A complete guide to GAIN STAGING (your questions answered)
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 30 ก.ค. 2024
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In today's video we're going to cover all of the questions that we regularly get asked about gain staging.
Learn more about gain staging here: www.musicianonamission.com/ga...
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00:00 Intro
01:26 What and Why?
02:01 Is it just volume balancing?
04:24 How to change a region's gain?
05:55 What is the sweet spot?
07:44 How to use a VU meter?
10:48 Why can't I use my DAW's volume meter?
13:30 What if a track starts to clip?
17:38 When should I gain stage?
18:58 Do I have to do it on all of my tracks?
19:50 Do I have to do it on MIDI tracks?
21:57 How long should it take?
22:35 What about gain automation?
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Musician on a Mission is the place musicians go to level up their recording skills and release incredible sounding music.
Check us out here:
Blog: www.musicianonamission.com/blog/
FaceBook: / musicianonamission
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#GainStaging #HomeStudio #HomeRecording - แนวปฏิบัติและการใช้ชีวิต
Get the entire cheat sheet bundle for free: go.musicianonamission.com/cheat-sheets1665098330801
Not sure why but the cheat sheets wasn't sent to my email??
The link displays a banner from click funnels that cannot be removed. Is there any way to get these cheat sheets now?
@@DrLewko Right click the banner and the corner banner
go inspect and DELETE the line
repeat this as many times as it takes
@@racking16 Can you dropbox it? Link still trippin
@@racking16 Thanks a lot, dear. I've known it here by you and getting it in work on hundreds.🥰
This is probably the most comprehensive gain staging tutorial in TH-cam
Agreed. Also, easy to understand and follow.
But I still don’t understand... when would you realistically use this method if you capture good mic levels and use the volume knob on a virtual instrument. The “trick” really only seems useful when fixing recordings... idk seems kinda pointless if you already have good levels to begin with...
Select all regions you'd like to gain stage, go to FUNCTIONS>NORMALIZE REGIONS and select PER TRACK before setting your desired dB (try -18 for some head room) no need for a gain plugin at all.
Keep in mind this only changes the gain of your regions without being destructive in nature (like a regular gain plugin and unlike typical normalization).
After this you need only to monitor the outputs on each of your plugins down your chain. Easy peasy. Will save you a good half hour.
forreal
@@cassetteo it is pointless IF you CHECK and your track IS in the sweet spot, but you will NOT know that unless you check, and that is what gain staging is. :-) You will find that some are too low or two hig and not in that sweet spot a lot.
Finally, a gain staging video that talks about how, when, and why to gain stage, and does it in practical terms that are easy to follow and remember. Thank you!
Good news: I now know how to gain stage.
Bad news: Now I gotta delete my bad mixes and redo them.
Same lol 🥲🥲
I just redid a mix of mine from a year ago … it now has more clarity and punch becsuse I’ve gotten better at gain staging and EQing properly . It is a process
@Josh Smith FACTS
Lmao, I can relate. About to scrap some mixes.
but for everything else there's Mastercard
As someone with 10 years of experience, its amazing what I can learn everyday
Clarifying the important difference between GAIN/VOLUME really did it for me. You are a master at instruction! Thank you for making this concept so accessible! Subbed!
This is definitely the best gain stage tutorial I've seen. You explain everything so clearly.
Man, I was searching for something like this for ages. Excellent video and all my questions answered!
Starting out the year tackling a mix for a super exciting track and this video was such a killer refresher. Keep up the good work guys! Cheers
THANK YOU! This has truly demystified gain staging for me. This is detailed, easy to follow and understand.
No fluff. All stuff.
Finally someone explains this topic clearly, thank you so much for this videos, I am a fan of musician on a mission, keep doing this videos, you are awesome!!!
After having watched a few dozen videos about gain staging, this one is by far the best one! The information is thorough, detailed and the examples spot on!
Thank you so much for taking the time to do this. I love it!
OMG thank you!!! You went over so much in the video in a clear cut way. This may be one of the best audio videos iv seen here on youtube. I will be checking out more of your video 100% can't thank you enough.
