need help tracking/mixing

[artCROSS]

For most of my band's songs, I record around 20+ tracks. When I'm tracking, the meters never go in the red, and seldom in the yellow. However, when I'm mixing, and everything is still at zero (is that unity gain?), meaning I haven't boosted or lowered any levels, the output meters read +15db. I have to lower the outputs down to -10db just to get it in the yellow or low reds. Is there something I'm doing wrong? or is this normal? Is there anything I should be doing differently during tracking? I know volume shouldn't be that important, but my band's mixes are far lower than my acoustic stuff. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

[giraffe]

lets say you have ten tracks, and they all peak at -6 at the same time......
you do the math (no, really, i'm not sure what the result is. but it's sure as hell higher then zero)

turn everything down, it'll come under controol more when you start compressing, limiting some.

[Dogbreath]

Any EQ applied? I had a couple of acoustic guitar tracks (tracked too hot) that clipped only when I applied EQ. Flattened it and it was fine. Just wondering...



Peace............Kel

[giraffe]

Originally Posted by Dogbreath

Any EQ applied? I had a couple of acoustic guitar tracks (tracked too hot) that clipped only when I applied EQ. Flattened it and it was fine. Just wondering...



Peace............Kel

turn down the input (or output, depending on the situation) of your eq

[artCROSS]

yeah, there was some eq, but I took them out, and was still in the +15. I've listened to some mixes people have put up here that were unmastered, and I don't see how they can get that volume w/o clipping.

[giraffe]

clean sounds, and massive limiting

thare are a ton of threads already on this, just search the site

get the mix perfect, WITHOUT CLIPPING then, and only then, do you need to start worrying about overall volume.

(actually, that's not completely true, but i don't like typeing much)

[artCROSS]

giraffe, thanks for the replies. I tried searching, but couldn't find exactly what i needed, ya know? I have a question about limiting...should I apply it to the entire mix or each individual track? Any links on how to use limitng effectively? thanks again.

[giraffe]

use compression on individual tracks much more than limiting.
i only limit a track when i'm mad at it, but reveng is'nt the only reason to limit.

limiting is whats used on the final mix to bring up the volume, but don't bother unless you have a very good limiter.

that's (part of) the job of mastering.

[NYMorningstar]

Originally Posted by artCROSS

For most of my band's songs, I record around 20+ tracks. When I'm tracking, the meters never go in the red, and seldom in the yellow. However, when I'm mixing, and everything is still at zero (is that unity gain?), meaning I haven't boosted or lowered any levels, the output meters read +15db. I have to lower the outputs down to -10db just to get it in the yellow or low reds. Is there something I'm doing wrong? or is this normal? Is there anything I should be doing differently during tracking? I know volume shouldn't be that important, but my band's mixes are far lower than my acoustic stuff. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

When mixing 20+ tracks you are more likely to run out of headroom because of all the digital summing that you are doing. Tracking at -12db's or less might be something you want to try and go light on the plugins. You could also do some sub mixes prior to your final mix.

[chessrock]

Or you could just turn the master volume down on your recorder/mixer/software.

(It's one of those audio secrets people rarely talk about)


Turn the master volume down. Do I get rep points for that?

[giraffe]

wasn't that my first post?

but it's not what he wanted to hear, he tried the eq thing first.

[chessrock]

Originally Posted by giraffe

wasn't that my first post?

Yea, you're right ... I might've been pushing it, asking for those rep points.

[giraffe]

you should give them to me
I odviously deserve them more