i like to listen to it at different levels, especially almost slient to help me understand what instrument is most present and to see if the bass can be heard clearly. Although, I'm definitely going to try this out. I have never ran into clipping issues but it never hurts to try and standardize everything.
Great advice! I sorted this problem out a year ago, I have a VU meter just sat on my Master bus with -18VU and then make sure that when the Kick hits it's -3Db and then together with the Bass together, 0Db. Been working for me recently!
This really helps to “learn” your ears, depth perception and yes your eyes as you go through the process of making adjustments over time. Awesome video with great advice.
Hey Joe, I just want to say THANK YOU for getting "a bit more technical" on this topic than you usually do. It was SUPER helpful and I was surprised how easy it was on the second listen through. This is a gold nugget I can continue to use and teach to other recording friends. You da man.
Thanks Jo. I've been mixing for a long time, but setting my volume knob to about 9 o'clock. However, I like the 10:00/2:00 idea, so i downloaded your track and did your exercise. My ideal volume happened to be 80dB.
Super important stuff right here. Recently calibrated my Yamaha HS7s with pink nose and a dBC-type SPL meter - stunned how different I had to set the volume knobs at the back to get the same reading at my listening position. Suddenly, my mixes don't sound lobsided anymore and depth perception has vastly improved. Big lesson: if you buy a (non-matched) pair of speakers, don't assume that same settings = same output volume ...
Great advice. I started doing this about 10 years ago, and it has made a world of difference! Luckily I had a monitoring system that allowed me to "store" my playback volume knob setting. Keep up the Great job you are doing, Joe. You are an inspiration to all of us! By the way, you forgot to mention that when a client comes into the room to listen to the work you are doing, be ready to turn up the volume louder to impress them! If the mix sounds good at your calibrated volume level, it will usually sound even better when you turn it up!
This actually makes sense. Because different people will have ears with different sensitivity levels too. I did try with the SPL meter with 80 db, but then gradually had to re-adjust the volumes according to my comfort and now my ears are quite trained for that volume level.
Great advice. Love your videos. Very informative as always. I've been doing something similar to this... I set the volume knob on my SSL2+ interface to 12 o'clock and then adjust the monitor's volume until it's comfortable and sounds good to me. When I'm tracking vocals or anything with a mic I simply turn the volume on the SSL all the way down to prevent feedback in my one-room studio. Then flip it back to 12 o'clock when recording DI or mixing and the volume is back to where I normally listen without needing to always where headphones while tracking.
Thanks Joe! I just did this and it sounds great and not as hard on my ears. And for fun I use my SPL meter to see the level and it came to be 76db for my room.
Thank you sooo much! I have been doing sound design for videos recently and instinctively it occurred to me that my mixing levels are not exactly consistent. I searched far and wide about speaker calibration. Most videos I found gave me headaches until I found yours. Easy to understand, great advice and straight to the point.
I used pink noise and an SPL app and calibrated each of my speakers to read out at 80db and I have got almost this exact outcome. I found it did help my mixes ALOT and combined with proper gain staging get's you about 25% of the way to a really good or great mix. Not skimping on the set up really does make all the difference on the end product and mixing at low levels throughout and using high levels just to check the "bump factor" will save you alot of headaches and fatigue
You always teach us in such a simple way that even beginners like me can understand and apply. Thanks, Ssir. Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year hopelly without Covid-19.
I think the best way is to approach mixes like this: 1. Check your mix on low and loud volumes and master it until it sound good on both. 2. Reference your and other songs
Joe, this is really good information. I think you have solve a lot of the reason I scramble with my mixes. I'm just learning but I think this one thing gives me a solid foundation to work from. Thanks!!!
Thank you for sharing your knowledge and creating this video! This helps greatly. This is the solution to a longtime on going problem. Fantastic thanks!
Real helpful tip. I came up to something similar by testing and listening, but your method really conforms inconsistency issues and make it easy for no brainers . Thanks for this great advise. BTW: Cool tatoo. As a native Greek I spotted it instantly and very easy.
Thank Joe, this is one of the best tutorial videos and one of the most valid information for setting up your studio. Great advice and makes huge difference. Everyone starting mixing journey should watch it. Works magic!
