Gain Staging Made Easy Using a VU Meter
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- Опубліковано 26 чер 2024
- Gain staging doesn’t have to be a laborious process, it can be done quickly and easily on only kick and bass, so the entire mix self-balances without causing distortion. Watch as I use a VU meter when gain staging every mix so that it gives enough headroom for mixing with EQ, compression and volume automation.
-- LINKS --
(When available, I use affiliate links and may earn a commission)
📋 Grab the cheat sheet HERE www.simplymixing.com/gain-sta...
Waves VU Meter waves.alzt.net/k0zRGv
Klanghelm VU Meter klanghelm.com/contents/produc...
Fabfilter Pro-L2 Limiter: www.fabfilter.com/products/pr...
🔥 Watch me mix using this gain staging method: www.simplymixing.com/rock-mas...
- Behind the scenes of the masterclass [VIDEO] go.simplymixing.com/Mastercla...
Timestamps:
0:00 Introduction
01:39 Habits of a good audio engineer
02:13 Why is headroom important?
04:00 Why is gain staging important?
04:21 What is a VU meter?
05:06 What is dBFS?
05:16 VU meter vs Peak meter in audio
06:21 Most common cause of digital clipping
06:49 Klanghelm VU Meter plugin
07:14 Waves VU Meter
07:21 How to read a VU meter
09:55 Gain staging into plugins
10:06 What is unity gain?
12:03 Why I balance kick and bass first
13:07 Using a VU meter to set mix bus level
17:52 Setting the kick drum with a VU meter
19:47 Balancing kick and bass together
22:15 Reading a VU meter whilst mixing
23:04 Gain staging the mix, how do YOU do it?
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-- Gain Staging Made Easy Using a VU Meter --
In this video, I'm going to explain what a VU meter is, why it's different to your DAW's standard metering and how to use one to balance the kick and bass in a way that automatically gain stages your final mix so it’s ready for further mastering and online streaming.
The method here isn't a hard and fast rule but is intended to get you in the ballpark, so don't overthink it, move quickly and have fun!
My name is Sara Carter, I’m a professional mix engineer with over 18 years experience, and on this music production channel I’m going to share some of my best mixing tips using a simple mixing tutorial style that will teach you how to mix music like a pro music producer in your own home studio.
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-- Related Content --
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#GainStaging #VUMeter #MusicProduction #HomeStudio #MixingTutorial
~~ Music Credits ~~
HUGE thanks to Marc Becker, Andrew Hazzard and Mella of Heather What? For the use of the song: “Freaking Out” go.simplymixing.com/Freaking-...
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Intro Music: Envato
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Another absolutely fantastic video Sara!! Thanks ever so much for sharing!
Thanks so much!! 😊
You both are awesome. Thanks for being in my life as a mentor. Respect. 🤘
If Warren gives it an approval?...you just KNOW you need to be watching from beginning to end lol 😁✌🏽
yes and she responds back to people lol and you don't have to pay money to join her Facebook
Most relaxing voice of sound engineer ❤️
Jenis Music, thank you so much 😊
4real!
true 👌
Yeah she has teaching voice.
Since her dialog sounds so good, I'll listen to her advice 👂🖐
This video is the single greatest explanation for gain staging that has worked for me after watching countless other videos on the subject. I appreciate so much that you didn’t skip any details or make assumptions about what your audience knows (ex - what does VU stand for?). You’ve actually illustrated two things to me - one is the subject of this video, but the other implicit one being, building a mix around the key elements of the arrangement and keeping that perspective throughout the process. Your approach has also inspired me to think less and do more; like how changing gears when driving a manual transmission car becomes after a while. Thank you!
Wow! I’m so happy to hear that it has helped you in such a big way! That’s amazing. Thanks for sharing that.
Oh my goodness! This video is outstanding, the clarity of the explanations, the process and the information transmitted is off the charts. Thank you so much for this! Cheers from Madrid!
Thank you so much, I'm glad it was helpful!
Sara, you’re a genius. Thanks for sharing this. It’s a basic step that every mixer should know.
You're so welcome!
No single piece of instruction has done more my mixing than this video. Beyond grateful for what you're doing...Thank you!!
You are so welcome, I'm so glad to have helped you so much! 😊
Good video. It's so nice that the concept of headroom made a comeback. It's a long time since I heard anyone say "you gotta use all the bits".
