I work in pro tools im trying to figure out how to successful get peaking under control when i record artist, if there to loud i adjust the knobs on my Mbox to make it where the mic doesnt pick up as much sound an usually that helps but when i go to mixing, i use compressors to bring the sound back up an it causes the track to peak, Even tho the recorded audio didnt peak.

When that happens i cut back on the compressors to get it where its not peaking but then i run into another problem. The vocal is to low an the beat drowns it, if i turn the vocal up where its listen able then its back to peaking again. How do i get this under control? Im not new to recording so i know some of the ins an outs. I need more advice.

I guess i need help making the recorded vocals stand out over the beat w/out peaking but being able to hear the artist's lyrics.

NOTE: the beats are already mixed an could be mastered im just recording vocals over them, engineering trying to get them to blend with whats already down.

Thanks in advice any help is appreciated

 

Gain knob on preamp/mixer/whatever. Record with peaks hitting around -15dB or so. That way you have some headroom for extra dynamics, plosives and other occasional loud vocal parts.

"Mix", "volume", "loud" is all relative - if something is "too loud", turn it down (don't turn up what is low/inaudible). If something is "drowned out", turn everything else down.

In your example this means:
A) turn the drums (and everything else) down equally...quite alot. Enough so that you have quite alot of headroom.
B) Then adjust vocals to be on top of "everything else". Now you have alot of headroom to put the vocals in.
C) Turn overall reference listening volume up.

To me it sounds like you are trying to get a big sofa into a small closet. It doesn't work like that. It's all relative.

For further info google/youtube "gain staging". It will explain everything. This "simple" subject is quite important to get to know in order to have good/quality/dynamic recording and mixes.

 

If the compressing process make the track peak you have several solution :

goto solutions : - Use a shorter attack time (or a longer release) on the compressor, or enlarge the knee (the point where the compressor start working : it doesn't have to be an angle, it can be curvy, so the compression is more progressive and smooth)


other solution : (if first doesn't sound good)
- Use a limiter before the compressor : I'm not talking about a BRICKWALLLIMITERBEATPORTMADNESSLOUDLOUDLOUD, just enough to tame the peak , a few db reduction should do fine and unhearable (anyway you're compressing right after) : it will make you able to make the compressor much less, so you won't have to go >2:1 ratio or a low threshold.

- ... depending on the track, you can put it after the compressor... but it defeat the point of a compressor. if you do that, use a very small gain reduction : the GR bar should light up ONLY on a peak.

- ... You can use a saturation plugin too : with low gain, a saturator is a "0ms release brickwall limiter". can be very pleasing on punchy instrument (bass guitars, bass synth, snares, drum bus), these are very coloring and will bring in some treble (and you're not Slayer)
- You can let protools (or any DAW) go in red a bit. It's really no big deal : just don't make it a christmas tree (or you'll miss some visual information). (avoid having the master in the red though)

baxter : -15dB peaks on a cheap M-audio will bring in some noise... I'd rather miss a plosive or 2, than having to eq out some hum.

 

When I am working on vocals (Not singing in my case, Its screaming, grunting, growling...etc.) it is still nevertheless rather dynamic, Decent pre-amps are my best friend here along with a trusty old SM7b most of the time.

Anyway what I usually will have setup dynamics wise is two compressors on the vocal track(s), One will be focused on RMS, The other Peaks. Then automation/riding the faders the old fashioned way (first say the channel strip's compressor followed by the BF76 just talking about what comes stock with pro tools. Obviously the combinations are limitless when you bring third-party plug-ins into the equation)

Many fancy tools exist these days such as Waves VocalRider, MeldaProduction's MAutoVolume but having tried such tools against my methods I feel I achieve superior results (Not just my own methods, I know plenty of fellow engineers whom work similar), However they are worth a try and might do the trick/be of use for you

I don't work with pre-mixed and mastered loops so I can not help on that area, Still for that additional 'polish' and 'shine' you will probably want to have your sends and groups setup with say a Lexicon or similar reverb, Some parallel processing such as another compressor, Perhaps some saturation and in mild doses full on dirt (The Sansamp PSA1 in Pro Tools is a good candidate for that sort of task) even reducing the sample rate and bit-depth (LoFi is good for that). If I'm wanting some excitement or similar enhancement then I run the sources out into trusty old Aphex Aural Exiter type C2 plus Big Bottom processors and some old BBE 462 and/or 382i Sonic Maximizers, I end up putting a clipper on the returns of these to keep them under control/in check. Once you have a template setup with all necessary routings doing what they are supposed to and all patched in ready to go, Save it for repeat use as this will give you consistency. If it is a more up tempo track then often switching out reverb tails for delay can work wonders (I usually will still keep the early reflections of my reverbs there to gel things into one cohesive spatial place, much the same principal as running one's tracks through the same instance of a compressor to 'glue' the track together.

I should imagine that mid/side processing would be a good friend to get at the pre-mixed and mastered loops/samples to enable you more control and manipulation of them with vocals that are being a real pain I'll clip those also if need be via soft-clipping, Within shaving of a 2 or 3 dB peak it can sound a lot cleaner or "transparent" than peak-limiting but YMMV

If I'm liking what I'm getting via what outboard dynamic processors I have available and patched in sounding good then I'll happily commit but usually I'll split the signal just in case. If you have outboard you wish to use whilst tracking but want a clean version also then investing in a mic signal splitter is money well spent in my humble honest opinion

Sound advice from the previous posts that I won't repeat, Hope that helps and most of all try anything and everything, You will quickly find what works for you and what does not

 

Premixed beats? What genre are you working with? Hip Hop? Usually I would make room for the voice in the mixing process, making sure other instruments don't sit in the same range as the vocal.
I use a cheap audio card myself too. In the recording process, don't have peaks higher than -6, or if you do, don't go over -3 dB.
Take the recorded voice track and see if there is any noise. Hum (50-60 hz) or noise spread all over the spectrum. With my cheap card, I have them both.
If you have just HUM, use a High Pass filter. If you have that noise on all the spectrum frequency, use a noise remover. I had success with Sony Noise Reduction and Wave Arts Master Restoration. I remove noise before even mixing that track.
The sole purpose of gain staging was to have a usable signal above the noise floor. Well, for some spoiled engineers gain staging is also finding the sweet pot, finding the right mic, etc. when you have the expensive gear.
Use a trim plugin before any other plugins. You might be hitting your compressor with a too hot signal and you could be clipping (inside the plugin) before you know it. Now, see your dynamic range. What's the lowest signal, the highest one, is your track very dynamic? If it is, and you want to compress it to sound louder, use several compressors one ofter another with very small gain reduction (GR), so compressing will not be obvious.
After reducing the dynamic range to taste, you can use a gain or an exciter or a preamp emulation plugin to bring the voice volume back up, but make sure not to clip it.