It's Funny, I NEVER thought about this, but i did this too, I have my mix level set to 2 o' clock too, and i have my DIM setting set to exactly the level i need to lower for mastering. Consistency finally.
4 роки тому+6
Joe saved my life again. I was in crisis because I found unbearable (my neighbors either) mix at 85 decibels. Sensible words here.
The gain knobs behind the Yamaha HS8's are very sensitive and there are no snappy ticks between the dB steps except the middle position (+4dB). So I'm afraid to adjust the gain knobs because of maybe losing the true center image if I set up one of the monitor gains wrong.
When I record mixing and mastering are happening together. So why do you have the 10:00 and 2:00? What are the actual different volume levels you're hearing during mixing and mastering? Thanks for the cool video
Lol I did this yesterday in my new monitors Adam a7x which I have at 12 o’clock and my clarett 4 pre I have at 2 o’clock and my master in my daw at 0. At least this video confirms what I did was right..... thanks Joe 👏 👏
This may be the best idea of 2018 regarding home studios. Why/how is this so widely overlooked I still think Joe should bring back the biker mustache . PLLLLEASE joe? we miss it. :( cheers and thanks for all of what you do. steve
I like your explanation. Just one thing, to say that the 85dbSPL is too loud first, then say you may find that you're clipping the master fader during a mix... That's the point of setting the 85dbSPL reference, to make sure there is enough headroom available for occasional spikes. It should also be noted that the 85dbSPL thing comes from THX where there was concern that movie mixes wouldn't translate between theaters. Setting the standard fixes the sound levels so that it is at the same volume everywhere. Technically by mixing at lower than 85dbSPL it means that the mix will sound way too loud when listening to it at the correct volume. Although, music mixes don't tend to follow the 85dbSPL rules for a number of reasons. Some of which are: lack of standardization and desire to have the music punch as much as possible, which means eating into the entirety of the headroom available.
What if I dont have a volumen knob but master faders on my mixer??? What should the volume be Joe??? Thanks a lot!! Love your tutorial videos!!! Marco from Uruguay
Thank you for the info I appreciate it. I’m going to try setting up like this when I get home. One question though. So when you are mixing, are you bringing the master fader down to -10 or leaving it at 0?
4 роки тому
Ideally, when mixing your tracks should stay around -18 (0dBVU, if you have a VU Meter plugin). That's enough headroom to do the mixing. Then you will bring the volume up in the mastering phase, with limiting. You shoudn't be mixing so hot that you need to pull the master fader down.
Very helpful video! Ive always left my monitor volume the same, and mix more on the quiet side in comparison to something like 85db, but I definitely need to turn up my monitors a little bit. I have a terrible habit of compensating my volume with compression make up gain and that needs to stop. say im using an amp modeling software to lay down a guitar part and its not hitting that volume i wish it would, then my first instinct is to reach for a compressor and bump that make up gain instead of just turning up my monitors. Then when i start adding other tracks like bass or drums then my guitar is too loud in comparison, so what do i do foolishly, add compression to my other tracks and boost their make up gain. Such a bad a habit. Its like sometimes i think i even forget theres volume faders. Lol.
Joe, you are a very good instructor. Thank you very much for all your effort! Love your videos. It is a pleasure to listen, to educate and for me also to be entertained at the same time. You explain your self very well. All the best:)
Thank you Joe - -enjoy your videos. Question listening to the Fighter. Have a good set of monitors and headphones. I set the knob on the Octa Capture to 10. Listening via phones the overall volume of 10 is comfortable to the ears. I adjust the input sensitivity on the monitors to match the overall volume via headphones. The monitors came down from +4 to about -3 making sure the equidistance between me and monitors is set properly. Adjusted HF and LF on the monitors to match the level of drums and guitars when switching back and forth between phones and monitors. Now at least I know what I hear with either should be a match when doing the mixmaster thing. Pushing the dial to 2 o'clock still good for that level on the ears.
