MAutoLoudness

[Lotus9]

Set preamp levels, anticipating the required headroom. Set up cue mixes, adjust preamp levels during soundcheck as necessary. Do my recording. Set rough levels and pan, then do my editing - which may include changing clip gain on a few clips. Audition everything in context and add my eq, compression, sends, etc. Then do mix passes as needed, sometimes using trim automation on top of other passes instead of punching in.

You said my workflow sounds convoluted, but what you're doing sounds like that to me. What I described is a very simple step by step linear process. What you're describing sounds like it's repetitive and/or going in circles.

For instance, you said the first thing you do after tracking is set the rough levels with your faders. Then you said you adjust clip gain on some tracks. Doesn't that affect the levels, and if so, why not do that before using the faders?

The way I do things, you never have to worry about headroom for mastering, because it's locked in from the initial stages. As I said, I set all tracks to the same level with a gain/trim plugin. Then I pan everything while the levels are all the same. Then I use the faders to get my basic mix. At this point, my headroom is locked in, because I will adjust the output gain on any plugins I add so that the levels always remain the same.

I'm looking for the simplest, most efficient, most precise way of doing things, and this seems like it to me. I like starting with all my tracks at the same level. For one, because I like to do the panning while they're at the same level. And two, it just seems like such an organized, precise gain structure.

[mesaone]

Then you didn't understand what I wrote. The only thing that repeats in my process is multiple mix passes, and I assure you no one else only does a single pass either. To be clear, I described the process of both tracking and mixing. The way you described your process, you're not tracking anything.

You've been doing this a month. I understand it's new and exciting, but I think you're trying to re-invent the wheel here. Work how you want to work, but do make more of an attempt to understand the processes and why they are done.

[Lotus9]

Vojtech, if you've read through this entire thread, then you can plainly see that we've all come to a unanimous decision for you to make this plugin.

[zappsunzorn]

I've only been learning about recording / mixing for around a month, but from what I've read, you're not supposed to only use the faders to set your levels, because the closer the faders are to unity, the higher the resolution, so you want to use them as little as possible. Instead, it's best to use a gain/trim knob or plugin to set your levels, so that you don't have to use the faders as much. Faders are to be used more for things like automation as opposed to setting your overall mixing levels, which should be mostly done with a gain/trim function.

So, in terms of gain staging... you record each track at a decent level, peaking no higher than -10dBFS, then you use a gain/trim plugin on each track to get your levels close to what you want, then you use your faders to tweak it, then adjust the output gain on each plugin i.e. EQ, compression to keep the level the same as before the plugin.

If you want to do something special that is fine but why actively use 3 levels on everything (1 pre FX, 1 post FX, and the main fader). Keep it as simple as possible for your gain staging and simplicity. This is the kind of practice that would be very limiting if you go outside what you are currently doing. In many situations you would have to change your working habits, so why not do things in a way that translates to anything you might do in audio in the future. How would you apply your current method to mixing 5+ monitor mixes for recording, or live sound? In just about any DAW you can use a modifier to move the fader from -45db to -46db just as easily as you can move it from 0db to -1db.

With an analog fader you do have less resolution when the faders are low, and some engineers do like to see the faders flat and basically mix with the trim control, but there are many reasons why this is not the optimum method.

[Lotus9]

How would you apply your current method to mixing 5+ monitor mixes for recording, or live sound?

With an analog fader you do have less resolution when the faders are low, and some engineers do like to see the faders flat and basically mix with the trim control, but there are many reasons why this is not the optimum method.

Why would it be a problem to use the gain/trim knob in that situation? You went on to say that some engineers do it like that, so how is it a problem?