PaulF707 wrote:
Hi, I'm an infrequent AW16G user, just working an a project.
Many of my tracks are quite 'loud', so when creating my scenes for mixing, I've ended up with the master fader set at -8
With this the master levels are just peaking to 0 on the loudest accents.
When I go to mix down the Monitor screen (for the stereo track) again shows peaks to 0
But when I play back the stereo track, it is quiet and only peaks to -8
Do I need to go back and reset all my scenes with the master set to 0 (and re-adjust all the other faders!), or is there something else I'm missing?
First advice would perhaps be to turn down your monitors, if you mean "loud" that way.
If you mean "loud" as in peaking, you can do a bit of detective work and find what is creating the spikes that approach 0dB. these spikes keep the average value of the volume down. So working at controlling those spikes is worth the time. Control can be achieved in a number of ways, compressor, EQ, volume change (permanent or actively during a mix). Scenes can play a part. but the intricacies and time consumption keeping a set of scenes up to date and matching where necessary leads to frustrations. Things always get over looked.
Another suggestion when you create a mix is to make sure the attenuation dial (virtual) at the head of the signal chain is utilized for best effect. There will be a screen that shows the signal chain of the stereo track. You are able to turn a mix up or down, before it gets to any EQ, DYN, EFF, or the red fader. Very handy. As Ron suggested,the red fader's value ( at the end of the signal chain), perhaps has been turned down by scenes, so check that. A handy way to use this feature (allowing attenuation at the head of the chain) occurs when you have a mix that is working, but as it builds during creation you end up pushing up the mix signal. so, rather than re-adjusting all the faders ( the mix is working as you recall), turn down the mix level at the head of the stereo bus chain. Now the red fader can stay up. But, when you go to listen to your creation, the last adjustment or scene that purposely attenuated down the mix signal is still in control. so you must remember to turn the stereo bus's attenuation dial back to 0dB, to listen to your mix at "full output volume".
You can utilize a cut at the head of any track's chain too, if the track is too hot to keep the fader up near 0dB (where you have the best range of control for fine adjustment).