Learning from Metallica's Mistake

[Drew]

Only suggestion I can make is a "reference" mix is just as important while mastering as it is while mixing. Then, just use something you know isn't over-compressed.

Often (given my genre), I'll use Satriani's "The Extremist" album, generally "Friends" because it's a great track, and because it just happens to be first.

When I (eventually) come to the point where it's time to have my CD mastered, I'm going to hire a pro to do it, but I'm also going to make it explicitly clear that I don't want it mastered as hot as possible, and that I'm looking for a more conservative master that'll preserve dynamics.

 

[MF_Kitten]

it´s simple really. just don´t compress the mix!

or, compress it less. let the compression act as a means of avoiding distortion, and nothing else. taming the worst peaks is ok, but if everything is the same level as a result, then something is clearly wrong

i think everything you do with a mix should result in it sounding better. i´d rather compromise volume for quality than quality for volume (which is what record labels seem to want these days)

compressing the mix is okay as long as it doesen´t make it sound worse, is what i´m getting at. a mix shouldbe as loud as you can get it without compromising sound quality. that means no over-compression (or no compression at all), and no distortion (or no audible distortion anyways).

i could find more ways of saying this, but you understand
if you want to avoid that "loudness" sound, then leave the song as it is. in fact, try covering or removing the visual meters that show how loud your mix is, and mix with your ears alone. might be interesting!