Searched the forums and can't find anything like this. I'm not sure if this is a software problem or a sample problem.
 
I'm in the middle of mixing background vocals of this girl and 5 tracks are OK, but one track is kind of low, even though the meter goes all the way to the top and into the red, and I can't figure out why I can't get it to go any louder. She recorded the vocals in her studio last year and she is not available to talk now. I thought maybe she did something weird that I could fix.
 
The actual wave file looks normal and if I goose up the volume or gain it only then pins the meter and starts to distort the sound.
 
Any ideas as to how I can get this vocal LOUDER whilst not making the meter jump any higher and distort?
 
I really need this vocal part and the only thing that I can think of is to lower every other voice and all the instruments in the song, which I don't want to do.
 
Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.

Have you double checked what bus this track is being sent to

I have lost count of the times I have done this - eg sending the track to an fx bus instead of the master bus

Thanks. I just double checked and yes, it's going to the correct bus. I did remove the compressor and then goose up the Dry signal in the Breverb and it helps, but the meter is pinned, but, I don't hear distortion, so I guess I should let it be pinned as long as what I hear is ok, I guess.
Now, if I can only find out how to edit the nodes in my lead vocal volume envelope, ha, ha.
 
Should never have upgraded to version B in the middle of a project!

May want to take a look at the track with an frequency analyzer or the Quad Curve EQ if you have Producer.
 
While I doubt it will help with this problem make sure the SONAR X3e patch has been applied http://www.cakewalk.com/S...13361/SONAR-X3e-Update it is a cumulative update addressing quite a few issues

Check for subsonics and supersonics. Set the QuadCurve EQ's high and low pass filters for 96 dB/octave response and cut below 100Hz and above 10kHz...see what happens.

Please update it to X3E :) You are still on an old version..
Thanks..

Thanks, everyone. Yes, I have Producer.
 
I don't think I'll update to version E until I finish this project, which is time sensitive. I'll struggle with this for now and work around it somehow. I should have updated before I started.
 
Thanks for the EQ tip, I'll try it out.

Anyway please turn off 64 bit precision engine. Known issue in older patches. Thanks.

I tend to agree with Craig on this one. Cut the stuff that you can't hear, or don't want to hear first, see what it does to your levels. I suspect that her S/N ratio is probably pretty bad, and when you goose up the volume , your pulling up a lot of other stuff too in the form of hiss and unwanted rumbles, as well as some basic audio garbage. Use HP and LP at about 100 hz (maybe even 150) and chop the high end off  at say 10khz (maybe 9khz). See if the audio suffers. Reference point: 110 hz is the low A on your guitar. 10khz is a piercingly high pitch and is used only to provide some air in the signal. Both are safe cuts for female vocals.

When you say the meter is "pinned" that points to automation on the track. But when you say the meter goes all the way up into the red, it points to a different problem (e.g. a plugin or bus routing).
You can temporarily turn off al plugins by pressing "E". Does this make a significant difference to the volume of the track?