Need help AGAIN

  • Thread starter Thread starter NOOB101
  • Start date Start date
N

NOOB101

New member
Sorry we ask for a lot of help, butttttttt...


For some reason when we record bass it CLIPS. a lot.

www.myspace.com/dyslexiccrown

(it's the song called Circles)

What do we do?

And we don't want the volume to be too quiet(seeing as we are a funk band)

Any way we can fix this on Cuebase LE 4?

Thanks!

-DC
 
you need to track everything seperately in order to equal out the spectrum.
set the track fader at 0 db then turn up the gain as high as possible without clipping the track.
Mic every piece of the drums if you can at least left and right overheads, kick, snare and high hat need to have their own mic and use seperate tracks for them as well, this way you have more control of the editing process.
 
Roguetitan said:
you need to track everything seperately in order to equal out the spectrum.
set the track fader at 0 db then turn up the gain as high as possible without clipping the track.
Mic every piece of the drums if you can at least left and right overheads, kick, snare and high hat need to have their own mic and use seperate tracks for them as well, this way you have more control of the editing process.
Click to expand...


We did this.

We first recorded the drums using 5 mics. (bass, high tom, low tom, snare, and overhead)

Then recorded bass(I went straight into the Line out on the back of my amp into the interface using an XLR.)

Then guitar

Then vocals
 
NOOB101 said:
We did this.

We first recorded the drums using 5 mics. (bass, high tom, low tom, snare, and overhead)

Then recorded bass(I went straight into the Line out on the back of my amp into the interface using an XLR.)

Then guitar

Then vocals
Click to expand...

it sounded as though everything was recorded on one track

you simply need to bring up the levels on all the tracks, normalize all the tracks and just continue to monkey around with the song until you get it sounding the way you want.
you may have to mixdown several times before you get the fiished results you are looking for.
 
You need to track the bass directly to the board or soundcard or interface using a direct box. You also might need a compressor to even the peaks without squashing the performance dynamics. Bass is truly a predominant insturment in bass but if you hear bands like Motown or Betty Davis, George Clinton, Funkadelic you'll hear a punchy bass that is not loud, just... you know, it has the perfect combination of "bite" and "muscle". Hope it helps.

PS: You need to hear more old school funk. Your music sounds like RHCP... and that's not the real funk if you ask me. Grab some albums of James Brown, The Funk Brothers or Stevie Wonder.
PS2: Check out his contemporary band: Jurassik Funk http://www.myspace.com/jurassikfunk
 
killthepixelnow said:
You need to track the bass directly to the board or soundcard or interface using a direct box. You also might need a compressor to even the peaks without squashing the performance dynamics. Bass is truly a predominant insturment in bass but if you hear bands like Motown or Betty Davis, George Clinton, Funkadelic you'll hear a punchy bass that is not loud, just... you know, it has the perfect combination of "bite" and "muscle". Hope it helps.

PS: You need to hear more old school funk. Your music sounds like RHCP... and that's not the real funk if you ask me. Grab some albums of James Brown, The Funk Brothers or Stevie Wonder.
PS2: Check out his contemporary band: Jurassik Funk http://www.myspace.com/jurassikfunk
Click to expand...
Which is funny because we don't really listen to the chili peppers. we like them a lot but dont really listen to them. I feel like we are really influenced by Incubus' S.C.I.E.N.C.E. and Fungus Amongus. p.s. we already listen to all of that stuff you listed. It's just that it isn't really the direction we wanna go in. We like that Incubus/Jamiroquai feel with a little Mars Volta kind of drumming(but not poly rhythmic)
 
NOOB101 said:
Sorry we ask for a lot of help, butttttttt...


For some reason when we record bass it CLIPS. a lot.

www.myspace.com/dyslexiccrown

(it's the song called Circles)

What do we do?

And we don't want the volume to be too quiet(seeing as we are a funk band)

Any way we can fix this on Cuebase LE 4?

Thanks!

-DC
Click to expand...

Forgive me if I state the obvious, but unlike analog recording, digital recording has zero headroom. You never want to go into the red - ever.
 
ggunn said:
Forgive me if I state the obvious, but unlike analog recording, digital recording has zero headroom. You never want to go into the red - ever.
Click to expand...

Ain't that the truth. Digital clipping is very very unpleasant.
 
