Will i turn down the volume??

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paokz

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I am mixing a song right now..And i just want to turn down all volumes so go to the mastering process..Will i turn down all volumes faders..I mean reverb group..Or only the volumes to the tracks with the vocal and instrummental..?Thanks
 
Anyone pleaze...One more time..I am using 5 tracks..Instrumental voice 2 track with back voices a group track and a reverb..i am in the moment that i want to master the track..So i have to make good level right for master right?..So i turn down all volume faders??..Or i hold to 0 reverb and group..Or what?
 
As it's only 5 tracks I'd reduce all the individual faders by exactly the same dB amount and see where that gets you. If it was 32 tracks I'd do otherwise, after giving myself an uppercut for letting it get that way in the first place...
 
If your sends are post-fade, you only turn down the sources. If pre-fade, you'll need to turn down the effects returns also.
 
Armistice said:
As it's only 5 tracks I'd reduce all the individual faders by exactly the same dB amount and see where that gets you. If it was 32 tracks I'd do otherwise, after giving myself an uppercut for letting it get that way in the first place...
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Now, I always thought that the system wasn't linear. :confused:

Wouldn't turning something down from 0.0 dB to -5.0 dB sound like a much larger difference than turning something down from -20.0 dB to -25.0 dB?
 
CrowsofFritz said:
Now, I always thought that the system wasn't linear. :confused:

Wouldn't turning something down from 0.0 dB to -5.0 dB sound like a much larger difference than turning something down from -20.0 dB to -25.0 dB?
Click to expand...

Even if that's true though, he can rinse and repeat. 5 dB for each track not enough? Try 7, and so on.
 
Would it not be easier to turn down the master bus fader? Then you won't mess up anything in the mix, or am I missing something in the question?

Also why are you worried about turning down the volume before mastering? Unless you are clipping the output? I know there is conversation about not having a signal too hot before mastering, but as long as the average signal level is not slammed at 0 and there is only the occasional 1 or 2 peaks close to 0 over the whole song, there should not be a problem.

Alan.
 
CrowsofFritz said:
Now, I always thought that the system wasn't linear. :confused:

Wouldn't turning something down from 0.0 dB to -5.0 dB sound like a much larger difference than turning something down from -20.0 dB to -25.0 dB?
Click to expand...

No, it is linear. Turning everything down 1.5 db will keep them all in proportion with each other.

I'm surprised nobody has asked the OP WHY he thinks he needs to turn down his faders? It his mix clipping?
 
Turn down the master fader. Any computer based daw will be working at 32 float, so that will work. That will not work on some stand alone work stations like the Roland vs series.
 
RAMI said:
No, it is linear. Turning everything down 1.5 db will keep them all in proportion with each other.

I'm surprised nobody has asked the OP WHY he thinks he needs to turn down his faders? It his mix clipping?
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Oh okay. That makes things easier for me then. :D
 
CrowsofFritz said:
Now, I always thought that the system wasn't linear. :confused:

Wouldn't turning something down from 0.0 dB to -5.0 dB sound like a much larger difference than turning something down from -20.0 dB to -25.0 dB?
Click to expand...

It's still a difference of -5.0 dB. A signal that is raised 6dB will be twice as loud, where as a signal that lowered by - 6dB half as loud.

The formula for Voltage Gain in dB is Av=20log(Vout/Vin). Rearranged to find the ratio results in Vout/Vin = 10^(Av/20). If you changed the volume level from -20dB to -26dB that a -6dB difference. -20db is a ratio (Vout/Vin) of 0.1. So if you put in 1V you would get 100mV out. -26dB is a ratio of 0.05. If you put in 1V you will get 50mV out. Therefore the signal level is cut in half.

Walt
 
RAMI said:
You must be a real hit with the chicks. :D
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Actually...yes! :cool:


female engineer.webp

Walt
 
Scientifically the only change the ear hears is 3db.... So that mystery knob move works everytime..
 
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Scientifically the only change the ear hears is 3db
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I -- uh... I regularly make .25 and .5dB EQ adjustments, volume adjustments, gain reductions of 1dB or less and I can hear them just fine. 3dB is a relatively huge amount.

Did you mean three tenths of a dB...?
 
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