At last, I found an experienced engineer explaining how VU meters work. Thank you for this video. Extremely educational.
You are welcome!
Best gain staging video I've saw yet. Awesome..
Wow, thanks!
This was so amazingly helpful. I've watched dozens of videos on mixing, but never did I get such useful information, it may actually have saved a mix I have been working on for weeks. Thank you!
Glad it was helpful!
This was very informative. I recently bought the waves VU meter plugin but was confused on the calibration aspect. This cleared it right up. You also answered the question on how to start setting the gains and ballparking each element. Thank you!
Great! Glad to have helped 👍
Thank you for being sincere and being practical and telling us straight up what to do, i feel this is much needed for in todays day in age. Many people don't tell us exactly what to do and is 100% practical. Saves me months, years of my life. Priceless. I will share this knowledge if anyone were to ask me in the future to pay it back.
Glad to help!
Thanks for a very informative session. I used to work in analog studios for years and have been in the digital world for over twenty years now and I had forgotten just how great the VU meter is. The visual of it puts everything into perspective. Since I started using the VU meters again my tracks are more consistent and natural sounding. Thanks for reminding me of the power of the VU meter and what it can do to produce great mixes.
Glad it was helpful!
Excellent tutorial, perfectly explained. Thank you!
Glad you enjoyed it!
Thank you so much Sara for this great Video on Gain Staging with VU Meters.
You're so welcome!
Thanks for that. Coming from recording in 24 track 2" tape back in the 90s I love VUs. So I have always had a Klanghelm on my master buss for monitoring but this vid was a masterclass in looking at the earlier stages of the mix with the VU that has set my mind racing. Thanks; you have another Sub!
Thank you so much, I'm glad it's given you a new use case!
This was a better explanation of using a VU meter and gain staging than any of the other videos I've come across. I realised I was doing all this incorrectly because other channels over complicated the process. Thanks!
Glad to help!
Just came across this! what a spectacular way to explain it all! I really like how you explained the loudness of the kick and then the loudness of the kick with the bass and finally the entire mix. this has really demystified the vu Meters for a lot of people I can imagine
Glad it was helpful!
Great video, Sara. Thank you.
I've learned a lot. In my template I have a VU meter on all of my tracks, buses and call me paranoid, two on my master bus. One before the master buss processing on after. I use them to check the levels of the tracks, but I never thought about watching the VU meter to check the balance between Drums and Bass. Very valuable and it'll definitely make its way into my mixing toolbox.
And thank you for using Freaking Out for the video! I still love the mix you did of the song!
That is awesome!
Thank you so much for this informative lesson on how important gain staging is
Any time! Thanks for watching 😃
Absolutely great.And the way you say "LUFS" is cool too.Thank you.
Thank you! 😃
Congratulations Sara...
Precise and concise...
Thank you 🙂
All this time around this particular topic, this is the best explanation about it!
THX!
Glad you think so! Thanks for watching
Thank you so much Sara I’ve been searching for a proper explanation of how to use a VU meter all day this one is the best definitely subscribed 👍
Great! Thanks, glad it helped
Sara, thank you so much for your instruction on metering. I'm a music producer/artist that enjoy recording my own projects. I'm fairly new to audio engineering. I've only been certified in AVID Protools as a User and quickly discovered that I was a novice in the finer points of Audio Engineering. I appreciate your lesson in gainstaging. I've gone back over one of five songs that I've been producing over the past five months and discovered that my gainstaging needs additional work. I haven't had any clipping on my submix bus or master bus due to my diligence in watching the dbfs meter. However, going back and properly gainstaging ,with the VU meter, has made my mix pop more in the bass and drum area. Thank you so much. I'm a new subscriber!!! Also thanks for the unity gain tip.
that's great news! I'm glad it's worked for you
this brought so much more clarity to my mix! Thank you so much.
So glad to have helped!
Ok! been messing around with staging for awhile now and your simple explanation of setting the Kick and Bass/Drums and then everything else around that cleared up my perspective. Thanks.
Glad it helped!
thanks alot you're a great teacher!!!!! ,I had no idea how to gainstage properly and ended up squashing my mixes to bits with the limiter ,I can't thank you enough!!!!!!!
Let me know if it works for you, glad to help!
The most practical and effective video about gain staging on UA-cam... Thanks
Glad it was helpful!
Brilliant, Sara. Thank you. Although I just learned I've been mixing way too hot, and did not understand gain staging at all. Gah! I've never seen this so well explained. Back to the mix.
