Hi, i have a problem with some instruments / audio which have a very low volume, while they have the same value as the other tracks : "0". I use Cubase pro 8.5.
Someone told me to turn down the volume of each track, but when i'm at -30 what can i do... the sensivity is totaly different when we are at -30 than -10 by example..

Do you have an idea to resolve this ? thanks !

 

I'm so confused.
Have you read up on gain-staging and mixing? Have you turned the volume up on your monitors to compensate for the low dBFS master output?
How loud is your master (peak)?

 

maybe i don't explain as i have to, english is not my mother tongue.
No i didn't know that some articles on "gain-staging" existed, i'm going to check now ! if you have some links don't hesitate =)
It's not a problem to hear all my instruments / audio, it's a problem to mix them after, because some (the loudest) have a value as -30, if i want to have the same volume as some other tracks with an original low signal (by example at -10). The peak of my master is at -6

 

Ok. You don't mix by numbers. You mix by ear.

However, you generally gain-stage with your eyes, but that is another subject.
http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/sep13/articles/level-headed.htm

Get a good mix and you'll be fine. Send the final mix (a few dB of headroom) off to a mastering engineer and it will be awesome.

edit: oh, you have low volume/amplitude/gain on your audio? You can change the gain per channel in Cubase (built-in gain knob, pre first insert). Or you can select one/multiple audio event/events and increase the volume with the handle (square in the middle of the event).

 

Last edited: Jun 13, 2016

The one way I maintain volume fader resolution is to make volume changes using a plugin while leaving the faders at unity (0), especially with major volume changes during production. I try to leave all my faders at unity during production so that once I get to mixing, most faders are near 0 and my fader changes are more precise. Also, *I think* Cubase might have the option to change track faders from logarithmic to linear; this will give the same sensitivity throughout the entire range of the fader. I hope I understood your problem and this is helpful.

 

If I understand you right, than you have an issue with the original recording.

Is this correct? -> You set your volume fader to 0 dBFS but the track is very quiet, while your other tracks are much louder. Still, all of them (inlcuding the quiet one!) show a peak of 0 dB?

If so, than most likely the recording of the track was bad and contains very short high energy amplitudes. Those can be as short as just one sample and therefore many limiters might not notice them. I propose to load the track in an audio editor, search for those ultra peaks and remove them (bringing them to linear 0, not removing from the file!).

 

Some samples just resonate louder than others, even at the same level. Has a lot to do with the tone and timbre of said sound. For example an 8 voiced super saw is going to be perceived louder at -10db, than a choir humming "mmmms" at the same level.

 

You might try a Trim plugin for additional volume changes or to recalibrate your faders for better resolution.

 

Forgive me if I stray off topic any.... but I have wondered why some instruments in Kontakt are so low?

I don't mean just low as in they are professionally recorded well and not over produced but I mean for example: a recent release Light and Sound Chamber Strings.

When I load that into Kontakt I have to turn up the instrument volume to max inside Kontakt and also to the max on the mixer channel in my DAW......even then I can barely hear it............so to try to use it within a mix of other instruments would be be so difficult.

Please put me out of my misery.... what I am doing wrong here?

It's only a few instruments like this (the recent Arturia package was low but not as bad)...not having problems like that in general.

Thanks

 

Maybe as a precaution, to avoid clipping/distortion when you load a full project or start creating/stacking up a bunch of layers with tons of MIDI (with varying velocity/dynamics, from pp to ff).
Sound + sound = more sound.
At least that's what I've been told.

 

Ok yes. I'll try that. Thank you !!!

 

It's precisely the same case of Beth i have. The best would be exporting in Audio the low signal instruments in Kontakt, then normalize it and it should be fine... But it's not easy if by example i would like to compose while i'm listening to the other tracks...
If i put more gain in the "pre-gain" rack it would saturate et give noise on the instruments... I think the audio solution is the best in this case.

And also, for mixing, i should do it when i've finished the composition, not during.., so i can have all the tracks in audio format and it would be easier to mix

 

Yes I see that could be a work around solution worth trying. Thanks !!!

 

It's actually the other way round - all your other tracks are too loud, and you're mixing everything too loud. Lower other tracks' volume until you can hear the Kontakt instrument normally and at 0 [in Kontakt], not maximum.

Good and simple/basic practice is to start with the rhythm tracks and let it peak up to -12dBFS, then add bass track, vocal track etc. until everything sounds nice. Then adjust everything to taste and then you'll have enough mixing headroom to play with.

That's how I save very loud mixes in 15 minutes.

 

Last edited: Jun 14, 2016

Yes, i did like this, but when some of audio files are too loud compared with some kontakt instruments, i had sometimes some of audio files at -30 (volume value)... which is maybe difficult after because i have logarithmic faders

 

I hear what you say and appreciate that is a problem... but I mean even if there are no other instruments at all and just starting off with a blank empty project.

 

It's got nothing to do with logarithmic faders. Sound volume is logarithmic, therefore faders have to be logarithmic.

In a good, dynamic mix, some sounds will peak at -30, even lower. It's nothing to worry about. Just use your ears to evaluate the volume of other sounds in relation to rhythm, bass, and vocal tracks.

 

ok =), now i know how to do thanks !

 

I think both of you [Beth and adrien] are expecting every synth preset and sample to sound at the same volume, as in professional and completely flat mixes. It doesn't work like that. You have to achieve that gradually, building up your mix with all the tracks to a nice volume level. That's what mixing is all about. You have to be the master of your mix and the tracks volume levels.

I, on the other hand, have a problem with all of the presets and samples being too loud! I have to turn down each and every instrument I open! Way down! This indicates that people generally are mixing too loud, so when you mix without touching any presets and samples volume and faders, I can imagine that here and there a sound might appear to be too quiet. The best practice is to address the volume at the source before you let it into your mix, and before you let them into your mixing plugins, too!

The only way to fight too loud instrument and sample levels is gain staging. As I said: Rhythm tracks peak to -12dBFS, add bass to taste, add vocal to taste, and add everything else in the mix to taste, not paying attention to peak meters [not important at this stage at all], and forcing the channels way up or down as needed. Nobody's going to do that for you, you have to do it yourself on every channel and every sound. Set everything according to that -12db set rhythm track. Let it be your guide.

And always remember - your rhythm, bass, and vocal tracks are the most important! They alone can reach -6dB peaks even when your rhythm tracks alone peak at -12dBFS.Two sounds together sound louder than each on its own.

Cheers!

p.s. I don't mix according to peaks at all. I use VU meter on my tracks and mix according to rhythm track set at 0dB VU which is actually -18dB RMS/VU. My mixes always peak to about -6dB anyway, and often even to -3dBFS. So if you follow my "-12dBFS rhythm track" guideline you will probably end up with a too loud, very "hot" mix. Just go for an even lower value, or use VU [RMS, average loudness] meters instead of peak meters. Peak meters are generally useless.

 

Last edited: Jun 14, 2016

Here you have some great free VU-meters you can use to set your rhythm tracks volume with. They are already set to -18dB VU/RMS.

http://bedroomproducersblog.com/2014/09/20/sleepy-time-dsp/