MercyfullMusic
New member
Okay guys, I'm having a real problem getting things to compress right in Sonar. I have read and understand pretty well the principals and differences between compressing and limiting things, and I have been trying to get my tracks to be more even with more punch, etc. especially with drums.
The problem I am encountering is that while it seems that the lower parts of the audio are compressing, etc. the thin huge mountain peaks that stick up are not being affected much at all. I have tried using the limiter for this mainly, but also the compressor as well and neither has worked. I have set the compressor attack times as fast as possible, and played with release times all over the place.
One thing that I think is a real problem for me is knowing where to set the threshold and gain settings. I think Sonar is seeing a different db of volume than what I think it's seeing. For instance the meter on an individual track may say it's peaking at -3 db but for the most part the average level of the instrument may be around -9 db. This would lead me to believe that I could set the threshold at -9 db. Compress with a ratio I feel is appropriate for maybe say 15:1 and then maybe increase gain 1 - 2 db and use a fast attack and release time. However it ends up leaving the peaks, reducing the bulk of the audio's waveform and then giving it way more gain than it looks like it should.
One reason I think this may be happening is because the meter I am reading varies with where I have that track's volume set. So maybe it's not the true db level Sonar is going by when effecting the signal. Also I have noticed that if I do a visual Volume Pan that 0 db is far under the peaks of the audio, so it cannot be used as a visual guide of metering eaither. So I guess my question is how do I know the true db of the recorded audio for my compressor settings.
HELP!!!!! It has to be something simple I'm not understanding.
The problem I am encountering is that while it seems that the lower parts of the audio are compressing, etc. the thin huge mountain peaks that stick up are not being affected much at all. I have tried using the limiter for this mainly, but also the compressor as well and neither has worked. I have set the compressor attack times as fast as possible, and played with release times all over the place.
One thing that I think is a real problem for me is knowing where to set the threshold and gain settings. I think Sonar is seeing a different db of volume than what I think it's seeing. For instance the meter on an individual track may say it's peaking at -3 db but for the most part the average level of the instrument may be around -9 db. This would lead me to believe that I could set the threshold at -9 db. Compress with a ratio I feel is appropriate for maybe say 15:1 and then maybe increase gain 1 - 2 db and use a fast attack and release time. However it ends up leaving the peaks, reducing the bulk of the audio's waveform and then giving it way more gain than it looks like it should.
One reason I think this may be happening is because the meter I am reading varies with where I have that track's volume set. So maybe it's not the true db level Sonar is going by when effecting the signal. Also I have noticed that if I do a visual Volume Pan that 0 db is far under the peaks of the audio, so it cannot be used as a visual guide of metering eaither. So I guess my question is how do I know the true db of the recorded audio for my compressor settings.
HELP!!!!! It has to be something simple I'm not understanding.
) I've 'seen' plenty that I've never heard though.