Guitar...Recording..

[bassdrummer2333]

So i've been plugging my guitar into my MobilePre and I can direct monitor and everthing fine but there's one big thing i'm still not getting... when I record guitar at a safe level so it doesn't clip it's way to low to use for anything, and when I raise it through the compressor it clips... I don't get how i'm supposed to get my guitar to be loud and NOT clip...

[Tristan Needler]

What do you mean by way to low to use for anything?

[The Boathouse]

I'm assuming he means the level/gain. I haven't had that problem, and I use the exact same, terrible interface, haha. I hate that thing. Anyway, doublecheck your guitar volume nob, first. Then, from that point, check what's going on with the level going INTO the program. In garageband there's a level you set over by the monitors that says, "recording level" I think. Something like that. Make sure that's high enough. Then make sure that you're running in mono, as you aren't recording stereo. Then make sure that your master gain is up aroun 0 to start with, at least in Garageband, as I've found that a suitable level to start your shit. Check the amp modeling you're using, as that could also affect the level. In terms of compressors, make sure you're not OVERcompressing it, as that will fuck things up. Be careful with compressors.

[bassdrummer2333]

I can get it loud enough by raising the input but I thought that when you record guitar the signal was supposed to be low so it doesn't clip? But if it's too low then how would it be loud enough to be heard over drums? And how would it be loud enough to compare volume wise to any other track..

[Tristan Needler]

Could you post an mp3 of guitar and drums maybe? With no extra gain or anything, just recorded how you think it's supposed to be.

I want to say, just turn down the drums so they match the guitar, but you shouldn't have to turn them down too much. Then just turn up the speakers you're monitoring on at the very end. Generally, you should be turning instruments down to match quieter instruments, not the other way around.

[Tristan Needler]

Here's a picture of my mixer for the mix (before raising the volume to a "normal level") of the song I was asking everyone to listen to before.

http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f87/tristanisneat/untitled-9.png

I tried to pick a spot where lots of stuff was going on, but it's hard to get the screen cap at an exact moment haha. The tracks at the left are all right around as loud as they go, while the one's to the right (the vocal ones) are on their way down, so they were a bit higher before. Keep in mind that the ones that are higher are the drums... the bass, acoustic, guitars and other instruments are all a fair amount lower.

The the meter on the left of the Roger Nichols thing under the mixer shows you the peak (thicker) meter and the RMS (skinny) meter... notice the RMS one is just barely above 18. That's the highest it goes in the whole song, and you don't want it to go higher for your mix, until you "master" it.

[bassdrummer2333]

Ok i'll work on something specific to post. So your whole mix is supposed to be really low until you master it? What do you do in the mastering stage to get the whole song up to commerical level volume.

[Tristan Needler]

Ok i'll work on something specific to post. So your whole mix is supposed to be really low until you master it? What do you do in the mastering stage to get the whole song up to commerical level volume.
Compressors/limiters.

[bassdrummer2333]

Do you compress individual parts or the whole thing? And could you give me an example on the settings of a compressor on how to raise the volume and it not come out crappy.

http://images.macworld.com/images/legacy/2007/08/images/content/compressor.jpg

[Tristan Needler]

Do you compress individual parts or the whole thing? And could you give me an example on the settings of a compressor on how to raise the volume and it not come out crappy.

http://images.macworld.com/images/legacy/2007/08/images/content/compressor.jpg
Whole thing. That's the point of compressors, they apply different amounts of compression depending on how loud the song is, evening out the whole thing. If your song has parts that you want to be louder and quieter, it's a bit more tricky.

Does it give you any numbers when you slide the things? An average ratio is around 4:1, and I usually make the attack pretty fast. If it starts to sound too "pulse" like, then ease off on the attack.

The threshold is at what volume it starts to reduce volume, and gain is how much volume it adds back. You have to find the balance yourself there. The lower the threshold, the more volume reduction. Slide it down and slide the gain up until you find something that's a good volume, but not all squashed/lifeless/distorting/"pulsey."

By pulsey I mean like in techno/heavy trance type songs when the kick hits and everything drops then raises in volume to give a pulsing sound/feeling to the song.



It helps having compression on each individual track as well. For that, you DON'T want to be raising the volume. Try the presets for starters on the vocals, guitars, bass, etc. But adjust the gain so that the volume with and without the compressor is the same. It just makes your tracks sound a bit fuller and more fluid almost. Nicer on the ears.

[bassdrummer2333]

Wow that was actually a really good explanation of how to use it! Thanks! And yes when you slide the nobs it does give you all the numbers. So i'm gonna want my tracks to be equal by what my ear hears or what the gain says? And i'm still going to record some guitar and drums together and post them here for some suggestions on what to do.

[Tristan Needler]

Wow that was actually a really good explanation of how to use it! Thanks! And yes when you slide the nobs it does give you all the numbers. So i'm gonna want my tracks to be equal by what my ear hears or what the gain says? And i'm still going to record some guitar and drums together and post them here for some suggestions on what to do.
I'm quite sure what you mean by "tracks to be equal."

Everything's about sound though, so that's the most important. The other people that listen are going to hear the sound, not see the numbers.

[bassdrummer2333]

Yeah I'm equaling out all the volume the way i'm going to want it in the final mix, correct? The compression will bring my track up to the right volume?

[Tristan Needler]

You only bring volume up at the very end, with the final compressor on the master track. Or do what I do, which is bounce the whole mix to another track, and put a compressor on it to raise the volume.

I only use compression on individual tracks to balance the volume, not to increase it.

[Javs]

You might want to look into getting Waves Diamond Bundle compressors and mixer plug ins. Comes with a lot of audio plug-ins for making your music sound grade A. It has great compressors which I was using back when I owned a really shitty input. It made the quality so much better.

[ShimmerAndSpill]

You might want to look into getting Waves Diamond Bundle compressors and mixer plug ins. Comes with a lot of audio plug-ins for making your music sound grade A. It has great compressors which I was using back when I owned a really shitty input. It made the quality so much better.

Used these when I recorded with my old band, sounded great.