Well, I don't have a db reader yet, but if I did, then I would play a cd through my monitors to get the overall volume of my monitors at the correct level.
For now, the first thing I do is listen to the cd or cds that I am referencing while I pull the faders down to infinity.. the eq's, aux sends and returns to zero, and turn the gain pots all the way down. Nothing more annoying than realizing your mix sucks because you are mixing with parameters from the last tune you were working on. Totally messes up your ears too.
As the music is playing, I then bring the fader of channel one up to 0db and turn the gain up slowly until it clips at the loudest level of the music. I then bring it down just under the clipping position. I repeat for each channel.
After the mixer is properly calibrated to my satisfaction, I then do nothing else but move the channel faders until all the channels sit well. I have masking tape with fader settings at each channel where I pen in the adjustments needed while the song is playing. Now that I have a basic mix, I do whatever cuts in eq necessary. Then I print a copy of it to DAT and listen through headphones for any finite details that are sticking out that need to be mixed out, such as string scrapes or noises during silent parts. After fixing these, I make judgements as to compression and fx.
I then spend my time trying out my mix in the cd player, the computer, and in the car.
Cy
