Logic Pro Insert Order [SOLVED]

[bugscoe]

I've been reading the discussion on Gearslutz about proper gain staging in the digital mixing environment and the idea of putting a Gain insert on each channel to allow for proper headroom with subsequent plug ins.

 

I just opened up the Lily Allen demo project, The Fear, to have a look and listen. I noticed that each channel has the Gain insert on it but they have it at the bottom most insert slot.

 

I guess I've always assumed the top most insert slot was the 1st in line.

 

Am I mistaken or is there a particular reason for putting the Gain plug in last, which seems to contradict what I've been reading on Gearslutz?

[David Nahmani]

The topmost insert is the first one. But that gain staging technique you're talking about, it doesn't apply to Logic. So it does not matter where you put the gain plug-in, or whether or not you use one at all for that matter. Many people still like to use one for various other reasons - but the sound will be exactly the same.

[daveyboy]

I use the gain plug a lot on main instruments after I've already gotten the basic mix. That way I can experiment with trimming the level of the entire track without messing up the automation (on a lead vocal for example).

[dave999z]

The topmost insert is the first one. But that gain staging technique you're talking about, it doesn't apply to Logic. So it does not matter where you put the gain plug-in, or whether or not you use one at all for that matter. Many people still like to use one for various other reasons - but the sound will be exactly the same.

 

How does it not apply to logic? Don't some of the reasons apply - like hitting a plugin's sweetspot input level, avoiding intersample clipping at your DAC, and avoiding all clipping at DAC for that matter?

[David Nahmani]

How does it not apply to logic? Don't some of the reasons apply - like hitting a plugin's sweetspot input level, avoiding intersample clipping at your DAC, and avoiding all clipping at DAC for that matter?

 

This has been discussed to death so my guess is a search for something like "32 bit floating point" would turn up tons of discussions - unfortunately laden with misinformation, as many people don't really understand this concept.

 

Logic is a 32 bit floating point engine, so are its plug-ins, and so are most 3rd party plug-ins on the market today. Therefore a plug-in does not have a sweetspot level, nor can it create intersample distortion, nor clipping because of a high input signal. And if you're using 24 bit fixed point plug-ins, then you should watch the level at their input, not only at the top of your channel strip.

[bugscoe]

Thanks for the replies guys. Makes sense now.