Mixing Question and Track Waves

I am having an issue where my tracks are reading well in the audio out put just below clipping, the master out is just a a few db in the red but when export the audio the volume is so low what am I doing wrong?  What is a good method to get volume of your tracks to match their output?  I know there is some compression and gain reduction that is needed for a final mix but I am getting such a low output.  Also if you put a compressor on a track I was under the impression the waves of that track would change to reflect that changes. I am not the best yet at determining how much compression is effecting my tracks yet by just listening but I can at least identify the change like in Sound Forge it changes the wave with every change. Thanks in advance 

noynekker
Hi BMOG . . . what is your routing of tracks to your audio device ?
1) Do you have multiple busses going directly to your audio device ?
2) Are you sending all tracks and busses to a Master buss, which is then routed to your audio device ? (This is my preferred method for a more predictable export)
3) What settings are you using for audio export ? (eg. Entire Mix, What you Hear, Master Bus ?)

I am pretty much number 2 all tracks going to Master Buss, as for settings I never pick anything but wave files

noynekker
I usually "select all" tracks (ctrl-a), then export-audio and choose "entire mix" for my Source Category.
Are you selecting all tracks, or just certain tracks (wave files) ?

Same exact way you are saying to do it, i have always wondered how to export individual tracks all at once let's say to send them off to be mastered?

noynekker
Select the track, or multiple tracks.
Then in export-audio, use "Tracks" as the Source Category.

Cool could my issue be that I have the output that I am listening to louder so that it sounds good to my ear and then once it exports the volume is at the level it really is?  If that is the case how do you match the volume of the track to the output you hear?

First verify that all of your tracks are going to the master bus: mute it and everything should go silent.
 
Next, double-check that you're exporting from the master bus: you should be selecting "Entire Mix" in the export dialog.
 
If those check out OK - and it's likely they will - then your problem is simply a too-low average RMS. The meter readings are showing peak levels, not an average, and it's the average that determines perceived volume, not peaks. To make it louder you must raise the average level.
 
Of course, just turning everything up will push the peaks into the red and result in distortion. So the trick is to turn up the volume without letting the peaks go into the red. That's what a limiter does. You just need to insert a limiter on the master bus and learn how to work it. 

bitflipper
First verify that all of your tracks are going to the master bus: mute it and everything should go silent.
 
Next, double-check that you're exporting from the master bus: you should be selecting "Entire Mix" in the export dialog.
 
If those check out OK - and it's likely they will - then your problem is simply a too-low average RMS. The meter readings are showing peak levels, not an average, and it's the average that determines perceived volume, not peaks. To make it louder you must raise the average level.
 
Of course, just turning everything up will push the peaks into the red and result in distortion. So the trick is to turn up the volume without letting the peaks go into the red. That's what a limiter does. You just need to insert a limiter on the master bus and learn how to work it. 

Do you have any good tutorials on stage gaining and leaving room in your mix for Mastering?

I've not seen any limiter that lets you specify a target average level, although that might be a useful feature in some future product. But you don't need it.
 
Get yourself a copy of the free Voxengo SPAN and insert it into the master bus after everything else, e.g. after the limiter. Set it to Mastering mode and set the meters to K-14. Watch the meters as you adjust the threshold control on the limiter; as you lower the threshold the meters will rise. Lower the threshold until the meters are bouncing around 0, jumping up to no more than +6 during the loudest parts of the song. That'll get you into the ballpark. If it's still not loud enough for you, change the metering to K-12.
 
Different limiters have different features. Some are very complex, others are very simple. Some don't have a threshold control. In that case, they'll have an input level control instead, which does the same thing but in an opposite fashion: raising the control raises your average level. Some have intelligence built in to make the process easier, while others require you to fully understand how limiters work in order to use them.
 
One useful resource is a document from iZotope, the Ozone Mastering Guide. Although the advice is specific to iZotope's own Ozone product, it's generic enough to apply to whatever software you happen to use for mastering. I highly recommend you download and read it - several times if necessary.

Respect your gain stage and understand your signal chain. do not go into the red on your master bus, as this is clipping and clipping your master buss will only end up in digital artifact. A few db in the red, is a few dB too much. You should never go above 0dB on the master bus.
 
Routing should be:
Tracks go to the Master bus
Sends go to buses (if you use sends)
Buses go to the Master bus (If you use buses)
Master bus goes to main outs 1/2
 
CJ

IIRC, the doings of a compressor or other FX does not show in the waveform unless you bounce, freeze or apply FX.
At least that's the case in 8.5 and older. I think it hasn't changed.

Yes, it can be informative to bounce a track and include effects, especially compression, so you can see the effect they're having. However, you need to know what you're looking for, and even then the amount of information that can be gleaned is minimal.