Audio Interface

    Hey mate, did you ever find a way to connect it up? I have the same setup and I'm looking to find the best way to record with it.

    Looking at that interface, your best bet is to use the XLR ("mic") connections, hooked up to the "main output" of the Kemper, so you need a couple of mic cables. Actually, maybe just get ONE cable and hook that up. Depending on the genre, I don't think you need to get a stereo recording of a guitar cabinet. It's pretty much a mono source "in nature" :-).


    Adjust the level so you don't clip. Aim for a level of maybe -12 in the DAW - on the peaks, or maybe even -18. the best option might be a combination of fiddling with the kemper volume (in the output section, not necessarily the big "master volume" knob. Your interface does not have a line in, so proper gain staging is maybe going to be a bit more touchy than normal.


    Setup the Kemper outputs as suitable (press the "master" button). Read the kemper manual to find your preferred setup. The kemper REFERENCE manual I should say, I think that explains it better than the quick guide.

    A question a bit OT: I've read a few times that it's good to track at a level of -12 or -18 dB to have enough headroom. This is a good advice. But how do you achieve a level of 0dB when mastering? A Gain PlugIn? I'm a newbie in recording... Thanks in advance for your answers!

    I could have farted and it would have sounded good! (Brian Johnson)

    Quote from Kempermaniac

    A question a bit OT: I've read a few times that it's good to track at a level of -12 or -18 dB to have enough headroom. This is a good advice. But how do you achieve a level of 0dB when mastering? A Gain PlugIn? I'm a newbie in recording... Thanks in advance for your answers!


    Yes, there are plugins for this.
    But mastering is more than just 'make it louder'.
    I'd recommend using a professional mastering service like www.indieaudiomastering all the time.
    Rob Perez is a great mastering engineer, and very musical, too.

    You can use a normaliser. Most softwares come with them bundled and I'm sure even free DAWs like Reaper have one, so you could always port your mix and then use the function. You could also use a sonic maximizer to similar effect, but I'm sure you wouldn't want to apply that across instruments. Even a compressor can be used for the same purpose, or any other plugin that can increase gain, but these are not optimal solutions. For that, a normaliser is best.

    Quote from Kempermaniac

    A question a bit OT: I've read a few times that it's good to track at a level of -12 or -18 dB to have enough headroom. This is a good advice. But how do you achieve a level of 0dB when mastering? A Gain PlugIn? I'm a newbie in recording... Thanks in advance for your answers!


    You don't ever want to achieve 0dB when mixing or mastering, it's never safe with such a wide range of d/a being used by the consumer. I would usually master to about -0.2db or -0.3db just to be safe. There are a couple of great plugins you can use: Firstly Izotope's Ozone this is great and very musical, it will colour your sound and the presets are a great starting point. Secondly Slate Digitals's FGX This is what I use, it is pretty much transparent, which for me is great as I like to get everything right in the mix. FGX just gets your overall level right and will dither your output.

    Quote from Kempermaniac

    A question a bit OT: I've read a few times that it's good to track at a level of -12 or -18 dB to have enough headroom. This is a good advice. But how do you achieve a level of 0dB when mastering? A Gain PlugIn? I'm a newbie in recording... Thanks in advance for your answers!

    To have enough headroom for what? Mastering? If you want to have enough headroom for mastering, you don't need to record each track at -12 or -18 dB.
    You should record each track as loud as possible, but without clipping, and reduce the level of each channel after recording.


    I personally aim for a master level of around -6 to -3 dB after mixing, so i still have enough headroom for mastering.


    And to achieve a level of 0 dB, you can use a brickwall-limiter. :thumbup:

    Quote from Dawz

    To have enough headroom for what? Mastering? If you want to have enough headroom for mastering, you don't need to record each track at -12 or -18 dB.
    You should record each track as loud as possible, but without clipping, and reduce the level of each channel after recording.


    I personally aim for a master level of around -6 to -3 dB after mixing, so i still have enough headroom for mastering.


