Setting levels in rackspaces

[AnalogueFan]

Just polling the expert GP users out there. When you create rackspaces and add “volume” widgets to the Panels screen, what is your process for setting and balancing all the plugin/patch levels, espcially across an entire setlist? I did read through this post Volume level matching between rackspaces - #17 by Miguel which was very helpful. I guess my question is more specific to the plugin volume levels vs. the audio mixer plugin levels vs. the widget volume levels. Do you set the plugins roughly all the same at, say, 80%, then rough mix the levels with the audio mixer plugin, then fine-tune everything with the widgets?

Someone in one of my bands suggested I set the widgets at 80% volume so I have some headroom for “solo volume” that I can push with an expression pedal. Looking for feedback and advice from the experts on this forum.

Thanks…

[pianopaul]

Trust your ears.

[Musichandyman_Oscar]

I mix the different plugins I’m using in the rackspace. I usually have a main volume control in the global rackspace that I try to set at 50% to have some headroom.

[Miguel]

@AnalogueFan

Glad you found my post helpful…

Just to add a couple more details

Ok.

When you add a fader widget and go to the “VALUE” window, you’ll see there’s a curve you can adjust to your liking. There’s a max. value of 70.6 which corresponds to 0dB on the actual mixer fader.

My process is to level (WITHIN the Wiring tab) ALL my instruments at 0dB using TBProAudio’s mvMeter2, set to -18dbFS.

Starting with the actual sound : set the output of that vst to 0dB. If you add any fx in series (compressor, eq, etc etc) after each one I double check that its output is also still at 0dB.

After all those checks, and the scale set is to 70.6 (so that when my widget volume is maxed out, the mixer’s fader is AT 0dB AND the VU meter is peaking roughly at 0dB) IF I need more volume for a solo instrument you still have enough headroom to raise it another 3dB without doing any “damage”.

How do you raise it another 3dB if the widget fader is already maxed out?
You go to the curve and adjust the 70,6 value up to MAX. 84 which would be the equivalent to +3dB. You CAN still go above this value but I highly don’t recommend it if you appreciate your speakers (and ears)

It IS a bit of a tedious process but it guarantees you to not over do your output volume at any time. The FOH tech WILL thank you. 1. because all your sounds are level and 2, if you do have a solo and you set it to max 3dB above your normal playing level, it’s not going to break anything and if your tech has to raise it even more, he still has that bit more headroom because you set everything to -18 in the first place.

If you then need to mix your sounds within a rackspace, because you set everything to -18dbFS, the mix is going to be much smoother, the FX are going to react nicely and everything is so much easier all around. Preparation is key. If you set everything up right beforehand, the gigs are going to sound neater.

Hope this helps that little bit more

[jeffn1]

I use setlist mode.

In the time period before gig I go through the full set list and tweak the levels of each song part as best as I can and freeze them using the “snapshot” tool. To me, this is essential to try to get all the songs and song (and individual plugins within song parts) at the right level so I do not have to change the master volume much during the gig (at least that is the goal).

[For new songs, I recently realized that you have to be careful handling them in a new setlist. So, going forward in a new setlist, I am going to try to use songs I am comfortable with from prior setlists as a reference point for new songs and try to adjust the settings for new songs within the setlist so the different setlists are in sync volume-wise.]

Jeff