| Author
|
Need Help (dB Limitation, Clipping...)
|
e-fact
Started Topics :
8
Posts :
21
Posted : Oct 20, 2005 17:24
|
Well, i'm producing a new track and i was wondering in what dB should i set my instruments.
I'm asking it because i know that a well produced track should go near 0db in every frequency on the analyzer, but if i try to do it while i'm producing the song, it has a huge chance to clip when some event frequencies overlaps each other. So I was thinking in set a error level, like -3db or less and then when i finish the track i would masterize it to push it to 0db.
Is that right? I don't know if i explained what i really wanted, but i think i will get nice answers here about it.
Thanks |
|
|
e-fact
Started Topics :
8
Posts :
21
Posted : Oct 20, 2005 18:41
|
to take advantage of this topic i'll ask another questions that is disturbing me 
1:
i read it somewhere: Extra tip: use send effects on reverb/delays, that way you can use the same reverb and delays for many different effect channels (saves CPU power)
i don't know if i understand it right, does it says to me use a fx channel with delay/reverb and then send the signal of all tracks that i want to use reverb/delay to the fx channel so it would save my cpu, cus i wouldn't need to open various reverbs/delays for each track, right? if its right, how would i use different presets for each track?
2:
i read many things about stereo and mono signals, but i think i read too much (hehehe) and i still don't know what it really is and how to use it, i mean, i always use stereo audio tracks, just because i don't know the main difference between them. i'm very confused about it, because some ppl say that i should use mono audio tracks, other says that i should use stereo, some ppl say that i can't pan with mono tracks, some ppl say that vst's fx is better using on stereo tracks, others say that mono tracks saves cpu power...
i'm just hopping a clear answer about this subject
Thanks again. |
|
|
|
NikC
BeatNik
Started Topics :
40
Posts :
601
Posted : Oct 21, 2005 01:52
|
Answers:
A track without frequency clashes should be able to go louder (closer to zero) than a track with.
I mixdown personally anything between -8 and -2.5 on the Master...
Once this has been done, the track can be Limited as a .wav file during the Mastering process (Masterized??)...
Or you can just put a limited on the Master and it'll also make it louder, by "squaring" the peaks.
A send effect is created in Cubase by right clicking and creating "new FX track"... then choose what you want to choose...
That'll then automatically become a send effect, you access this by going to the send effects tab for whichever instrument/audio track you want and then clicking in one of the empty black boxes... select the vst, then move the slider underneath to taste.
It will use up less CPU because it is only one instance of the VST.
However, the original signal is not itself changed as the send effect is an auxiliary effect, therefore you wouldn't be able to make a sound completely reverbed and distant, but could add a reverb tail to it (or a delay tail)
Mono = not Left and Right speakers independantly.
Stereo = left and right speakers independantly, i.e. a sound can pan, or be placed in between full left and full right... A mono track in a stereo mixdown can be panned, but a mono mixdown will have no panning and just be central in the aural field.
Who says you should use mono audio tracks - bad idea... apart from kick and bass... as they are anyway central to the track and (unlike rock etc.) aren't necessarily panned... plus most P.A. systems turn all freqs below a certain level into Mono (thus making power-loss possible on stereo basslines)
Not sure how much difference it makes between Mono and Stereo in terms of CPU power, but I presume very very little (could someone enlighten me on this 
Anyway, the most important thing is that it sounds good... Listen to other music, and see how you think it sounds...
and then go and be original.
 www.myspace.com/beat_nik |
|
|
|
undertones
IsraTrance Junior Member
Started Topics :
25
Posts :
165
Posted : Oct 21, 2005 02:38
|
|
nice read nik...cheers. |
|
|
|
Boobytrip
IsraTrance Junior Member
Started Topics :
39
Posts :
988
Posted : Oct 21, 2005 10:12
|
|
Maybe it's still a good idea to use mono sounds, because it helps define sounds in your mix, especially with drum-samples and short hits. If you use all your sounds in stereo, you're more likely to get unpredictable mixing results and undefined mixes. You can always pan mono sounds and add some stereo reverb to them to place them in your stereo mix.
|
|
|
|
NikC
BeatNik
Started Topics :
40
Posts :
601
Posted : Oct 21, 2005 12:19
|
Quote:
|
On 2005-10-21 10:12, Boobytrip wrote:
Maybe it's still a good idea to use mono sounds, because it helps define sounds in your mix, especially with drum-samples and short hits. If you use all your sounds in stereo, you're more likely to get unpredictable mixing results and undefined mixes. You can always pan mono sounds and add some stereo reverb to them to place them in your stereo mix.
|
|
Yeah, very true, snares etc...
