Hi,     When i mixdown a finished track using cuebase3 the volume is quite low when compared to other mp3s, If i increse the main volume in cubase it starts to clip, so how do i get more UMPH !!! out of my finished mix

Any help would bo good...

Try using a limiter or a compressor on your master channel. A limiter is far easier and if used right can really give some ooomph to the mix. A really easy to use and actually rather goo free limiter would be the GMax. I use this one all the time and it rather fuking good. Also check out the other effects on that website becasue alot of the plugins are very usable and well, ive been using them for around 9-10 months now with no complaints at all. Hope this helps you!

Just installed gmax and tried it on 1 track and it does the business, will i have to route each track thu this seperately of is there a way to route the main output thu it

Cheers guys gmax is doing the trick..

Reload your mixdown (which you should export as a WAV at at least 16bits) back into Cubase on two different channels. One of these channels will become the mastered mix, the other one if for doing an A/B comparison. Just remember to delete the un-effected track before you mixdown to a high-quality MP3.

Use limiting, compression (use a light ratio like 1.1 as too much compression will ruin the dynamics of the track), and a half decent EQ. Ideally, get hold of a maximiser for that pro sounding shine (try searching for "YouWaShock") and stick it in before the compressor. That's just my opinion and it will be different for every track you produce but there are a few fundamentals, from what I understand, that will get you closer to that loud, modern mix sound.

Everyone's got their own way of mastering their tracks but since the majority of us, me included, don't have the best facilities and hardware for the job we can still give it a go. Keep it below 0dB and you'll be fine.

It's maybe worth asking Darkskyeye for some tips as I think he does online mastering from his own studio.