Setting Microphone Levels on a Mixer - Gain Staging with no PFL/Solo Buttons

[@63fryeguy]

I appreciate this quick refresher! I noticed the audio on some of my videos was on the verge of clipping and I struggled to fix it. Sometimes going back to basics is exactly what you need. And I even use this mixer. It took less time to fix my problem than it took to watch this video!

[@RayOrtega]

Great to hear this helped, thanks for the feedback, Kevin!

[@josephpetrino1741]

This method is only subtlety different from what myself and I guess most people are doing. Yet I get less noise. Bravo Sir!

[@RayOrtega]

Great to hear! Thanks.

[@larshthecasualmechwarrior4123]

This was a life saver! I've been doing some livestreams with an AKG p120, and the exact same mixer you have. I was always too loud, or too soft. And this short how to vid really helped!!!

[@RayOrtega]

Glad to hear this helped, thanks for letting me know!

[@shawtchurchjr]

A lot of people are sleeping on that Behringer mixer. Clean analog sound with ZERO latency. If you can eq and edit in post you're King...lol having said that I'm King. Thank you for this gain staging video as this was my only concern with it.

[@bigxrecords7375]

Sir BigHead us engineers don’t hate on it we just dislike it cause it sounds very cheap

[@leebenworld]

Hi Ray, you're the champion mate. I didn't have a proper volume and my voice was so low and couldn't hear my recording voice until I watched this vid. Probably no headroom due to wrong setting on my mixer. Now no blame on my dynamic mic. 👍👌🎈🎈🎈thank you Ray.

[@eddiebo924]

Ray, thank you very much for this video. It's by far the best beginner speed gain staging video on youtube. Very much appreciated.

[@RayOrtega]

Thanks, Ed!

[@adamrsymons]

Thanks for the great Video, I really have been messing around with the mixer trying to get the best audio for a while now with no luck at all (having come from a usb mic setup). Now with my behringer mixer I get really great clean sounding audio right from the first recording, so thank you!

[@TeiwazTV]

Hey thank you very much, great explanation, it was very helpful! I have a Behringer Xenyx 802 and used this method, for 4 DAYS I've been reading the same sentence in the exact same way trying to get my audio to sound right. In less than 5 minutes you may have saved me from insanity! I'm not a voiceover actor or anything, I just make little videos where I speak, but it's been driving me up the wall to the point I've almost stopped recording entirely! Thank you for saving my sanity XD

[@RayOrtega]

So glad this helped. Thanks for watching and the feedback.

[@NoName-nw5kn]

Worked like a charm. I am going to point out that his mixer goes to 15 and mine went to 10. That means his mids are not my mids. If anyone else is wondering why your results doesn't match his, make sure you are exactly between mid and full instead of exactly on mid.

[@HTDav01]

Workable for single mic, maybe two in a conversation, but if you do live audio, you'll need a whole lot more than that. Great job for hitting the mark on pointing out which boards. No buts. A great video, awesome tutorial, and works for podcasts like he says. I'll try and put one up for the rest, later, I've been so busy lately with other stuff I haven't had the time, but such an excellent starting point here I was blown away. Loved it.

[@RayOrtega]

Thanks, Harley!

[@HTDav01]

@@RayOrtega Credit where due (and do for those who actually... ...well... ...do...) brother. Trying to put together the necessities for a basic project room for recording\streamcasting. Here's my thoughts: AirBnB a place for a week or two, pick a room or two, and video the setup with explanations Do the room balancing with some simple DIY tools as well as a few extra entry level pieces of equipment (for eq etc) and describe the balancing styles being used. Set up for a desk podcast and video the setup with explanations. Set up a separate project recording room with a video system for monitoring, and go over the whole thing in basic detail from snakes to eq, to band warm up. Another time, while it may prove a bit more involved and almost cost prohibitive, I might even "Float a room" with some basic materials in a DIY setup much the same way. I'll focus on why for streamcast and for recording. Wachu think? I'm saving up right now, I don't know when I'll be able to do it, but I may start a GFM or kickstarter for an educational series on just this kind of thing to get there sooner. I know people who would help with it, so long as they get paid right (and hey, I would insist on that anyway, as you get what you pay for or it's fraud\theft). Any thoughts Bro? Seriously, you've done this well, and anything you could pass along would be well considered.

[@RayOrtega]

@@HTDav01 Go for it. I'd watch! Could be fairly niche in terms of getting an audience but you can bring more people in by featuring the gear and techniques used along the way. Good luck!

[@HTDav01]

@@RayOrtega niche perhaps, but in terms of footage, I could cover several topics along audio and video. The idea right now has several pathways. More in the immediate sense, I have a smaller project in mind, targeting uploads of a musical nature and also of a conversational nature. It's difficult to work on right now, family stuff is crazy, work too, and top that with school... ...I have about 25 minutes a week to work on it. But hey, we do what we can right?

[@RayOrtega]

@@HTDav01 Niche is good, by the way, it's how you get found;) The more specific you are, the more likely you'll be at the front of the line when someone searches. And yes, you have it right, do what you can, when you can! You'll be much further along a year from now than if you just waiting to get all your ducks in a row. Good luck!

[@fergieNH]

Thanks, most of the video's I've seen, have pfl switches. Finally one that explains how to do it without pfl !

