question on Sonar's 'trim' feature

[maryslittlesecret]

Howdy, all. The question is simple -- what is it? From toying around with it, the trim slider (found on each audio track) just seems to be a secondary volume for both recording level and playback. Am I missing out on a more profound use?

Along the same lines, does anyone have tips or suggestions for how to set record levels. I have a volume control on my soundcard, a volume on each Sonar track, and now the mysterious 'trim' control... which should be turned up/turned down to get the cleanest input level?

Either way, these are not desperate questions -- I've made it along fine using Sonar without the trim feature, but if you have some answeres or thought, please share. Thanks!

J
http://www.30SoS.com

 

[dachay2tnr]

Mary, Mary -

Since no one else has answered you, I'll take a crack.

I think the trim control is used for calibrating your faders. It allows you to make volume adjustments without changing the setting of your faders. Don't know exactly how you would do this, unless you had a sound source with a known db level.

If it's any consolation, I don't use the trim control either.

As for the volume issue - I don't believe any of the volume controls you referred to have any bearing on recording volumes. They would effect playback only. The output from your pre-amp or mixer is what will determine your recording volume levels.

 

[JasonBird]

Hi Mary,
A trim pot is the same as a gain knob. You use it to adjust your microphone input. turn it clockwise till the meters are just getting near unity, or 0 db. Once it's set you shouldn't have to mess with again...hope that helps you.
*bird*

 

[rjt]

According to page 3-17 of the manual:

Volume trim is a pre-fader control which allows fine tuningof a single tracks volume.

It goes on to give an example of wanting to use grouped faders, but having one track which is too loud. The trim could be used to equalize the volumes of the track so the grouped faders could be used.

 

[John Sayers]

As I understand it the input is fixed and can only be changed at the soundcard volume control or at the source.

The trim control is for when you have just done a whole volume event draw say on a vocal and you want to change the volume of the whole track yet still keep all the volume changes you drew.

cheers
John