Monitoring levels when you can't see the meters: Difference between revisions
Ultraleetj (talk | contribs) initial page migration |
Fixed outdated shortcuts and other stuff, most notably changed parts of the article to reflect the new way of setting up the peak watcher. |
||
| (2 intermediate revisions by one other user not shown) | |||
| Line 1: | Line 1: | ||
= Intro = | <translate> | ||
= Intro = <!--T:1--> | |||
<!--T:2--> | |||
As a blind audio producer, maybe you've felt a level of uncertainty caused by the inability to see the meters on your equipment. Too high and things might clip at some point during the audio program, too low and it won't sound good along side other material. Reaper and Osara provide for us a way to monitor peaks in our audio levels. It isn't quite like watching a meter, but it gives us the pertinent information we need to structure the gain and keep things from clipping on the master. | As a blind audio producer, maybe you've felt a level of uncertainty caused by the inability to see the meters on your equipment. Too high and things might clip at some point during the audio program, too low and it won't sound good along side other material. Reaper and Osara provide for us a way to monitor peaks in our audio levels. It isn't quite like watching a meter, but it gives us the pertinent information we need to structure the gain and keep things from clipping on the master. | ||
<!--T:3--> | |||
note that depending on your mixing needs or wants, you can have either post fader, or pre-fader levels be displayed and also announced. It depends on, and is simply a matter of [[Chapter 2: REAPER Project Basics#2.6 Track Controls|having a small preference set in the options menu]]. in other words, moving a track's volume fader in reaper with pre-fader levels enabled will not change what is being announced or shown on screen. | note that depending on your mixing needs or wants, you can have either post fader, or pre-fader levels be displayed and also announced. It depends on, and is simply a matter of [[Chapter 2: REAPER Project Basics#2.6 Track Controls|having a small preference set in the options menu]]. in other words, moving a track's volume fader in reaper with pre-fader levels enabled will not change what is being announced or shown on screen. | ||
<!--T:4--> | |||
== Peak Watcher == | == Peak Watcher == | ||
The peak watcher is a tool which, when configured, allows you to monitor the peaks of your recordings. | The peak watcher is a tool which, when configured, allows you to monitor the peaks of your recordings. | ||
=== setting up the peak watcher === | === setting up the peak watcher === <!--T:5--> | ||
By default, pressing | <!--T:6--> | ||
The first | By default, pressing Alt+W(OSARA: Configure Peak Watcher for current track/track FX (depending on focus)) opens a context menu for you to select which of the two watchers to configure and the Peak Watcher dialog once you select one. | ||
The first option is to set the watcher to follow the last touched track. One sensible setup is to select a track and set the first watcher to either follow your track selection or monitor that track only. Then, select the master track (Control+Alt+Shift+Home) and configure the second watcher to monitor that without following track selection | |||
notify automatically: This option allows you to set things up so you are notified when the peak hits a certain level. Check the boxes for the alerts if you choose. | notify automatically: This option allows you to set things up so you are notified when the peak hits a certain level. Check the boxes for the alerts if you choose. | ||
The next setting is to set the level at which you wish to be alerted. This is useful for knowing if your master goes over 0.0 db or what ever level you choose. | The next setting is to set the level at which you wish to be alerted. This is useful for knowing if your master goes over 0.0 db or what ever level you choose. | ||
The next setting, "hold peaks until" has a default setting to hold until reset. This setting will cause the peak watcher to keep the highest peak registered until you reset it for each track. This is useful for knowing the highest level at which an audio source has peaked, after the fact. | The next setting, "hold peaks until" has a default setting to hold until reset. This setting will cause the peak watcher to keep the highest peak registered until you reset it for each track. This is useful for knowing the highest level at which an audio source has peaked, after the fact. | ||
== Using The Peak Watcher == | == Using The Peak Watcher == <!--T:7--> | ||
<!--T:8--> | |||
There are at least two main uses for the peak watcher, to monitor incoming audio before or during recording, and to set levels during mixing. | There are at least two main uses for the peak watcher, to monitor incoming audio before or during recording, and to set levels during mixing. | ||
==== Monitoring Input Levels ==== | ==== Monitoring Input Levels ==== <!--T:9--> | ||
<!--T:10--> | |||