Wonderful! Good luck 😀
what a lovely style of presentation.
Thank you 🙏
You're just amazing, Sara! Thanks for this class! 🙏🏼
You're so welcome!
Brilliant. You are a wonderful and very effective communicator. Extremely enlightening video. Thank you.
Thanks Frederick Lewis DeAngelis that means a lot 😊
Most brilliant and easiest to understand mixing tutorial i have ever seen
Great! Glad to help!
Outstanding! Very nice tutorial.
Glad you liked it!
Best tutorial YET on gain staging, and getting the foundation, (kick and bass) right first! You go Sara! :-)
Thanks David Anthony that means a lot 😊
David Anthony, thank you so much :)
Thank you for this video! I recently picked up the waves VU meter and implemented this by sending my bass and drums to a mix bus (after some light mixing) while using pre fader sends in logic so I could turn the faders all the way down on the original tracks after and make all my changes from there. My tracks sound better already, I appreciate it!
You're welcome!
Seems a good level comfortable and sure.
Finally I get to fully grasp this concept. Great explanation and way of teaching. Thanks so much for sharing your knowledge in such a clear and professional way. You have gained a new subscriber.
Thank you!
Bought the VU meter using your link. Thanks for the gain staging demonstration.
That's great, have fun!
Perfectly concise video on an important subject! Thanks for the help!
Glad you enjoyed it!
Thank you so much for this video. It was insightful and this is about to improve the quality of my mixes.
Great to hear!
Great video, love your voice, love how easy going you are and cohesive the material is. Keep it up!
Julien Mancilla, thank you so much :)
This is great stuff and super helpful gain staging tutorial! Thanks for sharing this with us!
My pleasure!
Excellent tutorial, I will try your technique at -14 dbfs. Gain creep has always been a problem with my mixes. My biggest issue thus far has been reverb it sounds good on my monitors but way over what I think is acceptable in say a car test or small speakers . I will search your channel for a video on reverb. Your approach is uncomplicated and simple Bravo !
I hope you find it helps
Awesome, love the way you explain
Thanks a lot 😊
you have an amazing ability for teaching! Thank you for this video!
Thanks for watching!
Thank you, Sara. Brilliant video. So very clear and helpful. Subscribed :)
Glad it was helpful!
awesome best video i have seen on gain staging! clear and precise explanation! Cheers
Wow! Glad you enjoyed it!
Eye opening! Now i know that i know nothing.
Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge!
You’re welcome ☺️
This video make me happy ti know details I was ignoring for balance kicks and bass. Thaaanks! I’m using vu meters inside the great Waves Shoep Omni channel that I use to put on every track, it’s a very powerful tool. I’ll put the Vu meter in top of my master channel starting today!!! Love this video, love your channel and the way you explain.
Remember to find out how to change the calibration for the Omnichannel VU, it most likely defaults to -18. You want to set it at -14 to use my ballpark numbers. Have fun!
Thank you Sara, first video of yours that I've watched. Will be back for more.
Awesome! Thank you!
Your voice sounds you mix it as it comes out of your mouth, so soothing
not a single excessive frequency
Thanks!
This is SO WELL EXPLAINED. Thanks for this.
Geoff TEEVEE, thanks for watching and for the feedback!
exactly what i was looking for.and really👍👍 well explained
Glad it helped
Wow, that was a fabulous lesson. I now understand metering and the importance of using it. Subscribed.
Thanks for subscribing and glad you enjoyed the lesson!
Excellent video! I'm going to try this in my next mix. Thank you!
Wonderful!
one of the best videos about basics of mixing (and i watched a lot)
Thanks for watching!
You’re a genius Sara!
Haha! Thanks!
Thank you for this Sara!
You're so welcome!
that is so nice of you to explaining VU meters :)
Jingle Dot Com, thank you so much :)
Explanation clear, great video 🎶🏆🎯
Appreciate it!
Iam getting one of these now. Thanks Sara!!!
Have fun!
Wow. Great video. Immediate improvement here!
Marc Smith, thank you so much, glad it helped!
Thanks, you're really good at this! And a very good teacher! Thanks for sharing, I learned a lot. 🎶🎧🙏🙋♂️❤️
Happy to hear that! Thank you so much for saying that ☺☺
Really blown away by your knowledge and the professionalism of your workflow. Loved the video! I calibrated my audio monitors as well so I'm always monitoring at consistent volume, and combined with these gain staging concepts I'm able to have an incredible foundation for mixes and productions.
