Into the Red - Logic Pro Channel Strip Headroom

http://www.pointblankonline.net/mixing-dance-music.php - in this video from the Mixing Dance Music Online Course, Danny J lewis demonstrates the headroom available on the channel strips and how actually you can get away with going into the red without clipping. Always remember to keep levels on the Stereo Out below zero dB however. Lots more video content in the course plus weekly one to one video feedback from a pro producer/engineer.

You can also find more exclusive free video tutorials at the following link: http://www.pointblankonline.net/free-content/

Category:

Education

Tags:

• Logic
• Pro
• Headroom
• Red
• Levels
• Mixing
• Channel
• Strip
• Danny
• Lewis
• Tutorial

[ThePhillips85]

what are the advantages of going into the red?

[pointblankonline]

@ThePhillips85 There are no major advantages apart from potentially enabling you to create a louder overall mix. This video is just demonstrating that if you are peaking slightly in your channel strip, you don't necessarily need to worry as long as your master channel is not peaking as well.

[pointblankonline]

@dave2k4

not sure how your comment got deleted sorry! To answer your question, Danny is using screenflow to record this.

[mrdlopes90]

thanks for that advice..i never knew that either

[Westsound191]

Wow that's something I never knew - but still I always try not to go into the red on individual strips.

[steve1287]

@pointblankonline that is not true you never want to peak anywhere with digital recording, now if it was analog its a different story.

[steve1287]

@hardstyleaddictedNL when you record in it is good to keep it under about -6db that way you have plenty of headroom to add dynamic processing and other plugins. you might want to try busing the track/ tracks to an aux track then adding compressor, expander, gate, limiter and anything else you think sounds good to the aux track. that is one way of doing things other people might know of a different way. there are plenty of good resources online you just have to dig for them.

[hardstyleaddictedNL]

@steve1287 dB level of my master?

But I think how I can fix it, by keeping the volume of all the tracks low so it doesn't clip.

Then export it (without normalize) and then import it again in a new file with the stereo master plug ins and boost the volume with the noise gate and expander.(this worked when I exported a small reggae track)Now I'm gonna try it on my new hardstyle track which is a lot more difficult because of the 4 layered bass with huge amount of sub-bass,distortion,guitar-amp­s etc

[steve1287]

@hardstyleaddictedNL what is your db level as you record in?

[MultiSideboob]

To everyone who's asking about headroom in DAW's have a read of this: popmusic.dk/download/pdf/level­s-in-digital-audio.pdf

[MultiSideboob]

*I personally always keep my master GAIN at 0

[MultiSideboob]

@Philso69 As a very rough rule -10dB on the channels as this equivalent to 0dB on an analogue mixing desk (presuming your working at 24bit), your peaks can go higher than this depending on the nature of the audio (remember low frequency material has more energy). No professional mastering engineer will accept your tracks if it has less than 6db of headroom, so your master should be peaking at -6dB. I personally always keep my master at 0. Hope that helps.

[hardstyleaddictedNL]

Please some help!

My kicks (wich are heavy distorted hardstyle kicks with lots of reverb and eq's) always go into the red just like my master, even if I put compressors and limiters on it it clips.

Only If I put all the volume's down and/or limit the kicks heavy it doesn't go into the red, but than when I bounce the track (with or without normalize on) The volume of my track is very low.

How can I solve this?

[MrTroposphere]

best info, more music

[Rrrrobbo]

great info cheers