[@RayOrtega]

Awesome, glad it helped! That was the need that I had as well so I thought I'd learn and share;)

[@gloriaprice8179]

Hi! This really helped! I was doing things the complete opposite: gain as low as possible, volume up. I am still getting a bit of feedback, but it's nowhere near how it was before. Thanks again!

[@RayOrtega]

Thanks, Gloria, glad this helped!

[@dejansulc5158]

Oh my god i wish i saw this way earlier! Such a instant help and so simple Thank you so much! 🤗😁

[@RayOrtega]

Glad you found it and it was helpful!

[@HeliumContent]

Thanks for this incredible video, Ray. I was at my wit's end trying to figure out how to get clean audio from my newly acquired ATR2100 and Xenyx Q1202USB combo, and this helped me nail it! I really appreciate your help!

[@RayOrtega]

Hexolus 👍. Glad you were able to get clean audio and that this video helped. Thx for the feedback!

[@AlvarArming]

I didn't need the tutorial, but I just watched the whole video, because I like the way you made it. Good work! :)

[@RayOrtega]

PowerSteel TV Thanks! That's a great compliment.

[@thecandidframe]

Man, this was very helpful. Thanks for posting this. This solves several issues for me.

[@RayOrtega]

Ibarionex Perello that's so cool, glad it helped! Check out the corresponding write up thepodcastersstudio.com/mixersetup which goes into more detail.

[@Stanzi18]

Very helpful. I can't imagine why there are so many dislikes on this.

[@RayOrtega]

Ha, I didn't notice. People are fickle, I doubt they watched. ignore the trolls, move forward. Glad this was helpful, you're the 'target audience.' Appreciate the comment.

[@Stanzi18]

@@RayOrtega I appreciate you responding as well. I bought a very affordable 6 channel mixer from Pyle for $79.99. I'm all about getting the most bang for your buck. I'm not sure if it sounds bad or if I just need to get better at learning how to adjust the levels on it. In your opinion, what's the best way to eliminate background noise and that white noise hissing?

[@RayOrtega]

@@Stanzi18 it's really a question of where the background noise is coming from. If it's the environment then you just need to eliminate the sources like AC, fans, computers etc. If it's the preamps then they just aren't very good and you'll be stuck with the hiss but can reduce it/clean up in post

[@Stanzi18]

@@RayOrtega I've learned a few more and tricks about noise reduction now so that's helped a lot. There is some hissing from the mixer, but I had my levels way to high and my gain way too low so that was causing most of it. The rest was able to be taken out in post. Money well spent in my opinion.

[@RayOrtega]

@@Stanzi18 Awesome, nice work.

[@johndeal1624]

Thanks! Just what I needed (as the Cars would say)!

[@utahmanpodcast5688]

Thank you so much! You have no idea how big of a help this has been!!!!!

[@RayOrtega]

Glad it helped, thanks for watching!

[@mirothedjplaylist]

Thanks on point easy and good refresher at my old age 😂

[@RobertShaverOfAustin]

Good basic advice. It might be interesting to hear what happens when the trim is set too low and the channel volume is turned up to compensate. Also controlling line level inputs from keyboards and/or outboard equipment with volume controls. (I tell my crew to treat the volume control on the outboard equipment like the trim/gain on the board.)

[@chrisnieto5547]

Trying to understand the process. But at about 2 mins all knobs were down but then magically the main volume went up to halfway. Why halfway ?

[@RayOrtega]

That was just an editing error but when I show that particular process for gain staging, you'll notice that when I run the actual test/setup, I turn that knob back down. In this case that knob doesn't even matter because you are using the channel's clip light to gain stage and that clip LED is only affected by the Gain knob not the volume knob. Not sure if that is clear but you can also try the second method that I show if that is more helpful. Let me know how it goes and thanks for watching!

[@paulhorsley8922]

Great video.Can you do a video about connecting synths to a mixer or would you use the same method? Thanks Paul.

[@RayOrtega]

Thanks, Paul. I don't have any experience with synths, they may require midi so you have to find out the connection first and then have an interface with that input

[@tanveerchowdhury7630]

Thank you Ray Ortega for the post

[@youroldshopteacher1691]

I don't get version one. You say to turn both faders down, got it. But while you're adjusting the gain, at 1:58, the chanel one fader/level knob suddenly jumps to twelve o'clock. What gives? Oops, sorry. I see the explanation below. Please disregard.

[@RayOrtega]

Glad it was cleared up, hope this was helpful, thanks for watching.

[@jessihogarth6186]

Question m8s, glad I found a video on this mixer. I am trying to record from a guitar amplifier. using a Sure SM57 and I have done all the appropriate mic techniques on that end. however, do I now use a small amount of gain and turn up the volume, or crank the gain and use little volume? the issue is that since the sound source is rather loud, my limiter lights and clip lights peak rather easily, and so I am left with practically no mic gain, and practically no volume. help

[@zulfphotography]

Great Job, thanks this helped me out I got the q802usb too

[@RayOrtega]

Cheers!

[@BrandonArvay]

You shouldn’t look at the main meters for any info when setting gain. The individual track clip light is the focus. Put the preamp’s fader to unity, then while speaking as loudly as you will once recording, slowly turn up the gain on that preamp until you start to see the clip light turn on- then back off the gain just enough to where you’re no longer activating the light. NOW you use the fader to control output of that track.

