I've been wondering-----recording level question

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rockironwebb

senior newbie caveman
I am using an alesis multimix 16 firewire recording into Mixcraft 5. When recording my drums, I've always had an issue with getting things leveled to 0db, even with gain all the way down. I've posted about the drum issue before and done the best I can and am able to record pretty good sounding drums. My issue now is while recording my band mates. For Bass, bass head has direct out,,,no problems, I am able to pfl him to 0db and then get a nice clear recording with good visual peaks. Guitar 1,,,going from preamp out and able to pfl to 0db. pretty good recording, but not nearly as good as the bass. Guitar 2, this is my main issue. Using a DI box, again using pfl and adjusting gain, getting to 0db, sounds good alone and while recording along with drums. The problem seems to be when we are all together. Drums and Bass are at a good level, but guitar1 and mainly guitar 2 get recorded at a not so loud level. I have to go in afterwards and turn them up. Am I going about things wrong? Is this just to much for my mixer? Any advice?
 
Not sure where you're getting the 0db ref (if it's peak you should keep some headroom below zero.
That aside if the tracks are recorded clean and I'm getting your drift here.. those relative levels are what they are -from the recording stage. Now pull down the ones that are too loud, bring others up and get your blend. -This mix mode.
 
sorry about the 0db thing, I guess unity is my meaning. I thought my goal was to set everything to peak at 0 on the meter. I am a newbie. took me a while to get 7 drum mics adjusted to sound good for me. I have no doubt that I am in need of a lot of learning. I only get to fuck with the guitar stuff for about three hours a week, and not really three. We try to squeeze in some playing while i'm dicking around with all of this technical stuff. I guess what I am trying to say is before I hit record and listen to things with the headphones, everyone seems to sound pretty even, but then I record and playback, and it sounds different. Is this uncommon? or my rookie mistake somewhere? is it normal?
 
Headphones while the srtuff is going on in the room/nearby? Yeah, allways (kinda sorta..) missing the live bleed will = less fun factor in the playback. I.e. it's a dryer', the feel changes..
 
If you are recording onto separate tracks, then it doesn't really matter how it sounds in headphones, nor does it matter what levels each instrument is being recorded at (so long as you are not going into overload). Comparative levels is what you sort out at the mixing stage.
 
Thanx for the help. Like I said, NEWBIE. I just started this hobby this past Feb., Took me a while to get to where I am with getting each individual track recorded, now I guess I can really start working on mixing skills. I got pretty good, clean individual tracks, getting them blended well will be my next mission. I have just been soooo focused on getting the best possible audio "into the box".
 
sorry about the 0db thing, I guess unity is my meaning. I thought my goal was to set everything to peak at 0 on the meter.
Click to expand...
Again - On WHAT meter? A digital PPM meter reading dBFS? An analog meter reading dBu or dBV? A pressure meter reading dBSPL?

ASSUMING you're talking about a digital meter, start with that link above. You shouldn't even be in the same zip code as -0dBFS. You *should* be somewhere "in the neighborhood" of 0dBVU, which is probably going to give you levels around -24 to -20dB(FS)RMS and peaks around maybe -12 to -10dBFS for percussives and a bit lower for "more musical" sources.

Trying to figure out if something sounds "odd" - *IF* you're actually overdriving the input stage on every channel - It's not even worth trying to track down.
 
The LED meter of the signal level of the main mix, on the Alesis mixer. I am a NEWBIE.
 
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