Audio is too soft

[happinesstudios]

I am putting the gain, mix, and headphone knobs as high as they can without distortion (or with minimum distortion). Should i be raising the volumes on pro tools?

 

[RAMI]

Can you tell us what level you're actually getting on your recordings, in numbers, ie: -12db, etc....
It will be easier to help you if you can tell us what level the guitar is recording at on the meters.

OP...do you have any info on the levels yet? Input level? Output on the meters?

What are you seeing as far as peaks in Pro Tools?

Are you just guessing at the levels, or are you looking at the peaks and stuff on the computer monitor?

Is there a reason you're avoiding answering this? If you don't know, just say "I don't know". it's alright, we'll help you out with what to look for and your gain staging in general.

 

[LDS]

Speaking of cabling...

Could you please furnish some more details, like the model number of the Mbox and how you're connecting it to the PC?

 

[happinesstudios]

Is there a reason you're avoiding answering this? If you don't know, just say "I don't know". it's alright, we'll help you out with what to look for and your gain staging in general.

I dont think I know. Is it the green/yellow/red bar on the mix window?

to LDS, on the back of it under model number all it says is 'MBOX' and I am connecting it via USB

 

[volltreffer]

Dunno your setup and protools, but it sounds to me as if you switched a sensitivity too low in protools and try to compensate via a hotter mic pre setting... Perhaps someone knowing pro tools might jump in on that...

aXel

 

[LDS]

Can't really do much to help you without more info. There are several Mbox interfaces. Try reading the manual that came with it, that should tell you which model is in it and how to set up your gain staging.

 

[happinesstudios]

Well thanks anyways

 

[PRHunt]

Well thanks anyways

Dude, don't give in!

(Disclaimer: I don't use protools or mbox, but I wont let that stop me...)

In Protools, do nothing with the track slider while recording. Leave at at the default 0dB position.

Turn down the knobs on the mbox. If you have a Pad switch, make sure it is not engaged.

As you play, watch the track meter in Protools. Above the bouncing coloured meter display, you should see the peaks being displayed as numbers.

You want your peaks to be at about -12dB (that is minus 12 dB). Turn up the mbox knobs until you see the peak at around -12dB. If the signal peaks hit 0dB or more on the peak meter, then you are into digital clipping = horrid distortion. -12dB gives you a good clean track (assuming that the signal itself is not distorted).

If you have XLR connectors make sure they are pushed together - you should hear and feel a click when you connect a cable to the microphone.

Once you have a clean track recorded, you can mix it and worry about final loudness at the very end. Just turn up the monitor/headphone in the meantime.

Hopefully something here will move you along.

Paul

 

[guitarded2]

I don't use pro tools and I'm on a laptop so I can't hear well or offer much help but from what i can tell it seems like the master bus/channel on the software is turned to low or maybe just the track volume itself I don't hear any overwhelming noise so thats kinda my guess on the take.

 

[moresound]

Is there a reason you're avoiding answering this? If you don't know, just say "I don't know". it's alright, we'll help you out with what to look for and your gain staging in general.

I don't know.

 

[happinesstudios]

Dude, don't give in!

(Disclaimer: I don't use protools or mbox, but I wont let that stop me...)

In Protools, do nothing with the track slider while recording. Leave at at the default 0dB position.

Turn down the knobs on the mbox. If you have a Pad switch, make sure it is not engaged.

As you play, watch the track meter in Protools. Above the bouncing coloured meter display, you should see the peaks being displayed as numbers.

You want your peaks to be at about -12dB (that is minus 12 dB). Turn up the mbox knobs until you see the peak at around -12dB. If the signal peaks hit 0dB or more on the peak meter, then you are into digital clipping = horrid distortion. -12dB gives you a good clean track (assuming that the signal itself is not distorted).

If you have XLR connectors make sure they are pushed together - you should hear and feel a click when you connect a cable to the microphone.

Once you have a clean track recorded, you can mix it and worry about final loudness at the very end. Just turn up the monitor/headphone in the meantime.

Hopefully something here will move you along.

Paul

Hey, thanks for the encouragement! Ill give it another shot right now.

Well if Im looking at this right, Im looking at the mix window and the Green/Yellow/Red bar with the numbers to the right of it. It is in the low green, around -60.

Tapping the mic on the head of it only brings it to -22, about the middle of the green area.

I actually think I may have found the source of my problem though. I am using a Windows 7 64 Bit computer and it seems this isnt a supported OS. Also, under 'Devices' on my computer, it is listed as "Unspecified." I have been looking for a driver or something but can't seem to find anything. I probably should have done more research before I bought this damn thing, haha. Maybe Ill get lucky and find a driver that works.