Quick Question- clarification- (Using a Clarett 2 Pre Audio Interface with KRK Rokit 5s)- Not mentioned in the video, but my guess is that we should first, max out the "Computer" Volume, correct? Then set the Monitor knob on the audio interface to the 2 O'clock position for Mixing and 10 O'clock for Mastering followed by adjustments of the actual speaker volume knobs for the "Pleasant" volume setting. Does the 2 and 10 o'clock volume rule apply to headphones output of the audio interface? I am using some Beyerdynamic Dt770 Pro (250 ohm) ran through a headphone amp to help with the quietness of the headphones. I would like to find consistency regardless of mixing/mastering with headphones or monitors. Thanks Much- I am loving your course so far!
So you're saying to reduce the wav file by 10db because you usually leave 10db of heardroom when mixing. If you don't let the peaks cross -6db when mixing, rather than -10db, you should only reduce the mastered version by 6db instead when calibrating, correct?
76db is my working peak level. (I do use an SPL app.) Therefore, when I listen from other apps like QuickTime and iTunes, I step them down just about six 'down arrows' as well. For certain genres, I do crank up, leave the room and listen from outside.
THANKS for this. I'm begginer in mixing, right now collecting info and experiences and especially the thing with the EQ vs volume.. that's someth8ng I noticed in my IES, since as a drummer I have my own mix amd all in it's single channel. Sometimes a prat of my stume trurms the volume know up or down, and I can't beleiev how much the whole characteristic of the soumd changes just by volume adjuatments.. Again, THANKS!
hey joe, i have herd the calibration term come up before. Just never decided to take notice. Mainly because i was trying to take in wayyyy to many other parts of info.... as we all know. Though, a piece of advice i took on board a long time ago, id like to get your opinion on. Was, when your ready to mix, Weather u just opened a new track, or you produced it yourself. Just turn everything down. And start from scratch. Level match to your ear, get a feel, then decide your next steps. a kind of "take it back to feeling it out" approach. Though, as i type this. I can see more how this would come into play getting multiple mixes. Just from the variations. I suppose because by the time i come to mixing, I have been working on the bastard for god knows how long. Producing it. but yeah.... i dunno. Have u ever tried this approach yourself?
Joe, most of the projects I do don't have the budget to send out to someone else to do mastering. Since I know that I'm going to be doing the mastering, I usually mix with a limiter on the output bus. Can you point me in the direction of a tutorial, or video that you made that talks about the pros and cons of using the mastering plugins on the output bus while you are mixing, please?
i like to listen to it at different levels, especially almost slient to help me understand what instrument is most present and to see if the bass can be heard clearly. Although, I'm definitely going to try this out. I have never ran into clipping issues but it never hurts to try and standardize everything.
How very true! Funny how so few people talk about monitoring volume. To me the most important thing with mixing.
Great advice! I sorted this problem out a year ago, I have a VU meter just sat on my Master bus with -18VU and then make sure that when the Kick hits it's -3Db and then together with the Bass together, 0Db. Been working for me recently!
"I literally almost never touch that volume knob." -Joe Gilder, a man who has literal cobwebs around that volume knob.
😂😂
HAHAHA
This really helps to “learn” your ears, depth perception and yes your eyes as you go through the process of making adjustments over time. Awesome video with great advice.
This is the one question I had for years....and no one answered properly on any forum or on UA-cam. Thanks a lot for this video
6:47 - STEP 1...
Thanks Joe Gilder, amazing tips. Very useful. Best wishes.
Hey Joe, I just want to say THANK YOU for getting "a bit more technical" on this topic than you usually do. It was SUPER helpful and I was surprised how easy it was on the second listen through. This is a gold nugget I can continue to use and teach to other recording friends. You da man.
Thanks Jo. I've been mixing for a long time, but setting my volume knob to about 9 o'clock. However, I like the 10:00/2:00 idea, so i downloaded your track and did your exercise. My ideal volume happened to be 80dB.
You where absolutley spot on with this. I did not have to make any adjustments though.
Super important stuff right here. Recently calibrated my Yamaha HS7s with pink nose and a dBC-type SPL meter - stunned how different I had to set the volume knobs at the back to get the same reading at my listening position. Suddenly, my mixes don't sound lobsided anymore and depth perception has vastly improved. Big lesson: if you buy a (non-matched) pair of speakers, don't assume that same settings = same output volume ...
Wow. I've never calibrated my speakers before, big difference, thanks for the advice. Your track fighter is very good too. Nice work.
