Gain vs. Volume - What’s the Difference? Vocal / Instrument Audio Mixing Tutorial

In this easy audio mixing tutorial, learn how to get the best sound for vocals and instruments during a live stream or standard production. We also break down the differences between gain and volume - they’re not the same!
Here’s what we cover:
- Gain structure
- Gain input (input level)
- Volume (output)
- Natural volume
- Head Room
- Microphone placement
- Mixing console basics
- DAW (Digital audio workstation)
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[@eldeerta]

Great video! I'll just need to watch it a few more times to understand everything.

[@brokenscart7989]

Great video, thanks.

[@andreiraducanu2643]

Thanks! What should you adjust to avoid feedbsck? Volume or gain?

[@BoxCast]

Hi there! Great question: Feedback happens because of 2 reasons... 1- Audio being "feed" back into an open mic or input device that then continues to feed in a loop causing feedback. Or 2 - Improper gain structure that causes the above. Because gain is the amount of signal coming into a system, we'd recommend starting with your gain structure and working your way down. EQ is another BIG part of that what can cause feedback. Frequency adjusting helps reduce feedback that is caused by gain issues.

[@onemoreboat]

I'm confused. I have Yamaha MG06X mixer. If I set the mic volume to 0 and try to adjust the gain, nothing happens until I bring up the volume on the mic. So gain has no input until I have volume so it seems that volume needs to be set first. What am I doing wrong?

[@BoxCast]

Hi there! You should try setting the volume knob to 0 and then increasing the gain to establish gain structure first. Since your have volume control on your mic, then set that first, then the volume knob on the mixer, then the gain. Watching the meter so that it doesn't go above that -10db point.

[@brokenscart7989]

@@BoxCastby 0, you don’t mean ‘turned all the way down’ bur rather, at the 0 mark, which is probably in the middle for a knob? \is that right?

[@onemoreboat]

@@BoxCast I had to call Guitar Center to make sense of this. I have a SM58 mic connected to channel 1 on my MG06X analog mixer. On an analog mixer, channel 1 has a gain control and a volume control. The dial on the volume control is labeled 0 through 10 on the dial with a delta triangle at the number 8 position. The delta triangle is considered the "0" setting not the number "0" on the dial. You set the channel one volume at the delta triangle which will allow small adjustments up and down if needed. I was told that a digital mixer has a "0" which is equal to the delta triangle. Once I understood that, the rest was easy to set up.

[@BoxCast]

@@brokenscart7989 yes, that's correct!

[@BoxCast]

@@onemoreboat glad you were able to figure it out!