This guy has the best gain staging tutorial on TH-cam
Brilliant tutorial, answered all my questions and so helpful
The BEST gain staging video ever seen! Thanks for answering every single question I have in my mind for a long time.
Hands down the best gain staging video out there. Thanks for sharing your knowledge with us!
Wow this explains why my mastering in Ozone would be clipping all the time when the mix was not. You cleared up a lot for me, thank you.
Comprehensive, straight to the point and easy to understand. Thank you for refreshing me on this!
Thank you! A great video. Been looking for answers for a long time. Maybe the best gain stage tutorial I've found
The finest presentation on the subject of gain staging I have yet seen - thank you So much!
You took (most) of the fear out of gain staging. Starting to really mix for real and this explanation is perfect! Thank you!
This is fantastic information! Thank you for explaining it in a way that also I who‘s just started out to produce music can understand it. Great job, just subscribed to the channel and looking forward to more great content.
After watching several tutorials, yours is the only one that makes perfect sense to me! Excellent work. Thank you!
YES!!!!! Perfect!!! You have the best explanation online for gain staging period!!!
This immediately made a huge difference in my music. Thank you for all that you guys do. So clear, so concise, and sooooo helpful!!!
super helpful! Thank you for this great tutorial in 2021! Happy New Year!
dude , clean and clear and straight to the point... NO ONE HAS EXPLAINED IT LIKE YOU
This video has blown my world wide open, thanks so much for this tutorial!
This is one of the best explanations and demos of gain staging I've seen. You made it very understandable. Well done and thanks!
I am only at the 17 minute mark of this video, and I already have a much much better understanding of not only gain staging but of all the tools used to do it. I really do have a much better understanding on how the different meters relate to each other.
Thankyou and well done on a subject that is a mystery to alot of people. This video is a must watch for all of us who are trying to get there head around all to do with recording. 👍👍
Thank you so much for this, they way you explain it and address every common misconception and doubts is superb.
Oh my god .. you totally changed my life with this tutorial.. so thankful . you will be my favorite you tube channel ever .subscribed, liked it and ringed the bell for more :)
I mix virtual instruments with lots of plugins as I go along and wouldn't be able to listen to them gain staged evenly without going crazy, but it would make sense to set the few main elements to -18dBVU as a staring point. Thanks for the clear and instructive video.
This is the most informative tutorial I have seen to date about gain staging. The tip about clip gain is key as I was using -3dB (normalised) but considering -6dB as the nominal waveform value. Thank you so much for the thorough answers here. Brilliant presentation. Subscribed.
Awesome! I have always wondered what the heck gain staging was and now I TOTALLY get it! Thanks immensely for a great video and really well explained - made it easy to understand.
Thanks for all the detailed examples of “how to...” as well as the reason for doing it a certain way. Very practical!
I finally comprehend gain staging. Well done.👏🏽 Thank you!
I must have watched over dozens of gain staging videos and still did not know a lick about gain staging. Not so with your video. I now FULLY understand what gain staging is and how to do it. Thanks so much for your time in explaining this the right way. Subscribed.
I’ve had a similar experience. Isn’t it amazing that all these mixing pros can’t seem to explain something so fundamental? I agree this is one of the best videos on the topic by a long shot.
Both of you watched some bad videos then, and that’s your fault..because there’s literally a ton of good videos on here about gain staging
@@BR_READDY225 yes, and many of them are poor quality, you’re entitled to your opinion of course
@@BR_READDY225Ok. Feel better now? 🙄
Yes!!Happened to see this video on YT the other day while looking for something else and saved the link to check out-was I glad to hear Jake's voice-now I know I'm going to be learning a lot as I invariably do w/his excellent tutorials....
Thank you thank u 10q so muchhh!!!! Dylan Spine really did well in terms of explaining certain terms and the video editing is so pleasing to watch and easy to understand 😁 people are so amazing, they never fail to impress me…
Great video! Finally someone who explains this clearly and in a way that is easily understandable. Question: Once we start to add other plugins to each track do we just adjust the gain on the track further or does each individual plugin have to be adjusted? Also can any of the stock meter plugins in Logic Pro X be used for this method?
This is magic. I wish I knew this last year. You just changed the entire course of my production life.
Happy to help!
