I’ve done a mix which I love. I think though I ought to have had more headroom as the overall fader levels I should have pushed up more as whole.
Am wondering with cubase 6 is it possible to raise all the faders over the whole track, but in doing som keeping the balance between each fader relative?
In the mixer Ctrl+select all the channels you want to link then right click and in the pop-up you will see “Link Channels”. Select that and all your faders will be linked for the seleced channels.
Check your individual levels though to see if there is continuity as there was a problem some time ago concerning this as apparently there were inconsistencies with individual track’s levels not matching the proportional levels of others. However I think that has been fixed.
! Also there seems to be no undo for this (though I could be wrong) so work on a copy or just quit and reload the Project without saving if difficulties arise.
You could also raise the input gain of the stereo out channel. This is what I do when I am done with a mix and just want to add a little bit more to everything as a whole without having to raise every channel.
HTH
J.L.
Don’t include FX returns if you link channels and then raise a whole bunch of them. Your effects sends should stay in proportion anyway if on the default post-fade setting.
I too recommend mixing with ample fader headroom and taking up any slack at the master gain control. So often people forget that Cubase project templates usually default all faders to 0db which can set you off into a world of gain pain. I receive a lot of projects to mixdown and my first move is almost invariably to pull the channel faders down by around 6 db to give me back some headroom so that I can re-balance without running too close to the max.
I often use old-school thinking. Start your mix with faders down. Build up by balancing instrument types, perhaps sending all drums, backing vocals etc. to groups. Definitely not starting with all faders at 0db.
I go with Parrotspains re: -6db
Also I’ll set the bass drum at -6db and additionally start the bass guitar at the same as a base starting point for a mix and balance all around that. Depending on the EQ & FX used you may have to go a bit lower.
If you mix like this though on “Export Mixdown” reset the master stereo faders to 0db! On comparison with commercial releases I always find that gives an equivalent level result.
Whenever I forget it’s always “Bloody Cubase!”.
On all hardware desks, it’s natural to start with faders down and build mixes ‘upwards’. Even then it’s easy to get enthusiastic, always adding more, adding more and eventually running out of any place to go.
I think I can see why Cubase and other DAWs tend towards setting faders to 0db - otherwise many new users would struggle to get started with signal flow at all. Make a new channel and the sound is already there - it ‘works’ - it’s instant!
But it merely compounds the problem when it comes to mixing because you are starting off most channels only just below the red zone.
I long ago learned when balancing sound to ask myself the question, ‘What is too loud?’ not ‘What needs to be turned up next?’. I’d go so far as to say that I think getting this gain structure and judgement right is one of the most important aspects of the art of sound recording and mixing. More important than exotic plugs and EQ and as important as composition and arrangement.
Remember, this doesn’t mean your final output mix is quiet, merely that you can get to a good balance more easily.
My thanks to OP. Aljames for giving me the chance to soapbox!
That would be SO handy for me as a preference, I am forever turning new tracks down from 0db.
DAWs all have fabulous headroom / low noise floor. It seems that many users cram everything into just a few db…and then wonder where the dynamics and clarity have gone.