[@RayOrtega]

Thanks, that is the first method I demonstrate. I think you saw the fader turned up which I had to do in order to record the audio that you are hearing which you can see is being recorded to the audio recorder in the background, but then I turn it back down all the way and demonstrate using the clip light to set the gain which you can also hear cause then it transitions to the built in mic on the cam;)

[@RichardTownend]

thank you so much just what I was looking for - many thanks

[@bricago2302]

That video edit from 1:58 to 2:08 confuses this explanation. The main mix and ch. 1 levels jump to 12 o'clock, then back to 0.

[@RayOrtega]

Yeah good eye. Making videos is hard;) But it doesn't confuse the point. It would be fine to have the volume knob up, it would register on the meter as you see but you see this is turned back down when the 'check' is performed. So it's really simple, Turn everything down but the gain on the mic you are gain staging and watch your clip light. But if the knob was up, you can gain stage that way and in fact I show you how this is probably even better to do it with way. Having the knob down to 0 becomes more important when you have more than one mic. plugged in and you gain staging multiple mics. and of course this is the case when you are on a cheaper mixer like this that doesn't have solo buttons, and is one of the plusses of spending a little more to get even better, more convenient features like solos. Thanks for watching.

[@daviderickson8699]

Watched this video, spent less than 1 minute on my mixer, and fixed the hiss. Channel 1 gain too high. It's just hobby usage in the basement (mic and drum machine to powered speakers to accompany my guitar noodling), but a hiss is annoying even in the basement...

[@RayOrtega]

That's great to hear, glad you're getting better audio, thanks for sharing, David!

[@peteryousef5177]

please, I want to ask. if i have a personal monitor mixer behringer p16 and i have an analog mixer but i do not have a direct out . So what should I do ? .

[@easygeorge3161]

I get a lot of humming while using my phone through the mixer ,, what device ,, which way is the best way around .. which isolator is the best one to use .. (inexpensive)

[@RayOrtega]

I have a few of these amzn.to/2OHKDzB sometimes it's the right solution but not always, a cheap way to find out and always good to have one on hand...can really save the day.

[@theboat3252]

Great tips! one question, what level (1-10) should be set on the wireless mic receiver base?

[@jaysworld77]

Your videos are always helpful bro. Thank you so much.

[@RayOrtega]

jaysworld77 awesome, thanks!

[@NikhchansGaming]

So BEST way is to live the knobs at the bottom at the middle; and fiddle the GAIN knob till our normal speech makes green light in Zeroes and excited speech has some headroom right? I had watched your video 2.5 years back, when I had purchased this mixer. But Today is the day I am actually planning to use it!

[@RayOrtega]

Thanks, glad you're getting your hands on the mixer! The second method I show is what you're referring to, right around 2:35. Have fun!

[@NikhchansGaming]

@@RayOrtega Thanks your coverage of this specific mixer is really helpful!

[@nkgaming4508]

Hello, i have the same mixer but i hear some noise when i don’t talk but is very low, i want to know if is the cable of the microphone or some negative in the power or is the mixer please help me

[@BonafideToolJunkie]

I've been playing music for decades. But desk mixers are relatively new to me. My first impression is that they are amazingly inexpensive, considering the circuitry that goes into them.

[@HTDav01]

most digital desk mixers use cheap transistor based circuits for most of their function, only a few still use analogue for any of the electrical\electronic pathway. Pan and fader pots and initial gain\trim amplifiers are the only parts that are still more electrical, but some have been designed transistor style, making the entire pathway electronic. Compared to their analogue counterparts, transistor based components are extremely cheap, but they also lack the longevity of analogues. Digital boards often have a colder or more hollow, emptier overall feel in their sound than analogues, mostly because they don't represent all the infinitesimal intervals in a signal, they only approximate as far as their transistor numbers allow (getting better all the time as transistors are getting smaller and more values are capable of representation), but they do ok. Find a decent digital board with analogue preamp and input path, probably an older model usb one would do, and you'll get a sound more vibrant than standard digital, almost indistinguishable from an analogue.

[@aashirgadi6429]

Is it better to run rca cables or Trx into the interfaces

[@stevensloan8617]

Thanks for the help Ray. Just getting started with my mixer and your advice is easy to follow and effective. Do you know anything a about setting up the mixer for skype conversations? Eg. What cables to use, what channels to connect to, mix minus? Thanks again

[@RayOrtega]

+Steven Sloan check this out;) thepodcastersstudio.com/mixminus

[@jacklegal3682]

ray I cannot make the wireless mics to work- am using vocopro amplifier

[@elmeddinhuseynli492]

hi, which one is more good? max mix input 16 dbu or 60 dbu? please, give me answer, it is really important for me, because i will built my home studio.

[@RayOrtega]

+Elmeddin huseynli not sure what you're asking. 16 or 60?

[@xucaen]

My level and master seem to be behaving differently than yours. My level has zero one notch up on the left side of the knob. But when I set my gain to just below peak, and set my level to zero, my master barely registers any sound. But if I set my level to the middle and then set my master, I get same levels on the "meter" as you do.. but then my recording to Audacity clips and sounds terrible. So should I adjust the level or the master to make my recordings sound better? it's weird though that Audacty somehow hears more dB than I am apparently outputting. o_O

[@RayOrtega]

What mixer are you using? And honestly I'd set the gain the the channel and then whatever level Audacity needs. Check your Audacity settings to make sure it's not adding it's own gain.

