How to raise/lower all channels, including automation?

[delrocco]

What is the best way to raise or lower the level of all mixer channels proportionally, even if they already have volume automation recorded on some of them?

I have a song that is mixed well, including some level fading here and there on some channels. Now I need to raise or lower the level of all channels proportionally, but still retain the fading. I don’t really want to touch the StereoOut channel to do this…

What do you guys/gals do to accomplish this?

[alexis]

@delrocco

What is the best way to raise or lower the level of all mixer channels proportionally, even if they already have volume automation recorded on some of them?

I have a song that is mixed well, including some level fading here and there on some channels. Now I need to raise or lower the level of all channels proportionally, but still retain the fading. I don’t really want to touch the StereoOut channel to do this…

What do you guys/gals do to accomplish this?

Several possible ways, there was actually a thread about this recently w/ lots of discussion, you might find it within a few pages back.

2 ways I use:

1. adjust the fader on the master bus.
2. create a group channel and put it between all your tracks and the master bus, then adjust/automate that fader as needed.

[Hippo]

“I don’t really want to touch the StereoOut channel”

Why not?
If you want to leave the main fader at the 0db position simply change the input gain at the top.

Hippo

[curteye]

@alexis

2. create a group channel and put it between all your tracks and the master bus, then adjust/automate that fader as needed.

WOW! and a major mahalo @ alexis.

Sometimes what you are looking for is right ‘in yo face’.

I would have never thought of doing something so simple and elegant.
(I use example # 1)

Tanx again. I’ll be using it.
{‘-’}

[Arjan_P]

@delrocco

Now I need to raise or lower the level of all channels proportionally, but still retain the fading. I don’t really want to touch the StereoOut channel to do this…

Why? It’s the reason it exists.

[alexis]

@curteye

@alexis

2. create a group channel and put it between all your tracks and the master bus, then adjust/automate that fader as needed.

WOW! and a major mahalo @ alexis.

Sometimes what you are looking for is right ‘in yo face’.

I would have never thought of doing something so simple and elegant.
(I use example # 1)

Tanx again. I’ll be using it.
{‘-’}

Hey curteye, a big he mea iki to you! (Sorry about the spelling, I’m just a howlie!).

[j0hnglist]

I group everything and that makes it easy to reduce levels proportionately at once.

However there is another way: link channels. you can link any combo of channels (easiest if you do this in the mixer view) and then lowering the volume will lower all channels linked

[Split]

@j0hnglist

I

However there is another way: link channels. you can link any combo of channels (easiest if you do this in the mixer view) and then lowering the volume will lower all channels linked

Not when you use volume automation.

To change all the relevant volumes in a mix including automation this is one way.

Select all channels that you want to change without any automation on, link channels, drop by required amount of dB (say 6dB)

Then select all automation and using the info line drop the automation by the same amount of dB

Job done.

Or turn the master fader down

[delrocco]

Thanks very much, everyone!

As you can probably tell, I’m more composer than audio engineer. I’ve always ignored the master fader for some reason, thinking that it was just not the intended way to mix the level of your song, but to be quite honest… I have no idea why I thought that It looks like I should be using it (or a fader in-between) as suggested.

For the record, I agree about volume automation late in the mix; I do the same. The only reason I’m coming back to adjust the final level is because I’ve found that 3 of the songs in the soundtrack are quieter than the rest. It’s like I mixed them well, but the overall level was just lower.

So I guess it does make perfect sense to just touch the master fader and be done with it!

Thanks

[killawattz]

I agree there’s nothing wrong with touching the master fader.

Unfortunately, what quite often happens is that the level of my tracks creeps up and up until there’s too much going to the master fader and any effects put on the master bus will distort. (I know, this is just down to my inexperience)

So there is sometimes a valid reason to bring all tracks down (to increase headroom again) rather than touch the master fader.

Thanks for that handy tip Split. I’ve been grouping all channels and lowering the level but the automation has always been a pain.

[David_Noakes]

Guys the reason for not turning down the master fader is by this time if it’s peaking then it’s already overdriven. Turning it down will change the peaks but not in the way your intending, they will still be an overdriven signal just lowered.

Grouping into one channel although sounds good it actually just creates another master fader.

It’s a pain but the correct way is to reduce all the faders that supply the master buss.

Looks like same as someone said earlier, selecting multiple channels first then automation.

Although I’ve just come across in page 201 of the manual linked groups which does seem to include automation too, am giving it a test right now If this works and also changes automation it will be mixing heaven!

[alexis]

@David Noakes

Guys the reason for not turning down the master fader is by this time if it’s peaking then it’s already overdriven. Turning it down will change the peaks but not in the way your intending, they will still be an overdriven signal just lowered…

The thing is, even though the signal meter is showing red and greater than 0.0 dBFS, Cubase is built so it is impossible for a signal to be overdriven (the technical reason has to do with 32FP, but that doesn’t really matter).

So if your meter view is set to “input”, and the master fader is showing signal red and way above 0 dBFS, the signal leaving Cubase will not be overdriven/distorted/clipped/etc. … IF when the meter view is then turned to "post-fader/post-panner the signal is brought below 0dBFS by pulling down the master fader.

[registered]

For me, the problem with turning down all the individual channels is that they no longer hit the limiters and F/X plugs the same, on the subgroups and the master fader. That changes the sound and mix a lot.
So what works for me when things get too hot, I just turn down the master channel’s INPUT level, to the amount that hits the master limiter (or output meter, if you don’t believe in limiting) the way I had planned it before my mix got too exciting.
Cubase’s floating point mix buss won’t distort on the incoming overages the way an analog buss will.
I’m sure that’s why historically, people say not to mess with the output fader- the analog consoles don’t have the headroom.

[TS-12]

SO is there a way to raise all channels besides creating a sub group or raising master fader??

please don’t ask why but I recently ended up with a project with all faders raised about 10%, and maximizer threshold setting at -28db! its really hard to find which channel is making noise when becuase the meters are almost not showing…

[Split]

@David Noakes

Guys the reason for not turning down the master fader is by this time if it’s peaking then it’s already overdriven. Turning it down will change the peaks but not in the way your intending, they will still be an overdriven signal just lowered.

Grouping into one channel although sounds good it actually just creates another master fader.

It’s a pain but the correct way is to reduce all the faders that supply the master buss.

Looks like same as someone said earlier, selecting multiple channels first then automation.

Although I’ve just come across in page 201 of the manual linked groups which does seem to include automation too, am giving it a test right now If this works and also changes automation it will be mixing heaven!

This is all just (mostly) wrong