Should i put a limiter on my master

Give yourself the “rule” that you will never put a limiter on your master fader while you are still mixing and you will go far. ... If you limit while you mix, you will end up fighting with the limiter. You will have a skewed idea of your dynamics, and musicality can easily be lost. This isn't a good thing.

1. What does a limiter do in mastering?
2. When should you use a limiter?
3. Should I put a limiter on every track?
4. How much should I limit my master?

What does a limiter do in mastering?

A limiter allows you to bring up the level without allowing the peaks to clip. Modern mastering limiter plugins are extremely precise in catching peaks and won't allow anything to pass through over their set ceiling, which is why they are sometimes referred to as “peak” or “brick wall” limiters.

When should you use a limiter?

A limiter, however, is usually used for one reason: to catch the loudest moments of a source, bringing them down in a way that a) protects against unwanted distortion, and b) maintains the integrity of the mix's overall balance/color.

Should I put a limiter on every track?

As a general rule, you use compressors on individual instruments and busses. If your vocal track is too dynamic, you wouldn't want to put a limiter on it. The strong ratio of a limiter would squash your vocal too much, making it sound unnatural. ... Depending on the style of music, you might use compression on every track.

How much should I limit my master?

The more gain reduction you have, the more you'll hear the artifacts of your limiter. In a good master, you don't want to hear the limiter working; therefore, ideally the gain reduction limit you have on the limiter should be no more than 2.5 dB.