[@yucelaktan1142]

Very thanks

[@RayOrtega]

👍

[@danielriggs8167]

This might not be as big a deal for podcasters, but as a working musician, you should be careful with the first method. The red clipping light means the mixer is being overloaded, so you don't ever want it to light up, you want your loudest parts to still be under the red or you'll get distortion (though you don't want it too low either, then you're just amplifying the extra noise). Similarly in the second method, you should have the meters at 0 at your normal voice level (not loudest), right? As long as you're not getting into the red at the loudest parts. But thanks for the second method, I've only worked on mixers with PFL and wasn't sure what to do, this is a good idea.

[@RayOrtega]

Thanks, Daniel. In the first method, the key is that when you hit the overload light on the channel you are giving a hard "check" to represent something that would overload but your normal speech never does this. If you plan to actually ever get as loud as the hard "check" then I would dial back the gain a little from that spot. However, I also think some OL lights on the channel are a warning and that there is still some headroom built in. I think that's how one of my older Mackie's does it but not 100%. In the second method, being at or near zero is good. On this particular mixer it's a little harder because the meter is so limited, but you can see when I talk that I am hitting the zero mark at the loudest parts of my speech and that good. The difference between the two being that you are purposely overloading at your loudest parts in the first method and for the second you aim for loudest parts to be around zero when you speak normally. The mixer preamps should be good enough for you to make adjustments in post production if you are in the neighborhood;)

[@dogsandgames.discdog]

Thank you, clear concise and well done.

[@TroaBarton]

Quick questions. Every now and then my mic will click without having changed any settings. How do I track down what's causing it? Another question, is there any way to with settings to gain lower background noise without post production?

[@RayOrtega]

Troa Barton the clicking could be anything. Try another microphone if possible so that you can tell if it's actually coming from the microphone, the other gear or your environment. Pull one thing at a time out of the audio chain to try and track down the source. Check out the corresponding post on my site which talks about making adjustments for things like background noise. Essentially you'd want to use less gain in order to make the mic less sensitive.

[@TroaBarton]

Ray Ortega unfortunately I only have the one mic but it doesnt do it all the time. Ive replaced the cable which seemed to help the frequency but it still does happen. im thinking it might be my mixer having a bad connection. I'll check out that guide thanks for pointing me in the right direction!

[@larrycaraballo1747]

Use this process for setting up music on another channel?

[@justingagnier9739]

My level lights won't even come on. Only the power and the phantom power light is on . Am I missing something? Everything is hooked up...do I need to be recording something to see them?

[@RestoredSound]

Hi Ray! Its Derwin. Can you tell me if i should go left and right line out of my nord keyboard into line in left and right on my behringer 1202 usb mixer for the best sound?

[@tomasicanuwalerakire7013]

Fantastic

[@RayOrtega]

Thanks!

[@armacanqui]

I use an AT4053b for indoor dialogue and I find it a little hard to completely remove noise unless I sound somewhat faint--even considering the mic is just over a foot away from my lips :-( (using a Mackie Profx10v3 mixer). Maybe I'm being super nitpicky?

[@alexrod714]

I have a mic preamp that goes in to my mixer. I set my levels on preamp for loudest noise is still under 0. But i can hear myself in headphones when recording until i turn the gain up on the mixer. Is this how it works? Doesnt this take away from the mic preamp im tryna use? Thanks in advanced

[@whaduzitmatr]

I have an old Carvin Mixer that I want to use for some live sound but instead of faders that are at 0db when pointing straight up it just had level knobs all the way down is 0 and all the way up is 10 how do I set gain with this mixer? and also there are no mic gain clip lights

[@rockydelapena7813]

Bro need help.. i have amplifier and passive speaker plus karaoke player. Need to set up my mixer but i dont know how to connect the mixer to aplifier.. im have yamaha mg 06 channel mixer.. if im not wrong the mic connec to the mixer. The karaoke player output need to connect to input mixer then the passive speaker need to connect to the amplifier.. how to connect mixer to amplifier ?

[@MrDj200]

thank you very much! Is there an easy way like this to setup the equalizer, or is that just personal preference?

[@HTDav01]