Great advice. I started doing this about 10 years ago, and it has made a world of difference! Luckily I had a monitoring system that allowed me to "store" my playback volume knob setting.
Keep up the Great job you are doing, Joe. You are an inspiration to all of us!
By the way, you forgot to mention that when a client comes into the room to listen to the work you are doing, be ready to turn up the volume louder to impress them!
If the mix sounds good at your calibrated volume level, it will usually sound even better when you turn it up!
Haha. Definitely.
Marius, your recordings and mixes have always sounded great! But it's good to know you are getting even better. Good to see you on UA-cam.
@@HomeStudioCorner what brand are your monitors?! thank you!
This actually makes sense. Because different people will have ears with different sensitivity levels too. I did try with the SPL meter with 80 db, but then gradually had to re-adjust the volumes according to my comfort and now my ears are quite trained for that volume level.
Excellent Info. Joe!
Genius! Absolutely brilliant my guy🤘🏽 thank you!
Joe all your tips are coming at the right time for me. thanks so much for this!
Thank you so much Joe. Saved my pain
It's great, thank You!
We ran into this problem yesterday. Great timing on this video! :) Love it!
Thank you Joe
Crazy to hear so much bass without a cardioid mic very close to get the proximity effect.wow! Sounds great
Love this Joe. Consistency is a better rule than any rule.
Very good suggestion! Thanks a lot!🎹🎼👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾
Thank you so much Joe! I'm a complete green horn when it comes to mixing and this helped me a lot!
Great advice. Love your videos. Very informative as always.
I've been doing something similar to this... I set the volume knob on my SSL2+ interface to 12 o'clock and then adjust the monitor's volume until it's comfortable and sounds good to me.
When I'm tracking vocals or anything with a mic I simply turn the volume on the SSL all the way down to prevent feedback in my one-room studio. Then flip it back to 12 o'clock when recording DI or mixing and the volume is back to where I normally listen without needing to always where headphones while tracking.
Forgot to add that I downloaded your master to try your 2 o'clock - 10 oclock method.
Great job!!!! Thank you for this quick insight
cheers Joe!
Really good explanation.
Thanks Joe! I just did this and it sounds great and not as hard on my ears. And for fun I use my SPL meter to see the level and it came to be 76db for my room.
Nice! I think mine landed around 72 last time I checked.
Great! I must be doing something right. Mine came in at 72-73. At this point I have my sub turned off. Where would a sub fall into this formula?
eggnogagogo it doesn’t. Don’t use a sub to mix
Awesome. Thanks Joe.
Thanks man. Very helpful.
Thank you sooo much! I have been doing sound design for videos recently and instinctively it occurred to me that my mixing levels are not exactly consistent. I searched far and wide about speaker calibration. Most videos I found gave me headaches until I found yours. Easy to understand, great advice and straight to the point.
I think our ears have compressors as well. Very good and simple point about turning up the volume!!!!
I used pink noise and an SPL app and calibrated each of my speakers to read out at 80db and I have got almost this exact outcome. I found it did help my mixes ALOT and combined with proper gain staging get's you about 25% of the way to a really good or great mix. Not skimping on the set up really does make all the difference on the end product and mixing at low levels throughout and using high levels just to check the "bump factor" will save you alot of headaches and fatigue
You always teach us in such a simple way that even beginners like me can understand and apply. Thanks,
Ssir. Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year hopelly without Covid-19.
I think the best way is to approach mixes like this:
1. Check your mix on low and loud volumes and master it until it sound good on both.
2. Reference your and other songs
Outstanding advice thank you
Joe, this is really good information. I think you have solve a lot of the reason I scramble with my mixes. I'm just learning but I think this one thing gives me a solid foundation to work from. Thanks!!!
Thanks
Thank you for sharing your knowledge and creating this video! This helps greatly. This is the solution to a longtime on going problem. Fantastic thanks!
Real helpful tip. I came up to something similar by testing and listening, but your method really conforms inconsistency issues and make it easy for no brainers . Thanks for this great advise.
BTW: Cool tatoo. As a native Greek I spotted it instantly and very easy.
Ha!! Nice!
