Setting levels with pink noise

[karmacazee]

Don't know if this is a repost, but never thought of this before - great, quick way of setting your initial levels!

[NinjaEdit]

Grey noise sounds better than pink noise.

[karmacazee]

Ha...


ok...

[kaili]

dont get the vid
maybe im dumb idk
so he plays the pink noise then mixes the tracks with it playing but idgi, how does the way he mixes them relate to the pn?

[elyhess]

interesting!

[karmacazee]

dont get the vid
maybe im dumb idk
so he plays the pink noise then mixes the tracks with it playing but idgi, how does the way he mixes them relate to the pn?

He is mixing the tracks so that they are just audible or the same level as the pink noise, thus setting a fairly even level across the audio spectrum, from bass to treble.

[mthrfnk]

I've used this before, still use it tbh when setting up and checking an initial mix. Works best if you get a good source file (i.e. 16bit+ wave file, don't use some shitty compressed mp3 file).

It essentially allows you to set set the levels so that your overall spectrum fits the same profile as a pink noise spectrum, and gives you a "flat sounding" mix. Obviously some things will need boosting or lowering dependant on how you want the mix to sound but it works as a baseline, especially if your listening environment isn't great.

[kaili]

dont get the vid
maybe im dumb idk
so he plays the pink noise then mixes the tracks with it playing but idgi, how does the way he mixes them relate to the pn?

He is mixing the tracks so that they are just audible or the same level as the pink noise, thus setting a fairly even level across the audio spectrum, from bass to treble.

ohhh ok now it makes sense, derp

[cyclopian]

Grey noise sounds better than pink noise.

Grey noise has a much different 'curve' though. Will result in a 'bad' mix with this technique.


White noise is pretty much flat which wont provide a proper mix via this technique.

Pink noise has a good 'curve' for this technique.

[Add9]

correct me if I'm wrong but ideally wouldn't you want white noise that was EQ'd to match an equal-loudness contour? it seems to me it wouldn't be that hard to just make an eq preset with some noise that accomplishes this

[mthrfnk]

correct me if I'm wrong but ideally wouldn't you want white noise that was EQ'd to match an equal-loudness contour? it seems to me it wouldn't be that hard to just make an eq preset with some noise that accomplishes this

Thats essentially what pink noise is isn't it... equal energy throughout the spectrum.

[Add9]

correct me if I'm wrong but ideally wouldn't you want white noise that was EQ'd to match an equal-loudness contour? it seems to me it wouldn't be that hard to just make an eq preset with some noise that accomplishes this

Thats essentially what pink noise is isn't it... equal energy throughout the spectrum.

Are they the same thing? cause the fletcher munson curve looks like it goes down until about 3k and then goes up again, while the pink noise graph looks like it goes down consistently as frequency increases...



Maybe they look different because equal energy and equal loudness are not the same thing I suppose, but I wonder which would actually be better for referencing.