Equalizers are a whole different ballgame. Besides, this guy shows only one mic. This works for podcasting, not for many other situations. For a single mic input, absolutely the fastest method to get an input volume. Anything else, the fastest way to kill a mix. But again, he states his purpose at the beginning, and I applaud that. He did a great job with this. More than one way to do anything, and I don't rely on hardware external of the transmitter to tell me when I've got a mix. I use the transmission point (the computer software\hardware driver) to gauge the output levels of each track, and the software master output for my overall mix output gauge. You need to do both if you have more than one input; each track on it's own, and the software master output (final tracking which is a summing track that puts it all together). EQ should be based on your situation. It's a huge topic. For a single mic on a podcast, I have two suggestions. They can be used together or separated. Number one, flatten the response of your output. How? Us an EQ plugin on your DAW, or if you don't have one, just going direct, plug in a spare device that will get your transmission the way any audience would, then plug its output into a track you send to a DAW with no color (set the gain to LINE and fader to 0, volume on device should be about 70 percent), and use an eq with an analyzer histogram. Next, get a PINKNOISE track from any free download you can find. This should playback all frequencies with the same overall energy. Why? You'll see in a minute. Loop the Pink noise into your mic track and have it play on repeat. Use a terminated audio wire to keep the noise from playing from your daw, you won't need it just yet. Now use the analyzer plugin to view your output across the audible spectrum. You can use plugins or other hardware to flatten this in near realtime, just give it up to 16 seconds for a roundtrip through the networking. Close counts, especially if all you are using is the parametric controls of your board. This will allow you to have a more natural transmission. I would do this to each track you plug in, and do this so you equalize your hardware outputs from each track. I would also repeat this with several devices (phone, computer basic, tv aux wire output) and average the adjustments. Number two (This one is the $^it): You will do the above, but you will PLAY Pinknoise from each device TYPE (any phone for phone, any basic computer speaker for computer speaker, tv speaker for tv) that you wish to target, and you will adjust. I would start with phones. You can plug a phone into a tv and have it play back fairly easily using the PC input for most flat screens. As you do each device, adjust the first, then adjust only halfway for the second, then only halfway for the third, and then come back to the first, and adjust only halfway again. This should give you an average of all of them that you can work with. You will play the noise into your microphone and instead of coloring the output, you will adjust the input. After this, your average should give you a natural sound, which you can then "color" for your voice much easier, and giving you an adjustment that will work across more devices the more you use to average it out. IF you do these together, you'll effectively be balancing your output and your input for the average output levels with a flat curve first, and then a color curve for the mic, which sounds fuller, more natural and so much more consistent across more devices. You will effectively serve a wider audience. After adjusting without hearing the sound, try playing a song you know and love through direct plug and through the mic from any of the devices. You should hear it play back quite naturally, and you'll hear the color of the mic when you play it from a speaker to the mic, and out to a set of very flat responding headphones. You now have a studio quality setup, and can do anything from mixing music to podcasting conversations or rants in a very pleasant sounding mix.

[@j.d.schultzsr.9215]

@@HTDav01, I have been an audiophile for over 65 years.

[@HTDav01]

@@j.d.schultzsr.9215 I was an audiophile the second I stepped outside my home and heard a bird sing for the first time in more than 10 years, thanks to some medical miracle work... ...I was 15. You really want to appreciate sound? Plug your ears with really thick silicone plugs, then get a pair of headphones or earmuffs with gigantic drivers\earpiece, wrap a cloth around the headband, place them on your head so the band slides tight against your skull going behind your ears--not over your head--to deaden the mastoidal response, and then stay like that a week while you go about your other normal business (other than audio work--for this, obviously, remove it). Halfway between deaf and hearing puts you in neither world, so communicating gets complicated. Music gets very limited, loses much of what makes it interesting, retaining only beat and very basic, repetitive rythm. When all that starts to come back, it's one heck of a trip.

[@shader26]

I’m a little confused, it’s set on the mains to 0db, but when you do the same for mics 2, 3, & 4 doesn’t that then mean you have to back off or the mains will go up to like +6db?

[@denniseldridge2936]

Hmm, I've had good luck in simply keeping the gain as low as possible, ironically. It's really a delicate dance between the gain and slider to determine the best balance of headroom to play with and keeping feedback at bay.

[@howardforder4481]

Dennis, you should have the gain control as high as possible before clipping to reduce the signal-to-noise ratio. If your gain is low, you need to turn up your fader (slider) and that also increases noise. He mentioned the gain was the most important. set it and leave it. Hope this helps.

[@denniseldridge2936]

@@howardforder4481 Yeah I guess I'm technically doing it wrong, but in every live situation I've basically set the gain to the to a point somewhat shy of feedback while the fader is between half and two-thirds up. This has always got the best results for me, and no problems with noise (most modern equipment is pretty quiet anyway). Cheers

[@sepvanvaleriofficial]

@@howardforder4481 .. .. 0

[@MrDjphil1976]

I bought a lucas nano 600 a few weeks ago the problem I have is when running a Sennheiser lead mic directly into the unit the mic is flat with no option to clean it up, would this mixer help if I ran mic and audio signals through the mixer first? thanks

[@therolandstreet]

My gains are almost all the way down, but my recording level in my DAW is all the way up and clipping. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[@djlz805]

Great video, very helpful. Do you have any videos on Lavalier mics? why do they "zoom" when turned up or even if you're 20ft.away. Thank you.

[@RayOrtega]

Thanks. I use lav mics a lot on this channel but not with mixers. An no microphones 'zoom.' Some are more directional but no mic can zoom, they only know what audio you put in front of them and can't reach out and grab any sound that is further away

[@ChrisFredriksson]

Really great video! But could you do a similar like this one, but with a condenser mic? Behringer C1 perhaps? Would be extremely useful as well =) Thanks!

[@RayOrtega]

+Chris Fredriksson thanks, Chris. There would be no real difference for a condenser mic. They are more sensitive and use Phantom Power but that's it. You just set the levels the same, they'll just likely require less gain because they are powered.

[@ChrisFredriksson]

+Ray Ortega Many thanks for answering my comment! =) Ah alright, then I might be on the right track then =P I saw lots of videos (pre getting my mic and mixer) where everyone pumps up the gain to the max or similar.. Then I realized, after I got my condenser and tried it out, that hey.. I wonder if they use dynamic mics.. and well.. Now I do believe that those videos that I watched.. quite a few and I can't really find my way back to them, but I believe that they must have used dynamic mics =D Or perhaps low sensitive condensers if that exists? No idea =D But that sounds great, many thanks for the reply! The reason for asking is that when I use more or less any gain and/or compressor, I can hear everything that goes on in the whole apartment. Even the tiniest sounds, completely crazy! =D But I've ordered some sound dampening and was thinking of building a small wall of sound dampening to shield off the mic so perhaps it won't pickup so much from the rest of the apartment. Then I might have to close the door and then I must build up a fort with sound dampening material around my computer to get that quiet as well. Lots of stuff to do =D haha..

