Managing Gain & Distortion

Recording engineers and music producers encounter many ways to adjust gain along the recording and mixing signal path. Knowing the best practices for setting levels in your DAW, processors, and other gain stages will allow you to avoid distortion and noise in your productions.

Videos

• Managing Gain & Distortion (02:36) - Knowing the terms Unity Gain, Digital Zero, Negative Infinity dB, and what they mean in your production will give you the power to record and mix the best sounding tracks possible.

• Demystifying Zero (01:42) - Zero can mean different things on different gear. Knowing the specifics of gain staging will help you manage a sometimes confusing array of terms and settings on all kinds of pro and consumer audio gear.

• Being the Master of Your Signal Chain (03:09) - A complex signal chain presents a dizzying array of opportunities to manage gain. Using key concepts and settings practiced by successful engineers will put you on the fast track for making the best sounding recordings possible.

• What Is Distortion? (02:34) - While certain types of distortion should be avoided, other types provide valuable sonic tools that can make or break a production. Knowing the difference between “good” and “bad” distortion differentiates the novice from the pro engineer.

• Time to Evaluate (01:18) - A recap of some of the important concepts taught in the Managing Gain & Distortion course.