level

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daveblue222

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when recording into cubase or any other similar program or device. what should the db- level set at?

at the moment i am just recording into a digital multitrack, although at college we use desks ect...

i was just wondering because when i record into my digital multitrack it says to set the level a X amount. when i transfer this into cubase the level sometimes seems to high, almost clipping. however when at college our tutor normally gets a level where it is nowhere near clipping, maybe even to low. i think he said something about its better to record slightly lower than normal rather than slightly higher. there is a noticible difference between the two. if recorded louder the source sounds un-naturual and harsh

any opinions on this?
 
Any time you record anything, the recording level needs to reference line level. Line level is where the mic preamps, mixing boards, compressores, EQ's, and anything else on the analog side of things is designed to run best.

The exact level in your DAW will depend on how your converters are calibrated.

Now, to add to the confusion, VU meters on analog equipment show you the average level of the signal (because that's what matters), and digital meters show you the level of the peaks of the signal. So, it takes some imagination to set good recording levels using only the meters in your DAW.

The common calibration that everyone sites is -18dbfs (in the DAW) = 0dbVU (analog). Remember, this is average level. The peaks, depending on the type of signal you are recording, can be much higher.

What I do is set my levels of a sustained note to -18dbfs, and let the peaks fall where they may. (as long as they don't clip)
 
Farview, does that hold true for recording in 16bit also?

If not which I suspect, what is a good lvl for recording in 16 bit?
 
NYMorningstar said:
Farview, does that hold true for recording in 16bit also?

If not which I suspect, what is a good lvl for recording in 16 bit?
Click to expand...
It does hold true for 16bit. However, 16 bit converters were normally calibrated higher, like around -10 or -12dbfs.

It was never about the peak level, it's about running your gear at line level. It always has been.
 
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