Hey everyone, just joined this forum and I’m hoping I can get some tips, tricks, cardinal rules, advice etc. on how to get a mix with good volume without white noise.
I’m a good writer, average musician, but virtually inexperienced with studio recording. I know I could get some great stuff out there if I could just get decent mixes.
The problem I’m having currently, or the most prominent at least, is that I can’t get any volume out of my mix without there being white noise. It’s not terribly overpowering. For most music consumers it would probably not even be an issue so long as they liked the song itself.
playing an epiphone SG straight into my USB audiobox 96. Using S1 4 Pro. I can get a mix with no white noise if I sacrifice volume, but I end up with a mix that, if played on a car stereo, has to be turned all the way up to max to reach an average volume (clearly audible, not too loud, not too soft)
Am I playing into the system too quietly off the bat?
ANY help appreciated. Thank you!
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bouldersound, post: 462914, member: 38959 wrote: The normal targ
bouldersound, post: 462914, member: 38959 wrote: The normal target recording level is about -18dBFS. That is, the signal should be crossing the -18dBFS mark fairly regularly when the instrument is active, not spending a large portion of its time above or below that mark. Percussion is kind of an exception since it often consists of sounds that are almost completely impulsive with no sustain, so they might be set by peak level. In any case, always avoid hitting the 0dBFS mark. That -18dBFS level is kind of your target level throughout the mix process, but then a finished mix is mastered, which is when it is adjusted to a "finished" level, typically by way of a mastering limiter. What constitutes a finished level might vary a bit for music. Of course there's a lot more to it, but that's a good starting point for record/mix/master levels.
If you still have problems with noise (technically probably not white noise, some other "color" of hiss), there may be some other problem that needs attention. After you've posted enough times you should be able to post an mp3 sample of the noise, with and without some signal for comparison. Chances are this group can help solve the problem.
bouldersound, post: 462914, member: 38959 wrote: The normal targ
bouldersound, post: 462914, member: 38959 wrote: The normal target recording level is about -18dBFS. That is, the signal should be crossing the -18dBFS mark fairly regularly when the instrument is active, not spending a large portion of its time above or below that mark. Percussion is kind of an exception since it often consists of sounds that are almost completely impulsive with no sustain, so they might be set by peak level. In any case, always avoid hitting the 0dBFS mark. That -18dBFS level is kind of your target level throughout the mix process, but then a finished mix is mastered, which is when it is adjusted to a "finished" level, typically by way of a mastering limiter. What constitutes a finished level might vary a bit for music. Of course there's a lot more to it, but that's a good starting point for record/mix/master levels.
If you still have problems with noise (technically probably not white noise, some other "color" of hiss), there may be some other problem that needs attention. After you've posted enough times you should be able to post an mp3 sample of the noise, with and without some signal for comparison. Chances are this group can help solve the problem.[/QUOTE
[QUOTE=bouldersound, post: 462914, member: 38959]The normal target recording level is about -18dBFS. That is, the signal should be crossing the -18dBFS mark fairly regularly when the instrument is active, not spending a large portion of its time above or below that mark. Percussion is kind of an exception since it often consists of sounds that are almost completely impulsive with no sustain, so they might be set by peak level. In any case, always avoid hitting the 0dBFS mark. That -18dBFS level is kind of your target level throughout the mix process, but then a finished mix is mastered, which is when it is adjusted to a "finished" level, typically by way of a mastering limiter. What constitutes a finished level might vary a bit for music. Of course there's a lot more to it, but that's a good starting point for record/mix/master levels.If you still have problems with noise (technically probably not white noise, some other "color" of hiss), there may be some other problem that needs attention. After you've posted enough times you should be able to post an mp3 sample of the noise, with and without some signal for comparison. Chances are this group can help solve the problem.
Thanks so much![/QUOTE]
The normal target recording level is about -18dBFS. That is, the
The normal target recording level is about -18dBFS. That is, the signal should be crossing the -18dBFS mark fairly regularly when the instrument is active, not spending a large portion of its time above or below that mark. Percussion is kind of an exception since it often consists of sounds that are almost completely impulsive with no sustain, so they might be set by peak level. In any case, always avoid hitting the 0dBFS mark. That -18dBFS level is kind of your target level throughout the mix process, but then a finished mix is mastered, which is when it is adjusted to a "finished" level, typically by way of a mastering limiter. What constitutes a finished level might vary a bit for music. Of course there's a lot more to it, but that's a good starting point for record/mix/master levels.
If you still have problems with noise (technically probably not white noise, some other "color" of hiss), there may be some other problem that needs attention. After you've posted enough times you should be able to post an mp3 sample of the noise, with and without some signal for comparison. Chances are this group can help solve the problem.