Recordings too quiet

[raximus]

I have a Phonic Helixboard 18 MKII (firewire)

I am running 8 Shure mics (6 dynamic and 2 condensors) through the XLR inputs.

I have the gain on each channel at about 1/4 of the way. Any further and both Cubase SX3 and the desk tell me that the signal is clipping.

Once i actually record something, it plays back pretty quiet.

I have been trying to record drum tracks at my place then give them to my guitarist who is at audio engineering school so we can do some really good recordings but he has told me my drums are too quiet.

Any suggestions?

To begin with i thought it was a fault with the desk but a tutor at SAE here checked the whole board over with one of those pink noise sticks and he told me everything is working perfectly.

Do i need to use compression and limiters to get my mix louder?

Any help would be great

Cheers

James

 

[iqi616]

Have you checked the levels in the recorded tracks? How close to clipping are they?

 

[raximus]

when the gain knobs are a tiny bit under 1/4 they are fine, go up to 1 quarter and the waves square off.

Im still told that i need to try and get things louder

any ideas?

 

[SouthSIDE Glen]

Im still told that i need to try and get things louder

Two questions: Who told you that and what "things" are they talking about?

For best results, you should NOT be recording with levels that hot, but rather paying attention to averaging around 0VU on the analog side, and letting the digital levels just come in where they come in (leaving the digital inputs at unity - that 0 mark about 2/3rds of the way up the level controls.)

Then once you have the mix put together, you can work on bringing up the volume. But - I know this sounds contradictory, but it's true - recording your tracks as hot as possible will actually limit how loud you'll be able to make your final mix.

G.

 

[Massive Master]

Word --

Start here: http://www.massivemastering.com/blog/html/blog_files/Proper_Audio_Recording_Levels.html

Then go here: http://www.massivemastering.com/blog/html/blog_files/My_Mixes_Are_Too_Quiet.html

Keeping in mind that the vast majority of "home brew" (for lack of a better term) does not have the same loudness potential as professionally recorded tracks, no matter who the mastering engineer might be.

Not trying to discourage - Just throwing in a touch of reality.

 

[raximus]

Thanks guys, those are really helpful.

So you recommend recording at lower than 0Db on the actual DB meter on my phonic helix board?

Ie: dont have the gain up so much?

If so, how do you make it louder further down the road?

Cheers

 

[Massive Master]

Assuming the "0dB" on the board is 0dBVU, then yes - That or below.

Should give you around -18dB(FS)RMS in the DAW, hopefully peaking at maybe -10dBFS here and there.

Either (A) let the mastering guy worry about the sheer volume potential or (B) get the mix as good as you can and see what happens when you ram it into a limiter.