Audio levels, busses, etc.

[Hicksyfern]

I've recently been given a rock song to mix which was recorded elsewhere, and the wavs have been exported in normalized and un-normalized versions. Now, normalized audio would obviously seem the best option, but I have problems with massive levels being achieved without turning all of my channels down to like -10dB.

 

So, my first question is, do i use my un-normalized audio and have the faders at sensible levels, or do I use the normalized versions and have my faders set ridiculously low?

 

Secondly, I use a fair amount of busses in my mixes normally - things like a snare top/bottom mix bus, overheads mix bus, these then feeding into a drums mix bus, also a bass DI/mix mic bus, etc.

 

My question is, if I'm turning all my faders down to avoid clipping, do I turn my original tracks down (turn snare top and snare bottom down) or turn the snare mix down, etc.?

 

Sorry if I've not explained myself too well, and for the mega post.

 

 

Cheers,

 

Tom

[fader8]

So, my first question is, do i use my un-normalized audio and have the faders at sensible levels,

 

Hi Tom,

Yes. The normalized versions have no benefit to you. You're better off with the original especially since you don't know whose process was used to normalize and how much quantization error was introduced. In other words, the original files just might sound better. Certainly not worse.

 

That should alleviate your buss issue too.

[Hicksyfern]

Groovy - thanks for the quick reply.

[fader8]

Groovy - thanks for the quick reply.

Thanks for the "Groovy". I'm fluent in several dialects of beatnik.

[pantomimeHorse]

Groovy - thanks for the quick reply.

Thanks for the "Groovy". I'm fluent in several dialects of beatnik.

 

..... fader8 reaches for his well-thumbed copy of "On The Road"

and leans back to enjoy his joint ..........

 

-

C

[Hicksyfern]

Well thanks to you guys I just spent half an hour reading what Wikipedia thinks "cool" is. Apparently beatniks are cool or were cool or something. I'm not really sure I am one, though, as I don't consider myself "beat". Maybe if I was around in the 50s I'd understand.

 

I just like the word groovy.