Zaphod B said:
Ain't that the truth. Digital clipping is very very unpleasant.
Click to expand...

So is white pseudo funk. I've done it and I sucked. But that's my prob...
Active or passive bass??? Compression is yer friend.
 
Roguetitan said:
set the track fader at 0 db then turn up the gain as high as possible without clipping the track.
Click to expand...

No no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no

Don't do that. Not if you are recording digitally. An average of roughly -18dbFS, with peaks not much higher than -6dbFS is more around the mark you want.

If you're recording analogue, then getting it close to but below clipping is ok. Clipping in analogue is in fact ok to some extent. 0bdVU (analogue) is equalivalent to roughly -18dbFS (digital). It varies slightly depending on your hardware.

Put it this way...If you have a tune with around, say, 10 tracks, and you have all the tracks going just below clipping, then you master output is going to clip something rotten.

The "record as loud as you can with clipping" thing is advice that gets thrown around a lot by a lot of software or hardware manufacturers, but it ain't right.
With digital, you just don't need to record it as loud as that. There are a lot of threads about this subject on the forum that are worth reading.
 
Last edited:
NOOB101 said:
And we don't want the volume to be too quiet(seeing as we are a funk band)

Any way we can fix this on Cuebase LE 4?
Click to expand...

There is very little connection between recording level and final volume. That's what mastering is for.

You can't fix it once it is recorded too hot.
 
legionserial said:
No no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no

Don't do that. Not if you are recording digitally. An average of roughly -18dbFS, with peaks not much higher than -6dbFS is more around the mark you want.

If you're recording analogue, then getting it close to but below clipping is ok. Clipping in analogue is in fact ok to some extent. 0bdVU (analogue) is equalivalent to roughly -18dbFS (digital). It varies slightly depending on your hardware.

Put it this way...If you have a tune with around, say, 10 tracks, and you have all the tracks going just below clipping, then you mater output is going to clip something rotten.

The "record as loud as you can with clipping" thing is advice that gets thrown around a lot by a lot of software or hardware manufacturers, but it ain't right.
With digital, you just don't need to record it as loud as that. There are a lot of threads about this subject on the forum that are worth reading.
Click to expand...

And this is why I'm on this forum.
I always thought signal as hot as possible too.Hmmm...maybe I'll clean out my crusty ol' gig damaged ears and REALLY listen.:D
 
legionserial said:
No no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no

Don't do that. Not if you are recording digitally. An average of roughly -18dbFS, with peaks not much higher than -6dbFS is more around the mark you want.

If you're recording analogue, then getting it close to but below clipping is ok. Clipping in analogue is in fact ok to some extent. 0bdVU (analogue) is equalivalent to roughly -18dbFS (digital). It varies slightly depending on your hardware.

Put it this way...If you have a tune with around, say, 10 tracks, and you have all the tracks going just below clipping, then you master output is going to clip something rotten.

The "record as loud as you can with clipping" thing is advice that gets thrown around a lot by a lot of software or hardware manufacturers, but it ain't right.
With digital, you just don't need to record it as loud as that. There are a lot of threads about this subject on the forum that are worth reading.
Click to expand...

I have never had any tracks clip recording on Reaper or the VS 2000 as long as I keep the track levels in the green while playing the hardest and highest notes which is yes about -14 to -18 db depending on how hot of a signal is that is going into the mixer>(WITH THE FADERS SET AT 0 DB)< I always set my gain with the faders set at 0db which is common practice BTW whether you are EQ'ing for live sound or recording. 0db is the celing and should never record reaching the celing because it will clip, however the gain should always be set with track and master faders set at 0 db and should be recorded with all track faders sub group faders and master faders set at 0 db.

you have the misconception that I am advising the OP to set the gain level set at 0 db nor does sound board or DAW manufactures recomend setting gain levels reaching 0 db
the manufacturers advise is right on unless it is mis-read aparently as you have done
yes you should record as loud as you possibly can without the track clipping which is going to be roughly where you mentioned, -18 below 0db.

I usually record with the gain level at -14 db
 
I know that leaving the faders at 0 is normal. I wasn't questioning that, but in terms of digital, "Record as loud as you can without the track clipping" means the same as "Peak at -0.1dbFS" to me.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top