How to set volume

Z

Zachyboy4

New member
lets say i have my song mixed and eq'd. thats all set. but what is the best way to set the volume for the whole project? i have and output fader and a master volume fader in the mixer. (i only use logic so idk how other softwares are set up but i imagine them having similar principles)

output high master low? low high? both high with all of my tracks at lower volumes? opposite of that? or does it even matter?
 
Others can chime in with more specifics, but I don't think it matters as long as you don't clip anywhere along the virtual signal chain. If you blow things out in one effect, turning it back down in the next one or on the master fader may keep the master clipping light off, but I don't think it will recover the damage done upstream. Whether it's right or wrong, I think of the pieces of the DAW just as if they were real world devices. The levels need to be adjusted as you work your way down the chain so that all of them are operating in their sweet spots (which, BTW, I learned just yesterday are lower than I used to think they were).

J
 
i was thinking that would be the case. i exported the song in all of my combinations that i wont list again. ha. but they all sounded the same as far as i could tell.

The levels need to be adjusted as you work your way down the chain so that all of them are operating in their sweet spots (which, BTW, I learned just yesterday are lower than I used to think they were).
Click to expand...

and what would that be?
 
Zachyboy4 said:
lets say i have my song mixed and eq'd. thats all set. but what is the best way to set the volume for the whole project? i have and output fader and a master volume fader in the mixer. (i only use logic so idk how other softwares are set up but i imagine them having similar principles)

output high master low? low high? both high with all of my tracks at lower volumes? opposite of that? or does it even matter?
Click to expand...
It's best to try it a number of ways and then check each different way on other systems. You want your master to play relatively good on everything from computer speakers to a complete home stereo system maintaining the dynamics. Try it out in a car, on a boom box, playback on a PA etc. How does it translate on these systems? It's an art that you will develop and learn eventually after mucho trial and error.
 
Peaks at something like -12 to -9dbfs in the DAW. I used to aim for way higher, which may be fine for the final rendering of the overall track, but while tracking and then in the intermediate steps of the virtual chain it should stay lower, with plenty of headroom. At this level there's still plenty of dynamic range, which is what i used to worry about.

Not exactly the same topic as your original post, but this is a great thread...

https://homerecording.com/bbs/gener...bvu-dbfs-noise-you-correct-mixer-gain-204358/

J
 
it really depends on the color that your hardware gives to the sound, I would suggest exporting both versions and check them on as many systems as you can, to make sure which one sound better on most systems, and which one really is what you are looking for.

usually you need a -3 from the digital audio workstation, and 0 on the analog deck on the highest peak, but it changes, so don't use the numbers, use your ears.
 
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