When I record I make sure I don't go above -12db on the meter. It may peak a little highr at times but for the most part I'm at -12db.
I have my track view  meters in Sonar set to 60 for both record and playback. In console view I have my track meters set for 60 and buses set for 42 and master bus set for 24. I think -12db is a good record level for every track and i don't have to use the input trim much.
 
I have the Klanghelm meter and want to use it to keep an eye on my levels but I'm not sure how to set it.
The Klanghelm meter default settings are as follows:
The LED peak is -6, clip is -0.20 and hold time is 2.0
The VU rise and fall are both set for 300ms and the overshoot is 1.0 =1%.
The PPM rise is 10 and fall is 1500.
So having to want to keep each track at -12 and the sum of all tracks and buses around -9 how would I set up the meter?
Do I need to put a meter on each track and or bus as well as master bus? I never did grasp meter concepts well.
Thanks

It's going to meter whatever bus or track you put it on. It can only show the levels for one stream of audio. 
 
I only use it on the master bus.
 
If you want to average -12, then set the offset to -12 and the meter will show 0db when averaging at -12 db. I haven't bothered adjusting the other settings (actually that's not true, I think I adjusted the fall rate to be somewhat slower)

Set VUMT to -12 peak for tracks (every track) and the bus at -9 peak and the yellow lights will blink if you go over (they turn red if you clip). If your a K-14 guy you'll want to change the reference level to -14 (bottom right hand corner). Great plugin!!!

Appreciate it. Thanks.

Any signal or sound consists of a transient part and an rms part. (the sustained part of the sound. the power in most signals to a certain extent.)  The Klanghelm is a VU meter and therefore much more concerned about the rms part. I do not even take notice of the peak indicators on the Klanghelm meter either.  They are not as important as your proper peak meters in your DAW.
 
You need to set the reference level for the meter to work properly and you need to choose what reference you are going to work at eg K-14 is a good overall choice. -12 is too hot for production phases.  (more mastering level)  -20 is excellent for high quality production.  -18 is also another common and industry standard ref level.  You need to be able to switch reference levels.  That is how to think of them.  When a continuous sinewave (it's peak value) is presented at the ref level then the VU meter should read 0 dB VU.
 
Alignment tones at all levels are best brought in and checked.  Right through your system and adjusted.  It is best to work from the beginning of a project using the VU meter from then set at the correct ref level.
 
Throwing them over en existing project without doing any of this is more trial and error.  Start by putting the meter over your main stereo mix and keep adjusting the ref level so the music just peaks up to 0 dB VU most of the time. Whatever that is set to now is the average rms value of your mix.  So for the rest of that project use VU meters set to that ref level.
 
But it is better to choose a ref level, calibrate your system to it and then produce everything from now on at that ref level.  With all VU meters set the same and at that level.

Hi!
 
I have been wondering about a question related to that for some time. When I set  the Klanghelm VU to, say, -12dB reference level on the stereo master and mix to that level, then the level meters on individual tracks get very low. It then looks as if the same absolute movement of the volume slider is translated to a higher change in dB level, making it harder to make small adjustments. And if that's right, setting the meters to 60dB would to make the problem even worse.
 
So the questions are:
 
1.) Am I confused by the logarithmic nature of the dB scale and this is not a problem at all? Should I just set the individual meters to 60dB range?
 
2.) Is there a way to get to simply adjust the level meters in Sonar to peak at -12dB?
It seems that independently of an answer to the first, the second option would be useful but I haven't figured out a way to achieve this in Sonar X3 so far.
 
 
 

The first thing you have to understand is that the VU meter is showing you rms levels mainly. (peak meters respond to the loudest fastest peaks, rms meters are showing the average level or the meat of the sound essentially)
 
When you say you are setting the VU for -12 on the master stereo buss and the meter is OK there, the track meters are low.  What track meters are you talking about.
 
The idea is you insert another VU meter set for -12 on the tracks as well and you see them swinging up to
0 dB VU as well.  You can insert as many VU meters as you like anywhere in your signal flow.
 
You cannot use existing DAW meters to show rms for several reasons.
 
1  Usually they will be showing right down on the scale. Not so useful. And not as useful as a meter that comes right up to 0 dB VU.
 
2  Sonar shows rms readings 3db lower than they should because they are showing actual rms readings which are 3 db down from peak.
 
So the idea is you use the VU meters (Klanghelm) on tracks, busses and the main stereo buss.  Everywhere. Also -12 is a little hot for general project levels. It should either be -14, -18 or better still -20.
 
Use your existing DAW meters in peak mode only to keep an eye on very transient material which won't move the VU meter much but the DAW peak meters will keep you informed then most of the time.  The idea is to watch how all your levels are VU wise mainly and let the peaks take care of themselves.  (they will because there is lots of headroom above that rms ref level or there should be. Another reason why -12 is not so good in projects. You are only allowing 12 dB of headroom which is not a lot.)
 
When you start using the VU's correctly you will find your tracks will just reach 0 dB VU and the track fader will be around unity.  The same applies for busses and the main stereo buss.  Leave the main stereo buss fader alone at unity but you will find you will get your mixes right on busses with the track faders all being around unity where you actually have the most control and the best fader range of movement.  It is also OK to fine tune buss levels.  That is what the buss faders are for!
 
eg say you have 4 electric guitars on 4 tracks and each track is showing a nice 0 dB VU.  That means they have all been tracked correctly.  If you send those 4 tracks to a buss you will only have to pull all four of them down not by much (close to unity eg -2 or -3 dB)  to get the right balance and level on the buss they are all going to.
 

Jeff, is there a way to use the VU while recording in Sonar? What meter do you use when recording? Interface? Sonar's meters? Do you set Sonar's meter for recording to 24db and keep the input level between -18 and -15?

I use Studio One so the good news is in that program you have full access to all the input signals coming in even before they hit the tracks.  This is something that Cakewalk should note as well.  It is amazingly handy. You can insert plugins there on those input channels even before the signal hits the tracks too.  So I put the VU meter right there.  Also Studio One has the ability to put all its track meters into K system mode and you can select the ref level as either -20, -14, 12 etc. Then your meters actually turn into proper VU meters and you don't even need the Klanghelm meters then.  (other DAW's are taking this on too) I still like the VU needle/scale arrangement though better.
 
The next best thing is to insert it first in your effects bin but you will have to have the channel input monitoring on in order to see it.  No other plugins before the meter.  Channel fader comes after the effects (usually so you should be good to go there)
 
I do not alter the ref levels during a project ever. I choose the ref level I am going to work at eg -14 or -20 and then stick to that all the way from tracks right through to the stereo buss.
 
I basically ignore the DAW meters except for peak metering. Just keep an eye on those in case any peaks are coming very close to 0 DB FS which they are usually not.
 
When tracking I just get the talent (or me) to do their thing and I adjust the VU to a reading of 0 dB VU and that is it!  (if it's a snare drum though I take much more notice of the peak metering and just aim for -10 to -6 on the loudest hits.)  The VU won’t be moving much on very transient material. This is where peak metering is very important.
 
You use both not just one or the other.
 
 
 
 

Ah perfect. I have Studio One Producer but haven't really used it yet. I have to do some recording in Studio One and test this out. Good info Jeff Thanks a lot.