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Recording and Mixing Levels in Tracktion 2007-09-28T18:48:55+00:00 I'm an inexperienced user of Tracktion ( still on version 2) who has got confused by some stuff I've been reading about recording and mixing levels. I've always recorded audio and midi into T using the track level meters to make sure that no peaks occurred above 0db. I know what digital clippping can sound like on vocals - not nice. The general guidance seemed to be to aim for as loud a signal when recording, without breaching 0db, so as to maximize signal to noise ratio. I've read things in a few places on the web recently that says when recording in the digital domain, its best to achieve peaks no higher than -12db, and the average level will probably be around -18db,so as to give plenty of headroom for possible future adjustments e.g. eq boosts, and for mastering. It also suggests that the master output should be set to 0db when recording and mixing, and track levels adjusted accordingly. However, some of the instrument plug-ins I use don't seem to have enough volume range in them to be usable at such low recording levels. I've never got to the point of transferring a 'finished' song out of Tracktion onto CD or mp3, and have never tried anything on the mastering side. When mixing (if I can call it that!) I do basic level setting of tracks, panning, effects and eq, with the master output left at its default -3db. When I have needed to boost eq on a track (even a 12db boost) it has not led to clipping even if the track and master level meters go into the red. However, I tend to cut eq, rather than boost if possible, as this seems 'best practice'. I do have the luxury of being able to rerecord things to make them fit better in the mix, rather than having to 'fix it in the mix'. However, I've seen experienced Tracktion users on this forum talk about having the master output level at anything like -16db when they've finished mixing, as that is what results from the way they have adjusted individual tracks. Is this better because it gives more headroom for mastering, than having the master level set at 0db when mixing? I'd really appreciate comments from you experienced Tracktion users on the 'best' approach as I'm finding this confusing! I don't want to have recorded a lot of songs, and when it comes to proper mixing and maybe mastering e.g. to go onto a CD, I find I've recorded things in a way that leads to problems at later stages in the process. Hope this makes sense! Thanks 21tones https://www.kvraudio.com/forum/memberlist.php?mode=viewprofile&u=68568

rpm rpm https://www.kvraudio.com/forum/memberlist.php?mode=viewprofile&u=51955: KVRist
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Post by rpm » Sun Jun 01, 2014 9:42 pm

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Thanks, I'm unfamiliar with all this so I will need to study that last post and see if I can solve it in my head. Thanks a lot for the info.

Windows 11/Linux Manjaro KDE + Waveform 11.

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Recording and Mixing Levels in Tracktion