I am just after some general opinions on normalizing tracks prior to mixing. I work with a Artist who does a lot of his own tracking as part of the creative process and although he can "push the buttons" he doesn't always get the best or most consistent recording levels. There may also be differences within one track where he has added audio on a different day.
So, my intention is to normalize tracks or clips prior to sitting down to mix project so i am not working with faders and/or gain knobs near their extremes.
Looking at other threads there seems to be a wide spectrum of opinions regarding normalizing, but I cant work out from these if there are any real disadvantages to doing this. And by the way, to save going over old ground....
 
Yes i know what normalizing is
Yes i know it is better to get the levels right in the first place
I think i understand about dynamic range in the digital world
Yes i know that ultimately i need to use my ears.
 
I am intending to normalize to about -6dB although i may push this up on peaky tracks.
 
Any advice welcome

I don't see any reason to normalise to some level, for example -6dB as a policy, but when the circumstance is as you describe I wouldn't hesitate to prepare the tracks with general leveling and other treatments before mixing. I would consider it routine to prepare the tracks, comp them, clean them up, etc.

What I wouldn't do is take a source track that is destined to be a minor and low volume background component of the mix and bring it up to -6dB for the sake of policy just so that it can be turned back down to suit the arrangement when it's time to mix.

In other words, I consider the context of each component as I prepare the tracks for a full mix and prepare them accordingly.

best regards,
mike

I don't hesitate to use normalization on a track if I need to, or the gain either.  

Lets face it...... Sometimes the signal levels are simply too low to work with in a rational manner. When you have to run the fader all the way up to 0db and beyond, something needs to be done. Normalization will help remedy that issue. 

You can also use the Audio/process audio/gain in place of normalization.  I use this as well when I don't really need to normalize the track..... maybe it just needs a +3db bump to put it where it needs to be so I can run the faders below 0db. 

I agree with Mike's post above. If it's a synth pad, for example, and it's pretty low in the mix, and that's where it needs to be in the sonic picture, I don't bump it up just to bump it up. 

I do tent to use the process/audio gain as well. What i have been doing is using the gain knob to get it about right then add the same about of dBs on process/audio gain so i can then return the gain knobs to zero. I like to have the gain knobs at zero so i can use them to temporararily 'turn up' a track for the recording process (eg guitarist wants to hear the drum track louder to record to) i can then turn it back to zero and therefore havent had to touch any mix settings.

True about not turning up quieter tracks. Also have to be carful with drums so not to mess up balance between the different drum mics

What i have been doing is using the gain knob to get it about right then add the same about of dBs on process/audio gain so i can then return the gain knobs to zero.

This is exactly my method for getting the track volume into the ballpark initially. However, I will only do a Process->Gain if the needed adjustment is large. If it's only a few db then trim alone does the job. 


Remember that you're making these adjustments only to get all the tracks into the same approximate ballpark, not to raise them all to some arbitrary level. Start with the dominant track(s), which might be drums in one song and guitar or piano in another. If that's at a suitable level, perhaps peaking around -12 to -18db, leave it alone and adjust the other tracks around it.


Normalizing to -6db is probably a little too hot, IMO. I like to have a minimum of 6db headroom going into the master, which means individual tracks should not exceed about -12db.

i believe you should get this right at tracking.


level control, is part of the basics of engineering.

fixing it after the fact, is never as good as getting it right to start with.

maybe you can't hear the difference (that would probably be bad if you could not)
and you could surely get away wtih it on a single track here or there..

but why should you have to?

bitflipper



Normalizing to -6db is probably a little too hot, IMO. I like to have a minimum of 6db headroom going into the master, which means individual tracks should not exceed about -12db.

Thanks for that. I was just guessing at what level to i should be using. I ususally aim to record with levels peeking no higher than -10dB so i guess i should stick to that figure to match the majority of the properly leveled tracks.