Adjusting several track levels, audio and soft synth - how to ?

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ULTRABRA
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2014/03/03 15:34:03 (permalink)

Adjusting several track levels, audio and soft synth - how to ?

I have a piece in Sonar X2 that is around 20 tracks - some are audio tracks, and some are soft synth tracks.  I got the relative levels just as I want them.
 
In the soft synth tracks I have some automation of volume.  In the audio tracks I have adjusted volume by adjusting the volume slider.
 
Problem is, my finished track with all the levels balanced is peaking at around -15db, quite low I suppose.   Whats the easiest way to get all my tracks moved up in relatively equal volume?   The audio tracks I could group in console view and move relative volumes together - but the soft synth tracks would not work that way (they have automation using volume).  
 
I tried manually to adjust each track seperately, but its tricky to get all tracks manually raised by the same percentage manually.
 
Any ideas?
 

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    Lynn
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    Re: Adjusting several track levels, audio and soft synth - how to ? 2014/03/03 15:42:09 (permalink)
    This is what offset mode is for.  Hit the letter O to go into offset mode.  All volume levels will reset to 0, that's just a starting point, the real volumes will remain the same.  Group all tracks that you want to adjust and make your changes.  The tracks with envelopes will follow along, and their relative volumes will change.  Exit offset mode by again hitting the letter O.  You should be good to go.  The volume levels will revert back to what they were to begin with, but your changes will remain.

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    Kev999
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    Re: Adjusting several track levels, audio and soft synth - how to ? 2014/03/03 17:52:36 (permalink)
    I disagree about using Offset Mode.  The overall level can easily be adjusted in the bus stage.
     
    What are your tracks routed to?
     

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    Lynn
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    Re: Adjusting several track levels, audio and soft synth - how to ? 2014/03/03 20:21:05 (permalink)
    Kev999
    I disagree about using Offset Mode.  The overall level can easily be adjusted in the bus stage.
     
    What are your tracks routed to?
     


    This works, too, as long as you have everything going to the same bus.  However, if not, the offset method is just fine.  Not all people send every track to a master bus.

    All the best,
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    ULTRABRA
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    Re: Adjusting several track levels, audio and soft synth - how to ? 2014/03/04 00:54:49 (permalink)
    Thanks Lynn, I'll take a look at Offset mode - never actually heard of that before !
     
    Kev999 - in this case, I'm actually routing all tracks to a Master bus - which is set at 0.  

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    Kev999
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    Re: Adjusting several track levels, audio and soft synth - how to ? 2014/03/04 01:16:59 (permalink)
    ULTRABRA
    ...I'm actually routing all tracks to a Master bus - which is set at 0.



    I would probably include a pre-master bus and turn up the input gain and output volume on this.

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    Lynn
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    Re: Adjusting several track levels, audio and soft synth - how to ? 2014/03/04 01:37:05 (permalink)
    Now, knowing your routing, I agree with Kev.  Simple and elegant.

    All the best,
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    scook
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    Re: Adjusting several track levels, audio and soft synth - how to ? 2014/03/04 01:46:33 (permalink)
    Boost the input gain on the Master bus, add FreeG or an empty FX Chain to the Master bus.
    #8
    ULTRABRA
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    Re: Adjusting several track levels, audio and soft synth - how to ? 2014/03/04 04:12:58 (permalink)
    Thanks guys.   
     
    Lynn - I tested the Offset mode, and I will definitely use that again on individual tracks where I have automation.   If I'm understanding right, if the track with automation has volume fader set at 0, and I use offset mode to raise it +2, then back in normal mode if the fader says 0, it will actually play +2?    But, when it come down to zero (actually INF) then it still will play zero, not zero + 2db ?
     
    In this case, as I need to raise EVERY track by the same amount of volume, I think the pre-master bus is a good solution.  I route every track there (and the Pre-Master routed to the Master), and use the volume fader to raise the volume --- that means I can raise it my max 6db.  The gain also has up to 6db.  Does that mean I can then raise every track by maximum 12db?   Is there any difference between pushing the volume fader +6db over 0, than leaving volume fader at 0, and using the gain - is the effect the same whichever I use? 
     
     

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    Kev999
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    Re: Adjusting several track levels, audio and soft synth - how to ? 2014/03/04 04:25:44 (permalink)
    ULTRABRA
    Is there any difference between pushing the volume fader +6db over 0, than leaving volume fader at 0, and using the gain - is the effect the same whichever I use?



    There should be no difference.  I am assuming that no effects, ProChannel or otherwise, are active within the bus.

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    Vastman
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    Re: Adjusting several track levels, audio and soft synth - how to ? 2014/03/04 05:17:59 (permalink)
    Offset mode... nice! Thanks, Lynn...Boy, Sonar is deeeeep! Had no idea!  Wish my brain could keep all this stuff on tap...

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    #11
    ULTRABRA
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    Re: Adjusting several track levels, audio and soft synth - how to ? 2014/03/04 06:34:21 (permalink)
    Kev999 --- right, I'll add a Pre-master Bus, no fx at all, and use it just for the raising of the overall volume of all tracks routed to it, prior to it hitting the Master bus (which does have some FX on it).
    post edited by ULTRABRA - 2014/03/04 07:04:27

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    Bristol_Jonesey
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    Re: Adjusting several track levels, audio and soft synth - how to ? 2014/03/04 15:02:06 (permalink)
    Leave it as it is!!
     
    -15dB is quite loud enough for a studio mix.
     
    Your Mastering Engineer will love you.
     
    My only caveat would be if this song is one of several songs for an album and the other songs are at roughly a similar but higher level, i might raise the lower one up a bit.

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    ULTRABRA
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    Re: Adjusting several track levels, audio and soft synth - how to ? 2014/03/05 03:21:40 (permalink)
    Funnily enough this track is "Part 2" of a 3 song set.  So, I'm trying to have it same levels as Part 1.    
    I'm using Ozone 5 to master it --- so, only thing is, I'm having to push the Limiter threshold down quite a bit more than usual to get it simialr level to Part 1 - around 8db.   
    Is getting the overall level more around -6db at mixing time, then use less limiting at mastering, going to give a better result than having the lower -15db level at mixing time, and doing more limiting?   Or will the result be anyway the same.   I have at least the impression that more liminting means more potential artifacts introduced ...?

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