Hey Steve, first off I want to ask, is the general section specifically related to Products you have on xfer records? I actually have a question from your interview at pyramind, the three part series. I know you're a total wiz at this stuff, but I'm not too sure if I can ask these kinds of questions since they're not typically related, if not for future reference I won't ask again on here, but for now Ive been having this big issue with gain staging, where I typically try to peak my master at -7dB when I'm all done and ready to go into my master chain. Now in the third part of your interview you mention the kick hitting at 0 and almost instant clipping as soon as another sound is introduced, so you put a utility on the master, roughly -6dB to keep the mix from clipping at any point. So what I have been doing was never automating my track faders, and using a utility for said purpose, and at the end of the mix, gain stage my faders so my master is at 0 but is peaking at -7dB. Just kind of curious if I'm a total mess, because its so annoying not automating my faders, and using a utility to automate volume. so I just mix normally and keep a utility on the master to get me to my -7dB point? A lot of people have told me its useless to just bring the master fader down to -7dB since essentially you're just going to maximize back up, and the track faders will still clip
Also, I do apologize if these questions are prohibited, and if they are I'll ask my questions elsewhere. I was watching the interview and had a question, I've been on forums everywhere and nobody seems to know the answer to this. If you or anybody in this forum could help that would be superb. Also, that that BPM pitch thing, super cool dude, amazing to know that stuff like that exists
-A
Levels are simply relative in a modern DAW thanks to floating point numbers, there is no worry about going above 0 unless you are at the literal output (soundcard or file) or a plugin which will clip or limit a signal over 0.
So for instance you can do this yourself, drive a clean sounding kick drum +18 dB (or more) and the track shows "clipping" but it actually isn't, if you put a utility on the master and set it to attenuate the same amount (-18 dB) then you will hear that the sound actually is clean and unclipped, even though the fader showed red, there is no clipping. This is what is considered "infinite headroom" thanks to floating point numbers. This holds true for all modern DAWs (that I'm aware of) but plugins are another story, it is unwise to exceed 0 dB in to any plugin unless you already know it is safe to do so, some plugins will clip a signal over 0 dB on the way in. In any case if you have e.g. a Utility plugin on the master chain at the start and attenuate so it's output is not going in to the red, then it's safe. Long story short, levels are simply relative and if I say 0 dB on a kick but you'd rather it be -18 dB, then thats fine, just subtract 18 from any other number also ;)
Wow, I remember you talking about the plugins, and how the math blows up lol, found that funny. Ive been looking for more of your interviews and stuff like that lately which are surprisingly super hard to find. You really get to the point with it all and have a great sense for that stuff, truly is an opportunity to learn from you, and super inspiring to hear your work, and strive to make stuff just like it (which is why i was curious on an Xfer mastering plugin). Im still curious if you still teach, I'm out in NYC and would love to go to a seminar by you if the opportunity arises. And for the record the utility thing worked, solved a big problem for me, still have a million others. Thanks man, appreciate the help!
-A
I wasn't able to find the forum relating to my question.
I am wondering if getting a newer computer will help the issue of the clipping that happens when using a serum synth. I had made adjustments in the Preferences with buffer rate and sample size. Though that causes a delay when using other midi tracks. And sometimes that doesn't work. So would having a newer computer help with this?
My computer is a Mac OS X 10.7.5 around 2010.
Thanks!
Yes, getting a more powerful computer will help with performance. You should monitor the fraction in the lower right and not let it exceed 64 or so, by adjusting unison or poly as needed and freezing tracks as needed.
-Steve
