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Old 02-06-2014, 05:34 AM   #41
Jenny
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Originally Posted by SonicAxiom View Post
Please tell me what max. peak level a raw track hits after the recording (with channel fader and reaper master fader at 0 dB). It should peak between -12 dB and -6 dB. You wouldn't need normalization then.
I have to go to work now but I'll do that when I get home. Thanks SA.
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Old 02-06-2014, 06:02 AM   #42
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Originally Posted by martifingers View Post
Is this OK to do? I mean, I suppose, is it good practice that experienced engineers would do?
first, you have to make sure to have ALL your tracks recorded with a decent level whenever possible, peaking between -12 dB and -6 dB depending on the source. Leave a bit more headroom with percussive and dynamic sources (drums, percussion, slapped bass, vocals) and a bit less for steady sources like smooth strings. The optimal recording level is important to hit the converter at its optimum level, thus getting the best A/D conversion possible.

You shouldn't need to use plugs only to amplify the signal after recording. Unnecessary dsp calculations should be avoided because they add some (very little) digital rounding errors. With 10 or more plugs in a plugin chain (with a significant no. of them unnecessary) the subtle errors will add up and start to become audible (harsh, dull "digital" sound).

There may be situations where you have a track recorded with a very low peak level. Then, you might need to raise its volume to make it fit into the mix (without using normalization). This is no problem as long as it only happens with a few tracks. But you should record as many tracks as possible with an optimal peak level (-12 to -6 dB).

It's not a bad idea to put a (multi-band) peak limiter plug as the last plug in the fx chain of the master output and set its out ceiling to -0.4 dB (to avoid inter-sample peaks and premature clipping of poorly designed d/a converters). You can spot inter-sample peaks with SSL's free X-ISM plug or Melda Production's MLoudnessAnalyzer. Put these plugs behind the peak limiter.

Last edited by SonicAxiom; 02-06-2014 at 09:30 AM.
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Old 02-07-2014, 05:28 AM   #43
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Thanks for your help SA. I just havn't had time to try your suggestion yet but I have 4 days off work starting tommorrow so I'll get back to and let you know if I get the levels up. Thank you again for your help!

J
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Old 02-07-2014, 09:44 AM   #44
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try those 'trim' controls
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Old 02-07-2014, 03:17 PM   #45
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try those 'trim' controls
I assume you are talking about the 'trim' on the T1. If so I have that turned up to the max.
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Old 02-07-2014, 03:36 PM   #46
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Quote:
Originally Posted by SonicAxiom View Post
Please tell me what max. peak level a raw track hits after the recording (with channel fader and reaper master fader at 0 dB). It should peak between -12 dB and -6 dB. You wouldn't need normalization then.
With my volume and trim levels to the max on the T1, it peaks between -12 dB and -6 dB.
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Old 02-07-2014, 04:04 PM   #47
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Okay I have it now!! The volume controls on the T1 and the compact have no effect on the peaks [using the settings in the picture I posted earlier]. The only thing that makes them go up or down are the volume, treble and bass controls on my guitar and the 'Trim' control on the T1 so I can set it perfectly between -12 dB and -6 dB. This is awesome! Thank you everyone that helped [and especially SonicAxiom]. Very much appreciated.

Have a great weekend!

Last edited by Jenny; 02-07-2014 at 06:16 PM.
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Old 02-07-2014, 10:27 PM   #48
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oh right set you gtr to the max or durn close and then control from the T1 trims, and other vol settings. It's diff than how you think about using an amp.

also that link is strange... no matter what browser I try to open it with, it says 'your browser is outdated'...
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Old 02-08-2014, 01:11 AM   #49
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that link is strange... no matter what browser I try to open it with, it says 'your browser is outdated'...
Sorry about that. I have put a different link in the original post.
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Old 02-08-2014, 10:41 AM   #50
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try it on say, dropbox.com and just share the link to it.
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Old 02-08-2014, 05:12 PM   #51
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Great tune, Jenny - I love it! Keep up!
:-)
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Old 02-08-2014, 08:38 PM   #52
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hey Jenny... nice playing and nice tunes...

I think this:

You are a good player\creator so much so that you don't need to hide it behind all that reverb and [is it chorus?]

I wonder if you have just the clean wav files with no FX at all on them? If so, I'd take a shot at putting on some EQ and FX that I'm sure you don't have and send them back to you.

If you want to give that a shot, just lemme know.
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Old 02-09-2014, 07:05 AM   #53
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That would be really interesting to see how someone else would hear the songs but I deleted about 300 files from all the experimenting I have been doing since I started using Reaper. I'm now making individual folders for projects so I can keep it all in control.
I also figured out why I was getting that noise. I think the soundboard sensors on my guitar were picking up through the soundhole, the noise of my furnace coming on and possibly the sound of my fingers fretting and plucking the strings. A soundhole cover and waiting for the furnace to shut down seems to work.
I'm now working on doing videos using microphones. The pure acoustic tone is so much more noticable and satisfying. As for reverb. On the song RFM that is exactly what I want to hear. I would never do that on most of my other stuff but that song just sounds so much better with heavy reverb. And yes I was using a touch of chorus.

Thanks for listening and I'm happy you like the pieces.
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Old 02-09-2014, 11:07 AM   #54
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ahha... nice to hear you are finding and solving the problems...

I see your location so that might have something to do with it... the solar wind is likely much noisier on Venus, eh?

as to the reverb ...drenched in reverb that you want on that song,
... I understand what you want... and, there are reverbs and there are reverbs...

You also might like to look into S-Gear, by Scruffham just google it... they have a 15 day trial you can get. Certainly most of their presets are NOT for you but a few, which are highly tweakable, might be very much to your liking.

Anyway, nice music ... keep on keeping on.
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Old 11-19-2022, 10:54 AM   #55
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Default EFFECT AMPLIFY should not be this hard?

No level... well hardly any in reaper 4.3.... Dynamic or Condenser mic? If I set up Audacity (a pain in the butt) everything is fine... Just plug and play... Why won't Reaper do the same thing? I'm stupid but does it REALLY have to be this hard? I like Reaper because it handles timing much better.
.
Cockos.... Should not be this hard to amplify in input signal, should it?

Mixer (maxed) > UCA222 > Win11 Laptop?

Best to all,
Steve
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