Original Message 1/40                 Date: 07-Oct-05  @  10:11 AM   -   the long route..................

Dominic

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Im such a prat. Just reduced all my delta 410 soundcard levels (within the control panel) to consumer -10db. Now -10db on a Logic instrument track matches -10db on my mackie desk. Its a bloody revelation  I can set my kick at 0 db, my snare at -2db, bass at -10db, guitar at -15db, etc and my tracks actually sound right!!!! Track now peaking at +3db on my desk.

Before I had the 410 control levels up at full cos I was trying to get the best signal to noise ratio but when I burnt stuff to CD to listen on my stereo my stuff sounded too chunky, no dynamics and not spacey enough when compared to my favourite producers. Now its like another world!!!!!!

Im a proper fool. My friend told me that the guy who now runs Juno did something similar  he gave up trying to produce cos he couldnt understand why his tunes never sounded pro enough. After 4 years of trying  a bloke walked into his studio and told him his speakers were out of phase.

My question is can I find something in Logic that will give me a test tone so I can (exactly) match 0db on my instrument track to 0db on my Mackie? I would have though the Osc plug would but maybe it needs an input signal to work.

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Message 2/40                 Date: 07-Oct-05  @  12:13 PM   -   RE: the long route..................

k

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set a synth to a sine wave and put in single note @ 1k to play in a continuous loop (roughly note C5) - however, i'm SURE there is downloadable test tones out there or a simple TT osc plugin

lol about the speaker phase - yeah... a 'producer' lol

___________________________________

I had an idea for a script once. It's basically Jaws except when the guys in the boat are going after Jaws, they look around and there's an even bigger Jaws. The guys have to team up with Jaws to get Bigger Jaws.... I call it... Big Jaws!!!

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Message 3/40                 Date: 07-Oct-05  @  04:00 PM   -   RE: the long route..................

monkeybasket2001

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tut tut dominic....actually it took me a while to get my head round gain staging (hardwarewise- so aint as complex as software) but once i did i found it made a lot of difference...also a/bing against tracks to match kick levels etc so you can build the mix froma solid static foundation

greg

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Message 4/40                 Date: 07-Oct-05  @  04:01 PM   -   RE: the long route..................

monkeybasket2001

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ah but doing so didnt pro up my tracks too much- mayhe i ened some bloke to come round and look at the phase of my speakers

greg

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Message 5/40                 Date: 07-Oct-05  @  05:19 PM   -   RE: the long route..................

Dominic

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That's funny Greg.

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Message 6/40                 Date: 08-Oct-05  @  02:44 AM   -   RE: the long route..................

psylichon

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I'm finding gain staging in the box is even more important to your final mix than I ever thought before. There is a "sweet spot" for most plugins, and it's usually way lower in level than most people cut their tracks. Now I'm a fanatic to make sure nothing is hitting any plugin in my session too hot, even if I can't hear it clipping, because those plugs need their headroom to work properly and I find that running the whole show quieter really tightens and clears up everything.

Try cutting your tracks with more headroom (i.e. not as loud), keep their faders lower in the software, then using some sort of digital gain at the end of your chain to make up for any headroom in the final mix. This is how 24-bit systems are designed to be used, yet people still print their signals as hot as they would with analog. Not good.

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Message 7/40                 Date: 08-Oct-05  @  12:20 PM   -   RE: the long route..................

milan

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"he gave up trying to produce cos he couldnt understand why his tunes never sounded pro enough. After 4 years of trying  a bloke walked into his studio and told him his speakers were out of phase."

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Message 8/40                 Date: 10-Oct-05  @  01:38 PM   -   RE: the long route..................

monkeybasket2001

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That's funny Greg.

>>>>>>>>>>

well yes and no...it will cease to be funny when i cant get of my mixes to work- at the mo i think its something im doing...

ive finally pulled my finger out and set my gear up again- will post pics tomorrow-

the space i have now is smaller so i would def appreciate any critisms on the speaker placement and ideas on fixing it without moving them...

greg

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Message 9/40                 Date: 10-Oct-05  @  03:18 PM   -   RE: the long route..................

Dominic

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What you mean in terms of the mix balance/dynamics or more the sound of the instruments?

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Message 10/40                 Date: 11-Oct-05  @  09:31 AM   -   RE: the long route..................

monkeybasket2001

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mix balance but thats related to sound- ive documented this before (although hoped some of my old prob was down to working space- or lack of) but my mixes seem to be very middy- i try and mix them the best i can but i find its the thumping bass drum balance that often cocks me up- i try and get it as hot as possible to match the club sound without ruining my headroom but when i do this i find it hard to balance the rest effectively with it sounding rather middy, when i dont go for the slammin bass drum the mix is easier to handle (although i struggle with top end sheen on mid-rnage based instruments- story for another day) but obviously is lacking in low end thump...

ill post some pics of where it will all be now...one question though, as ive got to the trouble of getting my speakers separated from the stand (usingf mounting screws) should i not put gear on top of them? i ask as im running out of room

greg

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