"Because I like big wave forms." - Kenny 'Big Wave Form' Gioia

Kenny's knowledge is invaluable for me, and most Reaper users. Of course this video applies to everyone, but he is a Reaper genius.

probably one of the most important videos you have done

Kenny, I've been looking for answers to this question and many more provided in your videos, for about a year. Many thanks for sharing your craft with people like me. Thanks man.

Learning Reaper at the moment and this guy's videos are invaluable.

Kenny, just found your channel today and I find it super helpful. I've been around the block with digital recording several times but have recently got more involved in production and engineering, especially using REAPER in my home project studio, and am learning tons from you. Thanks!

Fantastic - just what I needed, so clearly explained, learned so much as always and now I know what I've been doing wrong ...! Love Kenny's videos. Always thought having to boost the volume later was some kind of failure but Kenny has reframed that for me. Invaluable.

NVM. I had a question but went into your Recording Your Band series which answered my question, and is an excellent and superb series! Thanks!

I was looking for this explanation of levels like months. This is amazing. Thank you.

Kenny bro, you earned my subscription. The way you explain by not just telling us what we should for recording on reaper......but you also give us the why, the myths and the legends on recording,which gives an advantage over the rest of good reaper tutorials. it makes you GREAT..and you deserve to get paid off your channel bro...and I hope you are..Thank you for your knowledge and your gift for explaining your knowledge. and ps. I also would like to ask you a personal recording question. but not here, cuz i dont wanna sound like an idiot or a dreamer..Thanks agaain

Another useful clear video! Your work on these gems is outstanding. Thank you!

Thnx Christopher Walken!

Hi! I’m a fairly new Reaper user, although I’ve been using DAWs for many years. Thank you for your tutorials. Not only the Reaper ones, but the general things such as levels and normalization are extremely helpful, and many things which I didn’t know. Thanks again very much.

I was looking for THIS video for a long long time (as a drummer who records himself in home-studio). Thanks !!

Absolutely awesome. Thanks for creating these videos. You are the best by far!

Watching this in 2019! Thank you for this. Very well explained and concise. 👆🏾

Awesome! Thanks Kenny. Very helpful. The great instructional videos that Reaper has is one of the reasons why I dumped Ableton Live 9 for Reaper. The easy to follow Reaper instructional videos are a Godsend! Love it.

Well, this explains some of my problems. Thanks, Kenny. I have been thinking as along as I am not in the red, I am fine for years. A lot of the problems I've had suddenly make sense.

Always great information Kenny! Thanks!

Great tutorial, lots of useful info and easy to understand. Thanks!

Thanks Kenny All your videos are so helpfull Reaper is getting easier and easier thanks to you

These videos are SUPER helpful. Thank you!

Sooooo clear!!!!! Thanks a lot Kenny!!!

I was recording far too hot!!! EXCELLENT,CONCISE INFO!! Great Job!!

Great video! Thanks Kenny!

Super job of showing the levels clearly and telling why these levels matter. Thanx.

love your vids

Brilliant job Kenny :-) big props

excellent Kenny thank u

Thanks!!! You explained this very well!

This was new to me. I've always thought you should record at the highest level without peaking for the best SNR. The idea being, it's better to record higher and then lower the signal and then also lower the noise floor, than to record lower and then raising the signal dragging the noise up with it. Anyway, thanks for another great tip!

Thank you very much for there tutorials!!!!!

Excellent thanks!

Thank you, it works perfect!

Very Informative Sir.

Good Stuff!

Kenny you're so conservative... I like to record my instruments peaking between -12 and -6... and things like kicks and snares, I like a peak between -6 and -3. A little extra drive on the preamps adds character. Don't be afraid to mush things a little bit!

Fantastic

Thank you so much!

This is the missing link in my work with acoustic instruments. Been recording too hot since forever. First try after this video was like night and day. Huge thanks. Would be interested to know what setting enables drag normalizing of media items like you show at 1.12.