[@RayOrtega]

+Chris Fredriksson a large part of the issue is the condenser mic. They pick up everything. A dynamic help by providing more rejection.

[@ChrisFredriksson]

+Ray Ortega Alright, perhaps I should have a go at a dynamic mic as well to try that out. But as many say, the warmth of the voice goes somewhat lost. Haven't decided, but I might go for a dynamic, at least to try it =) Thanks! =D

[@RayOrtega]

+Chris Fredriksson like most things it's a tradeoff. That said I don't see a lot of warmth lost on mics like the ATR2100, PR40 etc. thepodcastersstudio.com/gear. You can also dial in your sound with EQ in post production. But people in less than ideal recording environments should not use condensers. Any warmth you are gaining is ruined by external noise.

[@IamCceeLL]

Why is mic only playing on one side of the speaker(live situations). I tried panning left and i hear sound when i pan right, i hear nothing. The ipod plugged on "tape" input is playing fine though. I'll appreciate any help.

[@iancraig]

Thank you Ray. Beginner’s question..... once levels are set so that zero has been reached, if I take a feed to the recorder, which fader is best to use to control the record volume? Would it be best to use the output fader on the end in order to reduce noise or keep it at zero and use the input fader? I’m guessing .... the output fader? (Last fader out)

[@RayOrtega]

+Ian Craig depends on if you have multiple channels then you’d want to use each channel’s fader (not gain). That said, set the gain proper, then bring up fader to unity and work with your recorder’s gain to set the cleanest level. The recorder having its own gain means that will affect quality as well. So use the more of the better preamps whether that be mixer or recorder. Some combo of both will get you where you want to be. Thx for watching!

[@HTDav01]

Download a pink noise track, play it through to your recorder with the gain and all set so the track shows zero or unity on its fader, and the recorder should show zero on any fader. While the track plays, watch the meter. A single track on a multitrack board should never produce a zero tap on the master. But at zero on its own meter on the track (you may have to pfl\solo the track to see its track level and set gain), you will hear the sound. This tells you where your "Track Zero" is at your master output. The summing circuit is what you need to guage, and if you can, feed the pink noise track to every track set the same, and see if it fills your master. Pull back on the master until you reach zero. Pull up on that fader until you hit +3. This is your relative max output. Set the fader on your recorder for unity, and gain until you reach tapping +3. They are now in sync. You can move the fader on your master on the board to control overall output, and any single fader to control any single input. If they are all tapping 0 with pink noise coming out of a line level device to your board, whatever you set your trim to is LINE level, or standard amplification. Mark this if it isn't already (if you fed your track from one to the others in daisy, you may wish to test each track individually to get this marked)--I use a white grease pencil, and some clear packing tape over it so it cannot be rubbed off without removing the tape. At this point, your basic gain for most of your board is known, and you can set for your recorder just by setting it so that it taps the same level as your master out. The reason for this is control simplicity. IF all of your control of your loudness is on the same control area, you know what each change will do to the whole system, and you can make one single change at a time, rather than changing this on this one and that on that one to match them. It puts all your control on your main board.

[@FOURTEEFIVE]

how do i know where to set the volume level, you have it put to the middle, is that a universal thing? why does it let you go further?

[@jorypuguon3971]

why my microphone volume is too low on my mixer, very different when i play a music from my loptop to the mixer?

[@ZachJarom]

Ray quick question how would you make sure levels are right for when you use the 3/4 line when those do not have gain? Sorry if this is a dumb question still trying to self teach myself.

[@RayOrtega]

+ZachJarom you still have the overload light to make sure the channel isn't peaking. You can use the first method i show using that and of course then just use the volume knob to set your levels on the audio meters. Hope that helps. You don't have a gain know cause those channels are for line level and not mics. So the audio going in should be loud already or have the ability to be turned up such as from the computer or device plugged in.

[@cammylane6746]

Can anyone help me, I have a Behringer Xenyx 1002USB Mixer and a Rode Procaster microphone, now I'm unable to get it to sound good at all. I've done everything I can, I can still hear background noise and I still sound like complete crap. There seem's to be like a high but quiet pitch coming when I'm listening back to audio, is there any way someone could possibly help me? Thank you!

[@lyniegadaingan1650]

Hello Sir Here from Philippines. I have A4 audio mixer I'm using it for SMULE I knew your familiar to that app. I have a prob. I couldn't get good quality of sound It felt like I'm in a deep deep ground.. Im using condenser microphone. Can you help me wahat is the best setting. One thing more I want echo when Im singing.. Pls.. Pls... Help me. I dont know how to send Pic here to show you if my Settings are correct. Thank you in advanced more power...

[@KCinSD84]

How do you have the portable audio recorder routed to the mixer, and are you gain-staging on the recorder too? Thanks!