After creating, arming, and setting the monitor on your track, create some source audio. Sing or speak in to the microphone, play your instrument, do what ever you do to make noise. Try your best to sing or play with approximately the same energy and gusto as you will when you are performing for the recording. | After creating, arming, and setting the monitor on your track, create some source audio. Sing or speak in to the microphone, play your instrument, do what ever you do to make noise. Try your best to sing or play with approximately the same energy and gusto as you will when you are performing for the recording. | ||
After you stop playing or singing, press alt- | After you stop playing or singing, press alt-f11 and or alt-f12 to check the level of either channel on your currently selected track which should be "first track" in your peak watcher. Osara should report the peak level of your performance. This means that you will be told only the highest level your audio peaked at. You will not be told the lowest, or average peak. | ||
To reset the meter for track one of your peak watcher, press alt- | To reset the meter for track one of your peak watcher, press alt-f10. At this point, you can either try again, resetting levels as needed, or adjusting your performance, or you can record! | ||
==== during mixing or playback ==== | ==== during mixing or playback ==== <!--T:11--> | ||
During playback you might find it most useful to check your master peak by pressing alt-shift- | <!--T:12--> | ||
During playback you might find it most useful to check your master peak by pressing alt-shift-f11 or alt-shift-f12. These are the keystrokes for checking the "second track" as defined in the Peak Watcher. Remember that your master track will reflect the combined level of all of the tracks in your project. So, if you determine that the peak on your master is too high, you can then adjust levels of individual tracks or other elements to reduce the master track level. | |||
== real-time level monitoring == | == real-time level monitoring == <!--T:13--> | ||
<!--T:14--> | |||
The Peak Watcher lets you know the highest peak a track has reached, on demand. To know the "current" level of the currently selected track, press j or k. These will report the current levels of channel one and two of the currently selected track. Pressing shift-j and shift-k will report the current levels of both channels of the master track. | The Peak Watcher lets you know the highest peak a track has reached, on demand. To know the "current" level of the currently selected track, press j or k. These will report the current levels of channel one and two of the currently selected track. Pressing shift-j and shift-k will report the current levels of both channels of the master track. | ||
<!--T:15--> | |||
== checking Levels in your rendered project == | == checking Levels in your rendered project == | ||
If you are working on project such as a podcast, (or any project) you can quickly check if the resulting rendered file has clipped, (in other words, it went above 0 DB). | If you are working on project such as a podcast, (or any project) you can quickly check if the resulting rendered file has clipped, (in other words, it went above 0 DB). | ||
There are two methods: | There are two methods: | ||
<!--T:16--> | |||
===== using the render dialog ===== | ===== using the render dialog ===== | ||
*While rendering your file, uncheck the checkbox that says "automatically close when finished". | *While rendering your file, uncheck the checkbox that says "automatically close when finished". | ||
| Line 44: | Line 55: | ||
*There will be just one number if you rendered mono audio or more if you rendered multi-channel audio. These numbers represent the highest peak value for the entire project for a specific channel. | *There will be just one number if you rendered mono audio or more if you rendered multi-channel audio. These numbers represent the highest peak value for the entire project for a specific channel. | ||
<!--T:17--> | |||
===== using Peakwatcher After Rendering ===== | ===== using Peakwatcher After Rendering ===== | ||
* Set it up to monitor your master track until reset. In this example we will monitor the master track as second track. | * Set it up to monitor your master track until reset. In this example we will monitor the master track as second track. | ||
* Reset the peakwatcher before rendering by pressing shift+alt+ | * Reset the peakwatcher before rendering by pressing shift+alt+F10 for resetting the second track. | ||
* Render your project as usual. | * Render your project as usual. | ||
* After rendering your project, check the values with alt+shift+ | * After rendering your project, check the values with alt+shift+F11/alt+shift+F12. | ||
</translate> | |||
Latest revision as of 13:39, 10 August 2024
Intro
As a blind audio producer, maybe you've felt a level of uncertainty caused by the inability to see the meters on your equipment. Too high and things might clip at some point during the audio program, too low and it won't sound good along side other material. Reaper and Osara provide for us a way to monitor peaks in our audio levels. It isn't quite like watching a meter, but it gives us the pertinent information we need to structure the gain and keep things from clipping on the master.
