Recording levels

Mr. Derp

Mr. Derp

New member
Hey. New here. I've got a Line 6 Pod Studio UX2 audio interface and my DAW is Reaper.

I'm relatively new to home recording and i wish to start off by getting the basics straight. Recording levels.

How am i supposed to mix the Audio interface output with the DAW and the guitar simulator(pod farm) ?
Haven't really found a good comprehensive tutorial that includes all the different components and factors online on this.
I've got somewhat of an understanding of it by watching what's out there, but i really want to get this down.

The faders in my Daw : Should i just leave them at zero and adjust the output on my amp simulator so it peaks at about -6db/-12db?
Or should i work with the faders instead? Wouldn't the result be the same? What about the output from my audio interface?
It doesn't seem the affect the levels anywhere though. The input level in my DAW stays the same whatever my output volume is on my AI.

When i adjusted the volume from my guitar to peak at -6db in my DAW it went pass 0db when i double tracked the guitars.

A lot of questions here. I would be super happy if someone could either explain these things to me or point me in the direction of a video or some source where this gets explained.
 
Tracking levels are better off being around -18 to -12. That leaves you headroom for when your mixing and then mastering. Headroom =good. :)

I keep my faders at unity (zero) and adjust my trim (input gain) to put my levels at the -18 to -12.

Also, when I double track my rhythm guitars, I'll hipass on the EQ. Usually around 80 to 100 hz. I cut that (subtractive EQ) several db's. There's a lot of energy in the lower frequencies and by cutting them out, it'll free up headroom and be less muddy.
btw... where ya cut is determined by what instrument you're working with.

hope somethin here helps.
 
Ok. So when you say trim you're referring to the output of the instruments? Like the volume on the amp?

And you leave the master fader and every single track's faders at zero?
What's the function of the faders if you can achieve the same thing by adjusting the output volume on the amp?
To adjust the levels after it's recorded?
 
Mr. Derp said:
Ok. So when you say trim you're referring to the output of the instruments? Like the volume on the amp?
Click to expand...

No - input gain. The gain knob on the audio interface or preamp.


Mr. Derp said:
And you leave the master fader and every single track's faders at zero?
What's the function of the faders if you can achieve the same thing by adjusting the output volume on the amp?
Click to expand...

You can't.
If you turn the instrument/amp, and/or input gain up so much that your signal distorts then turn the software faders down, you're going to have a quiet but distorted signal.

If you balance the instrument/amp level and input gain so that you get a healthy signal at every stage, it won't distort (in the bad way).

Mr. Derp said:
To adjust the levels after it's recorded?
Click to expand...

Exactly. The faders are for mixing a quality recording.
The instrument/amp levels and input gain are for getting a quality recording.

Instrument volume, mic sensitivity, preamplification and software faders are all independent points of the chain at which you can adjust the signal level,
but each point has limitations.

If the signal is boosted too far, or attenuated too much, at any stage you won't be able to compensate at the next stage and you'll end up with a clipped/distorted, or noisy recording.


Mr. Derp said:
When i adjusted the volume from my guitar to peak at -6db in my DAW it went pass 0db when i double tracked the guitars.
Click to expand...

If you have one track peaking at -12, the master will peak at -12.
If you have two tracks peaking at -12, the master will obviously exceed that because the signals are summed.

You would still aim to record each track at that same healthy level regardless.
Later on you can use the faders to create a mix that gives a healthier master output. See?
 
Steenamaroo said:

The OP said "peaks at about -6db/-12db" and Dogbreath said "better off being around -18 to -12"

Anyone getting lost between A and B kinda deserves to. :p
Click to expand...

It wasn't clear to me that dogbreath was still talking peaks. He mentioned -18 which I consider a good average level but a little low for peaks.

My peaks may land anywhere from -16dBFS (distorted guitars) to -6dBFS depending on the type of input. I set most things by average, not peak, level. Percussion often needs to be set by peak level since it's so dynamic, something like -12dBFS.

Ultimately it all depends on your analog signal chain and converters and how they behave at different levels. I get to use a big analog board that's clean up to +24dBVU connected to converters that I bet also have tons of headroom. With a smaller home setup the analog signal chain may not be quite so robust. It may be wise to run input levels a little lower on that kind of gear.
 
To the OP:
The Reaper track and master faders do not affect the level you are recording at, only the monitoring (when recording) and playback level when playing back/mixing.
Your Pod output control only affects the volume of whatever you have plugged into it for monitoring - speakers or headphones, not the USB output to the DAW.
 
my bad... yeah, -18 to -12 for average with peaks around -6 or so.
Mostly, I find that if I keep my average down around the -18 or so, I don't generally have to worry about the peaks.

sorry for the confusion...




sorta.
:)
 
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