Studio One Studio One - Recording a solo for the VJR

PapaRaptor

Father Vyvian O'Blivion
Staff member
Just finished this one up a few minutes ago. It's a bit longer than the rest of the mini-tutorials at right at 20 minutes, but I just couldn't squeeze any more time out of it. Comments appreciated.

https://youtu.be/lvK_iw5brNM
I suggest watching this on Youtube. Embedded videos are of a lower resolution than videos directly watched on Youtube.

Edit: Video has been updated. On the previous version, I mistakenly edited out the section on setting the loop for export. If you have already watched the video, the section on exporting using the loop setting starts at about the 14 minute mark.
 
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Elwood

Blues
Hey Papa! I watched this a little earlier and it was great then, I'll see this in the AM. What I saw was the ducks nuts! I really like the ol MP3 / 44.1 / 256 right there on my post it, now. The flow is great and I will have to try the techniques you show for adding a track. I guess I just cave man it, sorta version 1, I guess.
Two small things ( I gotta run)
I saw you adj the "master' or "main" slider while setting levels prior to export.. I thought this would screw up the track for others behind me. I must be wrong, but how?
I did not see nay mention of input gain level setting. I'm sure you want to stay away from individual configurations.... but maybe a target range for the input signal as a starting point?
I'll watch it again in the morning. GREAT! Thanks!!!!!!!!!
 
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PapaRaptor

Father Vyvian O'Blivion
Staff member
Hey Papa! I watched this a little earlier and it was great then, I'll see this in the AM. What I saw was the ducks nuts! I really like the ol MP3 / 44.1 / 256 right there on my post it, now. The flow is great and I will have to try the techniques you show for adding a track. I guess I just cave man it, sorta version 1, I guess.
Two small things ( I gotta run)
I saw you adj the "master' or "main" slider while setting levels prior to export.. I thought this would screw up the track for others behind me. I must be wrong, but how?
I did not see nay mention of input gain level setting. I'm sure you want to stay away from individual configurations.... but maybe a target range for the input signal as a starting point?
I'll watch it again in the morning. GREAT! Thanks!!!!!!!!!

Thanks!
Yes, I did move the output fader and you are right, it will change the output levels. I usually leave the output setting a 0.0db, but it's not sacrosanct, because in some cases the input levels may also have been altered. On playback after I have output the track I use a program that gives me a true graphic representation of the final track and I've been known to adjust the output on the mix so I end up with an average backing track level that is between 6 and 9 db below saturation (0db) to leave solo room for other soloists who might follow.

As to gain setting, it's not usually necessary unless you see your meters on the mixing console redlining (or on the input, going above the 0 indicator. This will depend on the interface you are using into Studio One. Also, the faders have NO EFFECT on your input signal. They will control your monitor level. You can demonstrate this yourself by creating a track, arming record for the guitar channel and playing. If you watch the meters for your guitar channel, you'll see that they do not change regardless of where you move the slider. The sliders only work for mixing. Actual gain settings are pretty much a one time setting if you are always working with the same interface. I'll be doing a video on that within the next few days, but if you look in the mixer console, on the left, you will see a column of buttons, one of which is marked input. If you click on that, you'll gain access to the input settings.
InputGain-arrows.jpg

At the top, you will see the input setting for each channel. By default they are at 0.0 or unity, so they accept the signal as it is provided by the interface. With a Presonus interface, you should never need to change this. Other manufacturers' outputs may be higher or lower than the Presonus. It's difficult to see, but there is a knob to the left of the 0.0 db indication that you can adjust by placing your cursor on top of the knob. Click and drag up will increase the gain, Click and drag down will decrease the gain. Unless you change interfaces (microphones, DI boxes, etc,) you may never need to adjust it again after the initial setting. I switch back and forth using my Eleven Rack and Presonus Studio LIve mixer as my main interfaces and I have never touched these gain settings. That doesn't mean they can't be adjusted, just that they have been satisfactory for my use. The bottom portion shows the actual input levels Studio One is seeing (after the gain setting). The goal is to keep it below the 0db line. I can get a signal out of the processed inputs of the Eleven Rack (with 11r amp sims and effects) that approaches 0db.

Using my dry input (straight guitar), my peaks are lower, probably around -12db. Using Ampire in Studio One, those levels will get the dry guitar to a level that is on par with (or exceeds) the Eleven Rack inputs.

YMMV, but it's important to keep in mind that your inputs should never exceed 0db or some rather nasty sounding audio will be the result.

Since I have the graphic onscreen, if you notice right below the 0.0db indicator, you see Ø (two on the stereo backing track channel) and one each on the guitar and vocal channels. Those are phase reversal switches which allow you to flip the polarity of the input signal.
 
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MikeS

Student Of The Blues
Staff member
Two small thing...
1) How do I ensure that I import the entire track (not just 5 min).
2) At the bottom of the screen you have both Time and Bars displayed. Mine only shows bars. How do I change that?

