Pre-amps and Setting The Correct Levels

alvinthedrummer said:
All kinds, jazz, rock, funk...

I'm just confused on the concept of headroom. Shouldn't instruments that are more prone to accidental clipping have a lower recording level? Isn't -12 lower than -6? Why is it that drums are set at -6...isn't that closer to red than -12?
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Dude stop making it so hard :D

I set my drums at -6db because its not clipping when the master fader its set at 0db & all the tracks in the song are playing.

It sounds good to me that way period.
 
alvinthedrummer said:
Hi Farview,

I don't quite get the headroom bit. Why should the drums peak at a higher level than the other instruments since they have a chance of being louder? If the other instruments are peaked at -12 then shouldn't the drums be even lower than that?

Please advice,
Thanks!
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I must not be making myself clear. You aren't supposed to make things peak at -12dbfs. You are supposed to make them average at -12. For the most part, make the meter light up consistantly to -12 and have the transients above that. I don't know how else to explain it.
The reason drums need to PEAK at -6 is because there is no sustain to drums, so if you try to average them at -12, you will be clipping.
 
Finally, I have bored everyone out of this thread. I have it all to my self now. Hurray!
 
Dither and summing. Are they twins? Cool if they are, but even cooler if ones the mom, and the other the daughter.....
 
This isn't really on topic but what the hey. i was in a music store at the weekend and asking the rep about the differences between 44.1, 48 and 96 khz etc. He said that the higher you go the more detail you get and the harder it is to get digital clipping. Is this true?

Dave
 
cellardweller said:
Wow! It sure is taking a while to type that response. I can't wait to read it...
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That was the response to the question. I am perfectly capable of explaining those two topics. I'm just not going to.
 
Fire Dome said:
This isn't really on topic but what the hey. i was in a music store at the weekend and asking the rep about the differences between 44.1, 48 and 96 khz etc. He said that the higher you go the more detail you get and the harder it is to get digital clipping. Is this true?

Dave
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No, it is not true. do not listen to anything else this guy this guy says.
 
Hi Guys,

Thanks heaps for helping out. Now, I've tried asking for opinions on the ETEK Dynamagic Compressor under "Racks" but got no reply so I thought I'll ask here.

How good is this unit on a budget? Would you recommend using a budget compressor to record vocals and drums or rather not use one at all? Please advice!! Thanks!
 
I just read the owners manual. It might be a neat toy under the right circumstances, but it will not behave like a normal compressor. It also doesn't have attack and release adjustments (beyond fast and slow) and with a multiband compressor, you really need to know what you are doing and have more control over the attack and release. If this thing is under $500 bucks, it is probably junk anyway.
 
Farview said:
I just read the owners manual. It might be a neat toy under the right circumstances, but it will not behave like a normal compressor. It also doesn't have attack and release adjustments (beyond fast and slow) and with a multiband compressor, you really need to know what you are doing and have more control over the attack and release. If this thing is under $500 bucks, it is probably junk anyway.
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Ok, thanks for taking the time to read up. Now, I'm using a MOTU traveler and dunno if I should use a plug-in compressor while recording or not, will latency be an issue? Or should I just use the plug-in during mix-down. Although my tracks involve the use of some vst instruments, there are alot of live instruments involved too and I'm looking for a more open and natural sound. I would also want the live instruments to blend in well with the vst instruments and not sound too detached like as if the live instruments are "playing long" to a cd stereo if you know what i mean. Any ideas?
 
Recording through plugin compressors isn't very useful. A hardware compressor would be a good addition, just not that one. A DBX 1066 would be cool. Or even an Art pro vla.
 
Yea, I dun have the budget for a 1066 now....the only reason why i thought of the etek was becos it was on ebay for a measly $100 brand new. I guess I'll just record without a compressor and just deal with it during mixdown later.
 
what about dbx 266XL

i just picked up a dbx 266XL on sale for about $100.00.
I know it prolly doesnt compare to the $400.00 1066, but is it pretty good?

I am still trying to figure out how best to use it. When I run my input channels through it I seem to be able to gate out stuff I dont want (maybe slight background sounds) and apply compression (ive been using 2:1) and even gain (i am not sure if this is a very good place to apply gain)

Can I use the compressor though to prevent clipping and therefore turn up my mic gain? Right now I am averaging -12 but it sounds rather quiet to me, not beefy.

I know this question must seem rather thick after all the talk about head room etc. and considering everything ive just read on this highly informative thread, but, still the question remains for me. how can I make the sound jump out at me when the levels seem so quiet?

thanks,
alex
 
luminosityband said:
how can I make the sound jump out at me when the levels seem so quiet?

thanks,
alex
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Turn up the vocals in the mix. Mixing and tracking are 2 different things. Once you have good level to tape (hard drive) you can mix it any way you want. Once you are done mixing, it is time for mastering. That is where the overall volume of the mix comes from. If you want something to jump out, turn it up louder than the rest of the instruments.
 
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