Getting Levels right

[thomas]

I’ve been trying to record a few mixing to play to mates, burn to CD and maybe post on the forum.

But no matter how low I put the volume on the mixer, the bass seems to just get ruined and come out distorted, and also then I have the other sounds too low so they don’t sound as good when you higher up the volume.

Just wondering what other people do to come over this problem and any tips around this area would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Tom

[tenbucc2]

are you attempting your first mix on headphones?

[thomas]

?

I can but i tend not too, my headphones distort anything anyway.

[random trio]

eq and compression.

[tenbucc2]

eq and compression.

no truer words spoken

[doomstep]

my headphones distort anything anyway.

Something is def up with ur gain structure - or else you are using paper cups as headphones - they really souldn't 'distort anything anyway'

are you recording to a computer? are you sure your going into the correct input - line not mic?

But no matter how low I put the volume on the mixer, the bass seems to just get ruined and come out distorted, and also then I have the other sounds too low so they don’t sound as good when you higher up the volume.

really sounds like an impedance / amp mismatch, like ur recording into mic input.

as a rule of thumb get the recording sounding close as possible to the source (which should be pretty close unless you are recording to wax cylinders) before messin with eq / dynamics, then you can use those tools to improve the sound.

[maskatron]

along with proper compression, you may also want to consider using a limiter on your master bus...this basically keeps the mix from clipping/distorting.

[thomas]

along with proper compression, you may also want to consider using a limiter on your master bus...this basically keeps the mix from clipping/distorting.

How would one go about this? thats the exact problem

I think the problem is more just playing too much bass, should i play everything without touching the eq on my mixer when recording?

[maskatron]

well, if you're mixing in software on the computer you need a limiter plugin. if you're mixing on a hardware mixer, then you'd need an outboard limiter. does that make sense? it's hard to give a better answer without knowing your setup...

[jahtao]

Short: Use the other hole (input).

Long: OK assuming that nothing is broken, like your in/outputs or cables, (and its a fairly big 'assuming' considering you are telling us the sound is also bad on your headphones!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!) you might be sending a powerful, so called, 'line level' signal into an input which is designed to accept weak mic or phono level signals and amplify them to make them loud. So...
Plug it into a line input,
configure your software to record from that input and NOT the other inputs,
Check its recieving sound,
Record some
Play it back, hows it sound? Better? Good.
Now time to sort out your gain structure:
Set all the eqs on your mixer to the middle (+/-0dB) if you want to hear more bass when you mix do that on your amp.
Play the loudest part of the loudest tune into the computer and set the gains on your mixer so the level going in is comfortably clear of distorting but isn't stupidly quiet (ie give yourself some headroom but not too much hiss).
Record your set (in stereo not mono yeah) as a 16 bit 44.1kHz wav (aka wave) file.
Play it back to check everything is as it should be.
Trim the silence off the beginning and end of the file
'Normalise' the recording. This makes the loudest sound you recorded as loud as something can be without distorting. Making it as loud as a comercial cd - in theory!
Save it
Burn it to cd, ideally with a software that enables you to put track markers in.
Import that shit into itunes.
Throw away the cd?

Compresion and eq should NOT be needed. If your recording is distorted, compresison and eq can't undistort it. You wouldn't want to compress and eq during the recording, generally, because well... thats another story. By all means eq a bit on your mixer if to make tune B sound as bassy as tune A. You might want to use a limiter however, if the loudest sound you capture is a needle click but that's another story and actually becuase the clicks are just crap you don't really need a limiter you can just add the right amount of gain... but not too much! blah

this was long hope it helped, tell me if it didn't so i can feel stupid

[doomstep]

Short: Use the other hole (input).



Compresion and eq should NOT be needed.

This is what I was sayin yh

Dont throw compression/eq/limiting at something untill you get it recording clean - infact dont mess with EQ & Compression until you've mastered GAIN STRUCTURE.

Cant stress that enough.

The biggest falling point for self taught recordists is not understanding gain structure - hell I've seen kids whove blown 6+K on SAE to still not get why their recordings sound shite - cos gain structure is boring - right?

Compression/EQ will not help untill you can get a clean signal from decks to computer.

#1 rule of Audio:

SHIT IN ->>> SHIT OUT.

also known as the ' you cant polish a turd ' rule.

[flipw]

you could try recording onto a tape deck.

if its distorted then maybe your mixer is defective/set wrong

if its fine maybe your pc is defective/set wrong

[thomas]

Thanks jahtao

Ill take on board what youve said about EQ, and mixing. I did this laods when recording Hip Hop, but maybe my new mixer just needs to be worked with a little more and play with the gain again.

I am pretty sure my inputs are all correct, its boring but i took the time to learn what goes where and how to set up recording on my PC.

[Sharmaji]

a DJ mix really shouldn't need much in the way of post-recording eq/compresion/limiting--especially if it's from mastered vinyl.

yeah, #1, check your connections and that you're not plugged into a phono or mic-level input.

#2, go by the lights. keep everything in the green or yellow (yellow at most) when recording your sets, from the DJ mixer to the audio interface, etc. when it's recorded in, you can make it louder any # of ways (normalization. soft clipping. waves L2).

also make sure that everything's grounded right from decks to speakers-- what's inaudible while doing a set can show up to be really nasty on a recording.

there can also be some wierd shit if you're recording on laptop and your mixer and your laptop are on the same circuit-- if you live in an old building w/ crummy wiring (like i do) you can get bizarre clipping issues.

[thomas]

^ safe for that again mate, i think im ready