toddclarke1
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recorded audio tracks not loud enough
My first post! I have Sonar 8.5 Studio (got it and X1 was announced a few days later) and am running it on a Dell Precision box w/an EMU 1212m for a soundcard. I record guitars using real amplifiers and mics, and run that through a Behringer 2442FX, then into the card via 1/4 inch inputs. When I drop a drum loop in to use for a metronome/template, it sounds fine...appropriate volume, etc. When I record a guitar or vocal though, it's very quiet. While it all sounds the same through the phones or monitors, it is just unusable as audio. If I add 3db to it, I have to do it several times and it ends up not sounding very good. Could it be the soundcard input volume causing the disparity? Via the 1212m utility, volume is up, but it's the only thing I can think of other than a setting in the software that controls incoming audio volume. Any advice or suggestions would be most appreciated.
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Bristol_Jonesey
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Re:recorded audio tracks not loud enough
2011/03/07 08:29:41
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There is NOTHING in Sonar that lets you raise or lower the level of incoming audio.
It all happens before it hits the A-D of your card.
What do your guitar signals look like after you've recorded them? What do they peak at on the track meter?
You should be aiming at a figure of about -12 to -9 db.
If you're there or thereabouts and they're being swamped by your loops - DROP the level of the loops
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toddclarke1
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Re:recorded audio tracks not loud enough
2011/03/07 08:45:36
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Good to know. I was just reading some other, similar threads about setting it from between -12 to -18 or so. I'm not sure what the guitar level is peaking at, but I will make note of it next time and try to set the drum loops volume to match. I used to record with a friend of mine, back in the Sonar 4 days, and we had a problem with it being very low in volume back then as well. I guess I'm just not really used to the digital realm yet. If I'm getting blown out in the room, but it's too quiet in the recording...and sonar doesn't have any way of changing the incoming volume...then it must be a soundcard issue. Still, no point in speculating until I see what the level is. Thanks for the info!
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chuckebaby
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Re:recorded audio tracks not loud enough
2011/03/07 09:13:16
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toddclarke1
My first post! I have Sonar 8.5 Studio (got it and X1 was announced a few days later) and am running it on a Dell Precision box w/an EMU 1212m for a soundcard. I record guitars using real amplifiers and mics, and run that through a Behringer 2442FX, then into the card via 1/4 inch inputs. When I drop a drum loop in to use for a metronome/template, it sounds fine...appropriate volume, etc. When I record a guitar or vocal though, it's very quiet. While it all sounds the same through the phones or monitors, it is just unusable as audio. If I add 3db to it, I have to do it several times and it ends up not sounding very good. Could it be the soundcard input volume causing the disparity? Via the 1212m utility, volume is up, but it's the only thing I can think of other than a setting in the software that controls incoming audio volume. Any advice or suggestions would be most appreciated.
if you bought prodicer then x1 came out a couple of days later...you may be intitled to a free upgrade..it was a promo they ran from nov.1st-dec.31st...you by between these times and get the upgrade no charge...i got it.
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toddclarke1
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Re:recorded audio tracks not loud enough
2011/03/07 14:50:04
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Good to know...I'll check that out. I can't remember when I bought the upgrade. Is X1 significantly better?
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johnnyV
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Re:recorded audio tracks not loud enough
2011/03/07 15:22:00
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The key to recording levels is to arm the track and play. Look at the meter for the track! That is all you need to do. If it is not showing in the upper range( -12db or more) then your input is set to low. If your guitar is too loud through the playback monitors then you need to set that up properly, It's a common mistake to set monitoring up incorrectly and then wonder why recording is wrong. Turn down the monitoring level. I believe yours is a PCI based interface so there will be a control panel for it. If you are monitoring at you mixer and you input levels are not properly matched then they will record low. Set your meters in Sonar to match your mixers by setting your sound cards input levels properly.
post edited by johnnyV - 2011/03/07 20:39:36
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batsbrew
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Re:recorded audio tracks not loud enough
2011/03/07 15:29:36
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the version of daw you use, has absolutely nothing to do with your levels issue.
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Dave King
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Re:recorded audio tracks not loud enough
2011/03/07 16:48:38
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There may be input level adjustments available on the sound card software. For example on my M-Audio card software, I can choose between 3 different input levels.
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AT
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Re:recorded audio tracks not loud enough
2011/03/07 18:00:51
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With the drum loops (midi or audio) you can simply pull down the fader to reach a good level to record against. I usually pull tracks down by -6 dB on the fader just as a starting place. If you are coming from analog you probably have the tendency to have things hot - it is not an issue w/ digital. The noise floor should be pretty low. As I add tracks I usually pull things even lower, almost like a rough mix. Perc and back ground tracks can get pulled down to -20 dB or more if they are not important to the rhythm.
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bitflipper
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Re:recorded audio tracks not loud enough
2011/03/07 21:53:45
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Those 1/4" inputs are line-level inputs. I would have thought that the mixer would have sufficient gain to drive a line input, but maybe it doesn't. You might want to start with your mixer's manual and see if there are output level options, e.g. a switch for -10 or +4. If there's an input trim control on the mic inputs, make sure it's turned up.
But as long as the recorded audio is at -30db or higher, you're OK. Even down to -40db can be acceptable if it's a clean recording. If you can't get your input levels up, but they're making it to -30db or more, just go ahead and record the clip at that level and then go to Process -> Audio -> Gain and add 10, 20 or 30db, whatever it takes. Your noise floor will also come up by the same amount, but with 24-bit digital audio you have the luxury of ridiculously good S/N ratios and can get away with it.
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