Output levels... Normalize... leave it?
I'd like some opinions... As I'm learning how to mix with Logic, I'm finding that I perhaps have a tendency to have track levels to high, resulting in a "overage" at the output channel. I don't hear any clipping, but I'm getting some "red" in the output buss.
I'm recording and bouncing to 24 bit Aiff and then opening the un-dithered stereo tracks with Ozone 4.
Anyhow, In a perfect world I'd mix everything perfectly and everything would just occasionally hit the "yellow'. Then there will be enough headroom for Ozone to work it's magic. I'll get there (hopefully;), but in the meantime...
These "peak" bother me... and I don't really think I want to put any sort of limiter on the output buss for fear of hearing it squish. So..
1. Would I want to normalize? I for some reason have a fear that the normalize algorithm is for emergency only, and is gonna change my beautiful sound to mush. Admittedly, my opinion of "normalize" has been formed more from message boards than my ears;)
2. Or would I just pull down the output fader so the overall mix isn't peaking. Am I gonna lose something doing this?
3. Just leave it, hoping that there is enough built in headroom... and I can pull the input down when I put the file into Ozone.
These aren't long peaks of +6 here... more like occasional +2 or +3's. And like I said, I'm not hearing any distortion... and I can pull the resulting file's input down in Ozone.
Thanks for any help...
I'm recording and bouncing to 24 bit Aiff and then opening the un-dithered stereo tracks with Ozone 4.
Anyhow, In a perfect world I'd mix everything perfectly and everything would just occasionally hit the "yellow'. Then there will be enough headroom for Ozone to work it's magic. I'll get there (hopefully;), but in the meantime...
These "peak" bother me... and I don't really think I want to put any sort of limiter on the output buss for fear of hearing it squish. So..
1. Would I want to normalize? I for some reason have a fear that the normalize algorithm is for emergency only, and is gonna change my beautiful sound to mush. Admittedly, my opinion of "normalize" has been formed more from message boards than my ears;)
2. Or would I just pull down the output fader so the overall mix isn't peaking. Am I gonna lose something doing this?
3. Just leave it, hoping that there is enough built in headroom... and I can pull the input down when I put the file into Ozone.
These aren't long peaks of +6 here... more like occasional +2 or +3's. And like I said, I'm not hearing any distortion... and I can pull the resulting file's input down in Ozone.
Thanks for any help...
Mac Mini 1.83 - 2gig Ram, Mac OS X (10.4.11)