But I prefer to use a stereo percussion sound, but 'focus' it more centrally using something like the waves S1 (stereo imager) it still gives it the stereo feeling but focused so it doesn't lose power...
+ you can still add reverb after etc. and mix it to get a more stereo percussion feeling.
www.myspace.com/beat_nik |
|
|
|
Boobytrip
IsraTrance Junior Member
Started Topics :
39
Posts :
988
Posted : Oct 21, 2005 13:01
|
|
Hehey, using the S1 to do something inbetween stereo and mono is a nice idea ! I take it you can move from stereo to mono gradually by decreasing the width ?
|
|
|
|
NikC
BeatNik
Started Topics :
40
Posts :
601
Posted : Oct 21, 2005 13:20
|
basically yeah  (never FULLY mono - but very 'focused')
It's a very very useful tool in all sorts of different situations...
www.myspace.com/beat_nik |
|
|
|
e-fact
Started Topics :
8
Posts :
21
Posted : Oct 21, 2005 14:17
|
thanks a lot!!
But some questions were not answered, i still don't know how i'm going to use different presets for each track if i'm sending the signal of the tracks to one single reverb (the reverb on the fx track), can i really use different presets using only one instance of the vst? did i make myself clear?
Another point i would like to clear, a bassline track is something that you modify constantly thru the song, so is the only track that i don't mixdown into a .wav file, exactly because i'm always changing it. I just leave it in midi track and apply sidechain, maxxbass, etc to the vsti track, is that a nice way to produce? The signal from a vsti comes in stereo or mono? What should i do to work the bassline in .wav file and in mono?
Finally, i presume that the 2 main reasons that i should leave something in mono is when i will not pan the instrument and when the instrument flows in low frequencies (like a bass) to prevent loose of power on the PA system. RIGHT?
Thanks!! |
|
|
|
e-fact
Started Topics :
8
Posts :
21
Posted : Oct 22, 2005 20:38
|
anybody?  |
|
|
|
Cardinals Cartel
Black Machine
Started Topics :
191
Posts :
3097
Posted : Oct 26, 2005 01:26
|
|
Fix it .. Mix it .. Limit it - L2 / L3
|
|
|
|
Boobytrip
IsraTrance Junior Member
Started Topics :
39
Posts :
988
Posted : Oct 26, 2005 10:56
|
e-fact: you're probably not going to use different presets on a send effect, you can of course automate them however. So most of the time your send effects will use the same preset troughout the track, like the same room reverb preset etc.
You can route a stereo output of a VSTi to a mono group-track if you want to make it mono. If you have a stereo track with the same signal at the same output level on both sides (i.e. it's panned dead center and you don't use stereo fx) it's practically the same as a mono track if you ask me, it just takes twice the memory space of a mono track. I could be terribly wrong about this though and i risk getting flamed beyond all recogniton .
Your approach to producing that you describe is a nice one if you think its okay, it's just a matter of logical thinking really: does it work, does it speed up your workflow ?
|
|
|
|
e-fact
Started Topics :
8
Posts :
21
Posted : Oct 26, 2005 16:30
|
|
thx a lot boodytrip |
|
|
|
talolard
IsraTrance Full Member
Started Topics :
64
Posts :
282
Posted : Oct 26, 2005 18:58
|
Quote:
|
On 2005-10-21 01:52, NikC wrote:
Answers:
However, the original signal is not itself changed as the send effect is an auxiliary effect, therefore you wouldn't be able to make a sound completely reverbed and distant, but could add a reverb tail to it (or a delay tail)
|
|
I think you can make it completely "effected" if you set the send to pre-fader and put the fader on 0.
Work like you don't need the money.
Love like you've never been hurt.
Dance like nobody's watching.
natanofgaza@yahoo.com |
|
|
|