note that depending on your mixing needs or wants, you can have either post fader, or pre-fader levels be displayed and also announced. It depends on, and is simply a matter of having a small preference set in the options menu. in other words, moving a track's volume fader in reaper with pre-fader levels enabled will not change what is being announced or shown on screen.
Peak Watcher
The peak watcher is a tool which, when configured, allows you to monitor the peaks of your recordings.
setting up the peak watcher
By default, pressing Alt+W(OSARA: Configure Peak Watcher for current track/track FX (depending on focus)) opens a context menu for you to select which of the two watchers to configure and the Peak Watcher dialog once you select one. The first option is to set the watcher to follow the last touched track. One sensible setup is to select a track and set the first watcher to either follow your track selection or monitor that track only. Then, select the master track (Control+Alt+Shift+Home) and configure the second watcher to monitor that without following track selection notify automatically: This option allows you to set things up so you are notified when the peak hits a certain level. Check the boxes for the alerts if you choose. The next setting is to set the level at which you wish to be alerted. This is useful for knowing if your master goes over 0.0 db or what ever level you choose. The next setting, "hold peaks until" has a default setting to hold until reset. This setting will cause the peak watcher to keep the highest peak registered until you reset it for each track. This is useful for knowing the highest level at which an audio source has peaked, after the fact.
Using The Peak Watcher
There are at least two main uses for the peak watcher, to monitor incoming audio before or during recording, and to set levels during mixing.
Monitoring Input Levels
After creating, arming, and setting the monitor on your track, create some source audio. Sing or speak in to the microphone, play your instrument, do what ever you do to make noise. Try your best to sing or play with approximately the same energy and gusto as you will when you are performing for the recording. After you stop playing or singing, press alt-f11 and or alt-f12 to check the level of either channel on your currently selected track which should be "first track" in your peak watcher. Osara should report the peak level of your performance. This means that you will be told only the highest level your audio peaked at. You will not be told the lowest, or average peak. To reset the meter for track one of your peak watcher, press alt-f10. At this point, you can either try again, resetting levels as needed, or adjusting your performance, or you can record!
during mixing or playback
During playback you might find it most useful to check your master peak by pressing alt-shift-f11 or alt-shift-f12. These are the keystrokes for checking the "second track" as defined in the Peak Watcher. Remember that your master track will reflect the combined level of all of the tracks in your project. So, if you determine that the peak on your master is too high, you can then adjust levels of individual tracks or other elements to reduce the master track level.
real-time level monitoring
The Peak Watcher lets you know the highest peak a track has reached, on demand. To know the "current" level of the currently selected track, press j or k. These will report the current levels of channel one and two of the currently selected track. Pressing shift-j and shift-k will report the current levels of both channels of the master track.
checking Levels in your rendered project
If you are working on project such as a podcast, (or any project) you can quickly check if the resulting rendered file has clipped, (in other words, it went above 0 DB). There are two methods:
using the render dialog
- While rendering your file, uncheck the checkbox that says "automatically close when finished".
- At the end of the rendering process, review the render window with your screen reader's review commands.
- There will be just one number if you rendered mono audio or more if you rendered multi-channel audio. These numbers represent the highest peak value for the entire project for a specific channel.
using Peakwatcher After Rendering
- Set it up to monitor your master track until reset. In this example we will monitor the master track as second track.
- Reset the peakwatcher before rendering by pressing shift+alt+F10 for resetting the second track.
- Render your project as usual.
- After rendering your project, check the values with alt+shift+F11/alt+shift+F12.