Preset/Leveling question

[GuyJames]

Should I be leveling my preset around what my loudest volume will be? For example, I like my scenes to all be unity gain and then I use a 3db boost with scene ignore as needed so I should leveling things with that 3db boost on and the level meter just tickling the red correct?

The other thing I’m struggling with is palm muting power chords spiking the volume but when I strum open it’s fine. I think I saw Leone Todd make a video on some compression setting that can help this but it was really geared towards high gain metal tones.

 

[Rex]

If you level your presets by setting the built-in meters to 0 dB, you've already got 10 dB of headroom.

When you say "tickling the red," are you referring to the Output Clip LED? You really don't want to see that flash at all.

...I like my scenes to all be unity gain...

Unity gain means no amplification; level in = level out. I'm not sure that's your goal.


I set my average levels to hit around 0 dB on the meter. Then I tweak adjust by ear for each preset so the perceived volumes match. That leaves me plenty of room for a 3 dB boost (or more) without clipping.

 

[GuyJames]

If you level your presets by setting the built-in meters to 0 dB, you've already got 10 dB of headroom.

When you say "tickling the red," are you referring to the Output Clip LED? You really don't want to see that flash at all.


Unity gain means no amplification; level in = level out. I'm not sure that's your goal.


I set my average levels to hit around 0 dB on the meter. Then I tweak adjust by ear for each preset so the perceived volumes match. That leaves me plenty of room for a 3 dB boost (or more) without clipping.

If you set things around zero and then hit a 3dB boost you're going to clip though so please elaborate.

Sorry I'm not talking about the input A/D Sensitivity, I'm referencing leveling presets with the Preset leveler in FM9Edit. Attached is a screen shot to better explain... I keep the level knobs set to zero and move only the amp levels. With that said, I've see a lot of people teaching to set the amp level so it's just below or "tickling the red". Are you saying I should never let hit hit the red? I know I can use scene levels to clean and gain scenes the same dB but I do understand there is an audible difference even though the numbers match so I account for that. But what I'm asking is if I should be leveling with the solo boost I would use for any scene and still make sure it doesn't surpass the red.

 

[Rex]

If you set things around zero and then hit a 3dB boost you're going to clip though so please elaborate.

Sorry I'm not talking about the input A/D Sensitivity, I'm referencing leveling presets with the Preset leveler in FM9Edit. Attached is a screen shot to better explain... I keep the level knobs set to zero and move only the amp levels. With that said, I've see a lot of people teaching to set the amp level so it's just below or "tickling the red". Are you saying I should never let hit hit the red? I know I can use scene levels to clean and gain scenes the same dB but I do understand there is an audible difference even though the numbers match so I account for that. But what I'm asking is if I should be leveling with the solo boost I would use for any scene and still make sure it doesn't surpass the red.
View attachment 114700

That helps me understand what you're saying. You're ticking the red on the leveling meters, not on the clip LED. Those meters also exist on the Layout screen — they have no red at all. And there's anther meter at the A/D input, as you noted. It does have a "red."

When you just barely touch the red on the meters on the Leveling window, you have 10 dB of headroom left.