DIY Mix Prep, Pt. 3

In this series, we’re going over some of the most common issues I see with DIY mixes coming into the mastering studio. Today, we’re talking about achieving the proper amount of snap and punch in your mix.

To understand this, we first need to go over two technical terms: Peak Level and RMS Level.

What is Peak Level in audio production?

Peak level is expressed by that horizontal bar on your meter that stays put for a second while the everything else jumps around. This line shows the loudest peak of a given signal. One way to picture this is showing the snap of an snare drum hit.

It’s one measure of how snappy something can sound (another technical term for this is transient response).

What is RMS Level in audio production?

RMS level is an averaged level measurement that reflects the overall average level of a track. Instead of showing the very first snap of the snare drum hit, this measurement might show the sustain of the drum over time.

Here’s what both of those levels look like on a typical meter:

Peak level vs. RMS level

How Peak and RMS level work together to achieve snap and punch in a mix

If the distance between the peak level and the RMS level is v large, you’ll have a mix that sounds very snappy.

But, it’s possible this mix could be TOO snappy and sound jabby and unpleasant.

This is going to sound annoying to the listener, and is a great way to make them skip right over to the next song.

We want the RMS vs. peak level to be nicely balanced, so it sounds punchy, without also being jabby and harsh.

Here’s what too snappy looks like:

Peak level vs. RMS level, with a large distance between the two!

Solutions for a nicely balanced mix that’s still interesting and punchy

If there’s lots of snappy peaks that are hitting well above RMS in your track, first find the offending track, then adjust your compression attack and release times on those tracks.

If you’ve had good practice using a compressor, you should be able to find a setting that controls the snaps without also adversely affecting the sound of the instrument.

Or, you could try a simple volume adjustment. Sometimes simply turning down an extra snappy mic can bring things into balance.

Your settings here will always vary by individual track and song.

Can you fix an extra snappy mix in mastering?

A mastering engineer can control the snaps somewhat with our specialized gear, but it’s always best to handle this at mix stage.

In the mastering studio, remember that we’re always adjusting the entire stereo track. That means we’re adjusting every sound that is playing, at the same time.

This strongly limits our ability to change the sound of only a single instrument, without also causing unflattering effects on other instruments that are also playing. So, your mixer needs to get this right for best results.

Now that you know, check for proper snap and punch before you approve your final mixes!