How set vocal recording level?

As I read it, he asked 'how a plugin works on the analog input before the AD converter'. I think..

I dont think the plugin has anything to do with it? The plugin would be post or after.
 
Yes, because he was responding to your advise about using a limiter to keep from clipping.
In a thread about setting record levels, advise about using a limiter plug to avoid clipping isn't useful. (As you just pointed out)
 
Ray, said something about compression or clipping or normalizing post..So I included my limiting tip. Which is useful.

It works for me. i don't clip. I dont even need to look at the screen.
 
If the conversation is rattling on about recording a track.. And people start offering advice or tips..You don't criticize what you cannot use. Just say thank you. Move on..

Especially in a 'how to set vocal level' ...some limiter tips might be useful...guess not..cause youre all meatheads, and want to fight? Im in.
 
is it burger time?

So meaty..

Digest this


It doesnt distort. It doesnt only look at the peaks like normalizing..It seems to be the perfect way to set your vocal recording level.
 
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LazerBeakShiek said:
is it burger time?

So meaty..

Digest this


It doesnt distort. It doesnt only look at the peaks like normalizing..It seems to be the perfect way to set your vocal recording level.
Click to expand...

He is talking about putting a limiter on an already recorded track. He is not using the limiter to set the vocal recording level, he is using it to help the vocal sit better in the mix.

Since the OP is ESL and asking a very basic question, adding comments about mixing techniques that have nothing to do with his question could easily confuse him. Especially since your post was misunderstood by people who do speak English and have knowledge in this area.
 
No , he describes using it to prevent clipping. That would or could be a live application.

I think my answers were respectful and reasonably on target.

I couldn't understand what he was saying to be honest.
 
LazerBeakShiek said:
No , he describes using it to prevent clipping. That would or could be a live application.
Click to expand...
Right, clipping the channel or the mix, not clipping the A/D converters on the way in. You can't use a plugin to prevent clipping the interface during recording. By the time the audio gets to the plugin, it's too late.
 
My post #7 had nothing to do with AD converters on the way in..It was in response to Ray's post about how he likes normalization.

Also, if you follow my suggestion of trying -6bd target and limit the incoming, it would not necessarily clip in the interface before the AD either .
 
LazerBeakShiek said:
You can set the limiter to -6 in the DAW. When you record it will prevent clipping.
Click to expand...
You can clip the input this way, the limiter will just take the signal clipped at the interface and turn that clipped signal down. It will make the meter look like you aren't clipping, but the signal is still clipped.
 
LazerBeakShiek said:
Like if I select a limiter UNison model is that in the DAW or the interface?..shits getting too technical.
Click to expand...
If it is a plugin, it is after the A/D converters. Since the point is to not clip the converters, all the plugin will do is stop you from being able to monitor the level hitting the converters with the meter in the DAW.
 
LazerBeakShiek said:
When was the thread about this?
Click to expand...
The whole point of setting record levels is to get the signal into the sweet spot between getting a high enough signal to noise ratio and clipping. Since DAWs are almost all floating point, the only real way to actually clip the signal is by overloading the converters.
 
LazerBeakShiek said:
Also, if you follow my suggestion of trying -6bd target and limit the incoming, it would not necessarily clip in the interface before the AD either .
Click to expand...
If you put a limiter on the input channel, the meters will now read the output of the limiter, not the output of the converters. So, you will be able to keep turning up the input and the meters will never read more than what you have the limiter set for. If you do that, you don't know if you are clipping or not.

It also makes the limiter kind of useless, since it isn't keeping you from clipping, it's just making the meters lie to you.
 
If you target -6 to -8 peaks. That leaves quite a bit of room before hardware clipping would start.

In a vocal track I don't have +8 spikes above the peaks.
 
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