Why don't all VST instruments come with a simple gain staging button ?

[PieBerger]

HornetVUMeter is 3e on sale (now and regularly throughout the year), just use that. It's a bit of a pain to do it per sound you use, but at least it works and you're in full control, rather than at the mercy of devs and or sound designers.

This is a great solution especially considering each preset can have a different volume. With HoRNet VU Meter MK4 you set a target volume and it works regardless of the preset volume.

Also, HoRNet is a great company to support. Hard working independent developer.

It's essential, especially for 3e. I like that you can set a peak volume too, I have mine set to -6db and this generally results in good levels for transient material like synth drums etc

[Digivolt]

Not really complex

Okay I'll admit in my intial pretense I may not have thought it through as much as I probably should and posters have certainly added valid opinion on why it probably is more difficult than I implied but it's definitely something that is possible as evidenced by other developers like Hornet, Melda and Letimix with their automatic gain options and in the grand scheme of things if a dev is competent to code a fully functioning synth with all the bells and whistles, surely an automatic gain reduction button would be simple to them no ?

[billybuck]

Something that might be useful is a utility VST that sits on every track in a mix and connects to a controller VST that sits on the master. After building your tracks, you’d hit “gainstage” on the controller and it would calculate and set each track’s optimum gain values according to ReplayGain type principles. This would be a good starting point for mixing, essentially the same thing as using the pink noise leveling method, which is tedious.

Yes, I realize I’m probably describing Izotope Neutron here, though I haven’t used it. Still, this type of utility would be useful for those who don’t need Neutron’s other bells and whistles - or its expensive CPU usage and cost. It might be a good thing to build into a DAW, as well.

[Funkybot's Evil Twin]

I love how Surge handles this. They have a global volume fader. And it stays put as you change presets. So just set your global volume down -12, -14, -18db or whatever and you're good to go. Next favorite is U-he and other synths that let you lock the overall output level control. I usually set it low, lock it, and for about 95% of presets, that generally works.

I hate presets that are near-clipping with no headroom. I hate having to constantly grab the volume control and turn it down. I don't want to have to insert a utility plugin after the synth when the synth has an output level knob. I think that's just sloppy craftsmanship to be honest. Reasonable preset levels, or a global lock are much better approaches.

[Digivolt]

Next favorite is U-he and other synths that et you lock the overall output level control. I usually set it low, lock it, and for about 95% of presets, that generally works.

I did not know this because I don't RTFM, to save me breaking that tradition how do we make it work ?

[pdxindy]

Next favorite is U-he and other synths that et you lock the overall output level control. I usually set it low, lock it, and for about 95% of presets, that generally works.

I did not know this because I don't RTFM, to save me breaking that tradition how do we make it work ?

right click - select lock (u-he plugins)

[Guenon]

in the grand scheme of things if a dev is competent to code a fully functioning synth with all the bells and whistles, surely an automatic gain reduction button would be simple to them no ?

No - not in the way you were suggesting previously. Analyzing how all different parameters/controls on a synth correspond with preset loudness and compensating based on that, per preset, is extremely nontrivial. An autogain working directly with an audio signal is a different thing, as is something with a much more limited set of predictable controls, with more clearly defined outcomes (think automatic gain compensation on certain effect plugins, for example).

Nothing wrong with the "hey wouldn't it be cool, if..." type of initial idea, it's just really not that simple.

[Funkybot's Evil Twin]

Next favorite is U-he and other synths that et you lock the overall output level control. I usually set it low, lock it, and for about 95% of presets, that generally works.

I did not know this because I don't RTFM, to save me breaking that tradition how do we make it work ?

pdxindy already answered the how, but Synapse and some others also allow you to lock parameters. And not just the output level. Always good to right click a knob and see if there are hidden options.

[Digivolt]

right click - select lock (u-he plugins)

ah that's awesome, thanks!

Nothing wrong with the "hey wouldn't it be cool, if..." type of initial idea, it's just really not that simple.

It sounds simple though, take max peak from output volume and reduce it down to -18dfs on button press but obviously it's a little more nuanced than my simplification and sometimes I fail to see that after simplifying it

[Guenon]

It sounds simple though, take max peak from output volume and reduce it down to -18dfs on button press

Yep, like noted, operating on the resulting audio signal itself and implementing autogain there is a different matter, and I do agree sometimes it would be nifty.

[Tj Shredder]

I use something called fader for this purpose... I can’t remember a DAW which doesn’t have that on every channel. The big advantage of that is, that its usually assigned to my fader box... The other advantage its not fixed, I can adjust by ear...

[nix808]

the reason this problem becomes complex imo, is that we just don't know how loud your patch is before pressing the gain attenuator/accentuator button

it's a good idea imo

[mjudge55]

I use something called fader for this purpose... I can’t remember a DAW which doesn’t have that on every channel. The big advantage of that is, that its usually assigned to my fader box... The other advantage its not fixed, I can adjust by ear...

We're talking about the stuff happening before the channel fader and 2-buss fader. Every sound source should have a reasonable level at the source or some plugins after it react unpredictably and sound bad. Reasonable level also prevents unpleasant loudness surprises and reduces the tendency to think something sounds better just because it's louder.

No condescension intended, if you're not up to speed on gain staging google will bring up lots of good info on it. If you are, maybe you're on some next level stuff I don't get. If that's the case, please give us the benefit of that wisdom.

[Aloysius]

How long is a piece of string?

[nix808]

--and which was the short end? heh