I have a few basic level guidlines that i try to follow and it works out pritty good once everythings together. All of the following negativ values. Kick 8, snare 8, cymbals 12, toms 10, bass guitar 8, other guitars 9, other strings 9, brass 10, vocals 6, backing vox same level but different mic. These levels differ dependent on the amount of instruments in the song, it might sound low but once you add them up you get a pritty decent level. -original message- Subject: [ddots-l] Re: mackie onyx 1220i question From: "neville" <neville@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> Date: 09/12/2010 03:42 When I'm tracking my vocals I don't let the input meter go below -6 and I find that it works for me most of the time. The only problem is when I try to raze the levil of the master buss, the track still doesn't seem lowd enough to me. May the peace of God which passes all understanding guard your heart and mind in Christ Jesus. God bless you! Music soft sacred and soulful Website http://www.nevillepeter.com email neville@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx phone 407-222-4488 -----Original Message----- From: ddots-l-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:ddots-l-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Shawn Brock Sent: Wednesday, December 08, 2010 5:53 PM To: ddots-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx Subject: [ddots-l] Re: mackie onyx 1220i question Now that's an option maybe. I always double track vocals and horns. 1 track with auto tune, and 1 without. That way I know what good the tuner is doing if any. The only problem here is if one puts the compressor between the microphone and the soundcard, he can't have a 2nd track without the compression. That's why I would vote for just putting a plugin on the track. Hell! If I had to, I would assign that input on 2 tracks and put a compressor plugin on 1 track. Then you have 2 times the signal to mess with. I have noticed that lots of guys no a lot about recording audio, and others know a lot about recording midi. But often a guy won't be comfortable completely on both platforms. I for 1 was an audio file for many years. I hated midi and thought it was a joke. The reason was, I didn't understand it. After I got into programming and lots of good options began to open up, I love working with midi. I have never forgotten all the important tricks of the audio world though. Because unlike midi, you can't always undo. Some times, its just a redo... Some times the mostly midi based guys forget that audio is a little more unforgiving. If you are getting a vocal that's minus 8, you are probably okay in the end. When you look at the output of all the tracks, that's where the rubber meets the road. If a guy tries to get every track he records to be minus 3, by the time he has a few tracks, the hole project is clipping on the master buss. The object in my experience, is not necessarily to try to max out each track. Some times you are better with a minus 8 vocal going to tape, and just turning the other tracks down while tracking the vocals. Shawn ----- Original Message ----- From: "Nickus de Vos" <bigboy529@xxxxxxxxx> To: <ddots-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> Sent: Wednesday, December 08, 2010 2:26 PM Subject: [ddots-l] Re: mackie onyx 1220i question Good point. Its quite nerve recking if you do it at first because of being scared of messing up the tracks. In the past when i was stil using cubase i use to record one mic on to 2 tracks at once, the 1 track was with and the other without the compressor plug in. I did this in case of messing up the compressed tracks, but its been a wile since i've used this method don't even know if it's possible in sonar. -original message- Subject: [ddots-l] Re: mackie onyx 1220i question From: "Shawn Brock" <shawn@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx> Date: 09/12/2010 00:15 I hear ya man. I would love to have a big closet of mics. I have to keep it real though. Most people can run a pretty good project studio on a small number of microphones though. Back when I was in commercial business I would hate to know how much money I had in mics. Now, that I just do my own stuff and small projects for others, and I don't have to worry about tracking drums, I have 6 mics which I lean on. I'm still against tracking with compression though. Do I see the reason? Sure I do! All I'm saying, is why not use a plugin for that. Put together presets that work for you if need be, but at least you still have control. So many people have made some horrible recording mistakes by entering destructive affects into the signal chain. Nothing is worse than having to tell someone who's paying you, and someone who worked hard for hours on end, that there tracks aren't useable because of a choice you made. I have been lucky enough to never have had to deal with that, but I have seen it go down and it aint pretty. Shawn ----- Original Message ----- From: "Nickus de Vos" <bigboy529@xxxxxxxxx> To: <ddots-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> Sent: Wednesday, December 08, 2010 2:00 PM Subject: [ddots-l] Re: mackie onyx 1220i question Shawn i agree with you 100% on propper tracking rather than fix it in the mix. But the thing is not everyone has professional studios, time, money and lots of different mics to choose from. If i had my way i would want to record all my stuff analog using 16 track studer machines and noiman u87, u67 and u47 mics but shit happens and i can't. One must work with what you have and as i said earlyer if the situation calls for it compression while tracking can realy help if done propperly. -original message- Subject: [ddots-l] Re: mackie onyx 1220i question From: "Shawn Brock" <shawn@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx> Date: 08/12/2010 22:47 If its something like an AT 2020, its still time to go shopping... How far is she from the mic? ----- Original Message ----- From: Brian Howerton To: ddots-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx Sent: Wednesday, December 08, 2010 3:35 AM Subject: [ddots-l] Re: mackie onyx 1220i question But charles this is a condenser mic. But you are saying this is normal? THat makes me feel a little better then.... It's an audio technica condenser mic. ----- Original Message ----- From: Charles Marston To: ddots-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx Sent: Wednesday, December 08, 2010 6:30 AM Subject: [ddots-l] Re: mackie onyx 1220i question I think this is usual when using a dynamic mic. However, with regards to the jump from negative 14 to negative 3, that may be normal depending on the kind of song you are recording. You may use a compresser afterwards to even out the dynamics on the track. From: Brian Howerton Sent: Wednesday, December 08, 2010 1:28 AM To: ddots-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx Subject: [ddots-l] mackie onyx 1220i question Hello all, Yesterday I was recording a client with my new mackie onyx1220I and I was finding that I was having to run the tain knob really hot in order to get good meter readings. It was like one minute she would be at -14 or -21 and then she would jump to a louder portion of a song and it would jump sometimes to like -3 or -2. Am I doing something wrong? I mean is it normal to have to run the gain knob all the way almost to it's max? COuld use some help please... Thanks, Brian PLEASE READ THIS FOOTER AT LEAST ONCE! 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