Guys!

Would love your help.

Okay....Im using Steinberg Nuendo.

Im composing an arrangement with around 12 instruments.

Im being really careful for each track to get the highest signal-noise ratio BEFORE reaching 0db. So all my input levels on all the audio tracks are fine.

Here's the problem.

If I play each audio track on their own......none of them clip.

BUT......when I play them together, it clips the Stereo Master OUTPUT of the Monitors.

Can someone please give me some advice?

Im obviously missing something, or pardon my ignorance, but is it really this hard to stop clipping on the MASTER OUTPUT when your song is playing?

Is there any tricks I can learn with stopping clipping when all my tracks are playing back together?

Any advice at all would really be appreciated by me.

Thank you.

Simon

Turn down the track faders then - if you're clipping the output buss, then your overall track levels are too high!
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Bruce Valeriani - Mix Engineer

I'd suggest turning down the master fader to lower the overall output.

It's easier than adjusting each individual fader.

uncle_jerr wrote:

I'd suggest turning down the master fader to lower the overall output. It's easier than adjusting each individual fader.

usually, i dont pay too much attention to the master level until mixdown, where i make sure it doesnt go over 0db, other than that (and unless it distorts my monitors), i let it clip as it will, but still i make sure none of my individual tracks go over 0db.

in the end, right before mixdown, i adjust my master fader according to the amount it went over (if so is the case), so that the mixdown doesnt overload, and that way, i get the levels i desire through and through... works out well for me...

lata

sh336699 wrote:

Is there any tricks I can learn with stopping clipping when all my tracks are playing back together?

set your meters so that they keep the highest readings, and play your whole song, with no stopping (that means, make sure its edited the way you want it so you wont have to stop it and edit some more)

whatever the end reading on your master meter is, adjust it so that it comes out even; by that i mean, if its 4db over, reduce the fader level by 4.2db or so (because when it says 4.0db over, it could very well be 4.07db, which will make your meter peak anyhow), this way you know that by playing your program again, it wont peak.

afterwards, to get your overall loudness back, you could do like i do and use such vst as the ultra-maximizer to boost it back up and even it out.

that my way of working, and it works out fine...