Originally posted by petereng:
I have a mix being played on FM radio tomorrow. Considering the amount of Compression/limiting that happens at FM stations, would I be better to send them a version that hasn't been compressed/limited across the mix bus ? I always do two versions of each mix - with/without mix compression. In the past I've given them a compressed verion and it's sounded horrible on radio (very quiet and lifeless).

Hi Peter

what's the music style and what station is it being played on?

Most pop stations have such a massive limiter/compressor overv the main TX outputs that if the presenetr stopped talking for a moment you'd hear the compressor kick in until you can hear the blood coursing thru his veins.

Exaggeration of course but unless you're on Classic FM or one of the better Jazz stations (which still use compression only much less) you're pretty much up against it.

We've wrote hundreds (literally) of jingles in our early days (and they're very musically orientated not the usual weedy crap) and the best results for us were to give the stations omething that was pretty pumped up with either our tc Finaliser, tc M5000 dynamics, or Focusrite RED.

Any questions, just email me off the list okay?

max@daveandmax.co.uk

Best wishes

Max

Originally posted by Charles Di Pinto:
Which is why I tend not to worry much about "mixing for radio," and prefer to just go for the plain vanilla mix :D

Dear Charles,
I spent many years on the "other side" in the radio control room, and your advice is "right on." The folks who are trying to "outsmart" the radio processing are the ones whose mixes sound lifeless.

A good tonal balance across the spectrum is probably just as important as dynamics in mixing for radio.

Yours,
Dan Popp
Colors Audio
USA

Compression at radiostations are more than enough. To compress it before it gets to the radiostation will only make it worse.

John Stalberg