[@bobotriple]

I have a question about this one. At 00:01:58 mark the edit has the Chanel and Main level pot jump to unity, but your VO and previous footage showed and said to have it Zeroed Out. Found this confusing, not complaining, I'm amazed with all the work you do for the community. Just wanted to note that the hiccup could muttlle someones ability to grasp the knowledge you are sharing. Keep up the good work, you have made a big difference to the joy podcasting and video-casting for me.

[@RayOrtega]

Jerry Wheat thanks Jerry. It was hard to do this one cause in order for the recorder to hear the audio the faders had to be up however I ended up using the camera's mic out of necessity and you'll see before I do the actual "check" process, I turn the fader down to perform the setup. But yes there is a chance that someone might get confused there if they have a keen eye like yours;) The truth is that fader doesn't actually play a roll in this setup because the clip light is not affected by the fader. So even if you put it up to unity like you see here before I turn it down, it will not affect the setup. So that's the good news in case someone decides to have it turned up.

[@unshackledsailing950]

I was noticed the same thing.. the jump at 1:58. Also confusing that the main mix was changed at all, surely irrelevant in terms of setting the correct mic gain? (but not explained in the video).

[@AntAskew]

Very helpful stuff. I'm curious though. What do you suggest for hi's mid's and low's? I never know which I need to be tweaking. I know it depends what sound you want to achieve. I have a Heil PR40 and I see and hear others and it sounds amazing. Maybe it's just the sound of my own voice doesn't sound quite as impressive to me but is there anything you'd suggest? Thanks.

[@thorstenbiedenkapp6112]

Great video, Ray, thanks! But how do I get proper levels on those channels, that don't have a knob for gain? Could you pls recommend me something? Thank you in advance!

[@RayOrtega]

Thanks, Thorsten. Each channel on this mixer and other mixers has at least a volume fader. You can use that to boost or lower your incoming audio or use the 1/4" input on a channel with gain. Otherwise you'll have to control the amount of input from the device itself.

[@praneethdhanushka207]

Dear Sir, I want to know if I set the gain in right way, when I am setting Low shelf and High shelf of EQ, the volume meter goes more than unity gain. So should I set the gain back aftert set tye EQ????? Thanks

[@ConquerTheWorldBand]

Great advice. Thanks.

[@RayOrtega]

👏

[@missychrissssy]

love this!! I have 6 of these for dj'ing/music and i couldn't figure out how to plug in for my camera! You rock :)

[@RayOrtega]

Missy Chrissy thanks!

[@heatherchristian3265]

Thank you this was very helpful!

[@RayOrtega]

Thanks, Heather!

[@somethingsouthafrican6934]

Wow such a helpful video🙏🙏🙏🙏

[@somethingsouthafrican6934]

I am so excited to try this!

[@RayOrtega]

@@somethingsouthafrican6934 Good luck, let me know how it goes!

[@20chrishazel]

Hi! thanks for your video! I have a question, on my home system, Alesis Multimix 8 and Behringer active speakers, when I follow your proper mic gain setup with my condenser mic and looking at the led meter then when I started to turn the speaker on and the main mix level, It started to feedback already. If I was able to use the mic without feedback nothing will lit on the led meter because the gain is to low but that's the only way it works for now. I am an ammature on these so I'm confused, If I have to follow the LED meter it will be so loud can't even turn a main mix level it started to feedback. I do have sound and everything with the mic also with music and my wife was able to sing but we feel that the mic is not loud enough so I'm just trying to learn how to set it up properly and make the most out of the mic.The Behringer speakers has a gain level as well, do you think I should turn it down? It is at 10 o'clock right now. Appreciate all the help!

[@alexsenra5415]

Great work...

[@JZWRecordZ]

Thanks dude, its 2019 and this still helped me alot !

[@RayOrtega]

Thanks, I try to make videos that show concepts that will or have always been relevant. Gain staging is a staple, glad it was helpful.

[@TheValentineShow]

Thank you. Method 2 was better for me. God bless.

[@brendakhoo2581]

thank you this was so helpful

[@Jarhead6]

nice job Ray!

[@WayneM1961]

Ray I have a pair of high performance active 450w(RMS per channel) speakers. Would you know where I should set the initial volume on the speakers at? or is this irrelevant to setting the mix? Great vid! and thanks

[@RayOrtega]

Thanks, Wayne. Speaker volume shouldn't come into play, at least not for gain staging. Get good levels into your mixer and then set the speakers to a spot where you need them to be.

[@WayneM1961]

Thanks for that Ray. I intent to host some karaoke soon, the karaoke engine will be Virtual DJ. So, with the 3.5 Jack going from the earphone of my computer, to two 6.35 Jacks going into the stereo input of my mixer (this is a Y lead of course) Is it still the same method as you have outlined for the mic? Have a great weekend man.

[@bekkerthesokuangeldragon68]

I have a Peavey PV10AT Audio / equalizer mixer.

[@52Ricoman]

Hi Ray. Great info. Our band uses an Alto ZMX122fx using 4 microphones. I followed your instructions and got my meter level at zero with Gain between 2 and 3 o'clock and channel levels at 12 o'clock (like you did on the video). My question: If we need to increase or decrease our mic volume do we use the individual channel dials or the master dial? Or does it even matter which we use. Thank you.

[@RayOrtega]

If you just need to increase one mic then go ahead and use the channel fader for that mic, if all mics you can use master for overall boost.

[@52Ricoman]

Ray Ortega Makes perfect sense! One more follow-up question if you don't mind please? When using volume dials, is the 12 o'clock position the "unity" position similar to the zero mark on volume sliders? I've really confused about the term "unity". Thank you much.

