Levels!!??

[stjohn]

i have a track at the moment and I keep gradually raising the levels as Im try to give each sound more clarity.

This results in a messy mix, with my kick/subbass group channel, way too loud...

Ive zero'd the volume once already...but ive done it again pushin the levels waayyyy too much....

What are good levels to allow room for elements to breathe?

ps: i can post what my levels are when im home from work..... it will probably make u laff! :lol:

[TechMouse]

Rather than boosting what you hear too little of, try cutting what you hear too much of instead.

Simple when you think about it.

[jesus]

look up 'gain staging'. basically let nothing in any chain clip. make sure all the synths and effects are below the red etc. This'll give you the cleanest signal, then youve just got eq, comp and adjust levels on the mixer till everything fits nice

[stjohn]

thanks lads... understood.... im going to zero volume the who thing again...

i remember someone talkin specific numbers tho, ie... for hi's - no more than -3db (just an eg)


any idears?

[Mirsha]

It's impossible to give specific numbers, play it by ear. Whatever sounds right is fine.

There are other tips you can try, like seperately EQing the kick/bass sounds so there is a bit less overlap so you aren't eating up as much headroom in the frequencies which should lend your sound some clarity in the low end.

[stjohn]

good advice lads thanks..... yea my bass group track is ridin the shite out the rest of my track

[Barely Human]

Also get rid of frequacies you dont need on cetain parts. For example - Put a complete cut on all freqs above 500hz on your bass, and then take this down as far as possible without changing the sound. Do this with most of your stuff because if you have just small amounts of a certain freq on individual tracks, it soon adds up. Be carefull not to lose your harmonics on synthlines and basses as you may lose warmth for clarity...