Kenny what’s the name of the microphone preamp you use in this video

do you need the pre-amp (or 'a' pre-amp) plugin? is it functioning as a standalone then routed into reaper, or is it a sound effect under the plugin set of that track? cus it doesnt look like there are any plugins due to the grey colour, but there's an additional glowing green box beside the grey plugin indicator. I just need to find a way to use a pre-amp on a mac, cus my recording levels on this snowball microphone are reallllly low. I have to apply 10-15 dB increase during/and-or/after recording. Thanks a bunch, as always it's been a pleasure Kenny my man. Pce

Thank you sir

Thanks so much

plz make video about the top audio interface and microphone so people wil not biased about the price and quality......plzzzzzzz🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏plz great Kenny

I have to keep reminding me of this, Eons ago I was trained by manuals and best practices, and sane friends tp keep it around 18 to -12 db Its been that way for as long as I can remember with numerous DAWs. I figure I have better recordings just using Sound forge, and Audacity/ I am into sort of new age music and summing up tracks depends on sometimes lower levels often with outboard synths I find. I am still figuring this out, go hot for some instruments low for others,

Thanks!!

So now the burning question - what DB level should we record at from Digital Sources ie VSTs or an audio signal coming from a keyboard (non analog) through the Audio Interface to Reaper? (noob here) Thank you.

Funny I happened upon this, because one strange problem I get often, is once a track does touch into the red, it stays that way no matter what I do. Turning the fader down, sticking the provided "volume" plug on and trying to turn it down that way, etc. But I'm on a hobby basis, not professionally. Which may explain my ignorance re: laying studio trax, lol. That didn't matter back during my 4 track cassette days, lol.

We here

Wow. Great info. Kenny's the best! This reminds me of a question I've had for a long time. Is there a way to increase the volume ONLY on the parts of a signal that exceed a certain level? The idea is to keep noise and bleed minimized while amplifying the rest. I know I can use a gate, but I do primarily VO work that has nothing behind it, so if I bring up the volume, my noise floor gets too high. It seems like there should be a simple way to do this without having to resort to complicated side chain setups.

So does this mean that when recording my guitar with amp, should stay between -18 and -12 but when recording my Vdrums or keyboard through a midi cable it doesn't matter as long as I don't go red? Also that it doesn't matter once I record my guitar with amp and the input level is between -18 and -12 but after when I playback it is much lower?

From Turkey, thanks

Kenny I would like to see your master output to check out the volumes. Wondering if you had a +6dBFS added by all the individual tracks

Hi. Im new to Reaper so Im watching everything I can. Question: I see a knob above the media file where one can adjust the size of the wave form. How can I see that on Reaper 6? do I have to make a setting for that?

9:40 If it's a pretty good level for you, it's a pretty good level for me too.

These videos are soooo helpfull,thanks a lot REAPER Mania!!! Question: I would like to buy a lap-top that's strong enough to run Reaper,and that's also strong enough to have the interfaces etc connected to it. I wouldn't use it for anything else really. Any suggestions on what lap-top i should get? My knowledge on computers is rather poor...

Ah, I 'think' this makes sense to me now. I just bought a digital package called Amp Room, by Softube. The amps and cabs are superb, but I couldn't fathom out why, with my normal settings on my audio device, where I would get a default volume level of -18db on a track, with Amp Room turned on, it was literally going through the roof. Meaning, I had to turn the track volume fader down to -42db to stop it going into the red. So what you're saying here, for my instance of Amp Room, I should alter the volume on my interface so that the track volume is around -18db? Am I correct in my understanding?

how can i adjust my guitar output at around -18db when my (completely normal) equalizer has the trebles boosted? my high strings are louder of course. Plugging them quieter don't make sense since I want my trebles boosted. That's just how an EQ works. A compressor would make the same. I can never be around this -18db at every time. What is the solution to this?

im using Blackstar Amp usb connection to record directly from my AMP to computer using reaper....but when im using heavy distorted gainy present my recording level always clips with red signal ! how can i bring it to -18 db without losing the tone ?

Is there a way when you play back you vocal track it will show the levels? It’s not doing it on mine

Thanks for making these. Does the -18 DB rule apply to other recorders as well? I'm recording on to a Tascam dp-24sd and then transferring to reaper.

Thanks bro You are gooder

How do I play a test tone?

