Maximus Tutorial - What You Need to Know - FL Studio

Maximus is a powerful multi-band tool that can be loaded on any mixer track, typically the master track, but also applicable to individual mixer tracks for creative uses.

• Maximizer to increase loudness • Limiter to set a ceiling and prevent audio from passing beyond that point • Compressor or expander to control dynamic range • Stereo enhancer • Saturator

Maximus is a multi-band version of all those effects combined, allowing you to apply any effect independently to low frequencies, mid frequencies, or high frequencies.

You can process different frequency ranges separately, such as making the low end mono without affecting mids and highs, gently saturating the midrange, and widening the top end independently.

Maximus splits audio into three frequency bands: low (below 200 Hz), mid (200 to 3000 Hz), and high (above 3000 Hz) on default settings.

• Monitor mode shows color-coded bands: red for low, orange for mid, yellow for high • Spectrogram mode displays frequency content underneath the bands for clearer visualization

Use the three dedicated controls to adjust frequency band limits precisely rather than dragging, which can accidentally affect other parameters. Default filter slopes are 24 dB per octave, with a 12 dB per octave option for gentler transitions.

A built-in low cut removes everything below 20 Hz by default, which can be adjusted up to 80 Hz or turned off entirely if sub-harmonic material is desired.

When signals are split, processed differently, and recombined, phase relationships can become compromised, causing unwanted artifacts.

Switch filters to linear phase mode to greatly improve phase relationships when signals are recombined, reducing unwanted artifacts.

Enable oversampling if CPU allows to make processing more precise and accurate.

• Turn bands on or off to work with dual-band or single-band processing • Mute individual bands to isolate frequencies • Use compression off mode for special processing scenarios

The dynamics curve is an alternative way to express compression and limiting by displaying multiple thresholds and ratios simultaneously, allowing complex compression curves instead of single dial controls.

• X-axis represents input signal level • Y-axis represents output signal level • Points on the curve represent thresholds • Curve slopes represent compression ratios

A simple limiter has the threshold set at 0 dB with an infinite ratio, creating a brick wall ceiling where any signal exceeding the threshold is clamped to that level.

Understanding compression and limiting fundamentals is essential before mastering the dynamics curve, as this topic can be overwhelming for beginners.

Push gain into the limiter to see how it responds on the dynamics graph. The graph holds for a few seconds, allowing you to observe input and output levels.

Use the free Youlean Loudness Meter 2 to verify that true peaks remain within acceptable limits (0 dB ceiling). If peaks exceed the limit despite limiting, add a standard true peak limiter after Maximus as a safety catch.

• Add look-ahead delay to give Maximus time to anticipate transients • Subtle attack and release adjustments can improve transient control • Combine these settings to achieve precise peak management

Set different ceiling levels using the right-hand axis readout. A threshold of -3 dB means output will be limited to -3 dB, reducing overall loudness while preventing clipping.

Create multiple threshold points with different ratios to compress different signal ranges differently. For example, no compression below -12 dB, gentle compression between -12 and 0 dB, and brick wall limiting above 0 dB.

Drag compression curve points upward to activate expansion, which adds gain to signals above a certain level. This technique is less commonly used and requires careful intention.

Keep compression curves simple and purposeful. Avoid creating complex shapes without specific mixing goals, as this can lead to unintended sonic changes.

Apply different compression and limiting settings to each frequency band independently. A typical approach is gentle or no compression on lows for openness, stronger compression on mids and highs, then a final limiter.

• Pre-gain pushes signal into the compressor, increasing compression amount • Post-gain adds output level but requires caution when brick wall limiting at 0 dB to avoid digital clipping

• Attack determines how quickly the compressor responds • Release (dual-stage option available) controls recovery time • Sustain works with RMS mode to prevent overly choppy compression sound

Peak mode acts on transients for transparent limiting. RMS (root mean square) average mode responds to overall level. Sustain parameter adjusts the time window for RMS averaging.

Dual-stage release allows two-stage recovery behavior, though this is a specialized feature requiring specific use cases. Consult the manual for detailed information.

The threshold parameter selects saturation character, while ceiling controls saturation intensity. Lower ceiling settings increase saturation while reducing volume. This can be applied per frequency band for targeted tonal color.

Saturation is useful in specialized scenarios but rarely applied to entire mixes. Band-specific saturation offers creative sound design possibilities.

• Rightward movement creates mono processing • Leftward movement creates stereo widening • Apply to entire mix or individual bands

Compress low end slightly toward mono for stability, process mid and high frequencies with slight stereo widening, and monitor for mono compatibility issues when applying full-mix widening.

The most important aspects are understanding how bands split frequencies and how the dynamics curve works. Master these foundations by experimenting hands-on and letting your ears guide decisions.

• Set different thresholds and compression ratios • Adjust attack, release, and sustain settings • Process different frequency bands independently • Re-watch dynamics curve sections as needed

Image Line provides factory presets showing creative Maximus applications, such as a de-esser that applies compression to the upper midrange while leaving other bands untouched.

Explore additional resources on mastering and compression techniques linked in the description. Maximus becomes less intimidating when you understand its component functions and band structure.