Changed my mixing skills and they’re literally 10 times better now. Lol what was I doing before!?!?!? Knowledge is power. Amazing channel and truly life changing that allows me to create And Enjoy mixing. Thanks again brother
Fantastic. That was so easy to understand, finally someone actually tells you the levels to aim for and why!!!!!. I'm a fan.
thank you for actually showing how you do it vs just talking about it. Makes a world of difference
Literally amazing!! Thank you so much for this awesome content that you guys are putting out! Kudos 🙌 any tips about gain staging between chains of plugins where they may alter gain? Would you be tweaking input gain and output volume along the way (from plugin to plugin) by soloing the track and using that VU meter on the master / mix bus?? (That’s going on my template today btw 😜)
This is the best updated video since Rob made that tutorial! Thanks! Now I understand better! You made my day!
agreed! The first gain staging video was a game changer for me, and this FAQ really drives the concept home and clears up some confusion (particularly around how/why to use a vu meter)
That was the idea!
@@masteringcom would love a follow up video on gain stage automation / region based gain staging!
I started sharing this with all of the producers and artists I coach. Comprehensive to say the least. Thanks!
Thanks man! You cleared my doubt what a great start to 2021 ❤️🔥
Dylan, I have been trying to learn this for months. Today, I get it. I love your teaching method, speed, and style.
Aww shucks! You're making me blush. 😅 Happy to help.
@@masteringcom What side of the meter do I read?
Nice, I've learned a couple things here. Thank you!
I must have tried out about ten other videos on gain staging but this is by far the easiest to understand and apply. Wonderful explanation and helped me a lot with my mixing. Thank you!
Your explanation is fantastic,exactly what I needed Thank You. Looking Forward to follow your channel seriously !
Amazing way to kick off the year. Thank you for deep dive.
Staring January good I see!! Thank you, I can't believe you're putting tutorials this good for free.
Quiet you!
@@electricfolk ok boomer.
@@Vintagestep We don't want them charging for this stuff, do we?
@@electricfolk I think is important to encourage practices like this or when companies release free VST with pro-quality. Nowadays is harder and harder to stand out as an amateur. The required sound quality and skill have been increasing over the years, and I think the people behind Musician on a Mission know what are they doing, I think is not only safe but also good to recognize that.
And sorry if you intended a joke, I'm not a person that recognizes sarcasm and such easily.
@@Vintagestep No problem at all, friend. And I agree with you wholeheartedly!
I have been hunting for the answers, now I have found it. Will look back to my mixes. Thank you so much. I owe you!
Ah! What a relief to finally find a real complete guide on Gain Staging. I'm amazed to watch how efficiently all the minute details have been covered on the subject. Bravo! This is by far the best informative video on Gain Staging ❤❤❤
This is is definitely the best video/tutorial on Gain Staging I've come across, blows the Izotope one out the water (which is still a very good video to check out in regards to their Mix Assistant feature). Answered 99% of my questions I had coming into this video (sort of answered the final 1%). For me I arrange the entire song out from start to finish of all MIDI related tracks (with very little, if any at all, of effects). Reasoning is to just get the idea down as fast as possible, so I don't do any Gain Staging during that period. Once I've exhausted all my MIDI Instrument Ideas and have the song structure laid out, I'll bounce all MIDI to Audio and start adding the Audio Samples I'd like to use in the project. This is where I get stuck on whether to Gain Stage at this point or wait, because in this point of the process I'm also adding effects and manipulating a few of the tracks depending on the genre (Dubstep bass for example). I do use Izotope Relay and Imager in correlation with their Mix Assistant feature which I love. The problem is (and this is where the Izotope tutorial falls short) there is no clear idea on when is the exact right time to use it, Izotope shows it in relation to doing the mix for someone else and not as if you're doing a personal project. I feel like I should be gain staging at the point of bouncing all MIDI to Audio files, but at same time feel it should be in my 3rd stage (which is where I start to add Vocals) after I've got much clearer image of the song and all the pieces to the puzzle have been laid out ready for mixing. Sorry for the length, hope it makes a bit of sense. Thank for the info, definitely gonna help.
