Volume level's in my bedroom studio

[markos]

Hey guys,

been a while since i've been on here because i tend to spend most of my time on DJF helping out the newbs with dj'ing...lol

anyways i've started concentrating my work more into production lately and although im light years ahead than when i first started im still having issue's when it comes to mixing and volume level's.

Right now i have a pair of KRK rokit G2 8" speakers in a 13x10 room. The speaker's sound great but after a while i get a lot of different sounds in different area's of the room. Obviously this can all be fixed with accoustical treatement but i don't have the funds to finance that.

I guess what im saying is what volume level should my speakers be at in order to be able to mix my music making it ready for the mastering process???

should i look into selling my 8" speakers for something like a 5" or 6"???

any tips or advice would be greatly appreciated as i would really like to get my tracks finished and posted for you all to hear!

[distaudio]

You sound like you are in a position that alot of people have been in.

Acoustic treatment can be done on the cheap.
My friend/mixing engineer/master engineer has had top results with hanging heavy blankets around the room. The mixing and mastering result he comes up with are amazing also.
This is a guy who is very fussy with sound quality and mixing environments and he has managed to do this on the cheap.

Although, sometimes too many blankets and treatment can kill your mids and highs. A little experimentation is required.

Also, different listening environments help alot. My engineer listens on quite a few sound sources before he is 100% happy with the result. You shouldn't sell your speakers they should be fine.

Sure you can spend alot of cash on acoustic treatment. But you can address alot of things like reflections on the cheap.

[markos]

You sound like you are in a position that alot of people have been in.

Acoustic treatment can be done on the cheap.
My friend/mixing engineer/master engineer has had top results with hanging heavy blankets around the room. The mixing and mastering result he comes up with are amazing also.
This is a guy who is very fussy with sound quality and mixing environments and he has managed to do this on the cheap.

Although, sometimes too many blankets and treatment can kill your mids and highs. A little experimentation is required.

Also, different listening environments help alot. My engineer listens on quite a few sound sources before he is 100% happy with the result. You shouldn't sell your speakers they should be fine.

Sure you can spend alot of cash on acoustic treatment. But you can address alot of things like reflections on the cheap.

what about something like this????

http://prosoundfoam.com/Pro_Sound_Foam_ ... tails.aspx

[shuutobi]

Get a SPL meter and use one of these as a base.

[markos]

Get a SPL meter and use one of these as a base.

im not to sure what you mean......this doesn't make sense to me.

[distaudio]

.

what about something like this????

http://prosoundfoam.com/Pro_Sound_Foam_ ... tails.aspx

Really depends on the size of your room.

That I would consider as over kill in regards to treatment. You could probably get away with less.

That being said. I am no professional and I have no idea about the dimensions of your room, your listening position and the materials that your room is made of. (ie wood floor, plaster walls etc)

[sowhoso]

I guess what im saying is what volume level should my speakers be at in order to be able to mix my music making it ready for the mastering process???

get yourself a sound level meter like this: http://www.radioshack.com/product/index ... Id=2103667

regardless of room issues, you don't want to be mixing at levels higher than about 85dB SPL at your sitting position for long periods of time. In fact, top engineers spend most time mixing well below that. Only turn it up to check your lows and highs for a very short time

[markmakingmusic]

You should demo your final mix in several different listening environments. It should sound good on a crappy set of speakers in addition to a good set of speakers...the same goes with headphones and your car stereo. I always assume that 80% of the people who will buy my music AREN'T audiophiles and will be listening to my music on their crappy speakers or factory paper cone car speakers so you want to keep that in mind as well.


Sowhoso has a good point. Be careful of ear fatigue...if you are listening for long periods of time at a loud volume, you will be making potentially bad mixing decisions if your ears are fatigued. A good trick is to lower the master volume until it is practically inaudible. If you can hear all (or at least most) of the sound elements and they sound good, then you are on the right track...

What kind of stuff are you producing?

[shuutobi]

Get a SPL meter and use one of these as a base.

im not to sure what you mean......this doesn't make sense to me.

Run -20,-14, or -12dB RMS pink noise through your system and turn up the volume until it reaches 83dB on an SPL meter where your head normally is. Mark this output on your external volume control knob, for when you need to set it back for critical monitoring.

If you need a lot of dynamic range choose -20dB(RMS) pink noise, if your music is generally extremely loud choose -12dB(RMS) pink noise. If you don't have a pink noise generator download these test files - http://www.sendspace.com/file/y947vy

They are not EXACTLY -12/-14 and -12, but they are close enough. (0.074dB RMS under)

You can buy an SPL meter at radio shack or online, for about $70

[Tarekith]

And note that you don't HAVE to mix at 83dB either. That's actually louder than you'd think in a smaller studio. Still good to know where it is for reference though. Here's the whole run down explained very clearly:

http://www.digido.com/level-practices-p ... ystem.html

[markos]

You should demo your final mix in several different listening environments. It should sound good on a crappy set of speakers in addition to a good set of speakers...the same goes with headphones and your car stereo. I always assume that 80% of the people who will buy my music AREN'T audiophiles and will be listening to my music on their crappy speakers or factory paper cone car speakers so you want to keep that in mind as well.


Sowhoso has a good point. Be careful of ear fatigue...if you are listening for long periods of time at a loud volume, you will be making potentially bad mixing decisions if your ears are fatigued. A good trick is to lower the master volume until it is practically inaudible. If you can hear all (or at least most) of the sound elements and they sound good, then you are on the right track...

What kind of stuff are you producing?

i'm making minimal/tech house

all of your information is very good, i guess i have some learning to do on the subject.

I do notice the ear fatigue though.....especially when i'm trying to hear the low end. And even after do a bit of mixing I tend to take a day or two off just to rest my ears.

@ Shoutobi - im running a very basic bedroom studio (basically a desktop with live suite and some vst's, Focusrite Saffire LE, and my KRK monitors) how would i set the spl metre up with this type of set up?? is it an external unit?

[ChiDJ]

IMHO the room is most likely not your issue. It's you. You have to become accustomed to your listening environment. You need to KNOW how your room sounds. I work with a veteran producer who has had dozens of BillBoard #1 hits and his room is horrible IMHO. Way too reflective and no acoustic treatments. But his mixes are spot on. I could never mix in his room. But he KNOWS it and it works.

So, how do you get to know your room? You listen to mastered music, commercial releases and learn how they sound in your room. Then you make your tracks sound the same IN YOUR ROOM.

my measely .02

Tod

[markos]

IMHO the room is most likely not your issue. It's you. You have to become accustomed to your listening environment. You need to KNOW how your room sounds. I work with a veteran producer who has had dozens of BillBoard #1 hits and his room is horrible IMHO. Way too reflective and no acoustic treatments. But his mixes are spot on. I could never mix in his room. But he KNOWS it and it works.

So, how do you get to know your room? You listen to mastered music, commercial releases and learn how they sound in your room. Then you make your tracks sound the same IN YOUR ROOM.

my measely .02

Tod

you know what. your right. great advice!!

Thanks ChiDJ