    And to achieve a level of 0 dB, you can use a brickwall-limiter. :thumbup:



    That would be the way to go if you A) are recording to tape or B) record in 16 bit. Maybe if C) you track through noisy analogue gear. Otherwise, stick with plenty headroom - make your mixing engineer happy.

    Quote from Michael_dk

    That would be the way to go if you A) are recording to tape or B) record in 16 bit. Maybe if C) you track through noisy analogue gear. Otherwise, stick with plenty headroom - make your mixing engineer happy.


    Exactly.
    After mixing level -6 dB is ok, -3 is already a bit hot.
    Tracking with -12 to -18 is fine.
    Tracking hotter and reducing the levels afterwards is not the same.

    Quote from smfelton

    You don't ever want to achieve 0dB when mixing or mastering, it's never safe with such a wide range of d/a being used by the consumer. I would usually master to about -0.2db or -0.3db just to be safe. There are a couple of great plugins you can use: Firstly Izotope's Ozone this is great and very musical, it will colour your sound and the presets are a great starting point. Secondly Slate Digitals's FGX This is what I use, it is pretty much transparent, which for me is great as I like to get everything right in the mix. FGX just gets your overall level right and will dither your output.



    Good point about going for -0.3 dB. I've even heard about some mastering guys going for -1 dB for the same reason.


    Regarding Isotope Ozone, that one seems very popular and that's what I would buy if I were going into mastering. But there is NO reason to spend that kind of money yet!!!! :) With great powers come great purchases, not the other way around ;-). Learn to mix first is my advice. And definitely practice mastering now, if you want to, but do so using stock plugins - they are more than good enough for learning the stuff, and probably won't keep you back the first two years of intense learning (OK, that was a blanket statement, but still...)


    In any case, as Ingolf pointed out (I think it was him), there is MUCH more to mastering than getting up to 0dB, so to speak :-), although that seems to be the biggest focus these days when talking about it.



    The songs get louder not only in mastering, but also in mixing, as typically (for modern rock music at least), many of the tracks and/or busses will be compressed, as well as the master buss being compressed. That means the loudest parts (both in terms of song section, and in terms of "transient hits", e.g. attacks of drums) will be quieter. That in turn allows you to turn the whole track/buss UP, making the overall level louder. That's what Ingolf refers to when mentioning that the song may already be at -6dB after mixing, I think.


    In mastering, then, the loudness is brought up with Limiting, which is basically a special type of compression. This is different from normalising in that normalising turns up the whole file by a certain amount. The limiter first "turns up" the audio, and then smashes only the peaks that go over the threshold. That is sometimes referred to as brickwalling - the peaks smash against a wall and do go beyond. "Normal" compression is more like a rubber wall instead. Terrible metaphor, but I hope it explains something.



    My advice: Forget about mastering for now, and maybe learn basic mixing, including compression, and then normalise the resulting files. As I said, this is not mastering - but less chance of doing damage to the tracks this way, hehe :)

    Here's a fairly pedogogical explanation of gain staging and why it's relevant, written by my studio neighbour, the brilliant Holger Lagerfeldt. Read it if you're in any doubt. It also debunks a few myths about digital audio.


    Cheers,
    Sam

    Quote from Michael_dk

    Cool, you know Holger? :)
    I'll read it a bit later.
    (no, I only know OF him :-))


    Only because his studio is next door to mine, but it turns out he's one of the most generous, knowledgable and welcoming guys I've ever met! Not wanting to sound like there's bromance in the air haha, but he's unusual in the sense that despite his talent, he doesn't act like he's superior at all and is totally down to earth. A rare, really nice guy!


    Cheers,
    Sam

    Quote from sambrox

    Only because his studio is next door to mine, but it turns out he's one of the most generous, knowledgable and welcoming guys I've ever met! Not wanting to sound like there's bromance in the air haha, but he's unusual in the sense that despite his talent, he doesn't act like he's superior at all and is totally down to earth. A rare, really nice guy!


    Cheers,
    Sam


    I've seen him on several forums. Generous with his advice, does not seem to hold back his expertise in fear of raising the competition, etc.. Not to mention that judging by his references, he is more than the real deal :) Respect to the guy.