Advice on Limiting

Question

Hi Everyone,
Recently I did a film mix for an indy film which I scored (fortunately the director wanted the music up!). I'm not an engineer per se, though I'm good with EQ and setting levels. The mix came out good and the director and editor are happy. But... I'm of the mind that the mix needs to be compressed or limited or something, because there are some sections which are a little too loud overall, and others where the volume should probably come up.
I rarely use compressors or limiters because I have a very hard time deliberately squashing dynamics. But I think I have a case here where I need to treat the overall mix with one of those FX.
So I'm looking for some advice on how to approach this task, using only Logic plugs:
1. I'd like to make the overall level compatible with commercial DVD movie soundtracks (fx/dialog/music), and I'd like to know what's the peak level that I shouldn't exceed?
2. Maximize the volume (admittedly I don't understand how this works, but in the past I've seen engineers use a plug called Loudness Maximizer on tracks and it adds a certain amount of oomph)
3. Suggested approaches for setting up Logic's compressor or maybe AdLimiter (never used it before) across my 2-mix.
Many thanks!

Answer 1

=iS=,
good eeevvvvvening..........,(barrrump - da de-da-da dah-ta dah.)
first off, goto the sonalksis site and d/l there essentials collection.
30days, no hassles.
their compressor is very nice.
anyway, try this:
set logic's comp up as a leveller:
slow attack ~50ms,
slow-med release ~150ms- 500ms
ratio : 1.50:1 or less
deep threshold(-20 to -30) for -3 to 6 db GR.
knee: 0.5(~half way, more towards soft)
auto: off
clip: off, or soft. (soft will boost the level in the upper mids).
the GR meter should hardly move if set correctly.(not like with peak limiting.)
the attack and release settings have to be adjusted by ear for the program at hand.
you can get a nice bounce into things if the release times' not too long.
btw, check your mix's thru level by bypassing the comp.
i attempt to get my mix peaks at ~ -9db to -6db., and even lower -12, for soft pieces. (before the comp.)
i would test these settings by mixing out a bit of the program.
inspect this waveform and compare to an untreated example of same.
if working properly the sustained parts should have increased in level, but there should still be a very defined attack at the start of the waveform(like the original).
ok, next set up logic's AdLim after the comp.
feed it 0db(unity) from the comp if possible(don't feed it too much, it gets "fat" very quickly).
leave the AL input scale at 0db.
move the gain up (underneath it) until the out meters are reaching full scale on the louder peaks of the program.(if they don't hit the top, feed it more input.)
back off the "out ceiling" a little.
the goal is to have the program peaks in the 0 to -3db regions in the out meter, and definitely bouncing around. if they are static at the top you'll get a sonic brick.
also, the gain control will start to color the output if pushed.
and, the input meters should show a lower reading at anytime than the out meters.
the trick is to get the AL to do it's job without distorting in any way.
i mostly use the "opt fit" in the extra parameters drop down(with a 200ms delay.)
the compressor setting is critical for this to work, and it will take some fiddling between the two units to suit the program.
the sonalksis comp IS cleaner when pushed than logic's.
personally, i'd mix out an untreated version of your program and experiment on it, so you can easily compare the waveforms.
DR9.