Recording/Playback levels in Sonar 8

Are you using the fader to raise the volume of the track?

I think I got it! thanks!  I'll give it a GO!

Check the Windows mixer and your soundcard's mixer. They should both be turned up all the way so that your Sonar console has full control of the volume.

This is good advice if you are using an onboard sound card or an interface with a virtual mixer,  but only to clarify this point - most interfaces only have physical controls where you would adjust your gain. Just so some of you don't go looking for it. Windows volume control is not involved if you have a proper audio interface ( one would hope)

An interesting observation of Chappel's picture- Notice that if the signal was recorded at -18db that playback is at 18db when fader is set at unity. Now there is that Trim control too so make sure it is at unity.

I think the principle is a good one Chappel - you get the most resolution from any type of fader when it's working at this point in its range.

However, given the additive nature of audiuo signals, if they're all mixed at a nominal 0db, by the time it's summed at your master bus, you're into digital clipping territory, which is a strict no-no.

I'd suggest using trim to achieve a nominal level of -6db and see how this sums at your master.

Just to clarify, what I do is use the Trim control to set the gain of a track to -15db while the fader is set to -6. That's a good starting point for me and then when I start fiddling with the mix I have plenty of room up or down to work with.

I have never used the trim control as I guess I can't wrap my mind around it's digital function. I can see using it to balance fader position, I do a similar method with live sound using the gain trim to set faders at unity ( 0) = at unity all inputs are of equal level. You need proper input meters to make this work. This also has served me in mixing recordings.
Set each channel gain/ trim so at fader unity all channels are very close to the same level on your meters. Theoretically this will give you a instant balanced mix. If the tracking was done properly it is amazing how close this can be. Of course it then goes from there, but it was always a good starting point.
Never thought to use the trim this way so will try it.
 It can't serve to replace the gain control on a mixing desk because it is digital but might be they put it there to allow this one option.

Cactus Music


...It can't serve to replace the gain control on a mixing desk because it is digital but might be they put it there to allow this one option.

There isn't much info about the trim control but here's what it says in the help file:

"Trim (volume trim) Volume Trim is a pre-fader control which allows the fine tuning of a single track’s volume.
For example, let’s say you have four tracks, three tracks have their volume fader set to 0 dB while the fourth track’s fader is set to +10 dB. You want to group the faders and do a slow fade out, but the slightly higher level of the fourth track causes its volume to be higher in relation to the other tracks towards the end of the fade out. To balance the fader levels, reduce the fader level for the fourth track to 0 dB and raise the Volume Trim value for that track to +10 dB. The resulting volume levels for the project are the same, but now you can group the faders and perform a fade out with no track standing out disproportionately at the end of the fade out."

+10db. ?

The trim control, like on a console, controls the volume coming into the channel.  On analog this was necessary to set the faders (signal strength leaving) as close to zero as possible.  This gave the faders the maximum level of travel for fine-tuning the signal - the faders had the most resolution and amount of travel around 0 dB.  And for most boards (I think) it was a passive device that allowed you to attenuate a hot signal.

With digital DAWs, this is not so much a consideration since you can dial in 1dB increments thoughout the throw.  In Sonar, I try to record a nice strong signal (might bounce up to -6 or -3 dB) and habitually pull the faders down -6 dB or more so I don't overdrive the output as I add more channels.

where the trim helps me is finetuning the level going into the FX bins during mixing.  Many FXs have in and out volumes, but some don't.  Sometimes you want to drive it harder, sometimes you don't.  There is nothing mysterious about the Trim - it is simply another volume control in your gainstaging.  Follow the KISS principal and keep it simple.  If you have a reason to use it, use it.  If not, it is probably best to leave it be and not muck around with it.

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