DJ TIPS: SETTING TRIM AND MIXEER VOLUME LEVELS

[@Alpha-ro8sc]

Excellent advice regarding gain structure. Same technique applies to powered speakers as well. Called it clipping back in the day when bumping the compression lights on apm racks.

[@jpswerve182]

I've watched a few veteran mix DJs who always had their volume faders set around the 7/8 mark but didn't really understand why. Now it all makes sense.

[@djsuperman9365]

Thank you Jason.

[@funkytomtom]

Hm, is it really more simple if you have to baby your channel fader? Also, the mixer manual usually advises to run channel faders at full volume and use trim to adjust for weak or too-strong tracks. Any thoughts? Thanks.

[@horsemouth76]

I like your approach gain management. Great technique. I’m gonna try this on my next gig.

[@Ziggy_v2]

Another great nugget 👍 - thanks for the tip

[@Jason_Jani]

thank you

[@DJVorborg]

I’m gonna have to disagree with this one. Adjusting your trim allows you to see where you levels are hitting pre-fader which means you can have an educated guess as to how loud a track is going to be simply by looking at your levels and adjusting you trim to match. I then view the fader as…well…a fading tool. It helps me to fade the track in and out from -inf db to the full amount. Physically feeling that fader hit the top lets me know that my next track is fully mixed in and I don’t have to worry about it anymore. It’s so much more stress trying to make sure I’m always only going to 8. You have a full fader why not use all of it? Finally, just use your master out on your mixer as well as your gain knobs on your speaker/amplifier to make sure you have a healthy master level set to a point where you’re just barely getting into the yellow on the meters at highest volume in order to avoid peaking. That way you can adjust your trim as much as you need to without worrying about clipping. There’s absolutely no reason you should be seeing red meters on your mixer if you set up your master volume on your mixer and speaker correctly.

[@the_okoh]

Thank you very much for this. I had the same thought.

[@FeedbackEntertainment]

Great advise, People should watch. Gain Staging. this is also done with your external mixer... And yes shouldn't be hitting the red.

[@Jason_Jani]

yes of course! thank you

[@clarencewhorley6077]

Gonna try this ⚡️

[@djchrisclash673]

I agree with you J only thing wanted to ask you does this vary from controller to controller , I find myself adjusting the trim more on my low end controllers like the Rev 1 vs something like my Rane 12’s / S11 or my Rev 7

[@Jason_Jani]

Yes, it depends on what the levels are set at the the capabilities of the controller. Some units have more control and better sound cards then others.

[@djchrisclash673]

@@Jason_Jani was working a gig last night and the tracks I was playing on my Rev 7 I had to adjust the volume almost every other track , brought down my master volume and corrected it a bit but seems like it was happening an awful lot , not sure if I have to mess with the levels on my external mixer or if it’s my speakers , I bring out a pair of old QsC K12.2 , Got some RCFs maybe it’s the speakers ?? Or is there something in Serrato I can mess with to fix this ?

[@GreenbergCarolyn]

ok so u said do it in Serrano or your trim when you adjust the trim on your controller should I also CHANGE in Serrato o??/ty

[@dtjamslive8082]

TY you! What's the best gain setting on the speakers (powered)?

[@Jason_Jani]

Depends on the brand and speaker. For RCF must be opened all the way up per the manufacterer, where EV is 2pm on a clock.

[@dtjamslive8082]

TY for the response👊🏽 Currently rockin RCF EVOX 12s & QSC 12s with a KS118. I've been around 1 o'clock on both systems and when using the QSC sub @ 11 o'clock.

[@stevedub5006]

@@dtjamslive8082your RCF should be all the way up then you just adjust with your mixing board. With the QSC on high pass and a sub paired you can go usually up to about 3 o’clock without clipping.

[@dtjamslive8082]

@@stevedub5006 TY! So RCF all the way to 6 o'clock?

[@stevedub5006]

@@dtjamslive8082 YUP! Just keep an eye on the limit light. It's OK if it blinks now and then. Those Evox12 are so powerful though I rarely need to push them to the limit. I have the J8s as well. Love both systems for different size rooms/crowds.

[@robertewbank1440]

This is never talked about I think it's very important how the levels need to be because songs are never recorded at the same level and seen and heard djays destroy a mix and I have done that as well I use the volume controls.than the fader on the mixer gives me better volume control..... Learned that from a friend of mine...

[@kasparssilins]

😂😂😂