Old 09-24-2020, 01:52 PM   #1
dylandisaster
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Default Low volume but peaking

This is a new problem, I don't feel like I've done anything different to cause this but here we go.

I'm recording a vocal track and the level of the audio is really low, especially compared to the rest of the song, I have to crank the vocal track just to get it to be heard in the mix but obviously I get a lot of break up there. Furthermore, before I even try to crank it up to meet the levels of the rest of the song, the meter is already in the red. I don't know why? I can barely hear the track but it's still in the red.

Any advice?
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Old 09-24-2020, 09:44 PM   #2
nicholas
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Do you mean the vocal volume is too low in the mix when input monitoring during recording?

Or after recording? Or both?
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Old 09-24-2020, 10:15 PM   #3
dylandisaster
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Originally Posted by nicholas View Post
Do you mean the vocal volume is too low in the mix when input monitoring during recording?

Or after recording? Or both?
Definitely in the mix, not sure about the other. Basically what I mean is, I can record my vocals at what seems like a decent level. Then during playback the volume of the vocal track is rather quiet but the meter is still in the red for some reason, and then my vocal track doesn't really become present in the mix until I crank the volume up like +3, at which point it's becoming obviously distorted.
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Old 09-24-2020, 11:01 PM   #4
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If your input volume is too "hot", as in red, coming in, then it surely will distort in the mix, if you need to crank it. The volumes (faders) inside Reaper won't affect this incoming signal, only the outcoming one. You should lower the incoming volume on your audio interface (where your mic or instrument is inserted). This way you'll leave headroom to push it louder in the mix.

You could also use a JS volume plugin in your insert FXs, although this would be not be preferable as you'd be turning down the incoming volume, but the mic might still distort, atleast to my understanding.

Also in mixing, it's not always about pushing one fader up but pulling others down.
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Old 09-24-2020, 11:08 PM   #5
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Originally Posted by Pink Wool View Post
If your input volume is too "hot", as in red, coming in, then it surely will distort in the mix, if you need to crank it. The volumes (faders) inside Reaper won't affect this incoming signal, only the outcoming one. You should lower the incoming volume on your audio interface (where your mic or instrument is inserted). This way you'll leave headroom to push it louder in the mix.

You could also use a JS volume plugin in your insert FXs, although this would be not be preferable as you'd be turning down the incoming volume, but the mic might still distort, atleast to my understanding.

Also in mixing, it's not always about pushing one fader up but pulling others down.
I don't think my input level is too hot though. I'm recording at a proper level but in playback it's buried even though the meter is in the red. Everything else in the mix is sitting real nice, and I'm OK with pulling other things down in the mix, but I feel like I'll be sacrificing quality at this point.
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Old 09-24-2020, 11:40 PM   #6
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I'm wondering if there might be a routing issue somewhere? I'd check the vocal track's routing window and the routing matrix and even the track wiring in case there.
something strange there.

Another possibility, also related to routing, is if you've accidentally done something odd with folders?
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Old 09-25-2020, 12:37 AM   #7
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Originally Posted by dylandisaster View Post
I don't think my input level is too hot though. I'm recording at a proper level but in playback it's buried even though the meter is in the red. Everything else in the mix is sitting real nice, and I'm OK with pulling other things down in the mix, but I feel like I'll be sacrificing quality at this point.
Is the meter in red whilst you're recording your vocals? Or only during playback? If it's in red during recording, then the level is too hot. If it's only during playback it could be like nicholas said a routing or a folder issue.

But if there's no weird routing or folder stuff going on, lowering the whole mix (other then the vocals) would/should/does work.
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Old 09-25-2020, 12:21 PM   #8
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Pink Wool View Post
Is the meter in red whilst you're recording your vocals? Or only during playback? If it's in red during recording, then the level is too hot. If it's only during playback it could be like nicholas said a routing or a folder issue.

But if there's no weird routing or folder stuff going on, lowering the whole mix (other then the vocals) would/should/does work.
So, when I'm recording my levels are reading -18, then when I playback they jump to +2, but even at plus 2 it's buried in the mix whilst the loudest of the other tracks is reading at -2.5.

I'm not sure about the routing. What should I look for? I tried recording in a new track to see if that would help, but it did not.
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Old 09-25-2020, 02:50 PM   #9
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Quote:
especially compared to the rest of the song,
What is "the rest of the song"?


It's normal for vocals (and almost any "live" instrument) to be relatively quiet before compression/limiting. And, you may not want to compress/limit to match the a commercial "loudness war" release. ...Maybe you can just turn-up the analog volume a bit.


Also, mixing is done by summation so if your backing track nearly hits 0dB, the mix will exceed 0dB and you'll have to turn-down individual tracks, or the mix, before rendering.
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