[@RayOrtega]

Unity can be tricky but it's basically 0db and that's how it's marked on this mixer but that doesn't always mean the 12oclock position. Once you set your gain properly, you should be able to put your mixer at 0db on the fader or unity and the signal will pass through at optimal levels. But you can use the fader to add and take away volume as needed.

[@52Ricoman]

Ray Ortega 👍🆒!

[@tiashenckelholtse8005]

Love youre mixer videoes please make some more?:)

[@RayOrtega]

Tias Henckel Holtse thanks, there will be some additional mixer reviews coming. What else would you like to learn?

[@tiashenckelholtse8005]

Not that much in to it yet, but just all the basics:) maybe multitrack recording or how you connect a conpressor/limiter/gate?;)

[@GlenGarcia1961]

Ok, question, Ray: I really appreciate the two techniques you demonstrated for properly gain staging microphones in the analog Behringer in order to attain zero db on your mix. My question is, do those same techniques apply for a guitar and bass and/or other line instrument, like a lap steel? Please advise.

[@RayOrtega]

I don't record a lot of music but I'd say gain staging is still gain staging. You want the strongest signal you can achieve while still maintaining enough headroom for peaks. So yeah, play the loudest part of your song and gain stage for that.

[@Illinoiscaselaw]

Ray you rock! That is the exact cheap mixer that I have and totally don't know how to use. The web is totally not helpful at all with these things. What does the "FX" knob do?

[@RayOrtega]

IllinoisCaseLaw.com thanks. You definitely want to go through your manual, they do a great job of explaining the mixer and setting it up. The FX knob is a "send" meaning that you can send audio out of it usually, in music, to external FX hardware but in podcasting we use this to create a mix-minus for recording Skype. If you want to know more about a mix-minus check out thepodcastersstudio.com/mixminus

[@Illinoiscaselaw]

Thanks, Ray Ortega , You are right. Have not gone through the manuel yet, but I will do that. In the mean time I will check out the mix-minus set up you mentioned.

[@TroaBarton]

Very helpful thank you

[@ronaldrabanes4083]

any one can help me, how to setup auto adjust volume in background music, when the speaker use the microphone. i want to slow down the background music then when stop talking auto high the background sound, any one can help me. Thank you.

[@Curse_1997]

What volume do you have it on in computer settings?

[@RayOrtega]

This video was recorded to an audio recorder not computer. But if you are connecting to a computer, my general recommendation is to set the computer's input around 70% of it's max. Ideally you'll have some audio meters in your audio settings in the computer so you'll know that you are not setting levels too 'hot.' If you are going into recording software, the same is true.

[@AhavaDVN]

Thanks... Very Helpful

[@RayOrtega]

Thank, you.

[@gbogoadebayo-ige]

Thank you so much for this video Ray, it was extremely helpful. A follow-up question, however: I've done the testing, turning the two main knobs to 50%, and even to 75% and I'm still not able to get 0 on the LED meter. I have a Behringer Xenyx 1202FX mixer, would you happen to know what the problem might be? Or other knobs that I could adjust to help reach 0 on the LED meter? I have my gain turned to 100%. Thank you so much!

[@gbogoadebayo-ige]

Nevermind! I was able to troubleshoot the problem! I realized I didn't have my soundcard connected to my PC lol. Thanks!!

[@reguchiha]

WHAT DOES THE MAIN MIX LOG DOES ON THE MIXER

[@HouseholdDog]

I never new that's what the "check one two" was for.

[@dainkojebejutjub]

For plosives i guess?

[@filomena-silva]

I really need to test this. I'm using a Xenyx QX1002 and an audiomix condenser microphone and I was wondering why the sound don't get distorted when I speak low, but it gets really bad when I project my voice. I believe that I was not setting everything properly. Or, is that possible that the sound specifications (hardware) of the laptop can also interfere with this as well?

[@RayOrtega]

You definitely need to set the levels properly at both places. First the mixer and then on whatever app you are using on your computer to record. Thanks.

[@filomena-silva]

@@RayOrtega Thank you so much for answering. I will check all that.

[@DiegoEfe]

I'm using an ATR2100 mic with a Tascam DR-40 to record KZbin tutorials. I need to set a very high gain on the DR-40 to have a decent signal. Since my apartment is noisy I can't avoid recording noise, too, even though the mic is dynamic and better than a condenser in this matter. I'm evaluating buying a usb mixer (the Behringer you reviewed) or an audio interface (Focusrite 2i2), because it would be easier to record directly to the computer, but also because I imagine they can help getting a louder signal (and/or lower noise) from the mic. Well, I'm not so sure about that, that's why I ask. Do you have any video or post to help me evaluate it, and comparing those two kinds of equipments? In which case do you prefer one or the other? BTW, I enjoy your videos and website a lot, thanks for sharing them. Saludos desde Argentina!

[@RayOrtega]

+Diego Efe thanks Diego. I'm not convinced that a mixer will give you any more signal. It really depends on how much gain the preamp of the mixer has vs the recorder. Being in noisy environment will always prove challenging. Record in the closet or in a car. Works great! I prefer going to recorder cause I can be more mobile and not rely on software but having a good place to record in is key.

[@ratnadinda2232]

Hi sir, Can this metode use on digital mixer?