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  #1  
Old 03-28-2021, 09:13 AM
ts1234 ts1234 is offline
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Default Threshold Question

I suffer from trying to learn pro tools on my own and watching you tube.

I've always kind of thought you want to keep any meters out of the "red."

I watched some Waves CLA you tubes the other day and Chris was demoing some of his product. I actually like some of his stuff because it just easy.

Anyway, almost all of his meters on plugins were constantly in the red.

Is this not a thing in the digital world? Is the only concern if the "distortion" lamp lights on the plugin.

I know this is very basic, but a bit confused.

Thanks.
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Old 03-28-2021, 09:25 AM
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Default Re: Threshold Question

Hi !

Definitely clipping in a digital domain is not good as is not the same as analog clipping in any way. This is a long topic but while you read and learn more stay out of RED. BTW some of that emulations are created to react or have a " sweet spot " input at gain stage. If you see more videos of CLA working with the analog gears you see that he have his toys already tweaked to react for a specific gain input *afaik*.

Of course recording is science but art too so the art part its pretty open to anything,
from that view only thing have to worry is the people to appreciate and like your art if you want to live or make money of it. Thats my humble opinion .
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Old 03-28-2021, 09:40 AM
ts1234 ts1234 is offline
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Default Re: Threshold Question

Thanks. I may have posed my question wrong.

Usually meters have a bulb like image often in the top right comer of the meter that sometimes turns and stays red.

This may never come on even if the meter needle is constantly in the red and sometimes actually pegged.

As long as that bulb doesn't light...is it considered bad for needles to be in the red a majority of the time?

I'm guessing it's "it's depends on something" type of thing and varies so just looking for very general answer.
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Old 03-28-2021, 10:18 AM
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TOM@METRO TOM@METRO is offline
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Default Re: Threshold Question

Let your ears be the final judge. If you like what you hear, don't fix it.

Meters and lights are there to help if you feel there may be room for improvement. I think of them as guidance rather than absolutes.
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Old 03-28-2021, 01:09 PM
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Default Re: Threshold Question

Quote:
Originally Posted by TOM@METRO View Post
Let your ears be the final judge. If you like what you hear, don't fix it.

Meters and lights are there to help if you feel there may be room for improvement. I think of them as guidance rather than absolutes.
This^^^, but remember that many of the Waves Signature plugins are designed to work best at a certain level of input. Those plugins all(I think) have an INPUT control with a multi-color "light" that should be showing green-yellow most of the time(no color is too low and orange-red is too high)

To dig a bit deeper(which you should), there are also the track meters(which I always try to keep out of the red) and your MASTER meter(even if you have not created a MASTER track, there is still a master path). Using a MASTER track gives you a master meter to make sure you don't hit red on that either(which is surprisingly easy to do). Unlike all other kinds of tracks, the inserts and meter on a MASTER track are Post-Fader(so turning the master fader down can/will remove clipping). My preference is; if I can eliminate master clipping by pulling down the master fader by 3-5db, I will do that. BUT, if it still hits red with the master down to -5, I will instead(or in addition) turn everything else down by 6-8db("everything" does NOT include AUX tracks as they are usually fed by Post-fade sends).
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Old 03-28-2021, 02:44 PM
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Default Re: Threshold Question

Quote:
Originally Posted by ts1234 View Post
Thanks. I may have posed my question wrong.

Usually meters have a bulb like image often in the top right comer of the meter that sometimes turns and stays red.

This may never come on even if the meter needle is constantly in the red and sometimes actually pegged.

As long as that bulb doesn't light...is it considered bad for needles to be in the red a majority of the time?

I'm guessing it's "it's depends on something" type of thing and varies so just looking for very general answer.

I'm taking the guess that what you're talking about is plugin interface meters, as you mention "needles" and "bulbs". Not the track meters of the PT mixer window.

A typical compressor or channelstrip plugin will have a meter that can show the value that you set it to; input level, output level, or gain reduction (amount of compression). This lets you control how the plugin behaves, and most plugins today behaves differently at different levels, to mimic the sound of analog gear. And we know that "pushing into red" is a thing with analog. Same with these plugins. If you like what you hear, doesn't matter if the needle bangs against the wall.

Regarding the meters in the PT mixer, with todays 24/32 bits mixer it doesn't matter much if some red lights come flashing now and then. Just keep your master tracks in the green/yellow.
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Old 03-28-2021, 04:27 PM
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Default Re: Threshold Question

As to the "threshold question" (which was never a question, really?), the threshold is a parameter on dynamic plugins like compressors, gates, and such. It's simply the point you want the effect to start. If you set a compressor threshold to -0, any signal over -0 will be compressed.

But remember, with "analog emulation" in plugins today, a plugin might add a "flavour" of sound even with settings at zero. You might hear a difference just by driving its input level.

So, test them out, driving them hot or not. Often there's a "sweet spot" where you find a plugin creates that little extra. Like a opto compressor on vocals typcally around 2-4db gain reduction.
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