Soft Synths Diminish Sample Volume Differently

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soens
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2014/08/03 12:20:11 (permalink)

Soft Synths Diminish Sample Volume Differently

Soft synths are great for quick and easy loading and control of a sound set.
 
One of the few downsides to them is how they affect output volume.
 
1. Load kickdrum.wav into audio track 1.
2. Insert Dimension, Rapture, and Drop Zone.
3. Load same kickdrum.wav into each one and set "element" outputs to 100%.
4. Insert MIDI track for soft synths.
5. Leave all track settings at default values.
6. Solo each track and play noting peak outputs.
 
Results:
 
Raw kickdrum.wav: -2.5 peak signal.
Drop Zone: -3.7 peak signal.
Dimension: -10.5 peak signal.
Rapture: -11.5 peak signal (master @ default 75%).
Rapture: -6.6 peak signal (master @ 100%).
 
Rapture is the only one with a master volume giving you more output control.
 
Conclusion: Each soft synth diminishes original sample output volume by a different amount. It seems the more sophisticated the synth, the more it cuts the output. Rapture cut output by as much as 9dBs, quite significant. Not knowing this can dramatically affect the final mix.
 
One way to increase soft synth output is to load the same sample into 2 or more "elements", though this will add to CPU load.
 
Steve
 
post edited by soens - 2014/08/03 12:31:11
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3 Replies Related Threads

    chad
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    Re: Soft Synths Diminish Sample Volume Differently 2014/08/04 12:20:33 (permalink)
    Hi Steve,
     
    One other consideration is that the cakewalk synths may load samples with a default Velocity Amplitude tracking.  Try setting the VelTrack to zero, or triggering your sample with a velocity of 127.
     
    Although in Rapture if you do this with the Element at 100% I still don't think it's volume will match because of the Master Volume mix control.
     
     
     
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    soens
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    Re: Soft Synths Diminish Sample Volume Differently 2014/08/04 23:53:26 (permalink)
    Thanks chad. I was only posting this to show that there are variants between each synth's outputs and the variants between any synth and the original sample's output. It is simply information. Some people in other forums have taken quite the exception to this information, so use it, or don't, for what it's worth, I guess.
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    Paul P
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    Re: Soft Synths Diminish Sample Volume Differently 2014/08/05 09:48:42 (permalink)
     
    I've also been trying out different things on the various synths and have encountered the situation where doing something in one synth does not have a similar effect in another.  I've had to tune down my analytical expectations and suggest that the synths be treated as completely different instruments, each with their own quirks that you have to learn.  They were all built many years apart and consistency between them may not have been a priority.
     
    To me, differences in output level seem kind of trivial compared to things like z3ta+2 playing back the same sample an octave lower than Rapture, to name just one item I've encountered.
     

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