Hi, I was curious if anyone has techniques for keeping output levels controlled? What’s a good compressor setting for putting a limiter on the master out? Thx!
dont know…i dont use the OT’s compressor a lot. Anywau, for what i think, all depends from the material feeding the compressor on Master track.
Of course go with hi ratio for limiting behaviour, then, depending on what actually is sounding, level the Threshold and Att - Rel then make up the gain prior to distortion.
Using OT’s compressor for a livegig looks really brave…but, as for any tool…once you get confident with it - it will give you back the efforts
i dont have the available funds for a hardware compressor and figure the right settings for a compressor on the master track could suffice. what makes you say such a move is brave?
I mean i would not rely too much on its headroom.
Anyway, as i wrote, i use it few times.
Mostly depends on what kind of audio program you have. So its relative dynamics.
Anyway…make a lot of different tests using the compressor on the Master track.
Keep tracks level consistent (compressor disengaged) then, once you’re satisfied with the overall balance ,try to squeeze it a bit or a lot (taste-dependance)
There are few controls in order to get sweet spots for you. Dedicate to it a bit of time
Are you talking about live performance?
For live dude, don’t worry. Listen and if you aren’t distorting through clipping, fuck it man keep going.
I played last night and towards the end the levels coming in and going out were full on red, and it still sounded great through the PA.
Now, for recording:
Proper gain staging is crucial, you want the stuff coming in to be quieter rather than louder, and turn up the gain using OT. For sampling its best to let the OT just bring up the levels after recording rather than trying to record loud into OT.
For coming out of OT, just put a limiting compressor on the master so it doesn’t clip terribly and mix quiet. Start with all your tracks at half level, make it your instinct to lower loud tracks rather than raise quiet ones.
^ from what i can tell - the OT knocks 12 db off at the inputs anyway, getting it in hot is tricky (e.g. A4) (unless it’s a +4/-10 pro/consumer output level type thing) !
[quote=“” bandersong""]
Proper gain staging is crucial, you want the stuff coming in to be quieter rather than louder, and turn up the gain using OT. For sampling its best to let the OT just bring up the levels after recording rather than trying to record loud into OT…
[/quote]
This.