The Jazz Guitar Chord Dictionary
  1. #1

    User Info Menu

    I'm currently using my multi effects pedal (Boss GX-100) as an audio interface into my MacBook. Sounds fine.

    When I record the guitar into Logic Pro, its volume is considerably less than that of the surrounding tracks, or even the click track.

    Should I be able to balance this out within Logic Pro or should I go back to using an audio interface and plug the multi effect pedal into the interface?

    Is there a gain setting in Logic Pro I am missing that could increase the guitar volume?

    Thanks.

  2.  

    The Jazz Guitar Chord Dictionary
     
  3. #2

    User Info Menu

    You could try using the gain plug-in to add level to the track.

    Gain plug-in in Logic Pro - Apple Support.

  4. #3

    User Info Menu

    Hi!
    I have almost the same problem.
    The input of my Bheringer USB audio interface goes in overload/cipping pretty easily so I need to be very careful with the input level knob.
    As we know turning down the volume knob on our guitars causes deterioration of the sound.

    However, the level of the guitar track recorded in Logic Pro is still quite low. Fortunately there is no saturation/clipping.

    To get a higher level of the guitar track the best way is to use the NORMALIZE function of Logic Pro X:

    - double click on the track.
    - In the lower window select the File tab and in the Functions menu select Function settings.
    - In the Normalize setting panel I use a -5db value in the “Peak at:” field. I this way I have a good headroom for adding other effects and/or EQ.
    - Click OK.
    - Now select Normalize in the Functions menu.
    Wait some seconds and check the result of the normalization process.

    In the past the Normalization process was discouraged by all the audio engineers but today the digital recording equipments are much improved and the noise level is really very low and therefore even raising the volume of the tracks (with the normalization process), the noise level still remains very low and therefore the recording does not get worse.

    Ettore

    Quenda.it - Jazz Guitar - Chitarra Jazz

  5. #4

    User Info Menu

    This is gain setting tutorial is for Reaper but it is the same regardless of the DAW you use. This guy does a really good job on his tutorial videos:


  6. #5
    Quote Originally Posted by John A.
    You could try using the gain plug-in to add level to the track.

    Gain plug-in in Logic Pro - Apple Support.
    Thanks, John. I will give that a try. I did make some headway by lowering the playback volume within Logic. But the gain plugin may be a better choice.

  7. #6

    User Info Menu

    if you wanna get fancy pants you can open an EQ plugin on the track in question (in the mixer just click where it says EQ). On the right of the EQ window in Logic is a gain slider where you can raise or lower the overall gain.

    But you can also use the EQ to raise or lower different frequency bands of the track. Just raise the midrange, for instance. The EQ has a built-in spectrum analyzer that lets you see what you're doing.

    You want the guitar to be balanced in relation to the rest of the music. In the old days mixers were even called "balance engineers."

  8. #7

    User Info Menu

    Quote Originally Posted by equenda
    Hi!
    ..
    To get a higher level of the guitar track the best way is to use the NORMALIZE function of Logic Pro X:

    ....
    In the past the Normalization process was discouraged by all the audio engineers but today the digital recording equipments are much improved and the noise level is really very low and therefore even raising the volume of the tracks (with the normalization process), the noise level still remains very low and therefore the recording does not get worse.

    The reason that it's been discouraged is not because of noise levels. It's because it's completely unpredictable.

    The normalisation process looks for the loudest peak in the track, and then raises the level of the track, so that the loudest peak is still under 0dBFS.

    So, if you have a single loud noise anywhere in the guitar track, the largest part of the track still remains pretty quiet.


    The gain plugin mentioned earlier is a good option. When you record at 24bit, the dynamic range is so large that it's often possible to increase the gain of the track significantly without it getting overly noisy.

    A limiter/compressor is another option - you can increase gain significantly, and avoid overs (loud peaks going over 0dBFS at the output) if there is a single loud noise/note anywhere in the track. Using a limiter is what audio engineers usually recommend to use in place of normalising.




    Another thing to consider: how quiet is the track? If it's around -20dBFS, I would actually leave it where it is, and make the other tracks quieter.

    The reason for this: some plugins that emulate analog gear expect the input level to be around -18 to -23dBFS, for the best simulation.

    I use the Klanghelm VUMT plugin as the first plugin on every channel, and use the trim control, so every track starts around -20dBFS, which shows in the meter plugin as 0dBVU.
    That means, you can use the Faders to actually balance the tracks, instead of using the Faders to make up for volume differences in the source material.


    Working like this gives an easy starting point for good sounding mixes.


    But, just to be clear: this is not do avoid 'overs' in the DAW - because there are none. Meaning: the only point to watch out for is the master bus/output of the DAW - you don't want to go over -0dBFS on the output, because that will distort the converters of the audio interface.


    But you never have to worry about 'overs' within the DAW. The internal processing - 64bit floating point in Logic - makes sure of that. So - you can take a track, and use gain plugins to increase the gain by any insane amount - like 100dB. Which makes the meters on the Faders pinned to the 'red', which looks like it's distorting like crazy internally.
    Then you add another gain plugin on the master bus, which reduces the gain by the same 100dB. You will hear no distortion whatsoever. Completely unlike analog gear. Because precise digital calculations to add and reduce gain by any amount do not create distortion.