Track meter levels in green, master output in red?

[djpuma]

How's it going everyone.

First time poster on these forums.

I have a few questions regarding levels in ableton.

I'm trying to figure out the best way to keep the master output from clipping.

Say I have a few audio files laid out (as in a dj mix) and the individual tracks are all at 0db and show green in their respective meters, but the master shows red.
I understand why it would happen when I blend two songs together like in a mix, but when there is only 1 song played at the moment the master peaks at red.
What is the best way to alleviate this.
Should I lower the individual track volumes until there is no clipping (on the master) and use something like mastering rack 2 to bring the levels back up to 0db (without clipping)
Should I just drop the master volume to where nothing is clipping (leave all songs at 0db)?
The latter option to me seems like the audio would still be distorted but just not clipping anymore.

Thanks
All my songs are set to hi-q, Warp with complex pro when doing this.

[Dj Spuratic]

If your making a mix I would put a mild compressor and maybe a limiter on your master track. You can put your volumes of your individual tracks just under 0 db to give them a little bit of room and lower your master as well to do the same. You always want to give yourself some room at the top.

[dday]

LOL fundamentals son.

anyway, you'll find just dicking about will answer a lot of these questions.

[Warrior Bob]

Personally I like to start with the track faders at -12 or more, mix in live with all the delicious headroom, and then turn up the output knob on my speakers to compensate.

When it comes time to bounce down to an audio track (assuming I want to), that's when I start worrying about transients and using compressors and such.

Obviously you don't want it too quiet of course, but Live mixes internally at 32 bits so I figure why not use all that dynamic range.