levels when mixing. absolute relative

[WEBCYAN]

question.....

I use CEP to mix all my tracks.
Each track has its own fader and then there is the master fader too.

Are the track faders relative and the master absolute. that is...do the track levels simply dictate the volume relative to the other tracks and then you use the master to adjust the level as a whole so that clipping does not ensue.

cause heres how I have been doing it....

ill set the levels for all my tracks. then i mixdown. generally there is clipping. so i lower all levels by a set amount(time consuming...) and mixdown again.

is there a better way to do this?

 

[tvaillan]

I think you're right on the ball on that one webcyan.

personally, i set the master to 0db. set the tracks to 0db.

record track so that it peaks as close to 0db as possible.

once all the tracks are recorded i always have to fiddle with the individual track levels a bit. personally my master never changes from 0db's uless an automation is needed such that the master level is used as a fade out

then again .. my status says 'senior Member' but i'm still a Junior Member in my mind.. and will remain so for quite some time.

 

[BrettB]

If it clips ion Coolpro, but I'm satisfied with my mix, I usually just lower my master with a few dB.