unless you are recording live audio, I would stay well away from the peak.

Well, I used to mix to -6 dB but these days I find I get better results out of mixing into a compressor and an EQ and then mastering as I go. And trying to keep the levels high.

It makes no difference where the channel levels are at or where they're clipping. The only thing that needs to be under 0 dB is the master. Beyond that you should do what you like. The only reason to keep the levels on your channels low is to make sure that the signal hitting any plugins on the master is at the right level. But this can be corrected with a gain reduction plugin first on the master chain anyway. A lot easier than stuffing around with your finely tuned levels IMO.

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quote:

Originally posted by kitphillips Well, I used to mix to -6 dB but these days I find I get better results out of mixing into a compressor and an EQ and then mastering as I go. And trying to keep the levels high. It makes no difference where the channel levels are at or where they're clipping. The only thing that needs to be under 0 dB is the master.

that is incorrect. It will matter depending on the plugin. Why take the risk when there is nothing to gain.

Last edited by RichieV on Oct-12-2009 at 16:40

does this really apply on all daws or just some? to me it seems like the audioquality is more clear when leaving the master level, and acutaly the individual channels too, untouched, and rather adjust gain on the acutaly synths and drums etc to get at the level i want. id never know though, this is one of the parts that really separates software from hardware and im use to hardware kind of mixing as im a former dj using my experience by keeping all possible meters under red.

quote:

Originally posted by SDM does this really apply on all daws or just some? to me it seems like the audioquality is more clear when leaving the master level, and acutaly the individual channels too, untouched, and rather adjust gain on the acutaly synths and drums etc to get at the level i want. id never know though, this is one of the parts that really separates software from hardware and im use to hardware kind of mixing as im a former dj using my experience by keeping all possible meters under red.

it applies on all daws. I own a powercore with the virus , mastering suite and oxford plugins and they will all clip if you run a signal too "hot" . I'm sure diginut has a better grasp on why, The point is that you have absolutely nothing to gain and making things near 0 provides a psychological boost in audio quality. Keep things low and turn up your speakers. Adjust all the tracks before mixdown if you want to have things closer to 0db.

the faders are usually after the plugins and i'm sure they're all linear in todays DAWs. unless u have some plugins with non-linearities in the master channel where u cannot adjust the pre-gain - do whatever u please. just keep the master below 0dB.

quote:

Originally posted by RichieV +2 doesn't exist in digital. It is quite weird.

Maybe its a new technology hes working on.. lmao

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quote:

Originally posted by RichieV it applies on all daws. I own a powercore with the virus , mastering suite and oxford plugins and they will all clip if you run a signal too "hot" . I'm sure diginut has a better grasp on why, The point is that you have absolutely nothing to gain and making things near 0 provides a psychological boost in audio quality. Keep things low and turn up your speakers. Adjust all the tracks before mixdown if you want to have things closer to 0db.

I can tell you why I think.
When you turn the volume up to high on a signal and it goes above a set point (I have no clue what the point is, lets say 0 db for instance but its most likely different depending on the synths build)the sound can't just keep getting louder so rather then get louder it cuts the top of the signal off and distorts is.

Thats about all I really know of clipping lol

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Sequencers: FL Studio 9XXL & Reason 3.
Main Synth Bass GTs - Pro-53, V-Station, Sytrus, Subtractor, Trilian, Blue, Sylenth & Z3ta.
Main Synth Lead/Pad GTs - Z3ta, Sytrus, Sylenth, Vangard, Albino & Nexus.
Main FXs GTs - Waves Plugins, Soundtoys, Volcano, FL Native FX.
Hardware - Truths, Echo Audiofire, Virus Snow, & Novation Xio Midi-Synth.

quote:

Originally posted by RichieV it applies on all daws. I own a powercore with the virus , mastering suite and oxford plugins and they will all clip if you run a signal too "hot" . I'm sure diginut has a better grasp on why, The point is that you have absolutely nothing to gain and making things near 0 provides a psychological boost in audio quality. Keep things low and turn up your speakers. Adjust all the tracks before mixdown if you want to have things closer to 0db.

I think you're generally right about these things, but can you explain exactly where this clipping would be occurring? Do you mean you'd be clipping the output of the plugin on the channel or clipping the input on the first plugin on the master? Can a plugin even clip at all? I know you can't clip channels, but maybe your talking about clipping plugins instead. either way, you've confused me.

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Bottom line don't touch the master unless all else fails. The master channel is your benchmark to mix to - move that benchmark and a lot of your reference goes with it.

That means, do everything you can to avoid having to bring down the master.

You should be able to get the instruments/audiofiles to balance wihtout having to lower the overall summed gain.

If your instrument is at +2dbfs to make it sound "right" - do you mean it's clipping on it's channel fader at +2dbfs or do you mean the instrument is showing some kind of output value as being +2dbfs?

If it's clipping on the channel fader then chances are you're squaring off the waveform, which unless that's what you're going for, is not a good thing. This squaring off is then reproduced by your audio interface and the resulting percieved sound is digital distortion.

Diginut has done some great explanation in the past but can't find them now - try reading this in the meantime:

http://www.tranceaddict.com/forums/...48&pagenumber=1

If the instrument is shwoing some kind of +2dbfs output and the channel is NOT clipping then the ony thing you have to worry about is possible distortion from the instrument and frankly if it sounds good to you then don't worry too much. Personally, I'd prefer that nothing clips anywhere in my projects, again unless a distortion type affect is what I'm going for but then agan I'd probably do that with a dedicated FX.

quote:

Originally posted by DJ RANN If it's clipping on the channel fader then chances are you're squaring off the waveform, which unless that's what you're going for, is not a good thing. This squaring off is then reproduced by your audio interface and the resulting percieved sound is digital distortion.

Why? I've turned my channel fader up as loud as it'll go and it doesn't clip (audibly) until the master starts clipping. Please explain.

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Last edited by kitphillips on Oct-13-2009 at 11:20

Lets say I have layered percussions playing(each sound on a different channel), and on each channel the percs dont go past -4db,but when I look at the master it blows over 0 db. Should I turn down all the percs until the the meter shows lower than 0 db on the master? Keep in mind there isnt any clipping, it acually makes my snares sound much crisper.