Volume Trouble---Please Help!
 

Aloha,

I'm having a lot of volume trouble when I go to export my Pro Tools Session. I bought an m-audio a little bit ago, and I believe I have pro tools SE 8.0.3 (whatever version came with it). I've recorded a bunch of instruments and the final project sounds great (on my headphones that are used through the m-audio, of course) however, I exported the file to itunes and the volume is extremely low.

I've tried jacking up the master volume of the pro tools file before exporting it. I've also tried saving the final pro tools session to a new pro tools file before exporting. I don't have this alleged "bounce to disk" option that I'm guessing the more expensive versions have. The only option I have is to send to a compressed .wav version that is 'easily' burned to a CD.

In itunes, I tried converting the .wav file to an mp3...didn't help.

I've tried saving my pro tools file to the desktop and burning it to a CD (I thought maybe my computers speakers were bad or something), but the CD plays very low as well. Also, it's a brand new Mac I'm working on, so in the end, I knew it wasn't the computer.

Any help would be greatly appreciated. I've read about 100 posts, forums, and 'how-to' guides and nothing works. A friend of mine has the same problem, so I know it's not the m-audio. Also, when you reply (and please do!), assume that I have the techonological knowledge of someone who grew up with cassette tapes and oregon trail. Simple words and detailed instruction would be wonderful...Thank you!

Re: Volume Trouble---Please Help!
 

do a search for "Mastering"

Re: Volume Trouble---Please Help!
 

Ok...I understand that a lot of work needs to happen to make the final track sound semi-professional, but there's no reason my file should be barely audible. When I record a song on garageband, I bounce it to itunes and there it is, good volume and all. Yes, I understand garageband is the elementary school version of pro tools, but what can I do so that you can at least hear my file? It's fine through my headphones, but again, I can hear a snippet of sounds through my computer or on a CD player. Thanks for your help.

Re: Volume Trouble---Please Help!
 

The reason is that most m-audio hardware are at -10 dbv for consumers gear compared to the +4 dbu of the professional gear. That's quite a margin in how much gain you can have at the input and how hot you can track as +4dbu gives a better signal to noise ratio.

Not only that, but there's also the fact that, professional sounds has always have compression, limiting and gain staging done that will boost the volume up, which is part of the loudness war that has been ongoing for the past 30-40 years. The more you compress, limit and gain the whole thing, the more you lose dynamic range. For rock.. that's not so bad.. classic and jazz. that's horrible.

You also have to remember that the meters in PT are not RMS, they are peak levels. There's vu meter plugins that you can use that would help you see exactly what db you have.

Re: Volume Trouble---Please Help!
 

Thanks, Nightworker, I appreciate your input:)

Re: Volume Trouble---Please Help!
 

plus songs in itunes have been mastered to make the music volume as loud as possible without clipping. When the track plays the levels are pretty much maxed. Your Mixes are not mastered so you will have headroom and that will be the volume difference. No way your mix will be as loud as a commercial itunes track.

here are two threads on here that explain...

http://duc.avid.com/showthread.php?t=302049
http://duc.avid.com/showthread.php?t=298049