Advice on audio mixdowns from cubase

[Jurado]

Hello Brandon and all ye music lovers.

So I made an audio mixdown wav file of a track that is full of life and energy. When I listend to this on windows media player the mix is copletely different! It sounds muffled like Im listening to it with a blanket over my head. The acoustic guitar now has a box type humm and the life/energy has been sucked from it!

Have I done somthing wrong?

[brandondrury]

Is this a problem on the same listening system you mixed it on or are you listening in Media Player on a different computer.

What are you rendering it to? It sounds like the sample rate may be under 44.1Khz.

Brandon

[Jurado]

Yes, I am listening to the audio mixdown wav file in windows media on the same system as the cubase mix.

I have begun to read up on all the different files you can export to and all the possibilities within these file types. WOW there is so much jargon info for me. I will persist though!!

Instead of reading today, I began to export audio mixdowns to every file type. Some sounded even worse than originally reported! Really strange digital interference type sounds, slowing up/down, tracks that were loud are now quiet. Even the MPEG 3 mixdowns sound terrible.

The one file type that sounded the closest to the original mix was saved as an aiff file.

I read your reply to similar posts where you mention the sample rate. You said mine may be less than 44.1Khz. The sample rate for my Delta 1010LT is set at 44.1Khz. Is this what you mean?

P.s I am trying to work it out myself, but all the same your help and advice will so speed things up for me. Thanks dude!

[Jurado]

PS

Although I feel I have learnt so much there is still much more to learn.

What is rendering please?

[brandondrury]

Always render to 44.1 wav files @ 16 bit if you ready to burn to a cd. This is what all your cds are rendered to.

What is rendering please?

It's basically the same thing as "export". It's what the computer is doing to mixdown an song into a single file.

I read your reply to similar posts where you mention the sample rate. You said mine may be less than 44.1Khz. The sample rate for my Delta 1010LT is set at 44.1Khz. Is this what you mean?

That's part of it. What about in Cubase? Of course, the sample rate won't effect the slowdowns and speedups you've heard.

Instead of reading today, I began to export audio mixdowns to every file type. Some sounded even worse than originally reported! Really strange digital interference type sounds, slowing up/down, tracks that were loud are now quiet

It sounds like you are having software / computer issues.

#1 Is your computer clean?

#2 Are you using the latest version of Cubase?

#3 If you hit play, like when mixing, does it sound okay? Does the computer have any problems?

[Jurado]

Pressing play when mixing is fine! Maybe a few snaggs when my cpu usage is up to 75%, but I though this is to be expected. (I still need to learn about side chaining to help reduce cpu)

My p.c is a friends second hand Dell (arrrrrgh) which came with cubase sx 2.2

I know its not the lattest but I love it all the same!

I will update sample rates in cubase and then let you know.

If I am rendering to soundforge for a little ammatuer mastering before putting onto cd, do the sample rates still need to be as you described them for cd production?

[brandondrury]

I still need to learn about side chaining to help reduce cpu

I think you've snagged the wrong word. "Side Chaining" is a method used to with a harware compressor to onlycompress specific frequencies. (Like a de-esser).

If I am rendering to soundforge for a little ammatuer mastering before putting onto cd, do the sample rates still need to be as you described them for cd production?

I'm not sure what you mean by "render to Soundforge". You can only "render" to a certain file time (like .wav or .mp3). Does that make sense? You can open that file in Sounforge. Does that make sense?

Brandon

[stutty]

Regarding the difference in sound quality between Cubase and Media player:

One thing you may want to check is that "Auto Levelling" is turned off. This won't result in the "muffled" sound you describe, but will act as a type of limiter and will drastically reduce the dynamics in your music.

To turn it off, open windows media player in full mode
Go to "View" then "enhancements"

Scroll through the enhancements to check "Auto Levelling" is turned OFF

While you're there check also that:
Cross fading is OFF
The Graphic EQ is OFF
Quiet Mode is OFF
SRS WOW Effects are OFF

[adorian]

Listen to your final files in another app - listen in Soundforge to your finished mixes (rendered at 16bit/44.1khz or CD quality). It is quite possible that you have some effects or eq enabled in Windows Media PLayer.