Setting the recording level? What am I doing wrong?

[Mavoz]

Hi,

I'm having a lot of trouble with my audio recording with the HVX202 and Premiere Pro CS4 and figuring out the right level.

I'm currently working with footage from both a HDV cam and my HVX from my wedding....but have had this issue with other projects too.

The HDV footage is noticeably louder even though it was just captured with the onboard mic...my HVX footage received direct inject from the desk.

On playback from the tape the levels are basically peaking on the "-12db" vertical line and to a maximum 4 squares above this 12db line....I'm guessing I should have instructed the camera op to turn this up more.

Barry Green explains in the HVX book that each square is 2db of signal strength.

What is the ideal number of db squares above this line that I should be using? Wouldn't 4 squares above.....around -4db be a good place?

(Or is there a possiblilty that something else in Premiere itself is causing things to be too low? (On play back in the headphones etc. it sounds fine)

Thanks!

[Lez]

(Or is there a possiblilty that something else in Premiere itself is causing things to be too low? (On play back in the headphones etc. it sounds fine)

If it sounds fine with headphones then there must be something in your audio playback settings...

[Mavoz]

(Or is there a possiblilty that something else in Premiere itself is causing things to be too low? (On play back in the headphones etc. it sounds fine)

If it sounds fine with headphones then there must be something in your audio playback settings...

Thanks for reply....I think it may just be a simple case that the recording level was set a little too low......

Can I ask...is the ideal level where audio should peak at just on 0db?

How many bars over that last vertical line should I be aiming to have that audio peak?

[Shooter]

When I dont have a pro recordist with me I usually set the peaks on one channel so no red shows on peaks.

[TedRR]

With digital audio if a peak hits red, you have probably lost part of the signal. (There are many software meters that over state the red level though).

With Analog audio we had more latitude. But in theory if a digital audio signal is overmodulated, it is destroyed.
Be careful to avoid overmodulating audio that is digitally processed or recorded.

[Mavoz]

With digital audio if a peak hits red, you have probably lost part of the signal. (There are many software meters that over state the red level though).

With Analog audio we had more latitude. But in theory if a digital audio signal is overmodulated, it is destroyed.
Be careful to avoid overmodulating audio that is digitally processed or recorded.

ok..thanks...so basically push it as far as I can go before peaking...and set the two channels a little differently....one a bit more on the conservative side for safety...

thanks!

[Barry_Green]

With digital audio if a peak hits red, you have probably lost part of the signal. (There are many software meters that over state the red level though).
Important point for DVX users, because the DVX100 series showed red at anything over -12dB, obviously not peaking! So yes, most digital monitors are going to show red as a true danger zone. For DVX100 users, just be aware that not all red is bad on that camera, you are usually quite safe in going two or three dots into the red.