What Is Proper Gain Staging?

Proper Gain Staging! 

Written By: Eric “Realistic” Michael

When it comes to a great sounding mix, one of the most significant steps you can take to ensure high quality is to ensure your master channel output is not hard clipping (in the red.)⁠

When you have a master output that is hard-clipping, it can cause unwanted artifacts such as harshness, muddiness, crackles, damaged dynamics, ruined transients, & less clarity.⁠ Simply lowering the volume going into your master channel can instantly improve your mix!⁠

-6dB of headroom going into your mix sum or master channel is ideal, but you could get away with as loud as -3dB if you wanted to.⁠

It's best practice to have the headroom going into the mix sum/master channel rather than turning down the channel fader on the mix sum/master fader.⁠

That's because that fader is post inserts & post channel input. So the damage has already been done. The input has already been clipped & the clipped signal is entering all the plugins that way.⁠

The most common way is to group all your mix channels (not including AUX channels) & lowering them, so the headroom goes into the mix sum/master channel.⁠ It's an instant fix!⁠

Some people may take a more straightforward approach by adding a trim plugin as the first insert on their mix sum. That can work too, but you may find that lowering all your mix channels isn't too much extra work than a trim plugin.⁠

Get More Great Tips + Updates - Subscribe

Share this Production Tutorial Playlist

Get Notified When Our Labor Day Event Starts

👀 Coming This Labor Day Weekend

✅ Top Secret Kit Giveaway: I'm giving 3 lucky producers secret sounds that I made in sessions with people like Drake, Jay-Z, and Timbaland, plus more! Just participate in our Sale to enter.
✅ 90% Off The Total Bundle (No Promo Code Needed)
✅ 25% Off All Sample Packs (Use Code: "LD25" at Checkout)
✅ 25% Off All Courses (Use Code: "LD25" at Checkout)
✅ 25% Off VST Banks (Use Code: "LD25" at Checkout)

👇 Sign up below so we can notify you first when the event starts

GET NOTIFIED WHEN OUR LABOR DAY EVENT STARTS

MUSIC MAKERS

SoundOracle - Owner

SoundOracle (Sound Designer for Timbaland, whose sounds have been heard in over 20 Grammy award-winning songs by artists like Drake, Jay Z, Beyoncé, Justin Timberlake, Chris Brown, and more)

Connect with Oracle:
Instagram: SoundOracle
Twitter: SoundOracle
Youtube: SoundOracle 

SoundOracle Music Producer

Realistic Production - Engineer

Realistic is a Producer/Engineer located in Atlanta, GA specializing in Hip-Hop, R&B & Pop music. Realistic has been involved in the music industry for over 15 years. He has worked on projects for Talib Kweli, Just Blaze, Musiq Soulchild, Pharoahe Monch, NBA 2k, Skyzoo, BJ The Chicago Kid, Madlib, Ayo-N-Keyz, Billboard Hitmakers, Atmosphere, Brother Ali, Rhymesayers, Hamburger Helper, & LoveOfPharaoh.

CONNECT WITH REALISTIC
IG: @RealisticProductions
Twitter: @Realistic_Pro
FB: @RealisticProductionsLLC
Apple Music, Spotify, SoundCloud, etc. - https://fanlink.to/bwW5

Realistic Production - Sound Engineer