I exported a mixdown to master only to find that when I viewed the wave that it was too hot. The top and bottom of wave was touching the edges of the box. I read an article someone posted about lowering all of the automation levels simultaneously so you can keep the original relationship of the automated volume levels of the tracks to each other, but it was very confusing. They talked about a value parameter box on the top left, but I could not find that. It would seem the simplest way would be to simply lower the master output fader. Since nobody mentioned that it must not have been a good idea? Is there a fairly easy way to lower automation simultaneously or all volumes while keeping the original relationship of the automated tracks to another? Iāve been using Cubase for just over a year so Iām still sort of a newbie, although Iām learning very quickly. I need some detailed instructions on how to do this. I really appreciate the help.
I am using Cubase 12 pro Mac
Itās not really a horrible thing to do, especially if you only need to lower the level a few dB. The āproblemā is that as a Fader is lowered it also looses some resolution - but thatās not gonna matter unless the Fader is pulled way down. That said an alternative & probably preferable place you could lower the signal is on the Stereo Outās Pre-Gain control. Iām assuming you donāt have any inserts on Stereo Out.
Please remember that you can enter the value with your keyboard if you double-click the Gain field. The most precise way if you know by how many dB you need to lower the volume.
BTW- I just looked at the other, old, thread. Some of these thought processes seem downright crazy to me. They talk about how input levels for plugins would be affected and therefore alter the sound and some other stuff.
If you just lower the volume at the very end nothing in your mix before that will be altered whatsoever.
Talking about making life hard for oneselfā¦
BTW- that is also the reason why I always have a group track as a āfakeā master out. Any master plug-ins and automation is done on this channel. I send this channel to the real Master Out, where I would only insert Dithering and apply volume change.
I think what is going on is some slight confusion about things where absolute levels are important/make a difference, and relative levels, where they generally do not.
Input levels to dynamics such as compressors and limiters (assuming threshold setting remain are unchanged) will change the sound. This could be an issue if you have a preset dynamics FX chain - youād need to make sure your input levels are in the range the preset was created for
Ouput level changes wonāt change the dynamics - but note the fletcher-munson frequency/loudness contour effect of human perception.
As pointed out by the others, a db or so attenuation is not really going to affect perception wise, so it is not really an issue. Go for it.
No - I canāt think of why one would need such a thing, at least from a production standpointā¦ Basically, we (should be) mixing at a consistent (reference) audio level. In this way, the āloudnessā we perceive from one mix to another is rooted to the same output volume.
Unfortunately we have no control over the end user. In the past, a lot of HiFi audio gear would have a āloudnessā button - the end effect would be to raise bass frequencies whenever volume levels were down. Equal-loudness contour - Wikipedia
Thank you so much, Johnny! I was thinking all along that this was something that was a lot easier to do than was described in that article. I really appreciate your feedback and was laughing at the green circles. I actually knew about that, but just needed to be absolutely positive that thatās what you were talking about. L O L! Thank you so much everyone for your amazing feedback. Iām so glad that this forum exists. Iām getting better!
Youād still need to know the frequency curves, wouldnāt you? I mean, you have to know which frequency bands to compensate by how much?
I am thinking about different platforms having different LUFS requirements. For example a mixdown for Spotify has to be quieter than a mix for Soundcloud.
