master volume level

J

Jack V

Guest
I read somewhere something along the lines that if you produce a whole song and you find that in the final mixing process you have to lower the master volume level to keep it from running into the red then you may as well just re-start the whole track again. Is this true?

How are you supposed to go about it by levelling all the individual track levels so that it doesn't run into the red?
 
I don't get your question, I suppose...

If you want to lower the volume of the track, just lower the master volume level as far as it doesn't turn into the red anymore !?
Why should you have to restart the whole track ??
 
Do you mean that when if you're burning off the master stereo copy and it goes into the red then you need to restart the burning of a master copy? Or that if you're burning off your master copy and it goes into the red you need to completely start your mix again?

The answer to the former is ... probably, especially on digital equipment as any distortion will be nasty.

The answer to the latter is .....WTF???? No you don't have to completely redo your mix so that it never peaks into the red. If it all sounds good just bring the master fader down! (You may want to consider getting some compression/limiting/maximiser action going on to raise the overall level of your track).

KasioRoks
 
so....

first you should check the averaged-level.
this one must by about -9 db but not higher than -4 db.

in wavelab is a analyse-function which tells you all about the level.

if you are under -9 db you always have to push it up. otherwise its simply not loud enough. if you cant push it without getting red sings on your mixer - you have to check your mixing. mostly bass and kick are to loud or somthing else.

the labels i know want two versions of a track. a listening master ( compressed, limited, eq, ect.) so they can hear what you want to say with your sound. the other track is only the unmastered downmix, so they can start to master it relating to the listening-track with their( mostly better )equitment for mastering.
 
why not more than -4dB - is this so they have room to amplify if needed?

AND

When you give a studio you final mixdown surely all they can do to tweak it is.....EQ it a bit and compress (I'm assuming they won't have access to individual tracks for the recording).....so perhaps if you are going from CD to vinyl they need to take out some of the more bassy sounds?
 
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not more than -4db because "ist easier to open the room" dont know what they mean, but this are their words.


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EQ it a bit and compress (I'm assuming they won't have access to individual tracks for the recording).....so perhaps if you are going from CD to vinyl they need to take out some of the more bassy sounds?
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they simply make it phat! dont know how they do - but their hardware compression is naturaly better than our vst compression. thats the point
 
It is a common problem to run out of headroom when mixing ( especially with clients ). Somehow those faders keep seeming to rise up. Depending on how you do your mixing it may be possible to group all your faders together and bring them down simultaneously. This will reduce all your levels to the master buss without upsetting your mix. Denied this you can reduce each one individually one by one by the same amount.

Inorder to stop this occurring you may want to set your master level at -10dB and consider this to be your clipping level . As the mix gets louder you only have to increase the master gain by the required amount to your mastering device.
 
What you can do is do the levels quite quickly (roughly), but the first fader you push up, push it up to two thirds, or less than you usually do. I dont know about anyone else, but when I'm doing levels, I turn it all down, and then turn one up to about 0dB, and then get the relative volume with reference to that sound.
I dont really know what I'm talking about.
What's the question again?
 
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