Put your hands together for the (All Time Best reviews)

[Lunkhead]

Mandibles win!

[sleepysilverdoor]

I can think of 1 you may have missed. Me

Since the fight is over now and it's unlikely that any further reviews are getting posted...

I can think of 12 that you missed:

Berkeley Social Scene
Gil Sans
Leon Bullock
Lichen Throat
Mandibles
Paco del Stinko
The Pannacotta Army
Phlub
Pigfarmer Jr.
Robyn Mackenzie
Toby Roktot
WreckdoM

Complaining about people accidentally missing your song and then failing to post reviews yourself is NOT a good look.
...


Unrelated, but congrats to Mandibles on a tasty victory!

[Cybronica]

Loudness recs?

I'd get a simple limiter like loudmax and the youlean loudness meter. Limit your track until it's comparable to other tracks or you can render and see what youlean tells you. Then adjust and render again to get close to your goal. (For instance, it's been recommend around -13 LUFS here on songfight.) You have to play the whole track to get an accurate reading. However, if you get a reading on youlean from playing the loudest section of your track then you'll get an idea of the ballpark loudness.

Another option is to get the ozone elements plugin for cheap (there are a bunch of sales going on) and just set the goal (-13 LUFS or whatever you choose) and have it do it for you. The good thing about that plugin (or ones like it) is that you can try lots of different presets to see what sound you like the best and then try to get that sound yourself. Kind of a self tutorial on how to achieve certain sonic characteristics.

And yet another option would be to use reference tracks. Compare your track to a track that is of similar arrangement (and tempo etc., if you can find one) and then try to get yours to sound more like it. Volume, overall EQ, depth (like how much reverb etc.,) It's very helpful but I tend to skip this step for songfight to my own detriment. Well, I guess to all y'all who listen, too.

Ah, seems it’s finally time I get on the plug-ins train. Are they basically software i install into my DAW? I am a walking talking Andy from parks and rec meme and have been too afraid to ask until this point.

[Pigfarmer Jr]

Yeah, basically programs you install on your computer. Depending on which plugins you use and where they are located on your computer, your DAW may see them automatically or you may have to go into preferences and load them up. (I'm not knowledgeable with most DAWS.)

Honestly, I've seen a lot of videos with stock plugins that could probably do you what you needed, depending on what you're using. It might be worth your time just searching for youtube videos for whatever DAW you use. Also, plugins are a legit rabbit hole. I have way too many.

[Cybronica]

Thanks! This will be my next research project.

And holy cow we won!! Thanks for the votes everybody!

[Pigfarmer Jr]

Congratz!!! I guess it goes to show that the pigfarmer complaining about levels doesn't mean a thing? (It must not have that swing.)