Volume Vs. Gain

Hello Everyone,

As this post will make abundantly clear, I,m a perfect Newbie. I have X1 Expanded and am impatient to get work going - but quickly realized that this is going to take time! For starters, can anyone explain - in plain english please - what the difference is between VOLUME input/output and GAIN input/output. Turn either one up = sound gets louder - turn either one down = sound gets quieter. Does Routing influence choosing one or the other? I started a project using 2 instances of Dimension Pro and one of Rapture. Each track going to the master bus - each track has an effect on it. How do you balance it all out? PRE/POST --- GLOBAL ??

Thanks in advance to anyone taking the time to help!!

Rasure


Gain is your input signal, Volume is your out put signal.

A mistake I made very early on, was not to use gain, gain is the signal before it reaches any processing and volume is the volume after processing, and why its important to set your gain first so you don't clip any processing such a plug ins etc.

I normally set all my gain level to around -10 on all tracks, don't usually touch any gain on busses

well said my friend  :)

It also serves to emulate a real mixer which usually has a Trim or Gain knob at the top for input and a sliding Fader at the bottom for output.
 
Personally I'd kinda like ta see the standard mixer EQ knobs with HI and LO sweeping Mids too... with a bypass switch of course.
 
Steve

FastBikerBoy

soens


Personally I'd kinda like ta see the standard mixer EQ knobs with HI and LO sweeping Mids too... with a bypass switch of course.
 
Steve

Isn't that the point of the Prochannel?

Speaking of which, I'd love to see a volume output on the ProChannel eq. We have one on the compressor and the saturator, but not on the eq! I like to adjust the output of EVERY plug so there is no perceivable volume change. This makes A/B ing between on and off easy and keeps all my gain staging in check :( Has this been discussed before? Maybe it's time for a feature request..

Bristol_Jonesey


I agree Matt.

I've sent in a feature request, maybe a few more of us should:

http://www.cakewalk.com/s...ct/featurerequest.aspx

Submitted!

Sounds like you're just doing the same thing, but earlier on in your recording chain.

Don't fret about it - the important thing is you're gain staging properly, provided you're only using your desk to feed into Sonar. Which begs the question, how are your source tracks leaving the desk?

Direct Outs are good for this PROVIDED they can be switched between Pre & Post fader.
You want Post if you're going to record from them.

Group outputs are another good candidate

mattplaysguitar

Bristol_Jonesey


I agree Matt.

I've sent in a feature request, maybe a few more of us should:

http://www.cakewalk.com/s...ct/featurerequest.aspx

Submitted!

Submitted as well!!

Bristol_Jonesey


Sounds like you're just doing the same thing, but earlier on in your recording chain.

Don't fret about it - the important thing is you're gain staging properly, provided you're only using your desk to feed into Sonar. Which begs the question, how are your source tracks leaving the desk?

Direct Outs are good for this PROVIDED they can be switched between Pre & Post fader.
You want Post if you're going to record from them.

Group outputs are another good candidate

Thanks.  Group outs.