There's not a way to create a shortcut on the toolbar for a toggle back and forth between 'Small Full Meter' and 'Default Layout' is there?

Thanks, Kenny. My problem is that if I use any FX on my guitar or vocals (using a 2i2 into Reaper), the level I see while recording my be at -18 but the playback level will be much hotter, sometimes into the red. I can't figure out how to see what THAT level will be while recording. I know this must be a simple thing but I can't figure it out. Please help!

i dont understand test tone,is that something that can be downloaded?,please explain more? thank you

Analogue equipment is optimised for -18db FS, yes. Not PEAK, that's RMS! (that would mean the average amplitude is -18db, not occasional maximums) So Aiming for RMS -18db with peak below -6db good practice. Failing having RMS meters, probably -12db on the medium parts of the track is ok (with some peaks over and certainly no clip!). (if e.g. your interface shows only peak lights)

Noob question here. How do you know exactly what DB your gain is at if your interface is only color coded? I've always used the "put it in yellow and back off slightly" technique because I don't know what my gain levels actually are. I'm under the impression that you can't go by the reaper faders because that is just output volume. So where should I be looking to check my input levels?

Hi - thanks for your videos!!! - What preamp did you use in your video? and what standard preamp would you recommend? Maybe free of charge.

My recorded tracks all go in the red (no fx added just the DI) even if I set the gain on my focusright to zero and the volume on the tracks to zero aswell. I am really new to all of this and I don't even know how to make my reaper look like yours to be able to compare it to one another. Could someone please help me?

Why your mic preamp plugin shows different dB than what reaper catches? For example, the acoustic guitar is -7.0dB on the mic, but -18dB in reaper.

How can I get the proper screenset view for the mixer panel (small full meter) in Reaper v6.25? In this version I don't see any of the same screenset options as you have. I just see "A", "B", and "C", and then zoom-levels for those screensets (50%, default, 150%, 200%). None of them enlarge the db meter to full screen like what you have in this video?

How can i fallow your tutorial when the screenlist/layout is not the same plus your using plugins there is no information on

I would subscribe to this channel 100 times if I had that many accounts

Kenny...Yeah man my soundcraft usb works great with the suggestive -18db ghost pre-amps And for the comment below mine...Kenny is obviously from NY like me..WHAT OF IT?

Kenny, I'm an old Tape guy. Digital is trickier than Tape was. Reaper is amazing and I wish I had it 40 years ago when I was recording. I'm trying to record my friends and family and get into again. Your Video was a great start but I need a better real world way to set the level from microphones. Can make another video that teaches an end to end level adjustment? I'm going to try what you did but expand it a little by placing a 1K sound generator in front of A microphone in a room simulating the distance of a singer or acoustic instruments ? I have the Scarlett 212 which lights green, yellow, red on input. How much green is too much? I don't know how calibrate it so I don't get mike overload. I know this topic can go on forever but with your extensive knowledge It could simple. How can I contact you?

Why not recommend using a VU meter calibrated at -18db? Do you see any drawback in that?

nice voice dude

I'm new to recording and reaper and I have the levels set up correctly but my waveform is too small even when I max the volume afterwards as you showed. Is there a way to fix this?

Where do I find that "Small full meter" you mention at 3:59? I don't see it anywhere in any of the dropdown menus, including the "View" menu.. Thanks

Hi how I I get that Skin on Reaper it's fantastic for Levels?? Love your videos the best

my layout won't change when I put in the small full meter setting

What kind of type meter you use in this video stereo peak, multi track peak or ?

SO if the gain on your interface is considered the preamp for your mic what is the purpose of a pre amp plugin if it is not suggested to use it ?

I'm having a hard time understanding this. In Reaper I have my track with meter but all I have is a volume for that track that doesn't effect the recording levels at all. I'm kind of lost on how to adjust it.

Kenny. I just had an unusual problem occur with Reaper when starting it up. I have an existing project that I've been working on for a while. But now when I start it up, I get this warning window (SynthEdit), "Can't load SE Plugin:" It identifies some .sem files that it can't find in my Plugin folder. I have to click 'OK' about 120 times then Reaper finally start up and the project file functions properly. I've already posted this on the Reaper Forum but haven't heard anything back. How can I fix this?

