Initial recording monitor level???HELP?

H

HFR

New member
I am using Nuendo 1.5 but this is a basic recording question. When I am initially recording my tracks I can see the track's recorded monitor level. So, If I am recording an instrument digitally should I set the monitor fader in so the highest reading is 0 or -0.5 or 1 coming in? I'm assuming it's 0 now....What about higher peaks during the song, what if they are higher? Do I ignore them and take the average monitor reading coming in to 0?
thanks
 
You should make sure you peak below 0 db. You can not exceed 0 db in digital recording without clipping.
 
http://www.homerecording.com/bbs/showthread.php?threadid=22659

To reiterate. The fader's in software have no affect on the input signal. Your signal source governs the level into your soundcard, whether it be the output of your mixer or a synth or any other line level signal into your soundcard. Some soundcards allow you to control the input via software, most pro-sumer cards do not.

And no, you don't ignore peaks above 0(unless it doesn't sound obviously distorted), you set the output of your mixer or whatever the source is so that at its maximum, it doesn't exceed 0dB.




[Edited by Emeric on 02-03-2001 at 18:49]
 
uh yeah. you don't want clipping. clipping bad.

my software has a little read "button" which tells me if I clipped. If that happens, it means there was a boo-boo and I probably need to redo the recording, or overdub that section. I might fix it by either reducing the volume on the source, or reducing the input gain in my software (if it was set over 1:1), or compress the source (with a compressor)... if I don't like the way either of the first two options sounded.

I tink dat rat.

jk
 
oh yeah. My understanding is, as a general rule of thumb you should try to get your source signal (input to computer) to be as 'hot' (loud) as possible-- without causing any clipping that is, or generating any other types of input distortion (i.e. you might have a limit on how loud you can kick up the source, without it distorting).

The 'average signal' reading in your software seems to me like it should definitely not be used as a sole guide because it doesn't tell you if you clipped at some point-- which usually sounds like poo poo, but you probably got that one already.

Oh, and by the way, my software does in fact allow you do boost the input or decrease it to a certain extent, but I am sure that Emeric is right, and most software/cards don't.

jk
 
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