Im recording my mixes but the audio level isnt quite what i expect. When i play the CD after burning it using itunes, it sounds a little low although the sound quality is good.Im recording via RCA master out into the 1/8" trs jack of the soundcard.Im using "Creative Audio Blaster" on a Dell desktop to record my mixes. The record input level on my desktop is all the way to the max, even though the level meter is registering a little low at around 3-4 in a range 10 (hope that makes sense).My Master volume knob as well as each channel input knobs on my djm800 are at the 3 o'clock position. AM i doing something wrong?Thanks for the help!

Hrm, that's an odd one. Interesting that the record level is all the way up... but have you checked the "master record" (of if you have, the individual channel input levels)? Chances are there's a slider you don't know about or haven't checked.

Barring that, think about picking up a free audio record program called audacity - it has the capability to boost the level after the fact so it's closer to a good volume.

-r-

Are you using a software program to mix or are you using CDs?

If you're using a software program (VDJ or Serato, etc) for mixing I've found it best to record out from my mixer to either an external recorder or into another laptop using Sony Sound Forge, Audacity or similar programs.

If you using CDs, same thing. If you are recording using a program such as Audacity make sure your interface is a good quality one such as a Focusrite Saffire or other similar high quality interface. At first I was using a Behringer U-Control but that thing just sucked.

I have a Yamaha PockeTrac that is pretty good but I have found that using the second laptop running Sound Forge and the Focusrite interface is the best recording method I have tried thus far.

Recording from the Serato SL3 is great too (if you have one) but then you will have to deal with converting the .aif file to MP3. CD-DA converts it to mp3 but all you hear is snow/static. I have Fair Stars audio converter and I get a 50/50 chance that it actually converts to music instead of static so with that said the other methods I have outlined above seem to be best.


DJ RuDe


Keep Spinnin'!!

Thanks for the response guys. Youre the experts and This has been the best forum thus far.My sliders are all the way up as im using the crossfader for mixing.I will eventually get into Audacity since ive read that it allows you to separate/index tracks.Im using SSL Sl-1.

I record my mixes onto cd via a Fostex studio quality cd recorder. I have my master on the DJM-700 at 1 o'clock at the most, the channel sliders are between 8 and 9. On the Fostex the recording volume's are at around 12-1 o'clock, no higher. The result is pretty loud. I then rip the cd into itunes and make copies or upload them into megaupload, still the sound quality is great. I don't know much about recording straight into computers, but it sounds like the soundcard your recording into is the problem.

A buddy of mine uses Sony Sound Forge as Rude Dogg mentioned, he records his mixes straight into the program, then he goes back and remasters it. The end result from that method is even better than how I do it, its actually the best sound quality I've heard. Definitely a good program. I plan on switching over some day to Sound Forge. He actually just remastered a mix for me thru it and the result is amazing. I don't know much about remastering, but it basically enhanced everything, made it louder, more clear, it was just better. I am just recently learning about all this technology, (thats been out for so long now). I have been stuck in the stone age for too long. lol. From what he tells me, Audacity is a good one too, and its free for the basic one. I plan on getting the forge, once I switch to this method I will prolly sell my Fostex, wanna buy it...just kidding...lol..

Also IMO you shouldn't have your channel sliders all the way up, you gotta leave some "headroom".

DJ COAST:

Having faders "all the way up" does not necesssarily means that you do not have headroom in the output...

E.G. With an improperly-set input gain setting on a a channel (say, too low) you could have a lot of headroom in the output even with the fader all the way up for that channel...

To me, having headroom in the output depends on a ton of factors such as the volume level of the source track(s) being played, the input gain setting on the mixer for each track (channel), the master level output, whether any other amplification (or reduction) is made at any stage in the mixer (like EQ'ing or external FX processor), etc.

Or, as I always see myself, something could be creating headroom during the recording process:


Ideally, for each and every single track I play, I set everything to unity so for each channel the input comes in (right after I set the gain) to just under 0 dB and stays there (for all the peaks of the tracks, which is usually the bass hits). That means the bass kicks taps in most of the "yellow" area and never quite reaches the "red" area. This is true for all the channel VUs and the master output's VU. I always have my channel sliders all the way up (at unity) and use the cross fader. Of course I do a "bass crossfade" with the EQ before/during the crossfade so volume stays pretty consistent and under 0 dB).

