Results 1 to 2 of 2

Thread: Sample Volume and Proper Gain Staging.....???

  1. #1
    Member
    Join Date
    May 2012
    Location
    California
    Posts
    463

    Sample Volume and Proper Gain Staging.....???

    Practicing a lot of editing, chopping and time stretching samples in Ableton.

    Just recently noticed that I have some samples that are really quiet and do not match the volume of other samples in the same pack/folder....as well as my whole collection/library.

    My channel gain and master gain are at 0db. But the sound of the sample is very faint/weak.

    So...I go to adjust/increase the gain slider in Ableton's Sample Editor Window and I noticed...

    1. The waveform (transients) gets bigger and darker.
    2. The sample gets louder.
    3. The channel meter level increases...as well as the master channel meter.

    Questions:

    1. How much gain should I increase on a weak sample...???

    Some of the samples I am editing...I had to go from 0 to 15+ db increase on the gain slider in order to get the waveform big enough and the sample loud enough to work with.

    2. Is this too much...??? Will there be induced distortion the more gain I set in Ableton's Sample Editor...???

    3. How do you properly gain stage a sample that is too weak/faint so that all your levels (mixer, editor/sampler) are good and still have the sample be clean, crisp and loud....???

    As of right now...

    I leave the sample and master channel gain at 0 db on the mixer. Than...I 'only' increase the gain slider in Ableton's Sample Editor until I can get the channel and master meter level as close to 0db as possible. I am totally disregarding what the transient/waveform is doing or looks like. I am going by "ear" on how loud the sample should be to my taste and perception...all while trying to keep my levels out of the yellow/red.

    Hopefully this is the right way...???
    "May the beats be with you" ~ ChewBacca ~

  2. #2
    I'm no sound engineer, but I agree with your ultimate goal. I personally attach the utility plugin and turn up the gain that way but I'll only go up to about -6 db, and then EQ and Compress to increase it from there. However, if you're mixing down properly, the signal will be significantly reduced anyway to keep your master track at a decent level, so it's safer to keep it lower thus less chances of audible distortion. If in the very end you want more out of the sample, you can push nudge up the gain a little, but within the mix it should be okay.

    If I get a sample that sounds distorted with any degree of increasing the overall volume, I just scratch it and come up with something else to use. No use risking it.
    Find me everywhere @youseenofilter

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  
a