Ableton Forum

Given a project w/ lots of channels, automation etc and some of the channels are pretty hot and I want to drop the overall level arriving at the master by 5dB or thereabouts to bring up the master fader and to gain some headroom for mastering etc. Is it enough to use Utility plugs to drop the levels on bus channels only or is it better on each individual channel? If so is there a way to drop a plug across multiple channels simultaneously or is it drop one, set it then copy to each channel?

Okay, so I've read your post a few times and I keep wondering 1 thing... Why not drop the volume down of every channel? I know you mentioned there's lots of automation, but is the volume on certain channels automated?

If the answer is yes, then what is more work... adding utility plugins to every channel (and yes it's one by one) or instead dropping utility plugs on the channels that have the volume automated and replace the channel volume automation with automation on the utility plug... AND THEN, lower the volume on every channel since that's very easy to do in Live 8.

I always make it habit to add a utility plug on any channel I need to create volume automation for.

This is why when i Automate volume I do it using the utility plugin, that way later I can adjust the volume of the whole track if need be, simultaneously with the others.

cacti wrote:This is why when i Automate volume I do it using the utility plugin, that way later I can adjust the volume of the whole track if need be, simultaneously with the others.

I do this too. It's why i love the utility plugin so much. I usually put one on every channel as i create them, just in case i need it which i normally do.
If i'm fading out a track it's also handy to be able to gradually collapse the signal to mono from the same plug. It gives the impression of the sound receding rather than just getting quieter.
If you know what i mean....

macmurphy wrote:

cacti wrote:This is why when i Automate volume I do it using the utility plugin, that way later I can adjust the volume of the whole track if need be, simultaneously with the others.

I do this too. It's why i love the utility plugin so much. I usually put one on every channel as i create them, just in case i need it which i normally do.
If i'm fading out a track it's also handy to be able to gradually collapse the signal to mono from the same plug. It gives the impression of the sound receding rather than just getting quieter.
If you know what i mean....

There's a great free tool for this as well: http://www.fluxhome.com/products/Freewares/stereotool

You can do the exact same thing as the Utility plugin (reducing to mono), but there's some added capability, as well as the visualizer. I can't remember what the CPU usage is like, but maybe that's good reason to believe it's not much.

It's free (and it does not require a dongle like the payware flux plugins)!

Nice one elxicano, i'll check that out.

you could copy the volume automation lanes and paste it to a utility gain envelope. then have the volume faders ready for mixing the entire channel while the utility plugin keeps the automation

hey guys, and what about return channels? if i lower down all other chanels, do i need to put down sends as well by the same amount?

Utility could be useful for automation but is currently SUCKS because it wont let you set the vol to -inf.

The best way for automation is to use a rack's volume (an other member of the forum had this nice idea ... cant remember who was)

or even better to make your own Utility and load it to every channel

something like this maybe

WebSite! wrote:hey guys, and what about return channels? if i lower down all other chanels, do i need to put down sends as well by the same amount?

You shouldn't have to turn down the returns, as the input >to> the sends would have already been turned down.

at IP... I forgot all about the volume limitation. I actually experienced that problem not too long ago when I tried to use it to fade out!

Anyway, one other freeware solution (not that the rack wouldn't do the trick) is the Sonalksis FreeG! http://www.sonalksis.com/index.php?section_id=99

elxicano wrote:

WebSite! wrote:hey guys, and what about return channels? if i lower down all other chanels, do i need to put down sends as well by the same amount?

You shouldn't have to turn down the returns, as the input >to> the sends would have already been turned down.

thanks, but what if some sends are set to pre-fader option?

you will have to re - set you send amount (i guess)

muthafunka wrote:Given a project w/ lots of channels, automation etc and some of the channels are pretty hot and I want to drop the overall level arriving at the master by 5dB or thereabouts to bring up the master fader and to gain some headroom for mastering etc. Is it enough to use Utility plugs to drop the levels on bus channels only or is it better on each individual channel? If so is there a way to drop a plug across multiple channels simultaneously or is it drop one, set it then copy to each channel?

Can't you just lower Live master fader ?
Remember there's lots of headroom inside Live and the mixing engine won't clip... so why bother ?

IP wrote:Utility could be useful for automation but is currently SUCKS because it wont let you set the vol to -inf.

The best way for automation is to use a rack's volume (an other member of the forum had this nice idea ... cant remember who was)

or even better to make your own Utility and load it to every channel

something like this maybe

Fuck! How could i have never noticed that before?! That is really really dumb!