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Hi DSF-Heads,

anyone know if its possible to adjust the volume of the master channel so it will start going red at let's say above -4DB in stead of above 0DB?

This to enforce my self to have my mixdown at -4DB tops...

/* Yes I know thats lazy */

Aye, it's a good thing to do. In Cubase I have mine going red at -6dB No idea if you can change it in Ableton though, sorry...

Just adjust the channel volumes so you dont go over -4db?

There is a volume knob on the master interface. Is it possible to fade a master in Ableton though that's what I want to know,?

Maybe you could put free G on the master and set it to whatever k-x system is closest to what you want to mix to. I would like the ability to do this as well. Let's see...

EDIT: If anyone would like to let me know why I thought you could set different k systems in the free g, lemme know.

EDIT 2x: Okay, what about this, batman? Adding a free g to your master and giving yourself 4db of gain w/ the trim. Now when you are mixing you're master meter will peak at 0db still, but when you are done, you can just pull the free g off, and you've just mixed to -4db.

think about it...

EDIT 3x: seriously the 3rd edit. Why not just turn up your master channel fader by 4db. Thus you'll be peaking at -4db, when you turn it down for final render.

think about it...

nowaysj wrote:
EDIT 3x: seriously the 3rd edit. Why not just turn up your master channel fader by 4db. Thus you'll be peaking at -4db, when you turn it down for final render.

think about it...

The guys a genius! after itching my brain, i never thought of that!

To be honest, now Live lets you select all channels and pull down the faders in parallel, do you really need this? If you see you're clipping the master you can just click on a channel, hit Ctrl+A and drag down the volumes til you're not clipping anymore. Doesn't really matter if you're peaking the master at -1dB or -4dB.

Can you automate those faders in ableton?

What, the channel faders? Of course.

Well what happens to your automation when you select them all and turn them all down? Is the automation relative?

nowaysj wrote:Well what happens to your automation when you select them all and turn them all down? Is the automation relative?

no its not. this is why i leave all my faders at 0 and automate the synths volume or effects volume. Its a work around, but lets you mix down a whole lot cleaner without worrying about volume automation getting your levels out of wack again

Depone wrote:

nowaysj wrote:Well what happens to your automation when you select them all and turn them all down? Is the automation relative?

no its not. this is why i leave all my faders at 0 and automate the synths volume or effects volume. Its a work around, but lets you mix down a whole lot cleaner without worrying about volume automation getting your levels out of wack again

Kind of defeats the purpose of having faders but I do the same.

But invariably, as a project progresses, my straight row ends up like a gorgon mountain scape.

Also, don't forget that some synths like Massive add different characteristics to the output as the master volume is increased or decreased. This can change your harmonic content and not just your level.

nowaysj wrote:

Depone wrote:

nowaysj wrote:Well what happens to your automation when you select them all and turn them all down? Is the automation relative?

no its not. this is why i leave all my faders at 0 and automate the synths volume or effects volume. Its a work around, but lets you mix down a whole lot cleaner without worrying about volume automation getting your levels out of wack again

Kind of defeats the purpose of having faders but I do the same.

But invariably, as a project progresses, my straight row ends up like a gorgon mountain scape.

Also, don't forget that some synths like Massive add different characteristics to the output as the master volume is increased or decreased. This can change your harmonic content and not just your level.

Yeah well what i should have said is that i change the vol value of the last Plug-in in the chain on that channel. I dunno why but it just sounds better this way.

UTILITY

put one on the master, +4, take it off before limiting
put one on all your tracks, use it to automate the volume, use the faders for mixing
better than using the volume on the synth etc, can change the effect of effects etc.
Ableton supposedly has a 46 something db headroom, but sending a +2 db signal in a saturatio and turning down the volume on that sounds way different then sending in a -2 signal most of the time. So utility is the way to go imo

nowaysj wrote:Well what happens to your automation when you select them all and turn them all down? Is the automation relative?

Depends - you can automate within a clip, which is relative, or automate in the channel lanes, which is your more typical DAW automation - and that's absolute. If you automate something like volume in the channel lanes and then change the volume manually the automation will switch off. I generally don't automate channel faders because I prefer to see them as constants and like being able to quickly grab one and pull it down without worrying about rewriting all my automation; if I need a fade-in then I'll automate the output of an effect or stick a Utility in there.

Also, don't forget that some synths like Massive add different characteristics to the output as the master volume is increased or decreased. This can change your harmonic content and not just your level.

Can't speak for other synths but I'm pretty sure this isn't true for Massive; the master level is post- everything.

static_cast wrote:Can't speak for other synths but I'm pretty sure this isn't true for Massive; the master level is post- everything.

I'll take your word for it seeing as how you are ni dsp, , but that is not what I've been told... it may have even been ni marketing that told me.

nowaysj wrote:

static_cast wrote:Can't speak for other synths but I'm pretty sure this isn't true for Massive; the master level is post- everything.

I'll take your word for it seeing as how you are ni dsp, , but that is not what I've been told... it may have even been ni marketing that told me.

Haha. I'll check on Monday. It might make sense with the FB routing, but the diagram on the routing page makes it look like the Master Vol comes after everything.

HALP wrote:UTILITY

put one on the master, +4, take it off before limiting
put one on all your tracks, use it to automate the volume, use the faders for mixing
better than using the volume on the synth etc, can change the effect of effects etc.
Ableton supposedly has a 46 something db headroom, but sending a +2 db signal in a saturatio and turning down the volume on that sounds way different then sending in a -2 signal most of the time. So utility is the way to go imo

This

aight! thnx for the replies...

HALP wrote:UTILITY

put one on the master, +4, take it off before limiting
put one on all your tracks, use it to automate the volume, use the faders for mixing
better than using the volume on the synth etc, can change the effect of effects etc.
Ableton supposedly has a 46 something db headroom, but sending a +2 db signal in a saturatio and turning down the volume on that sounds way different then sending in a -2 signal most of the time. So utility is the way to go imo

This is what I do. I have the Utility on every channel in my template and just automate the gain if needed. But really have only used the utility on the master to quickly reference mono. My question tho is this.. I do alot of the production in headphones and feel the need have things at near 0 dude to fletcher munson effect things sounding too low..so I just stick a limiter on there to bring the levels up while i mix. So what I'm thinking is leave the master at 0, and mixing right below clipping. and use that utility gain on the master and turn it down to give myself 3-4 db headroom with the master at 0. Any reason why I shouldnt do this really it seems TOO easy.