This has got to be the best discription i've heard in years!
Killer advice! What about tricks to setting up the switches on back of speakers haha. The low freq and high freq etc
Thank Joe, this is one of the best tutorial videos and one of the most valid information for setting up your studio. Great advice and makes huge difference. Everyone starting mixing journey should watch it. Works magic!
It's Funny, I NEVER thought about this, but i did this too, I have my mix level set to 2 o' clock too, and i have my DIM setting set to exactly the level i need to lower for mastering. Consistency finally.
Joe saved my life again. I was in crisis because I found unbearable (my neighbors either) mix at 85 decibels. Sensible words here.
Very Good Video, You are exactly right.
Thanks!
The gain knobs behind the Yamaha HS8's are very sensitive and there are no snappy ticks between the dB steps except the middle position (+4dB). So I'm afraid to adjust the gain knobs because of maybe losing the true center image if I set up one of the monitor gains wrong.
When I record mixing and mastering are happening together. So why do you have the 10:00 and 2:00? What are the actual different volume levels you're hearing during mixing and mastering? Thanks for the cool video
From a new novice, thank you for this video!
That was great....Good job ....can't wait to try this method in my studio
Man your videos are amazing! Keep uploading!
more technical than usual, it works very well
Liked the video as soon as I heard "Fletcher".
Thanks!
I started doing this a while ago and found my mixes are more consistent great advice!!
👍
This is really appreciated.
Thank you!
Great advice!
Thanks. Excellent presentation. Very clear and concise!
Thanks for the tips. I feel my monitors much more consistantly now. :)
Great tip, thanks Joe
Awesome vid, Joe. Thank you!
Thanks Great Job ..subscribed
I think that’s a really great idea. Thanks!
Thanks so much Joe! Have a very Merry Christmas!
Hands Down G
Lol I did this yesterday in my new monitors Adam a7x which I have at 12 o’clock and my clarett 4 pre I have at 2 o’clock and my master in my daw at 0. At least this video confirms
what I did was right..... thanks Joe 👏 👏
Good advise! Good song!
This may be the best idea of 2018 regarding home studios. Why/how is this so widely overlooked
I still think Joe should bring back the biker mustache . PLLLLEASE joe? we miss it. :(
cheers and thanks for all of what you do.
steve
I like your explanation. Just one thing, to say that the 85dbSPL is too loud first, then say you may find that you're clipping the master fader during a mix... That's the point of setting the 85dbSPL reference, to make sure there is enough headroom available for occasional spikes. It should also be noted that the 85dbSPL thing comes from THX where there was concern that movie mixes wouldn't translate between theaters. Setting the standard fixes the sound levels so that it is at the same volume everywhere. Technically by mixing at lower than 85dbSPL it means that the mix will sound way too loud when listening to it at the correct volume. Although, music mixes don't tend to follow the 85dbSPL rules for a number of reasons. Some of which are: lack of standardization and desire to have the music punch as much as possible, which means eating into the entirety of the headroom available.
Thanks for the video!! I got mine at 78db =)
Thank you very much
wow great practical info... thanks
Joe
What if I dont have a volumen knob but master faders on my mixer??? What should the volume be Joe??? Thanks a lot!! Love your tutorial videos!!! Marco from Uruguay
Thanks for the tip, very helpful! Gonna try it!
Thank you for the info I appreciate it. I’m going to try setting up like this when I get home. One question though. So when you are mixing, are you bringing the master fader down to -10 or leaving it at 0?
Ideally, when mixing your tracks should stay around -18 (0dBVU, if you have a VU Meter plugin). That's enough headroom to do the mixing. Then you will bring the volume up in the mastering phase, with limiting. You shoudn't be mixing so hot that you need to pull the master fader down.
Very helpful video! Ive always left my monitor volume the same, and mix more on the quiet side in comparison to something like 85db, but I definitely need to turn up my monitors a little bit. I have a terrible habit of compensating my volume with compression make up gain and that needs to stop. say im using an amp modeling software to lay down a guitar part and its not hitting that volume i wish it would, then my first instinct is to reach for a compressor and bump that make up gain instead of just turning up my monitors. Then when i start adding other tracks like bass or drums then my guitar is too loud in comparison, so what do i do foolishly, add compression to my other tracks and boost their make up gain. Such a bad a habit. Its like sometimes i think i even forget theres volume faders. Lol.
