandatory rocket science experience to understand sound! Smokes Fabfilter(although I've been using Fabfilter since they came out in 2005'ish-I was most likely very fucking mountain tops, so no idea when exactly, but someone recommended them and I traded something or another for their whole suite and been using them ever since....but I don't fucking upgrade so still got the original version as I'm an old "Git"as well, and still run DOS)! So does this have any aliasing or whatnot in it, or if you hit a certain level does it turn to shit? Let's say your using it as your go to limiter plugin(which you usually use 3 of them to make a limiter sandwich with about 1-2db of reduction per instance). So I don't want a shit ton of more crappy aliasing, and phase distortion from bad software that would never, ever in 100 years sound good, but dumb fucks all over the place just eat this shit up, and make my job of buying actually good and useful tools for the stuiod 1000% harder when I need some new shit to inspire me, and make my job easier with all the crap tracks I keep getting from shitty basement, and room recordings to fix and make sound like they actually paid someone to record their shit! So yeah....is this a fucking miracle or not? Because I've got about $25 to spend right about now with my super long client list going on..... I probably should be less of a dick, but I'm an old Git so....GFY!

[@PresentDayProduction]

No, we can’t 😉 but you can! Just download the demo and see if you like it in your workflow 😎👍

[@planetclay]

and try not to vomit? you were doing so good until then....

[@selbalamir]

I’ll stick with people’s ears

[@garethde-witt6433]

Mostly useless software that can’t replace an engineer