I believe I know how to record as well.
@ all
This is not about how to record but what I do with the recording after the fact in a simple and free program (audacity). Just a simple straightforward way to keep a recorded mix loud and punchy for uploading to Mixcloud.
So far I have learnt in this thread
Import into Audacity
Normalize to -1.0db (default settings in audacity)
Hard limiter to the quietest periods
Then Amplify to below 0 dB (eg -1 or -2)
Apply Compressor
That it?
IMO maximizer rather than compressor. They are different things.
I use Waves Ultramaximizer or iZoTope.
Look at the waveform and decide what threshold is suitable to stil have some dynamics.
Waves and iZotope here too, but LoudMax is pretty good for a freebie.
Can audacity reverse phase of a track? If so you can quasi eq and do other things to your recorded mix. Just takes time and it’s all free btw
I’m using Fabfilter Pro L2 but it’s not free
Any tips regarding Your mastering procedure? I use LoudMax in step 5.
I use it as well. Thanks to Google.
Sorry for late response but I don’t think mastering dj mix is a good idea with the same quality, you need make sure that your Master on mixer or any other analog external device as master recording is setup correctly. Uploading dj mixes to Audacity is useful if you want Fix something
Is there a plugin for audcity that you can use to apply a general master of the dj mix? Also i heard of other services were you can upload to a website and it does it all for you (for a price) can anyone list these website (i forget their names). I was thinking with the introduction of AI in the last few years perhaps someone has worked on something that easily accessible?
There’s a free VST called LoudMax that’s good for a bit of compression/limiting.
[EDIT] Reading the whole thread, I’d mentioned it a couple of times already. But hey, why not ask AI and overcomplicate things instead?! 
Thanks - I’ll look into LOUDMAX.
Hey everyone,
I’ve created an Audacity macro that automates the mastering process for DJ mixes. I worked with Claude AI to help design and dial in the compression/limiter values, so this is partly AI-assisted engineering. At least from my ears, it gives a pretty good improvement to my mixes, but I’d love feedback from the community on whether these settings seem off-point or just right for your material?
What it does:
This macro applies a professional-style mastering chain using only Audacity’s built-in effects:
Initial Normalize (-1.0 dB) - Prevents clipping and gives headroom for processing
First Compressor (Threshold: -20 dB, Ratio: 2.0) - Gently lifts quieter sections and transitions
Second Compressor (Threshold: -18 dB, Ratio: 3.0) - Main compression for punch and consistency
Limiter (Threshold: -0.3 dB) - Brick wall limiting to maximize loudness without distortion
Final Normalize (-0.5 dB) - Brings overall level to broadcast standard
Why two compressors?
Using two stages of compression (instead of one aggressive compressor) gives more natural-sounding results:
The first pass catches and lifts the quieter parts (breakdowns, transitions)
The second pass adds punch and controls the peaks
Together they create consistent volume throughout without the “pumping” effect you get from over-compression
Why use this approach?
Consistency: Evens out volume differences between tracks and transitions
Loudness: Competitive volume levels for streaming/sharing without clipping
Time-saving: One-click processing instead of manual adjustments
Free: Uses only Audacity’s built-in effects - no paid plugins needed
Genre focus: Optimized for house music (deep/tech/progressive), but should work well for most electronic/dance genres.
Full Settings Breakdown:
Compressor 1 (Gentle):
Threshold: -20 dB
Ratio: 2.0
Attack: 30 ms
Release: 150 ms
Make-up gain: 0 dB
Compressor 2 (Main):
Threshold: -18 dB
Ratio: 3.0
Attack: 0.2 ms
Release: 1.0 ms
Make-up gain: 0 dB
Limiter:
Threshold: -0.3 dB
Make-up target: 0 dB
How to use:
Import the macro into Audacity (Tools > Macros > Import)
Open your recorded DJ mix
Select all audio (Ctrl+A / Cmd+A)
Run the macro (Tools > Apply Macro > DJ Mix Master)
Export as 320kbps MP3
Important notes:
This is a generic approach - it won’t fix badly recorded mixes or replace proper DJ mixing technique
You may need to tweak the compressor thresholds based on your mixing style:
If your mix sounds over-compressed or “squashed,” increase both thresholds (try -16 and -12)
If you want more aggressive compression, decrease thresholds (try -24 and -20)
When this works well:
Mixes with varying volume levels between tracks
Transitions that dip too quiet
Overall mix needs competitive loudness
When you might need manual adjustment:
Bass-heavy genres (may need multiband compression)
Mixes with extreme dynamics (ambient/downtempo)
Already well-mastered content (might over-process)
Download: [macro file attached] - for any of those interested.
Feedback wanted! I’d especially love to hear:
Does this work well for your genre/style?
In your opinion are the compression settings too aggressive or too gentle?
Any improvements you’d suggest?
DJ MIX MASTERING - BY RAISH.txt (699 Bytes)
All praise for the effort and presentation. I did this before manually, and tbh the steps are so simple I never thought of automating it (although I did only 1 compression since I usually make sure my levels are consistent).
Now you’ve pressured me into making a new mix just so I can test this xD
P.S. Now when someone complains that the internal Engine recording is to quiet send them this post and tell them not to complain about something that takes 5 mouse clicks in Audacity
Thanks mate! Glad it’s motivated you to do another mix - that’s what it’s all about!
I’m doing a mix today so will give it a proper test myself. I sometimes struggle with bassline clashing or just too heavy bass in transitions - and I’ve had some mixes come out a little too quiet as well, so both extremes really. In fairness it seems more pronounced on the Denon equipment compared to others (Pioneer etc) - not sure why that is.
At least the Denon’s way of recording allows you enough headroom though. Like you say, it’s easily fixed using software and any self-respecting mixer should at least know the fundamentals of post-processing - it all helps!
The automation just saves me repeating the same steps every time. This will at least prevent me from using any paid-for service, tempting though they may be. Cheers for the feedback!
That should no longer happen IMO because there’s a normalize option.
Hey buddy, appreciate the effort but when I process sounds distorted a bit, the file also doesn’t look all that uniform. Was worth a shot but doesn’t work for me unfortunately. Shame as I really wanted this to work.