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-- [EQ Discussion] Gain Control
[EQ Discussion] Gain Control
One thing that I just realised is the fact that when talking about different mixing techniques, Gain adjust is never really mentioned. What made me think of this is a thread I was reading over at djforum.com and someone mentioned it.
Do you guys keep the Gain for all channels at the same level and never touch it throughout your mixes or do you adjust your Gain just as much as you would any of your other EQ's throughout your mix? To be honest, as much as I have read into Gain I am still a bit confused on what it actually does. I know it technically isn't volume control but that is still a bit hard to comprehend when every time I adjust it, it either gets louder or lower! So any tips, tricks and additional info on it would be appreciated. Thanks!
i use it just as much as the eq's.... i always bring the faders all the way up when i mix in a song so to adjust sound levels so its all matched i use the gain adjust.... it really depends on the song... sometimes i dont even touch it... sometimes i use it as much as the other eqs.... hope it helps... pz
Generally speaking the gains are just used to make sure the tracks you are mixing peak at the same level ( or have the same amount of volume ).
You shouldnt really need to adjust it during the mix.
i mess w/the gain on almost every song. i'm pretty anal about keeping volume drops/spikes to a minimum. i like my mixes as smooth as possible. -doesn't always work out that way, tho... ;p
the gain is there because every track you play is recorded differently, at different volumes.
Say you have your gains set at 0 (or 12 o'clock) on channels 1 and 2. Now play a record on channel 1 (with all the eq's set to 0 and your fader all the way up).
You'll notice that this track is peaking at a certain level on your VU meter...lets say at +2db
Now play a different record on channel 2...again all EQ's at 0 and your fader all the way up. You'll notice that on this track, the VU meter is peaking at -3db on the VU meter.
So if you wanted to mix those two, channel 1 would overpower channel 2.
In addition, channel 1 is also peaking at +2db..a little into the reds. While this isnt *bad*, you technically want to keep it peaking at 0db...right in the yellow/red area.
So, for proper mixing, you would want to:
#1: lower your gain on channel 1 to have it peak at around 0db
#2: raise the gain on channel 2 to have it peak around 0db.
Now both tracks will be at the same "volume", and you will have enough headroom, should you want to mess with the EQ's etc...
Contrary to popular beleif, turning your gains all the way up and running you music WAY into the reds doesnt make anything sound better....it causes distortion and/or clipping....and it just makes for a pretty little LED lightshow 
The gain controls the "input" volume in the mixer.
How could you mix without using gains...zee result would sound awful 
I'm finding having good levels throughout a mix one of the hardest parts of mixing. Because when its loud and your headphones are blaring, sometimes its hard to tell those small volume changes, but they really show on the recording later.
To start I usually level them out using the VU meters and then do any other corrections based on how they sound to me.
to sum up the two posts above me...
"gain" controls = volume of track "before entering" mixing (i.e. before eqs/fx/etc are applied)
"fader" controls = volume of track as it "exits" mixer (i.e. to booth/club speakers)
Before I start beatmatching, I tend to skip to the loudest part of the track (after breakdown usually) and see that the VU meters just peak at 0dB or with one or two yellow LEDs depending on your mixer. other adjustments are made according to ear later on and hope for the best. 
Very interesting. Thanks for clearing a lot of this stuff up. 
I needle jump (or fast search) (before or after i pitch it), to the loudest part of the track and set it so the meters are the same level when they peak.
Gains are definitely an essential part of good mixes. Ive got some songs (James Talk - Get Down, for example) that are really low compared to other tracks so I have to turn it up a lot.
I can usually keep all the tracks at the same level by looking at the lights on the mixer for each channel. I try to adjust the volume so that the peak is just in to +9 per channel or +3 for the main.
i usually have the gains adjusted before each track is mixed in.... with the loudest part of the song peaking at 0db. i never touch them during a mix.... but that's because i have a rotary mixer. when i had a mixer with linear fader i felt it was more subtle to make some changes using the gain knobs...
- bri
| quote: |
| Originally posted by Protege Gains are definitely an essential part of good mixes. Ive got some songs (James Talk - Get Down, for example) that are really low compared to other tracks so I have to turn it up a lot. I can usually keep all the tracks at the same level by looking at the lights on the mixer for each channel. I try to adjust the volume so that the peak is just in to +9 per channel or +3 for the main. |
just as a side note to help simplify things for people.
when guitarist have their gain the whole way up, then regardless of how high their volume is, theyre going to have distortion because of the peaks.
volume simply controls how loud it is leaving the amp.
...
i use both gain and the volume faders. i need to adjust the gain if a song is recorded at a lower volume so i can hear it in the headphones. and once its all good drop the volume but then i dont touch the gain.
When I'm mixing on vinyl I usually set the gains quite high when monitoring so I can hear the new percussion I'm mixing in clearly. I'll then turn it down slightly before the mix but keep it perhaps higher than it should be. I'll then use the faders to bring the song in at the same volume as the current track.
My mixer doesn't have the luxury of cue LEDs so I can't see the volume of the track I'm mixing in visually. I hate not having this feature!
I've noticed when I record my mixes, they usually end up louder than the beginning - I put this down to 'getting into it' or compensating for loss of hearing as the mix goes on and my ears go numb-er!
I use a Vestax PMC-175 at home.
Preset the gains so the track peaks at 0db. And I also use them to mix like rotaries sometimes. Instead of taking a track out or bringing it in with the fader I will leave the fader at the top and use the gains to bring the track in or out.
| quote: |
| Originally posted by Zild Preset the gains so the track peaks at 0db. And I also use them to mix like rotaries sometimes. Instead of taking a track out or bringing it in with the fader I will leave the fader at the top and use the gains to bring the track in or out. |
For example, if I want two tracks to layer over each other, but with no EQ cuts it is much easier to slam the fader to the top with the gain all the way down and slowly bring in the track with the gain knob while slowly turning down the other gain knob to make room, so you don't lose the gain structure on the master output.
| quote: |
| Originally posted by Zild For example, if I want two tracks to layer over each other, but with no EQ cuts it is much easier to slam the fader to the top with the gain all the way down and slowly bring in the track with the gain knob while slowly turning down the other gain knob to make room, so you don't lose the gain structure on the master output. |
| quote: |
| Originally posted by Zild For example, if I want two tracks to layer over each other, but with no EQ cuts it is much easier to slam the fader to the top with the gain all the way down and slowly bring in the track with the gain knob while slowly turning down the other gain knob to make room, so you don't lose the gain structure on the master output. |
| quote: |
| Originally posted by superglo but with the gain all the way down, are you still able to hear it over your headphones ? |
I am definitely trying to get to the point where I don't need to listen to the incoming track in my headphones because I am that sure, in the mix, that it will be beatmatched proper. 
| quote: |
| Originally posted by superglo but with the gain all the way down, are you still able to hear it over your headphones ? |
| quote: |
| Originally posted by Zild Don't kill it totally, and turn the volume up in the headphones. I'm constantly turning my headphones up or down depending on how I have my EQs or gains cut. |
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