Even with this, my master volume set to unity at all times on the mixer, and the VU indicating peaks just under 0 dB in the mixer's output, I found out that my soundblaster soundcard on my PC (that I use to record) always reduces the volume by a few (constant) dBs when recording. Right after recording I endup with about 6 dB of headroom (so all the peaks that were showing as "just under 0 dB" on my mixer's VU are now showing as "just under -6 dB" on my PC's VU in the wave editor).

At that point I have about 6 dB of headroom, even though all the faders were set all the way up on the hardware mixer when I recorded. I guess this is either the soundcard creating this, some weird volume setting that I still haven't figured out on my PC after 5 years, or the wave editor. I've tried to mess up with the software mixer volume settings on my PC but it always ends up distorting the sound so I leave the "line-in" input boost to its minimal setting (it seems this "line-in input boost" is the only fader on the software mixer that affects the line-in input's volume, and to me it doesn't do any good to change it).

Anyways, to fix this 6 dB headroom thing (so I can maximize the output volume and dynamic room use of the recording), I just postprocess each recording in my wave editor by putting in a tiny bit of peak limiting around -5.5 dB, then raise the overall volume by +5.5 dB so it comes back just under 0 dB in the final recording.

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DJ SIX

This message has been edited. Last edited by: DJ SIX,

Yeah Six, I improperly used the word "headroom" (my bad). What I meant is I only use vinyl, so on the "upfaders" I try to keep em around 8ish in case the next record is lower than the one currently playing. I never touch the master or input gains, once they are set they stay there. I don't know, thats just how I do it...djc.

Coast: yeah, good point indeed.

DJ'ing-wise, I have hardly ever touched vinyl. Just a few times to realize how much I like to have pitch bending on the CD players to tighten my beatmatching like crazy. Very hard to do perfectly on vinyl by "riding the pitch".

I *really* like the wave display on the CDJ-1000 to help set the gain stages properly - you get to see a pretty good view of the overall volume of the track and can quickly set the gain ahead of time (heck, while cueing, even fastforward to the point of the song where the volume is the highest and set the input gain just under 0 dB right there then just back cue and get no bad surprises at all when the track plays later)

I should have mentioned that my mixer is at unity gain when the faders are all the way up to 10 (I've seen some mixers have the "0 gain" point a bit before that and actually allow some amplification above that "0 gain" mark).

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DJ SIX

Riding the pitch on vinyl turntables is very difficult. When I got my first pair of CDJ1000's, I realised how realy easy it is , riding the pitch on these units.

The pitch on the SL1200 is very stiff (my decks are nearly a decade old) but it feel like a workout when I am trying to ride the pitch!

quote:

Originally posted by toni_g.:
Riding the pitch on vinyl turntables is very difficult. The pitch on the SL1200 is very stiff (my decks are nearly a decade old) but it feel like a workout when I am trying to ride the pitch!

I know the feeling, mine are older than that. And mine are stiff as $h!t. Its the only way I know though. Of course i use the platter as well, but just using the pitch sliders is very difficult and takes years to master. On another note, there can be modifications made to the platters, so that when you use your finger to slow it down a bit and it is barely noticeable and much smoother when "in the mix". I do not have this mod, but a good friend of mine and a great dj has done this modification to his, its harder these days to find some one to do that mod, its about a $100 mod. He did his himself and offered to do it to mine. I may just try it out...

Wanna here a confession? I've been djing for over 12 years and I have never once even mixed with cdj's. I do have a Pioneer mixer though, lol...thats why I'm here...djc.

When i record a mix i use the booth monitor as its really easy to adjust the volume.I record straight from my 800 into my Hp notebook using Audacity and it sounds great ive never had any issues with levels and the sound quality is spot on.

No external soundcard?

No mate just straight into the notebook.And the sound is crystal clear and the volume is spot on.Strange i know

Cool..

@ DJ Coast, is ur friend that uses Sound Forge a member here?
pm me: ItsTomorrowinJapan@gmail.com

quote:

Originally posted by johnny:
@ DJ Coast, is ur friend that uses Sound Forge a member here?
pm me: ItsTomorrowinJapan@gmail.com

He's not a member here. I can ask him anything you want to know. I'm at strictlyvinyl@comcast.net or I can direct you to him, he's not hard to find. He's a great guy and one who loves to help people out.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1O26iEHiYeQ

I'm also a Sound Forge user, you can post and ask questions in the Studio forum for any software.