Improving mixed audio for YouTube gaming channel

Post Production
1

Hello, need a bit of advice from you guys - so i am recording games with a two stereo audio stream combo:

  1. First stereo stream is the game audio that i normalize to -0.5 db before doing any further editing.
  2. The second stereo stream is the mic audio (dynamic microphone SM7B with a CL1 booster) where i also normalize to -0.5 db and then apply Clarity Vx + RX 8 Breath Control + C1 Expander + Renaissance Vox compression + Noveltech Vocal Enhancer

On the final mix bus of Vegas Edit 19 i then apply some extra db with WLM Loudness Meter to met YouTube’s standards.

My question is: do i need to add any plugin to the game audio to improve ? Or WLM extra gain is enough ? Should i insert some compression/beautifying plugin on the game audio ?

Thanks !

2

You’re main problem would be your voice competing with the game audio, as long as you can hear yourself clearly that’s one problem solved. This is that part that usually messes some people up as it means lowering the game audio to quite a soft level, unless you add extra processing to the voice, which you have done.

Game audio is usually fine as it it is as quite few people have worked really hard to get it sounding consistent and great. The only real issue you might encounter is it might be too dynamic, loud is too loud and/or quiet is to quiet. If this is the case you may require extra processing. But you don’t want to over do it either.

A touch or compression and/or limiting will help out there, just try not to over do it. Alternatively, there is Playlist Rider, which will do a more transparent job or MaxxVolume/MV2 which will help you deal with both the loud and the quiet.

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3

Hey @simon.a.billington - i am saving recordings from OBS with a 1:4 compressor on the game audio with sidechain on the mic so it’s a bit ducked for my voice to get through well.
Meanwhile i bought L1 ultramaximizer and L2 ultramaximizer and i am currently testing them on the final mix just before WLM. They work great !

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4

Great to hear.

If you find the 4:1 ratio a bit extreme, try reducing it, but also reduce the threshold to compensate. The Attack and Release can be fine tuned to smooth out how quickly or slowly it transitions into the compression (volume drop).

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