Audio mixdown level (noob question)

Cubase
#1

Hi,

I’m using Cubase Elements 9 and I’ve recorded a few of vocal tracks for a friend. When I export them (audio mixdown), they all sound equally loud except one which is much quieter (that one also has a guitar track; maybe that matters).

I don’t understand how to increase the volume of the exported audio. I’ve tried raising the level of the Stereo Output channel as well as those of the individual track, all of which do increase the volume when listening to the recording in Cubase. But the volume of the audio mixdown remains exactly the same, too quiet, regardless of how much I raised the levels before doing the exports.

I am obviously doing something wrong/missing something, but what?

#2

Use the limiter or maximiser on the master buss as an insert.

If you really want to enter a world of hurt try playing with the multiband compressor on the master buss too before the maximiser / limiter.

#3

That worked wonders! Thank you.

Would you mind explaining how my logic was faulty? (thinking raising the levels on the channels would affect the volume of the exported track).

#4

In general it isn´t faulty.

#5

Your thinking wasn’t faulty - raising the channels just wasn’t giving you enough extra gain / volume.


Look in to gain staging - in general you want to starting with a loud signal and be pulling faders down, not pushing them up. Customise your mix consoles so you can see your input meters when you’re recording. Make sure you’ve got a healthy signal when recording. If you need to add more at a later stage use the gain pot not the fader.

#6

Thanks for that.

My setup is extremely basic. SM7B into Audient ID4. With the gain on the ID4 turned up as high as it can be without introducing too much noise and with the vocals being performed as close to the mic as possible, the signal is still quite faint. Maybe I could add something like a FetHead or a Cloudlifter but it hasn’t been an issue because I’ve only been recording pretty much exclusively guitars through the DI input.

I could swear that raising the channels wasn’t making ANY difference to the volume of the export.
But then I guess your comment about using the gain pot instead of the faders makes a lot of sense.

#7

Sm7s do need a lot of gain - you might need to purchase another external preamp to use with it.

#8

FetHead or Cloudlifter type of pre-preamp would be a good idea.
The additional +20dB gain will make a difference and help keeping the noise down.