Hi,
I use Studio One and have the VU meter add-on.
VU meter can be calibrated to -6 , -12 , or -18 dB FS.
Normally , I have read that a VU meter would be -17 dB FS on a French site.

So I calibrate my VU meter at -18 although it's at -6 dB by default.
But this is a lower volume,especially for my drums bus and my bass synth ( I make EDM ).

I would know how you do.

Thanks

 

I'm one of these guys who don't use VU meters, but rather simple gain-staging, peak meters and LUFS meters.

VU meters are pretty old-school. People in the broadcasting business learned on them and adapted to their rather slow measurement handling (overall loudness instead of transients), which gave the people who used them a pretty good sense (visually) of loudness in their material.

These days we have LUFS meters, which gives a more accurate loudness-metering (how we as humans percieve loudness). For dBFS to dBV it might still be useful, if you work with outboard hardware gear.
Just my 2 cents.

 

Last edited: Jan 25, 2018

-18 or -20 when recording each individual track will leave enough headroom for mastering.

You can find more info in the videos posted here ..

https://audiosex.pro/threads/in-the-box-tutorial.23103/

 

Last edited: Jan 25, 2018

Thanks.
I never learnt mixing at school.I know LUFS meters exist but I never use them.Because I have no idea of the levels I have to look for.
Since the beginning I make music ( 1999/2000' ) I always used peak FS meters and pushed the levels or gain staging just under 0 dB.
I only use VU meter since 1 year and use it a bit like a " loudness" meter. And my tracks are more clear and less saturated.That's my perception anyway.
I only use vstis.

 

So when you are mixing , which levels for your tracks ? And on your master bus ? Please.

 

-10 to -12

 

I came to the same conclusion after I was having a problem with amp sims. After watching the videos above I decided to try the workflow and everything is good now. Of course there are other ways to do it, so just choose what is best for you

 

My gainstaging aims for...
vu meter - 18dbfs

Tracks ~ -18dbfs
Buses <= -12dbfs
Masterbus <= -9dbfs

 

>I make EDM
>I calibrate my VU meter at -18

Why?

Most LUFS meters (...err, the ones I know, that is) have a button called something like "auto gain."

1. stick meter on your master channel
2. set your target level (this one has helpful presets, like "YouTube.")
3.. play your tune all the way throug
4. Hit Auto Gain.
5. You're done, nothing more to know.

All the DAWs I know use 32-bit float processing. This means that you can drive every track/mixer insert (other than the master) hard into the red, without any clipping.or distortion.

 

I have izotope Insight with a LUFS meter but its target is -24 dB and I'm allways too loud.
Tonight I'll watch the videos in the link above.

I have read on a web site ( Audiofanzine. I don't know if I can write their name here...) that our vstis are designed to sound the best at around -16 dB FS .
And when I push a track hitting the 0 dB FS I really feel a loss in terms of quality. Even if my DAW is 32 bits float processing. But I'm not an Engineer.

Thanks guys !

 

How do plugins that are modelled on analogue equipment behave? I know Helix Native sounds much better is if I feed it a signal at -18. When I changed to -20 for individual tracks my overall mix sound became less muddy. Is that due to the plugins being calibrated to behave like analogue equipment, or did I imagine it? This is an interesting topic

 

Last edited: Jan 25, 2018

-18 or -20 pre-fader on the tracks. This should keep the master bus below -6 which you need for the mastering process. Everything is explained in the first video above, and even if you don't use this method you will have more knowledge about levels and gainstaging after watching the video

 

Last edited: Jan 25, 2018

Not familiar with Helix Native or the modeling it uses, but most plugins sound different depending on the level you feed them. A basic limiter set to -6dB should sound like nothing when fed a signal that peaks out @-10dB (on the insert's meter), and sound like a limiter when fed a signal that peaks @+3dB (on the insert's meter). The next limiter in the signal chain, with identical settings, will (should) again sound like nothing, because that +3dB signal has been already brickwalled @-6dB by the first limiter, nothing for it to do.
Takeaway:
Your insert's meter (typically) shows the signal coming *out* of the insert, not the signal getting fed into it. The signal path (typically) looks like this:
Input signal => first plug => second plug => last plug => insert fader/pan pot => output signal (to master bus or ...)
In other words, you're not adjusting the signal level your Helix Native sees, you're adjusting its *output signal*. See what I mean?

VSTIs (Virtual Studio Technology Instruments) are deigned to sound how they sound, just like their HW counterparts. If you're talking about VSTs (effects, sound processors), these too work much like their HW counterparts. Say a compressor, its threshold set to -16dB, won't sound like much of anything while getting fed a signal peaking @-16db. It still won't sound like anything if you dime out the fader of its insert, see above.
,

 

Last edited: Jan 25, 2018

It's good to be in the -18 to -20 range.

Loudness has nothing to do with your VU being calibrated for 18dBFS=0dBU.

When it comes to Analogue modeling plugins its best to read the manual or see if they have a way to arbitrarily set where 0dBU is for each one of them.

If you can't hear your drums or bass when using 18dBFS as 0 dBU the solution is the turn up your speakers.

 

Yep, it's what I do

 

Don’t forget that typical gain staging calibration when using dbsf is -18dbfs RMS. With peaks popping in and out around -9 to -6dbfs...

 

BTW this is what I use as my first plugin following any sound source inputs and it only costs 14 €.

 

Last edited: Jan 25, 2018

Check out Youlean LUFS/LKFS analyzer too. It's free:

https://youlean.co/youlean-loudness-meter/

 

I just use a -18dB calibrated VU and make sure the loudest elements in the track get to 0. Other, quieter elements are then adjusted by ear. Master digital peak meter is of almost no relevance in this setting, as you will never get peaks to or above 0dBFS.

So start with turning down the rhythm and bass to peak at around 0dB VU. This is a kind of reference for other tracks. Accordingly, turn up the volume on the speakers to a comfortable level.

The only problem arises when you insert a new synth plugin. With time you learn to expect that a new plugin will be freaking loud, so you should turn down the volume on the track by 10-ish dBs before you even start playing with it. It would be best if all new tracks were created with that setting, or just turned down to 0, to protect your speakers.

But also remember to turn the volume down within the freaking loud plugin, later on when you find the sound you're looking for, since you will probably put some plugins after it and you don't want them to get a too hot audio signal in most cases.

 

Last edited: Jan 25, 2018

Good advice. I always place a VUMT meter after a VSTi synth to dial in the correct levels. It works great. Some of them are really loud!

I also change the position of the VUMT plugin to check the gainstaging if I add any further plugins for processing, etc. It's nice to keep a smooth level flowing through the entire signal chain.

 

Last edited: Jan 25, 2018