Mastering assistance needed

So I finished a tune i'd been working on for a while, and like because i used distortion on most every part, the levels are

all messed up to where it all has to be loud just so it's not compressed and inaudible, any help? i'm using reason btw

like i'm having the most problem with the drum, like if all the parts are sounding it's ok, but if i solo like the hi-hat or cymbal or something

it's overbearingly loud for some reason, can someone please help i want this song to sound good and i'm going insane

  Shining Rock said:

So I finished a tune i'd been working on for a while, and like because i used distortion on most every part, the levels are

all messed up to where it all has to be loud just so it's not compressed and inaudible, any help? i'm using reason btw

like i'm having the most problem with the drum, like if all the parts are sounding it's ok, but if i solo like the hi-hat or cymbal or something

it's overbearingly loud for some reason, can someone please help i want this song to sound good and i'm going insane

Turn everything right down, take the distortion off a lot of it - you probably don't need all that really - just use it selectively. Are you using Reason 3 - the mastering suite in that's quite good - fuck about with the presets until you find something that works....Are you using a lot of compression on the hi hats - that'll make 'em suddenly seem really loud when you solo them - take off the compression. Maybe you're just using too many effects? Try thinning the whole thing out effects wise, turning all the parts down, and then mastering.

sounds like you're not at the mastering stage yet.. you need to go back and get the mix right first.. if your mix is shit, no amount of mastering will make it better.

as bcm said, check your compression levels.. is it a blanket compressor over everything?... again i'd advise against this at this stage in the process.

post an wav file on you sendit and i'll be more help.

hard to help when you're working with such limited info.

this is why i dont like stuf like reason thats a buncha virtual boxes. i feel like its easier to give yr mix headroom or to fill it up just right when you're multitracking layer by layer w/a DAW. or maybe im just being dumb