exporting audio vs mixdown audio

W

Waysid

New member
Hi this is my first post here..so here goes...

I have GuitarStudio2 and have successfully recorded 16 tracks of audio data and have a mix in the Console View that I am happy with. The next step I want to do is to mix it out to a wav file. So here is what I did: I went to Tools - Export Audio and created a wav file. When I listened back to the new wav file the levels were not what I had them set to in the console view. Any track that I had set below -2DB was really quiet. If I set all the tracks to close to 0db at least all the instruments were on the wav but it didn't sound good. So then I tried Tool-Mixdown audio and mixed the audio to two new tracks. This worked better and I was able to then go to Tools-Export Audio and the resulting wav sounded ok.

So basically what I am wondering is did I do mixdown the best way?

How does the Export-Audio feature decide what volume to export the tracks at?

I figured the mixdown audio and export audio would use the same algorithimn - just the final destination would be the only difference- export would create an external wav file, mixdown would create a pair of internal wave tracks. Any comments would be appreciated.
 
The volume of the .wav file is controlled by the Master Faders for the soundcard you are outputting the file to(the ones to the far right in Console View).

As far as I am concerned, you are correct that there should be no difference between Export Audio and Mixdown. However, where the difference might lie is in the Program you are using to do the playback. When you Mixdown you are using Cakewalk for your playback. When you do Export Audio you are using a different program for playback (Media Player?). In either case, though, the Master Faders control the volume for the final mix (in tandem with the individual track volume settings).

I generally do a playback of the song while watching the main meters in the Master Output section to see where they peak. If they are peaking low, you can raise them up.

BTW, you can also use the Master Section to patch in any FX that you might want to apply to the entire mix.
 
Thanks for the response.
Yeah its a really weird thing but I definitely get two totally different external wav files if I go straight to "Tools-export audio" instead of going "tools-mixdown audio" and then exporting the two new tracks. They sound different and look different in a wav editor. I wonder if has anything to do with the fact that I am using the EMA APS drivers for my SBLive rather than the Creative drivers? Probably not.
 
It more likely has to do with the volume (Vol) setting in Cakewalk on the Mixdown track(s).

As you are aware, when you are in Track View there is a column labeled Vol for setting the volume levels on each individual track. I find that when I Mixdown internally within Cakewalk, the volume setting for the "new" track is automatically set to it's maximum of 127 (sometimes the column will read "--", but I find it is still actually set to maximum). Because of this (assuming you haven't reset it) when you export that track you will be exporting it at a higher output level and will get a stronger resulting .wav file.

You can accomplish the same thing in a single step by simply raising the Master Fader when you export as described in my first post.
 
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