Gain Staging & Creating Headroom 101 in Ableton Live 

a limiter: "basically its squishing them & giving them a BIG group hug" 🥰

This is a pretty solid demonstration. It wouldn't hurt to mention that before adding any inserts, it's a good idea to get your initial track volume averaging at around -18 dB RMS. That way, it is compatible with analog simulation plugins. I typically start my own chain with the utility in the front of yhe plugin chain to dial things in, with another utility at the end of the chain (if needed) to either keep the chain properly staged or for automation purposes. Proper gain staging really helped me keep my mixes at a manageable volume. Before doing that, I was always having to turn things down because I was clipping.

Ive been making music under a diff RU-vid for 2 years now. I enrolled in a music course, ended up being 2. All the "beat your beat block" crap. And uhhh realized. You gotta let the music do itself.. I'm just a vessel. Ive banged my head at trying to get past some learning curves but this video, with the comprehension I have of musical language and audio language, frequency and so forth, has made a big difference in just todays production. Didnt wanna get off snd go to work Lol. But yea. If ur bumping ur head, keep trying snd applying everything, it'll make sense sooner or later

Finally someone who doesn’t confuse between gain staging and volume balancing.

Different folks different strokes. I personally gain stage everything to -8 to -10db with a "utility" plugin that way my faders stay at unity. I ride the faders with twin Solid State Logic UF8s during mixing and if you have to move your faders down past -5db the movement is no longer liner but rather exponential; making it rather difficult to make fine adjustments below -5db. Just dial up or down on the utility plugin till the signal in the channel is at -8 to -10 with the fader sitting at unity (0db). If all tracks playing together cause the 2 Bus (master) to go above -3db then pull back on all utility gain levels till the master is hitting -3 or -6db. -6db is better because during mastering you will limit at the very end to push the mix up to unity on your 2 Bus. I find this is the sweet spot for preserving dynamics and also getting the mix loud for release. Also, I place a "utility" plugin between EVERY plugin in my plugin chains regardless if the plugin has an input/output gain knob. I find it easier to see the meter on the utility plugin to know that the signal going into the plugin is coming out of the plugin at unity for the next plugin in the chain and not exiting too soft or too hot.

Your "everyday" approach to explaining this makes me feel like I have a friend with me in the studio guiding me through the process. Nicely devoid of pronouncements and very helpful. Thanks.

Thanks for posting this video - very clear and exceptionally helpful.

Love the information, thanks for sharing!

Great window thanks loved the tip on gain automation. i would only add that i would check the gains of each track with a VU meter first aim for 0db on avg, then use gain utility if needed to boost. The volume faders are best thought of output. Think you explain this at the end of your video but personally I find it’s important to the this first or even on the go as you work. And trust me properly gain stages plugin sound way better. Just my way anyways....thanks again

Thanks for this video.

Thanks! Loved it. More like this! A suggestion would be foregrounding or background competition using EQ and compression. I guess leading to a sidechain and muddy mix discussion?

Thanks for the info

Brilliant thanks buddy!!

very useful, thanks!

Helpful video! I had a producer tell me that a lot of EQing is avoidable and not really necessary if you properly gain stage and that is what brought me here. I am almost done replicating and experimenting with what you did here on something that I have down but I had a question. I have two main leads here (both kinda grungy saws, idk if that has anything to do with it) and after creating the headroom, I went to play with the gain on each one but the only gain knob I can find for either is under a yellow "sub" box. I get if that is just adjusting the very low low but even with turning it all the way up I could not discern any difference. But perhaps if I left it all the way up, it would sound terrible on a large system? I enjoyed the video and the way you explain things clearly and quickly. I look forward to checking out your others!

Thanks for the amazing video. In your effect chains do you make sure that peak volume after each effect is equal to the peak volume after that audio effect. Or you just make sure that tiny meters between effects does not go red?

Great video. I did not see you mention how to treat the levels on the groups tho. Can you comment on that please

Have you got a video on how to record vocals on an instrumental?

Thx mate ❤ So its better to gainstage all tracks to - 18 db first, and when its all quite stabil, you put the limiter on the master? Best from Berlin

If I already have songs made, can i go back in and adjust the volumes of each track, how? I've been recording all my tracks pretty much up right befor they clip, like an idiot i guess,i assumed they would be too low otherwise if i were to record them quieter, what's the best starting point in volume to start each track? Where should I leave master volume at? Sorry three separate questions.

Also, for the ceiling on the limiter--I see it remains at -0.30 dB and causes the ceiling on the master to remain at that. Had we not made the headroom to begin with and gotten everything between -3 and -6, this would be an issue, right? But because we created that room before adding the limiter, this -0.30 is basically irrelevant?

2:15

You have to volume down the input not the output...

As a teacher- you show talk a LOT slower. Sounds like you drank 3 pots of coffee. 👍🏻

is it just me or does this video have absolutely no sound? looks like a helpful vid though