Quick Newbie Question

  • Thread starter Thread starter Stevo7
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Stevo7

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Whats the difference between volume and trim? They both seem to do the same thing.

Thanks.
 
Think of trim as an adjustment to the input sensitivity of the preamp. Trim controls input, volume controls output.
 
I'm still a little confused. Should I only mess with the Trim level before recording? If I already have several tracks recorded, should I just use that Volume level to adjust each tracks volume?
 
Stevo7 said:
I'm still a little confused. Should I only mess with the Trim level before recording? If I already have several tracks recorded, should I just use that Volume level to adjust each tracks volume?
Click to expand...

yep you got it... Set the trim to record so you are not going into the red and then adjust w/ vol. to sit correctly in the mix.
 
I was under the impression that Trim controlled signal level before the FX bin while Volume controlled the signal level after it. Anybody know if this is indeed the case?
 
guttadaj said:
I was under the impression that Trim controlled signal level before the FX bin while Volume controlled the signal level after it. Anybody know if this is indeed the case?
Click to expand...

You're right, the trim control is to raise or lower a signal's level in order to put it at an optimal level BEFORE it hits the effects bin or any other controls on the virtual mixing console.

I don't think any of Sonar's controls have any effect at all on the actual recording level, but I could be wrong, I stopped upgrading at Sonar 2.2XL.

:)
 
Thanks for the confirmation, Strryder. Good to hear I'm not quite as confused as I think. :D

I've always used my soundcard's control panel (and my mixer level controls) to optimize the input level of recorded signal - never this Trim control.

Anyone else care to weigh in on whether this is the right way to do things. Or should this Trim control be used to adjust input level like others here are suggesting?

Thanks! :)
-Jeff
 
I use the trim control to adjust for the output of the device which is plugged into the preamp or mixer. Turn it down for a hot mic, turn it up for, say, a ribbon mic.
 
As already stated, Trim controls the volume level prior to the Track fader. As such, it can be used, for example, to calibrate the fader to get it to agree with some other source of measurement.

Personally I never have used it for anything. I certainly would not use it for making recording level adjustments - since it is obviously downstream from your sound card. If the sound card clips the signal, it really doesn't matter what your trim level is set at. :(

OTOH, I have used the offset mode to make volume adjustments. I find this tool useful on occasion to adjust the overall volume level of a track that already has a volume envelope on it. There are other ways to do it, but this one seems the most handy to me. Only negative is that when you toggle back to normal mode, you can no longer "see" that you have made an offset adjustment.
 
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