Newbie

[Telefunky]

be aware that (typical) loudness maximizing raises distortion levels to an incredible amount
I'm not talking about clipping here, the signal just cannot perform those level transitions without distortion
(there's an equation for those who consider themselves math-savy, regular folks have to rely on their ears)

for classic rock choose a classic reference, like old tracks from Led Zeppelin (some good recordings on YouTube available)
try a similiar balance in Multitrack keeping a fair signal level without driving it anywhere near top
then feed the output file to a dedicated 'mastering app', or to a new MT project

one could just insert such an app into MT's mastering slot (via IAA) as well, but imho this distracts from the real focus of the main mix and will eat up resources
keep it simple with a 'pre-master' file and apply mastering on track level (insert via IAA)
this allows alternative processors (it may be worth checking several apps) and keeps MT's mastering slot for ultimate fine tweaks...

cheers, Tom

[muzicman]

Thank you Tom. I suppose I'll just have to get my feet wet with this eventually wrap my head around it. I can always do something with the finished recordings, on my iPod or load them into my wife's laptop and fool with them there. Thanks again. Lots of info!

[harisonzamperla]

Aufx push is a really great compressor (very cheap app price wise too and very professional for the dollar). It also has a limiter which can help loudness. You dont wanna compress and limit everything to the max as that will kill the dynamics of your mix but learning to use the right amount will really beef up your mixes. AUFX also has a bundle that includes a delay, reverb and EQ apps that are all really useful and resource light.