2020-08-14_12-26-05.png
 

PapaRaptor

Father Vyvian O'Blivion
Staff member
Two small thing...
1) How do I ensure that I import the entire track (not just 5 min).
2) At the bottom of the screen you have both Time and Bars displayed. Mine only shows bars. How do I change that?

View attachment 12369

1. I recommend using the loop export. set the loop bar just above the ruler line so the left pointer is at measure 1 and the right pointer is at the end of the jam track. Then when you export, make sure the Export Mixdown window has the Export Range set to Between Loop.

2. What resolution is your display? if you are at less than 1920x1080 or if your S1 window isn't at full screen, the time you see in my displays will not be shown.
If you're on a laptop or have a monitor that won't do 1920x1080, you can change the Bars display to a Time display. Put the cursor just below the bars digital count and left-click. You will get a pop-up box. One of the options is Seconds. Selecting that will change the Bars readout to a time readout.
From This:
BarsTimer.jpg

To this:
SecondsTimer.jpg


Also, if your display is capable of 1920x1080, you can flip the displays so the time indicator is the larger of the two by repeating this same process on both counters, simply setting the larger one for time (Seconds) and the smaller one for Bars.
 
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PapaRaptor

Father Vyvian O'Blivion
Staff member
One other thing I just realized I forgot to mention while explaining Pre-Roll. If you have the Pre-Roll interval set to a value you already want (and that information is saved until next time you change it), you don't have to open the Metronome settings window. There is an icon on the transport bar to turn Pre-Roll on and off. There is also a shortcut key to toggle it on and off. It is the letter O on your keyboard.
PreRoll.jpg
 

MikeS

Student Of The Blues
Staff member
In the first one I was talking about import, not export. I seem to remember you mentioning a parameter that limited the size of the imported file & would just truncate the incoming track.

Hmm, i guess the problem is my resolution I have 20" monitor set to 1360x756, which makes things large enough for me to see without reading glasses. Changing to 1920x1080 worked. Thanks.

When I change from bars to seconds, the Time Ruler doesn't seem to change. Does yours?
 

MikeS

Student Of The Blues
Staff member
One little tidbit I've found that makes recording easier is to set a marker at the start of my portion of a track. That way as I record, then want to re-record, I can use the first VCR button to go back to the start of my portion of the track. Without setting the marker it goes back to the start of track marker.
 

PapaRaptor

Father Vyvian O'Blivion
Staff member
In the first one I was talking about import, not export. I seem to remember you mentioning a parameter that limited the size of the imported file & would just truncate the incoming track.

Hmm, i guess the problem is my resolution I have 20" monitor set to 1360x756, which makes things large enough for me to see without reading glasses. Changing to 1920x1080 worked. Thanks.

When I change from bars to seconds, the Time Ruler doesn't seem to change. Does yours?

I'm not aware of any limitation on file size for import. The only option I know where a track can get truncated is the export/output. Each template stores a Song Length. I'm sure that for someone, somewhere it is handy, as it places a Start marker at 0:00 and an end marker at whatever time the template specifies. I find it a pain in the ass, because I really don't pay attention to how long a song is until I'm finished. That's why I use the loop function to set the export length.
By the way, based on another post you made, I realized that I had edited out the section where I actually set up the loop length for the export process, along with some explanation of how to do it. I revisited that this morning and will have the revised video up later on today.

The time ruler is under separate control. To change it, place your pointer (there's another rookie mistake I made) in the ruler bar and right click. You will get a popup window:
RulerLineOptions.jpg

You can set the Timebase for the ruler from there.

The rookie mistake I referred to above:
I think I am to blame for some of your confusion with the cursor not giving you the results desired. I have been using incorrect terminology.
Just to clarify, the little gizmo with an arrow on it is the mouse pointer. I've been calling it a cursor since Windows 3.0... That is incorrect. It is in fact the pointer and it's one more thing I need to remember to get right in future videos. Old habits die hard. The cursor (in Studio One) is the white vertical bar that runs through the tracks.

The cut/copy/paste issues you have been having are likely caused by my incorrrect terminology. To establish the cursor at a paste location, you must move the mouse pointer to where you want the cursor and then click, which should establish the cursor (line). That is the actual location where any paste will take place.
 

MikeS

Student Of The Blues
Staff member
Thanks Lloyd, I finally understand the difference between the "Arrow Tool" and the "Range Tool"... I think...
Let me know when you update your video and which "Problem Description" you'd like to replace, or I'm SURE I'll update the wrong one. lol.
 

PapaRaptor

Father Vyvian O'Blivion
Staff member
FYI, I just updated the video. When I was editing the original I left out the part about setting a loop for export. The information has been included in the new video.
 

Caboburt

No Bad Days
Hello Papa...watched the vid and it was very helpful...But...I have a Mac and when I click on the latest thread it does start to play but there is no 3 dot menu to download the track. Any ideas? Thanks. I want to get in on the Virtual Jams.
 
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