Sound level recording question

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Shooms

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Right...

For some daft reason even though my lappy sound input recording levels are set to very very low my channel upfaders still have to be only milimetres up or it blows peaks in sound forge... :axe:

Not a problem for ripping (not that I do any :$ ) but a pain in the hole for recording a mix.... it means that as I can't hear thru the speakers I have to always mix in the cans & make volume adjustments on the gain controls rather than the upfaders.

Now the mix I am planning to do includes some tracks from albums... I've judged it so far that I'm getting peaks just in the red on the upfader gains & peaks just in the red on sound forge.... but it's a fucking pain...

Is there anyway of 'normalising' volumes to be a constant level for the whole mix in soundforge after the event ? Or would that sound shite ?

Ta for any & all tips n hints :)
 
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ilovepiano

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Shooms said:
For some daft reason even though my lappy sound input recording levels are set to very very low my channel upfaders still have to be only milimetres up or it blows peaks in sound forge... :axe:
Click to expand...


You're plugged in the MIC input I reckon... you need to be in the LINE input, if you've got one.


Shooms said:
Now the mix I am planning to do includes some tracks from albums... I've judged it so far that I'm getting peaks just in the red on the upfader gains & peaks just in the red on sound forge.... but it's a fucking pain...

Is there anyway of 'normalising' volumes to be a constant level for the whole mix in soundforge after the event ? Or would that sound shite ?

Ta for any & all tips n hints :)
Click to expand...

Don't worry about going into the red a bit on your analogue mixer. Going into the red on your PC - i.e. digital is a big no no. Keep it out of the red and sort out the volume of the whole mix after. :thumbsup:
 
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ilovepiano

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Shooms said:
lol I am that :axe: Haven't got a line in on this lappy so the mic is the best can do :$
Click to expand...

LOL

I'm sure you must be able to get a LINE to MIC convertor. Thing is, there's not just a difference in the level, it's the whole eq curve as well.

Thinking about it as well, it wouldn't surprise me in the slightest if you can a little USB input box. Bet it'd be dead cheap as well. :thumbsup:
 
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Shooms

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ilovepiano said:
LOL

I'm sure you must be able to get a LINE to MIC convertor. Thing is, there's not just a difference in the level, it's the whole eq curve as well.

Thinking about it as well, it wouldn't surprise me in the slightest if you can a little USB input box. Bet it'd be dead cheap as well. :thumbsup:
Click to expand...

Aaaaah rats cocks...

I've found this but not the other way round...

Microphone Preamplifier > Maplin

Basically my lappy's mic in already over-boosts the input then ?
 
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ilovepiano

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Shooms said:
Basically my lappy's mic in already over-boosts the input then ?
Click to expand...

Yeah, the signal level that a microphone puts out is tiny compared to the level that would come out of your mixer, playstation, cd player etc. The MIC input boosts it by roughly "shit loads" so if you put a LINE level signal in a MIC input, you're gonna get instant distortion.
 
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Shooms

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ilovepiano said:
Yeah, the signal level that a microphone puts out is tiny compared to the level that would come out of your mixer, playstation, cd player etc. The MIC input boosts it by roughly "shit loads" so if you put a LINE level signal in a MIC input, you're gonna get instant distortion.
Click to expand...

Cheers Tim :D

You're not such a completely useless **** after all :thumbsup:
 
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Silky

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I ended up buying an external Soundcard for my lappy,

Had the same prob as you Mark.

Quality of sound is ace now, levels just as i want them.

:thumbsup:
 
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Shooms

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Shooms said:
Found a hidden option for microphone boost so I've turned that fucker off... I'll see if it makes a difference when I get back...
Click to expand...

That's got it :D

270px-Bob_Fleming.JPG


Will do some tests with it but with mic boost unclicked I can have my upfaders half way up without it overpeaking in soundforge :D

Cheers Tim for yer pointers :D

Dan - try to do what I did mate... hidden / advanced option in yer sound control panel :)
 
Barrie Jay

Barrie Jay

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By the way normalising without any compression will not do anything other than turn your maximum peak up to whatever level you choose (usually 0dB).

You can even normalise individual tracks but this may casue a bit of problem (if there is large difference) when they skip from one to the next.

Better to record low digitally with no red lighting and then normalise.
 
S

Shooms

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DJ barrie jay said:
By the way normalising without any compression will not do anything other than turn your maximum peak up to whatever level you choose (usually 0dB).

You can even normalise individual tracks but this may casue a bit of problem (if there is large difference) when they skip from one to the next.

Better to record low digitally with no red lighting and then normalise.
Click to expand...

Thanks Barrie - top tips :D

Right I've had a play with levels on the mixer can someone pls check as I've left my lappy headfones at work & the HD25's don't fit the lil hole :axe:

Too much or not enough lol ? :D

shooms test.mp3 - DivShare

(stream or d/l)
 
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ilovepiano

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Shooms said:
Well.... seeing as no fucker replied to me last night (when I needed confirmation :p ) I've listened this morning on me lappy h/fones & the levels / eqs aren't too shabby using mic in & mic boost off... maybe distorting a touch & the upfaders could be turned down a touch...

Anyone agree / disagree ?
Click to expand...


Dunno mate, all I could see on that page was adverts and shit flying about all over the screen trying to make me click on it. :confused: :cops:
 


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