I am recording vocals in Cakewalk Home Studio 2, using a rack mounted compressor and a small mixer.
http://www.behringer.com/UB802/index.cfm?lang=ENG
My connections are good/the connections setup is right.
-Using a mic into the mixer; I am getting levels on the mixer, the compressor and in Cakewalk.
-Singing into mic, while adjusting "trim" in a Cakewalk track, I set a max level just below 0 db in the Cakewalk track meter.
-I have the compressor attack and release on auto.
-It seems to be compressing/limiting; when I sing, it won't go past 0db on the Cakewalk meter. (When I turn off the compressor, the levels drop drastically.)
-But, when I playback the track- the level shows lower in Cakewalk (i.e. During recording/singing the level was near 0db, but then the playback level shows near -18db.)
[Note: I take the "arm track" button off for playback. This level difference will be present also if I turn off the compressor during playback.]
I have already been informed to:
-To use the tape to control room/NOT the tape to mix button to have the vocals right with the compressor.
-To have ALL of the volume sliders (in Cakewalk) all the way down, or else it will mix with the other sounds and defeat the purpose of getting the compressed audio.
I can see just having the vox track all the way down during recording - but when I put all of the sliders down; I don't hear ANY of the tracks.
How do I coordinate the trim in Cakewalk, the volume slider(s) in Cakewalk, with the mixer and compressor levels?
I just want to do vocals that will sound fairly clean/not distorted/not too low.
Isn't the ideal recording level just below 0db, but not too low?
I'm really racking my brain on this -help is needed and appreciated.
http://www.behringer.com/UB802/index.cfm?lang=ENG
My connections are good/the connections setup is right.
-Using a mic into the mixer; I am getting levels on the mixer, the compressor and in Cakewalk.
-Singing into mic, while adjusting "trim" in a Cakewalk track, I set a max level just below 0 db in the Cakewalk track meter.
-I have the compressor attack and release on auto.
-It seems to be compressing/limiting; when I sing, it won't go past 0db on the Cakewalk meter. (When I turn off the compressor, the levels drop drastically.)
-But, when I playback the track- the level shows lower in Cakewalk (i.e. During recording/singing the level was near 0db, but then the playback level shows near -18db.)
[Note: I take the "arm track" button off for playback. This level difference will be present also if I turn off the compressor during playback.]
I have already been informed to:
-To use the tape to control room/NOT the tape to mix button to have the vocals right with the compressor.
-To have ALL of the volume sliders (in Cakewalk) all the way down, or else it will mix with the other sounds and defeat the purpose of getting the compressed audio.
I can see just having the vox track all the way down during recording - but when I put all of the sliders down; I don't hear ANY of the tracks.
How do I coordinate the trim in Cakewalk, the volume slider(s) in Cakewalk, with the mixer and compressor levels?
I just want to do vocals that will sound fairly clean/not distorted/not too low.
Isn't the ideal recording level just below 0db, but not too low?
I'm really racking my brain on this -help is needed and appreciated.