My focusrite scarlett is too loud, and adjusting the gain has no effect on it even when its all the way down. The only solution I could find is turning the track volume down before recording. Is that a big no no or?

Kenny, I may have already asked this but here goes again. How do you adjust the output level of a track during record? (The track that is being recorded?) For instance, the vocalist complains that he/she is either too loud or not loud enough in the headphones during record. I know I could just lower or raise the level of all the playback tracks, but that seems cumbersome and besides, I have those set to optimum levels and don't want to mess them up.

What is this view/interface ? Is it the mixing pannel ?

What is the mixer layout name? I can't find the template with the tall meters.

I've been using your level in the other videos by keeping it between -12 and -8, is it still relevant?

For drum kits with many mics (I use 8), this has to be an iterative process across all of them, since bleed-through naturally occurs from one into another. Therefore, after setting individual mic recording levels, each will typically record hotter when you play the entire kit. As a one-man-band in a home studio, when making a test recording of my full kit I obviously can't be sitting in front of my audio interface and DAW displays, to make input level adjustments for each mic on-the-fly. That said, the question becomes what would be the best practice for someone in my situation? I realize I can see peak dB's at the top of each meter after recording, but of course that's the loudest level attained, and not an average. Alternately, after a full-kit recording, would an accurate way to watch averages be to disarm the drum tracks, set them to all to 0dB, then see where they wind up on the meters during playback? Anyone else in this boat? I would think it would be a pretty common one, so any ideas would be much appreciated!

how do you do a test tone

3:43 different layout for recording

Would you update this?

very interesting trick! where can I download that mic preamp plugin you're using?

the signal comin in should be at -18 db ok but how about the "track volume slider position" ? should i put it at 0? or your put it at -18 also? How about the master volume slider? at -18 or 0 also? sorry for the noob question, thanks! ..

What About USB mics?

Hay there quick question easy question for the one who would know .. what level would one record a vocal at is it 18 db and do we than normalize to check level ? and then where is a good level does one then do the mastering track after the normalize and what is a good limiter setting in the master You see I use karaoke tracks in reaper because you have amazing tutorial on reaper and i sing along in reaper with my own vocal now what is the best level to record along the karaoke track . do I than normalize as in the previous question and is it the standard item processing normalize or the normalize item common gain ? or do we normalize the master track. thousands of videos on you tube not one covering this in clarity and to many just want like say ask and I will answer they dont . you appear to be my last hope to a question on this appreciate reply Warmly Johannes possibly a tutorial on doing karaoke tracks would be great would it nod for all us music lovers Hay there quick question easy question for the one who would know .. what level would one record a vocal at is it 18 db and do we than normalize to check level ? and then where is a good level does one then do the mastering track after the normalize and what is a good limiter setting in the master You see I use karaoke tracks in reaper because you have amazing tutorial on reaper and i sing along in reaper with my own vocal now what is the best level to record along the karaoke track . do I than normalize as in the previous question and is it the standard item processing normalize or the normalize item common gain ? or do we normalize the master track. thousands of videos on you tube not one covering this in clarity and to many just want like say ask and I will answer they dont . you appear to be my last hope to a question on this appreciate reply Warmly Johannes possibly a tutorial on doing karaoke tracks would be great would it nod for all us music lovers Hay there quick question easy question for the one who would know .. what level would one record a vocal at is it 18 db and do we than normalize to check level ? and then where is a good level does one then do the mastering track after the normalize and what is a good limiter setting in the master You see I use karaoke tracks in reaper because you have amazing tutorial on reaper and i sing along in reaper with my own vocal now what is the best level to record along the karaoke track . do I than normalize as in the previous question and is it the standard item processing normalize or the normalize item common gain ? or do we normalize the master track. thousands of videos on you tube not one covering this in clarity and to many just want like say ask and I will answer they dont . you appear to be my last hope to a question on this appreciate reply Warmly Johannes possibly a tutorial on doing karaoke tracks would be great would it nod for all us music lovers