1 or 2 more question. Is it ok to to gain stage the same track multiple times while you perfect it before getting to the actual mixing? For example if you have to bounce the track several times because the number of plugins you have on currently are causing DSP problems, would you do the gain staging again after you bounce the track with previous plugins set in stone to the new audio tack but before doing any more effects/plugins?
2nd question. After setting the gain stage do you adjust the volume of the plugins that follow to ensure you stay in the relative "sweet spot"?
Cakewalk has a Gain knob at top of every channel - just like a physical mixer.
also a VU meter on the left
This is a fantastic video among so many effective videos on your channel. I have tough digital media for 20 years at the college level and I see the SAGE in you... you are a great teacher and communicator. I wish you the best as you share our passion. Keep up the inspiring work.
Best video I've seen on this!! Well done!
Thanks a lot for the video!
IMO it made more sence in the old days when you'd mix on an analogue console and had to make sure it doesn't clip too hard or oversaturate. Nowadays it seems a bit redundant because you can saturate/limit/distort each track individually during recording or sound designing.
BTW different plugins start distorting the signal at different input values as they are calibrated differently. So instead it would make more sense to me to quickly adjust the input gain of the first plugin on each track, be it channel strip, compressor etc. If your plugin distorts the input signal too much, lower the input gain until it doesn't. That's it. Make sure it sunds nice to you and don't bother too much about the meters on individual tracks.
In regards to this topic I strongly recommend watching Mix With The Masters' Inside The Track 39 with Jaycen Joshua in which he literally says "Never look at the meters".
In Logic, I usually do control my gain by using the input control of an EQ or compressor at the top of the plugin chain. The gain gets adjusted by the plugin input, and its output will be correct.
I was curious about doing it this way vs on the track like he did
Amazing! So straightforward and a great explanation for new producers and engineers
I really thought I understood gain staging. I had no idea how little I knew. What a fantastic tutorial.
Awesome! I dont know the technical side but it would be great if modern audio interfaces had a visual VU meter built in so you could gain stage whilst tracking
Avalon channel strip
But it’s pricey
There’s an advanced setting where in the mixer you have prefader and post fader views. This is where I gain stage. You’ll know when you’re in prefader mode because the vu meter will be on the left of the fader. Hope this helps.
But by that point, you've already passed through all the plugins on the track. And it's not a vu meter, it's a dbfs meter
@@iainmcguire7190 ok troll, a vu meter can represent different scales of voltage measure. And to switch to prefader mode is just one button click away.
I’m just presenting another option, it’s up to user on how they want to proceed. Your workflow is only one of many, and I’m pretty sure you didn’t consider users with dual monitor or more setups.
@@ThirdLadderEnt Have you watched the video? He spends a fair bit of time talking about the difference between VU meters and the dbfs meter in your daw. I'm not trolling you, you've missed one of the points he spends quite some time making in the video. And putting the meter into prefader still shows you the value after it passes through all the plugins. The vid is about gain staging to provide a certain level TO those plugins
@@iainmcguire7190 The actual hardware is a vu meter. dBFS, dBu, voltage, watts, Vrms, Vpeak, Vp-p etc are all measurements.
@@ThirdLadderEnt Honestly mate, watch the video.
This is best and most clear video explanation about gain staging. Good stuff! ✊🏽
Wonderful! You and your brethren are really helping to shorten my newbie learning curve. Thank you!!!!!
I really like your video it is laid out very nice. I think there are a few small areas where you are overlooking some things. In most DAWS busses have more headroom than individual channels so that summed channels don't clip. This includes the master bus. For me in protools, something hitting -5db is at -15 when sent to the master bus. You are having to push your tracks louder because the vu meter is not in line with the tracks. I'd think you'd want your tracks to meter in the sweet spot on its channel, not the master bus. Whatever your VU meter reads in line on the channel is what you send to a plugin on the insert, not on the master. That's why your levels are so low when trying to use the daw meter, the master has more headroom. IMO the daw's meter is still a decent approximation for gain staging, not it doesn't respond the same, but it also shouldn't be so off. I understand using the master bus speeds up the process, but I think you are unknowingly altering your results. Anyway that's what I think. I am no expert. Maybe there is something I am missing. Let me know what you think.
Finally! A GOOD gain staging tutorial. The best of aaall I've seen, hands down.