Glad to have helped!
How do you calibrate your monitors? Can i calibrate my headphones also? (beginner here)
@@renanluy Play pink noise via a sound file or system generated noise in your daw, and set the level so that your daw meter reads your desired target. For example, I set mine so that it plays at -20dBFS, which is the standard for film. Then you decide on your desired dBSPL level in the room (around 82dB is great - but do some research here) and calibrate each monitor individually by playing the pink noise signal through the monitor and adjusting the monitor level until you reach the desired loudness in room in the listening position (use a dB meter). The beauty of this is that you're now monitoring sounds at the ideal loudness in your room while composing/mixing/producing for appropriate frequency response and internally in the daw you would still have 20dB of headroom, which gives you all the room you need for both mixing and mastering.
Incredible content and powerful teacher
Thank you!
Thank you so much, I teach first year higher education students in Music Production and your videos have been so informative and clarifying! Thanks again
You're very welcome!
This is a fantastic video. Thank you!
Thank you!
Excellent video. God bless you woman!
Thank you!
You're a great teacher Sara!!!!
Thanks Lu Rojas that means a lot 😊
Absolutely helpful thank you so much miss Sarah
Glad it was helpful!
Amazing tutorial, i learned a ton watching this
Fredrik Johansson, thanks for watching and for the feedback!
I have gotten SO MUCH out of these videos. Thank you!
That’s great, pleased to have helped!
Very well explained Sara - I loved that you gave us some 'ballpark' numbers that we can experiment with; very useful! And, of course, 'ballpark' is the right word, because these figures will naturally need to be adjusted if you're working with different genres e.g. anything from hip-hop to folk-rock ballads... Or maybe not?
Glad it was helpful! The ballpark figures will work regardless of genre, except maybe anything without drums! I just don't want people to get too hung up on the numbers and at -14 there is enough headroom built in for any adjustment based on personal taste, client requests, genre etc.
Your channel just got a new fan and a new subscriber! Excellent teaching, excellent content, excellent topics, excellent speaking voice and tempo in your lessons. What a gem! Cheers from a certified high school/college teacher of music, SAE alumni, producer and general geek.
Awesome, thank you!
Thanks for sharing! Well done!💯🎯
Thanks for watching!
Im going to be doing my gain staging just like this video for now on.... Thanks and great video
Glad it was helpful!
Wow! Thank you for this tutorial, Sara :)
You’re welcome ☺️
Great video Sara. Thank you!
You're so welcome!
Great informative video. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks for watching!
Absolutely awesome, thanks for a well explained, extremely helpful video :) cheers
Glad it was helpful!
Nice explanation.Thank you.
Thanks for watching!
Learnt a lot. I loved your video.
Michael Gagarin, thank you so much :)
it help me a lot in mixing now thanks
Michael Francis, thanks for watching and for the feedback!
Finally!!!
I now know what I was doing so very wrong trying to gain stage everything.
I was gain staging my kick to 0VU and then trying to bring everything else in. My mix was averaging way too hot with my peaks clipping 0db. The -7VU on the kick was the missing piece for me.
Sara, you get three hearts! 💖💖💖
Glad to help!
Great lesson! Much appreciated ! Thank you!
My pleasure!
Lovely explanation.
Glad you liked it
WOW! WELL DONE!!!!!!
Thank you!
Thank you for introducing me to Klanghelm. Off I go into the rabbit hole.
Hope you enjoy it!
Amazing relaxing voice and concise explainations.. just found an amazing mixing channel.. Thnx sara
Thank you so much!
You're a legend!!! I love this thank you
Thanks so much! Glad you liked it
Cool video, thank you. Greetings from Chile.
Thanks for watching!
You’re a very good teacher , thanks
A.D. Green, thank you so much :)
Thank you so much for the great sharing...stay safe and have a blessed day to you
Thank you! You too!
This was very helpful.
You're welcome!
amazing video, thanks!
You're welcome!
Great great insight about VU meters amongst all other vague stuff available on youtube... Really appreciate if you could keep these golden advises pouring through pleaseeeeee.. Thanks a bunch & God bless.... 🎉🎉🎉👊👍
Thanks, will do! 😀
Nice and clear explanation...
Glad it helped you!
Thank you, that was informative
My pleasure!