mixdown levels

[poprep]

hi guys. i have A big favor to ask. i need some level settings. i believe nobody has touch this subject before or this scope.
i need some mixdown level. and i think a lot of newbie benefit on this also also. this is how it goes. drum levels. as in the basic set.
bass drum :
snare drum:
soooo on.
then the bass guitar, vocals, back up vocals, a lead guitar. i mean you basic levels. and i also hope you'll say what genere
it is.
i know there's gonna be effects setting and eq setting etc. but there's gotta be an "anchor" somewhere. like, if the bass
drum is -64 to -84 then everything follows like this..... i know someone will say instinct and just listen. but the veterans
in the recording field around here must have that specific anchor i'm telling. example again, if i start with this vocal level
after reverbs, compressor, then everything falls like this.
or does everybody just start from scratch. balance everything then push/pull the master volume for total level mixdown
thanks in advance for the answers.....

[gregwhartley]

I always leave the master at unity, & start with all the other faders down. For drums you can start with KIK and go to OH's, or the other way around, or everywhere in between. I start with OH's and get them panned out properly so that they're balanced and build a strong image of what I want the kit to sound like when it's done. I don't like to use much dynamic processing on OH's (or any percussion really), anything more than a little squashes the entire image for me. But then again, maybe the song needs a hint of extreme limiting on a second drum buss to pump along with the natural drums. It all depends on what you're going after. Next I'll bring up the KIK and get it sounding good and tight with the OH's, then I'll make sure the SN pops (or cracks) right, etc., etc. I'll solo the individual drums every now and then just to check them out and make sure they're not freaking out, but most of the processing is done on them while combined with the entire drum mix. After all the drums are done and sounding awesome, the rest is cake.

Specific rules on levels (-12dB on KIK, -4dB on GTR1) are useless when you take into account varying mic placement/preamplification/source. The only thing I really care at all about with levels is whether or not I'm clipping (or getting close to clipping) a channel or buss. Use your ears.

[gearboy]

Use your ears for mixing, but if you must use your eyes...

Keep all levels (tracks) in DP between -12 and -6dB on DP's meters (as in most peaks not exceding -6dB), which is between -18dB and -12dB Full Scale, as I understand it. This ensures that your audio doesn't hit your plug-ins too hard, which will cause distortion. This is for mixing in 24-bit. For recording in 24-bit, you should be achieving levels consistant with this guide as well (-18 to-12dB FULL SCALE) for all of your material when your faders are at 0dB. If you have recorded hotter than this, adjust the faders so that your material is in the Full Scale ballpark. This has come up a lot in the past year both at Unicornation and TapeOp.

You should keep the Master Track Fader at zero, and shoot for the bulk of your signal to be hitting around zero, with peaks not topping +3dB on DP's Master Fader. I would give yourself more room and say keep the peaks closer to 0dB on DP's meter.

I just had a project professionally mastered for the first time and the MEs told me that they wanted the tracks peaking no higher than -3dB Full Scale, which is +3dB on DP's Master Fader meter.

Jeff

[poprep]

those are great replies. so as i understood, greg starts with hi hats. i'll try that one. but what really hit me was the -12 db on bass and - 4db on guitars. THAT'S WHAT I'M LOOKING FOR. then everything will fall around that. gearboy, that was a nice reply. but it's very general. don't take offense man. it's not about you, it's about my naivety and my constant struggle to learn. anyway, if it's not to much to ask. can you go 3 projects back and list each and every level? aaaawwwwww. that's too much to ask. but hey it might be a great learning process for everybody. ok 2, ok 1 project back. thanks

[gregwhartley]

High hats? No man, I wrote OH. OH = overheads. When I track I make my overheads pick up the whole kit, not just the cymbals (although some prefer the latter, nothing wrong with it). I start with the whole kit (via stereo OH's) and then just fill it in with individual drums to make fatter and bigger than life (if the song calls for bigger than life). I don't even mic HH's by themselves. High hats...

[chrispick]

Gearboy's suggestions are good ones to heed. When recording and mixing in the digital realm, headroom is important.

And, I'd consider -3 dBFS to be the ceiling for you mixes prior to mastering. I think around -5 to -6 is better (safer).

Aside -

There is no set or even ballpark dB level for given instruments in a mix.

What matters is how clearly and complementary they sound when placed against each other. Sometimes that translates to volume (dBs). As often, it's a matter of conflicting frequencies (EQ and instrument arrangement).

Honestly, let your ears guide you.

Does the kick sound too loud? Turn it down. Or EQ out the offending frequencies. Is the kick too quiet? Turn it up. Or EQ out frequencies of another instrument to make room for the kick.

You see, it's all about context. Don't concern yourself with individual levels. Think about how all the sounds interplay with each other.

[poprep]

so sorry greg. i was even thinling open hi hats for oh. i'm so sorry. i'll let you know why i need what i'm asking for. anyway greg, you gave me the best advice. and as for gearboy and chrispick, those are great answers, and i've lived with those. just let me get my words right. so, hopefully, you'll understand it from a newbie side. thanks for all of the answers.

[gregwhartley]

No worries !