Thank you for taking your time to create such a valuable tutorial
Thanks for the video. I hope you won’t mind me offering a different view. Your method doesn’t take into account that most producers will arrive at a mix with a balance that they have already worked hard on and won’t want to lose. I would advise that preferable to individual gain adjustment, you select ALL the tracks and during the loudest part of the song apply a single gain adjustment to them all at the same time. I personally aim for around -18 LUFs overallto start, knowing that by the time I get to the end of the mix it will go up and be close to my final -14 LUFs destination. Thanks for all of the great content
How do you go about adjusting the gain of all tracks at once? Do u put a gain plugin on the master
Thank you so much for making this video, I learnt a lot. During the 13min mark "Why can't I use my DAW's volume meter?", did you manipulate the volume fader to make the meter go -18dB or did you adjust the gain to make the volume meter around -18dB? There was one put in that section where it felt like you just cut and pasted and the meter suddenly became -18dB.
Hope you will reply, thanks!
Thank you so much for a thorough understanding of Gain staging! You have by far explained this process the most professional from a student teacher perspective! I normally skip through the ads, but figure it’s the least I can do to sit through them all and say thank you! I’m going to watch your other videos now! I just liked and subscribed! ❤
The best video to REALLY understand gain staging. Thanks so much - after seeing so many YT clips I finally understood!
The compressor has an input gain control. You don’t need to add a gain plugin in. Just turn the input gain on the compressor up. You are adding a redundant plugin.
That's not true if you want transparency. As you increase input in a compressor you'll receive more of that compressors sonic signature and character. Remember, all compressors have a quality. Some are more transport than others. Total transparency in this phase is absolutely demanded. If you want more of the compressors color, then sure go for it; but we aren't even mixing yet so is that a good option for most of us even?
I’d forgotten I’d watched this video before and that vocal just killed me again.
Perfect. Answered the few questions I’m having at this moment. Thanks
I've been playing guitar and bass for well over three decades, played live plenty, and have been in professional studios numerous times, but I am new to home recording. This will help, thank you!
This goes for recorded material. Its very helpful to use VU already during recording as you would do on a analogue console or a tape-recorder...
I enjoy this for speaking to gain staging for individual channels, and their relationship to plugins.
But I’d love to see a follow up that addresses the issues that will come from stacking so much channels with that much gain.
Your aux busses and 2 buss would certainly clip with cumulative levels adding up.
Any chance we see the follow up?
Thanks for what you do!
Agreed
Correct. This video has some good info but I advise not using a VU meter calibrated to -18. Just use the dBFS meter. I set my initial levels using pink noise and all is great. At the end I’m usually having to push a compressor to get to -6 on my 2-bus. Unless someone has a measurable, scientific definition of what “sweet spot” is then it’s just nebulous language that gained a life of its own.
I rate you guys extremely highly! So easy to follow and valuable
Very cool. Best explanation of this I've seen. It seems like I am now having to turn up my plugins make up gain less than before to find that balance. Bonus!
Great video thanks - so when you gain stage pre-mix - you probably have a lot of FX etc going on a track - do you then turn them off before you gain stage - and then turn them on afterwards ?
If the FX inserts were meant to be "part" of that audio track / instrument (not surgical eq's or dynamic processing), then no. However, you'll do the gain staging before you start doing the mix with FX such as eq, comp, saturation & other stuff to enhance the overall sound.
FINALLY SOMEBODY IS TALKING ABOUT THIS!!!!!!
Agreed. It seemed so mysterious!
wow, thank you so much, this is real great man! thanks for all the effort you put in your videos. this one really helped us!
I feel I went from a gain stage novice to a master. Didnt know about vu meter and now I get it totally!! THANKS!!
