I'm working on the clip gain for my bass. First time I've ever tried this tedious process. At first, it was a super pain in the neck. I wasn't sure of the process, and kept clicking things and causing the CbB to completely go unresponsive. I now have a flow down, and if I'm careful and paying attention to what I'm doing, I do not lose any more time waiting for the not responding message to go away.
 
• First, I make sure Clip Gain is selected.
 
• Then, I F7 to make sure the Move tool is selected
 
• For this particular track, every bass note is on the quarter note, so I've split nearly every note into its own clip. The Move tool is used to change the gain. Click on the red bar and move it up or down as needed, and I'm shooting for -18db max, for each beat/clip.
 
Here is my work flow:
 -Click the titlebar of the clip, Record 68, in this example. Keyboard press <shift+spacebar> to only play that clip, noting the peak.
 - Drag the red bar up or down as needed to make the -18db mark.
 - For a second time, click the titlebar of the clip.  Keyboard press <shift+spacebar> to only play that clip, noting the peak, just to make sure I've hit my mark.
- I then click the title bar of the next clip and begin the process again.
 
Before I developed this little process, I discovered that clicking in the wrong spots, or attempting to select anything other than the Clip's Title Bar or the red handlebar resulted in CW stuttering and going unresponsive for a few seconds. At first, I did not realize what was happening, and kept clicking, dragging, doing other things that are not allowable from this function.
 
• Last step, set the  Clip Gain back to Clip, which I guess is the default.
 
If this is a help to anyone, fine. If you have suggestions or a, "Kevin, what are you doing? Here's what u should be doing..." I'm open to them.
 
I'm putting this out here for my future reference, too.  ☺
 
Thanks, Kevin

Doh! My pics didn't come thru, and I did not save them from the snipping tool. I forgot, can't paste them in. Sorry. The steps are all there, tho.

Sounds tedious.
 
Maybe a compressor would have done the same job?

yeah compressor ftw

Yes, tedious: I'm attempting to particularly make the bass a little more even, so that at mixdown, I don't have to fight the sudden lows, then loud sections: BUT, its a rhythm bed that repeats several times. Once I get it right, it'll make the mix much easier to deal with since the notes will be similar in volume. Plus, its an opportunity to knock out some string buzzing and between note riff-raff.. I'm not as quiet a bass player as I  thought. ;)

A perfect application for a compressor.
 
Have you tried it?

Multiband if it's exclusively low end changes or occassional other-band...

Sometimes a single band compressor following it for glue?

Not at my Windows music computer right now to verify the exact steps (I know I'm using my MacBook Pro because Safari crashed again after the most recent Mac update), but there is an easy way to split every 1/8th note, quarter note, etc. by opening up the clip in the loop construction window, and setting transient markers at the desired rhythmic value (with threshold set to 0). 
 
Now you can tab across the clip in Track View, and the now time will stop at each note. Type S to split, tab, type S, etc. It's also possible to do this with AudioSnap, but AS tries to be more "intelligent" and I think my dumb approach is better.
 
Select all notes and trim, then normalize to the desired value. Also check out this video:
 

 
Another option is if you have Melodyne Editor or Studio, you can adjust each "blob" level in percussive view. This is a super fast way to set a bunch of notes to the same level.
 
Or as mentioned previously, use a compressor...although I think a limiter would give fewer artifacts. Of course, the approach you're using that adjusts only levels will give no artifacts at all, which I presume is why you want that kind of solution.
 
There are so many ways to skin a cat with today's DAWs!

Thanks, Mr. Anderton.
 
You wrote, "Or as mentioned previously, use a compressor...although I think a limiter would give fewer artifacts. Of course, the approach you're using that adjusts only levels will give no artifacts at all, which I presume is why you want that kind of solution."  You are absolutely correct. If I had to manipulate the bass throughout the whole song, my approach would not work; as it is mostly repeating sections, that I can copy and paste as needed, my approach is working.  This music will be used for modern day square dancing, and 4-on-the-floor, very even sound is what I'm after. It is still more musical sounding, than say, using a MIDI bass.
 
For all, thanks for the input: Its the first time I've ever tried this level of editing, and its a learning process for me. Yes, the compressor option is there, and very handy, but I was trying something new to compare with my other recordings.