Hey Joe! Can you provide that .wav file again or a comparable file? Recently purchased a pair of Sceptre S8s.
Joe, you are a very good instructor. Thank you very much for all your effort! Love your videos. It is a pleasure to listen, to educate and for me also to be entertained at the same time. You explain your self very well. All the best:)
so helpful man
Thank you Joe. This has been great for me to get my mixes to the same volume level before mastering. This will please my mastering engineer!
Damn, this might be some of the best advice I've had :O
Thank you Joe - -enjoy your videos. Question listening to the Fighter. Have a good set of monitors and headphones. I set the knob on the Octa Capture to 10. Listening via phones the overall volume of 10 is comfortable to the ears. I adjust the input sensitivity on the monitors to match the overall volume via headphones. The monitors came down from +4 to about -3 making sure the equidistance between me and monitors is set properly. Adjusted HF and LF on the monitors to match the level of drums and guitars when switching back and forth between phones and monitors. Now at least I know what I hear with either should be a match when doing the mixmaster thing. Pushing the dial to 2 o'clock still good for that level on the ears.
Makes sense... Thanks!
Quick Question- clarification- (Using a Clarett 2 Pre Audio Interface with KRK Rokit 5s)- Not mentioned in the video, but my guess is that we should first, max out the "Computer" Volume, correct? Then set the Monitor knob on the audio interface to the 2 O'clock position for Mixing and 10 O'clock for Mastering followed by adjustments of the actual speaker volume knobs for the "Pleasant" volume setting. Does the 2 and 10 o'clock volume rule apply to headphones output of the audio interface? I am using some Beyerdynamic Dt770 Pro (250 ohm) ran through a headphone amp to help with the quietness of the headphones. I would like to find consistency regardless of mixing/mastering with headphones or monitors. Thanks Much- I am loving your course so far!
Hi Joe! Like this one-makes alotta sense,thanks
Thanks so much, nice to know.
I have Focal Alpha 50s just low shelf and high shelf adjusted
Sir, you got a new subscriber because of this video. Thank you.
Nice tip, very nice!
thank you!
So you're saying to reduce the wav file by 10db because you usually leave 10db of heardroom when mixing. If you don't let the peaks cross -6db when mixing, rather than -10db, you should only reduce the mastered version by 6db instead when calibrating, correct?
76db is my working peak level. (I do use an SPL app.) Therefore, when I listen from other apps like QuickTime and iTunes, I step them down just about six 'down arrows' as well. For certain genres, I do crank up, leave the room and listen from outside.
Yeah I think I landed around 69-72 as my comfortable range.
Tack!
Thanks for advice joe!
Any tips on balancing the separate volume knobs on each speaker?
THANKS for this. I'm begginer in mixing, right now collecting info and experiences and especially the thing with the EQ vs volume.. that's someth8ng I noticed in my IES, since as a drummer I have my own mix amd all in it's single channel. Sometimes a prat of my stume trurms the volume know up or down, and I can't beleiev how much the whole characteristic of the soumd changes just by volume adjuatments.. Again, THANKS!
hey joe, i have herd the calibration term come up before. Just never decided to take notice. Mainly because i was trying to take in wayyyy to many other parts of info.... as we all know. Though, a piece of advice i took on board a long time ago, id like to get your opinion on. Was, when your ready to mix, Weather u just opened a new track, or you produced it yourself. Just turn everything down. And start from scratch. Level match to your ear, get a feel, then decide your next steps. a kind of "take it back to feeling it out" approach. Though, as i type this. I can see more how this would come into play getting multiple mixes. Just from the variations. I suppose because by the time i come to mixing, I have been working on the bastard for god knows how long. Producing it. but yeah.... i dunno. Have u ever tried this approach yourself?
Joe, most of the projects I do don't have the budget to send out to someone else to do mastering. Since I know that I'm going to be doing the mastering, I usually mix with a limiter on the output bus. Can you point me in the direction of a tutorial, or video that you made that talks about the pros and cons of using the mastering plugins on the output bus while you are mixing, please?