Im mixing as I go and I've always gainstaged to -12 dbfs. I'll definitely try this out instead :)
Thats good i do the same
thats not gain staging though . You are supposed to change the dbvu
@@claydefoe8564 gainstage has multiple steps, this is one of my first step. :)
Gain staging is a must do for tracking.. once it's in the box, it's true that plugins have sweets spot and boosting tracks to -18dbfs is a good idea. But the downfall is, if you have more than 30-50 tracks every faders on your daw will be down to avoid peaking the masterbuss. Not a problem until you want to make automations and you realise the precision of faders aren't that great around -20 to -50 db while being better -10db to + 10db . At least that is for most DAWS. You had a good idea with this video, it's just that it doesn't apply to every project. I usually record full band, with guitar dubing and tons of vocals, so I always make the DAW gain staging so that every tracks volume fader sits around 0db. Then when I want to do automations, it's easier to be accurate to what you want to hear.. Nice Voice over btw ! ;)
Just put a gain plugin at the end of your plugin chain on each track and bring them all down. Or lower the volume of all your busses equally.
@@phadrus What you describe will create more problems which is what proper gain staging is ment fixing for. Gaining down affer your plugins means you probably overdriving them. with analog emulations, it can be desastrous on the sound... If you want to record hot (which is totally unnecessary in digital recording), at least gain down before your plugins....
@@MarcoPrimeau thanks for sharing your opinion
@@phadrus I'd say after 40years of doing sound live and more than 20year of studio work (analog and digital), following gain staging rules comes from deeper than an opinion. Having a proper gain at every step of a signal chain is what any experienced audio engineer will recommend. At the extreem, rules can be broken but I'd recommand experimenting and choosing what sounds best for you and your customers. (if any) Oh BTW there is no need for a gain plugin at the end of each track effect bin. Every track has a fader to determine the level sent to busses and master buss ;)
@@MarcoPrimeau thanks for sharing your feelings
Wow. In just the first three minutes of the video it makes more sense than in most of the other bids out there!
This is by far the best explanation of gain.
The only question I'm left with is: am I best gain staging my tracks as I go along or once I've created my track removing all my plug ins and starting again? I've always processed and mixed as I create the track. It's the way I was taught in college and everyone I have ever worked with has also done this
exactly my question
@@roikorginal Likewise. I can see myself doing this as I go, so that I can add plugins and get the settings right.
this is for preparing to mix so its for after you're done creating the track and before you mix
@@stoneycarter6429 but I like mixing as I create the track
Thank you for a very informative video. Just one question; isn´t it also important when you have a chain of plugs, that the output level of the individual plugs is about the same as the input level (in case the plug alters the level)?
Yes
Super good cohesive tutorial! Easy to understand. Keep it up!
So helpfull for intermediate producers like me guys; keep up. Clear, concise and well articulated. Cheers
Thank you for this video!
Definitely brought some good points.
But, may I ask: on what proven grounds have you actually came to this conclusion - that VSTs react THE SAME WAY as their real-life originals?
You can code as much as you want, those VSTs will NEVER react exactly like hardware.
Never. Impossible to achieve.
With all the randomness and coding and whatever you want.
Not saying that VSTs can not (almost or very near) SOUND like the hardware,
but they are not that particular hardware, nor function the same.
So: if hardware has a sweet-spot for gain staging, how are VSTs doing the same thing?
Am actually really curious to learn.
Maybe I am missing something.
I can’t understand why someone would come to that conclusion.
Please and honestly help.
Anyone?
Two questions: how do you/do you need to gain stage reverb sends etc? Also, when u add a plug-in that may change the gain do u simply use the VU meter once again to note and subsequently correct changes? Thx! Bob Peace
1. Why though it’s in a background of a mix and you probably won’t saturate or compress it.
2. Just adjust the output level to be the same as an input level to the plugin and you’re fine
If I send a vox to a Bus for reverb/delay, is it better to send at 0 then adjust Return accordingly or vice visa? Thanks
@@collintoh1697 Only the initial signal without effects should be gain staged after gain staging you will probably level all tracks using a fader. I would just blend wet rev/del signal accordingly to the whole mix.
As the guy in the video said you should gain stage only important elements. Hope I answered your question 😉
I always add fx send at the end of the track's inserts chain, then adjust the send level just by listening. The issue is when I apply a limiter on my mix bus. It would start boosting my effects. Then I come back and struggle with the send level and every insert on the effects track! Wondering what is the pro way of doing this
I been to listen to this again and again. Thanks for sharing.
This is the tutorial to ACTUALLY get me started on Gain Staging.
Thank you so much man.