Introduction to Gain Staging - Setting Levels & Metering

The biggest trap in using a DAW that lies in wait for those of us who grew up recording in an analogue world of tape machines and VU meters is the issue of levels. When I started recording, you wanted to get the best signal to tape you could, bouncing that VU meter as close to 0 as you dared to keep your signal-to-noise ratio as good as it could be. Switching to a digital meter measuring from minus infinity to 0dBFS, no difference, record as close to 0 as you can without clipping, right? Wrong. In this video, I look at where 0VU on my tape machines actually sits on my DAW channel meter, and look at what level we should be recording at.

[patrick]

just shared this playlist to my friend and got caught rewatching this video! if i could put another like i would! thank you for these! can't wait to see what's coming up for the new ones!

[kristopherclark]

That makes complete sense giving your more scope and control for balancing, many thanks

[CharlesK]

Thanks Paul. Looking forward to the next instalment

[maxandersson]

Thank you for an informative video. One thing some people might not be aware of is that the RMS level of different plugins and daws are not the same, and its quite annoying to use a limiter with a wrong RMS level, and then later find out that a track is limited to high or too low.

[ampfly]

Thanks for your time Paul ... nice tutorial !

[joybeats]

it was pleasant watching and learning more about gain staging. oddly a true mini vacation, yet productive experience to watch =) lol here flowers for you 💐

[altag]

Very informative! Great content and nice delivery! Thank you for sharing. Subscribed!

[vatoworld]

something about his voice is very calming

[hardsuit]

Thank you for this really well explained video!

[parttroll]

I learnt something there. Never knew that, not that I ever had my mixes at full on.  The problem I have with my mixes they tend to be a bit too dull as I mix through my headphones as I record in the house and need to consider my ears of my family.  So I've yet to get a mix that sounds good on my headphones and out of speakers.  Some experimenting is required.

[ivanmckinney]

You're doing GOOD work my friend!!!!  Have you moved to 7.5 yet?

[georgebazanis]

Thanks for this Paul.
How are you setting your metering in Cubase? Input metering, post fader or post panner?

[KingCoCo]

You remind me of Postman Pat XDDDD - awesome video and great explanation! SUBBED!

[ST-flfy]

Hi Paul, I tried this using the same view meter. My sine wave test like yours shows -18 at 0db on the VU. When I was recording guitar I was shooting for 0 on the VU. When I do though my track shows peaks at -5db not -18 on playback?

[onlyposting]

Thanks Paul, really interesting.
just one question...
your videos, this video, has the clearest, noise-free, perfectly recorded voice i have ever heard, and we're talking about thousands and thousands of videos, tutorials, podcasts even pro tutorials often are full of noise. 

i'm watching this video with my headphones, and i could hear a fly landing on your desk or chair, if there was one(fly)..

how do you achieve this exceptional quality ? what microphone are you using, what distance you talk from it, with or without a shield, etc etc ? could you share that with us ?
and is the audio from the video edited in cubase, or is it "raw" ?
my sm58 or my rode nt-1000, with a simple behringer mic preamp, or a more $$ tube preamp, etc, none can give me that incredible sound. i promise you it really is... i've listened to some 96-192khz masters, and even there, voices aren't this perfect.
i'm sold. i'm jealous :)

thanks again.

[isaachome]

Thanks Paul, have been looking for answer over my drum track that are recorded in studio and i bring it back to my home and try to use on cubase 5 but i can't get good sound ( no gain ) even i put my master volume up to 5 O'clock, Is there any solution for this .ThankYou in advanced

[Jdinrbfidndifofkdndjoflfndjdk]

My VU meter is mirroring exactly the same scale in ableton live. Anyone know what's happening?