i should know the answer to this by now...

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jsebastiano

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when mixing, would anyone say it is important to get hot levels from the get go on the instrumental and vocal tracks, or just set them relative and go straight for the master faders?

either way, if i crank the track faders, then the master fader doesn't go up much... or if i skimp the tracks, then the master gets juiced... ? does it matter?
 
Get the mix right on channel faders and leave the master alone. Make sure you always have plenty of headroom: don't let your mix get too close to 0dBFS. Deal with the final level adjustments in the mastering stage, not during the mix.
 
when mixing, would anyone say it is important to get hot levels from the get go on the instrumental and vocal tracks, or just set them relative and go straight for the master faders?
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It's more important to never even approach "hot" levels. I'd bet when I'm mixing I don't ever have an individual track hitting above -15 or -12dBFS.
 
cool cool, as i suspected.... thats pretty much how i have been handling it...haven't had trouble with head room... plenty of dynamics... i just throw a limiter on the master at -0.3 without compression, keeping the threshold at 0.
 
jsebastiano said:
i just throw a limiter on the master at -0.3 without compression, keeping the threshold at 0.
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A limiter is a compressor. When mixing you shouldn't need a limiter. You final mix should be more or less around -10dBFS.
 
jsebastiano said:
cool cool, as i suspected.... thats pretty much how i have been handling it...haven't had trouble with head room... plenty of dynamics... i just throw a limiter on the master at -0.3 without compression, keeping the threshold at 0.
Click to expand...
You're mixing up your processes. The word "Hot" shouldn't even come into the conversation when mixing., as was mentioned above. Mix low (which is really normal, but considered low to a lot of newbs who think they should be peaking as "hot as possible without clipping") and turn up your monitors.
 
jsebastiano said:
when mixing, would anyone say it is important to get hot levels from the get go on the instrumental and vocal tracks, or just set them relative and go straight for the master faders?

either way, if i crank the track faders, then the master fader doesn't go up much... or if i skimp the tracks, then the master gets juiced... ? does it matter?
Click to expand...
It depends on if this is live sound or not, the answers so far are for mixing recorded tracks basically.

For live sound you do want your input signals to each channel to be strong(hot). Get the maximum gain with the input preamp where it is most efficiently obtained. Your input attenuator should be set just shy of clipping. Setting it is going to change depending on the mics output level, the strength of the singers voice and/or his mic techniques(beware-some singers clip the mic trying to get the max volume from their voices). Common sense and experience will help you zone in on where the right settings are.

If you have too much attenuation or padding at the preamp level and depend on the channel's or master's gain controls, then you will be getting a less than optimal signal to noise ratio. RTFM for the mixer you have. Since there is soo much going on in Watervliet, you should have plenty of time, lol.
 
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