Optimum Gain/Level Settings

[Purge]

So many choices, and so many places in the signal chain to increase/decrease gain/levels. If I'm recording guitar, for example:

Guitar volume knob-->
Effects processor preamp (Boss GT-6)-->
Guitar amp volume-->
Pre-fader gain on the mixer, if using inserts (compression, reverb, W/E)-->
Mixer faders-->
Auxilliary levels (equalizers, W/E)-->
Levels on whatever recording device is being used-->

and on and on and so forth, with even more headaches involving drums and mics and what-not. With so many options for raising and lowering your signal, how do you choose how much to apply to what? Some of these options are a little easier than others to choose: i.e. nobody really uses a guitar's volume knob for volume...it's pretty much a glorified tone knob. And if you're unfortunate enough to use an M-eq 230 like I do, the gain increase on there isn't worth ripping your fingers off trying to move those sucky miniscule faders. But the further you go into the signal chain, the more level tweaking you do. Where do you guys usually start? And when do you stop boosting?

 

[Rokket]

Use your ears and watch the meters. Go as close to 0db as you can without clipping and just get what sounds good to you, through speakers AND headphones. Keep in mind that headphones should not be used for the final mix... I usually start with my faders down and the input levels zeroed out, and move them from there, a bit at a time. And your amp volume will affect more than your tone. If you start with the volume at Spinal Tap "11", you will have problems later on trying to get the levels down so that they don't over-run the rest of the mix. Just use what sounds good to you and let it fly. You will find after some trial and error that certain set-ups will work for certain instruments, and you can always use a chart to mark the levels so that you can set up on the fly after that.

 

[Purge]

Spinal Tap 11, nice!

I think I'm asking something a bit different though. We'll take it as a given that the level meters should be around (or a bit below) the "0" mark. A pro recording engineer literally has an infinite number of possibilties of volume knobs, level faders, etc. to get to that mark. (oh, BTW, I meant the volume knob on the guitar itself, not the amp...) Even in a budget setup like what I've got, there are still a ton of places in that signal chain for the sound to go to before we hit the 0db spot--preamp X + amp Y + effects Z + whatever else eventually = optimum level setting. I would think it tends to go a bit beyond "use the ear" seeing how trying every single combination (again, even in a meager studio like mine) would excede the scope of a lifetime. Maybe the answer is as simple as "find the crappy spot in the chain where the signal can be increased and axe it", but even then (in the case of a pro studio) this isn't really an option. Does this make sense at all?

 

[Cloneboy Studio]

Where do I start with this one? Hrmm... never mind... I can sense a rant coming. Must... restrain... myself....

Dude, it's not hard.

Crank your *TUBE* amp and set phasers to kill. That's how you record guitar. Well, and a little help from a MD421, RE20, AKG 414 or whatever mic you like to use (those are mine).

In all honesty effects sends/returns really aren't part of your gain structure. Set the input/sends to a level that leaves adequete headroom and the output/return levels at the wetness level you need. You should be running those on the console and not in the guitar chain anyway....

I don't know what 0db you are talking about but I hope you don't mean 0 dbfs on your recording device. God help you.

When recording the mixer faders should be set to 0 or about 70% of the way up. If that is too loud/too quiet adjust your microphone/line level PREAMP gain/trim or engage pad.