![Mix sounds quiet even after maximiser](https://kumkoniak.com/10.jpg)
Lastly, stop worrying about Spotify turning down a track. Then just make those sections have more loudness in the mix. Even then, is it that important, maybe for some sections you want it to be. Loudness comes from the frequencies being filled up, the crest factor, the loudness of a few moment to moment stuff happening in the track, and if everything is loud, clean, and the mix is full spectrum. Master is just a final touch, which might not even get more LUFs out of your meter if you mix into a limiter with just a tiny bit of GR. 14 to -4 (fuck I've seen -1) is just relative to the mix itself.
![mix sounds quiet even after maximiser mix sounds quiet even after maximiser](https://i.imgur.com/6h4b5oD.png)
Unless you are pushing the fader down after your final limiter. There are multiple LUFs measurements and while they are fun to see on meters. I’d thinking about using compressors to change the attack shape of a sound/buss or using a comp to make things heavier/weightier, but not necessarily to manage peaks.I would care more about when there is no normalization and your track being loud similar to CD/download standards.
![mix sounds quiet even after maximiser mix sounds quiet even after maximiser](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/GedfRWcqK2Y/hqdefault.jpg)
The second time, it’ll take a 10th or less of the time. The first time you had to figure everything out. Re doing a mix can be really helpful, and it won’t take you as long. Busses should be peaking below your track peak, definitely. I’d start the mix again, turn up your monitors a bit, and get your kick and snare right, then go from there bringing volumes up. Moving busses IS helpful for balance, and I might ultimately have a music buss, and a drum buss, just to get that balance right going into mastering, but you can be sure, I’m not taking one buss down 3 db, and another up 3db. That is not good practice when gain staging.
![mix sounds quiet even after maximiser mix sounds quiet even after maximiser](https://i.pinimg.com/originals/ca/e7/5f/cae75fb98df1cb4105c3583c257d659e.jpg)
Your busses shouldn’t be getting out of hand like that.
![mix sounds quiet even after maximiser mix sounds quiet even after maximiser](https://emptylighthouse-production.s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/s3fs-public/field/image/66f722dd78120a4bae7527176005c8bd.png)
I recommend turning your monitors up louder. But I work UP to -6db or whatever my track is going to be peaking at. I wouldn’t be making big moves with your buss like that, just me.
![Mix sounds quiet even after maximiser](https://kumkoniak.com/10.jpg)