Setting up gain structure and your Rane Mixer.

In a recent post on the Rane DJ Blog Shaun goes over some important information about setting up your gain to get the best possible sound from your Rane DJ mixer.   As a proud authorized Rane dealer you will find great service and great prices from Real DJs just like you.  Every DJ on the front lines that takes a call, answers a chat, or replies to an email is a real working DJ.  We proudly refer to what we do as #DJsHelpingDJs

How to properly set Rane mixer level controls

Correctly setting DJ mixer level controls is one of the most important contributors to creating an excellent sounding system. Once you master the fundamental principles you'll know how to get the best possible audio quality from your Rane DJ mixer. To ensure proper level setting, Rane DJ mixers are designed with a professional audio metering system much like you’d find in a studio grade mixing console. If you’re familiar with pro-audio mixing consoles, Rane DJ mixer metering will be a no-brainer, but if this is your first introduction to professional audio metering it may be a bit different from what you’re accustomed.

 

level controls

DJ mixers have a lot of level controls (wouldn’t be much of a mixer without them). Knowing the proper setting for each control is a bit confusing, especially when adding a software program to your system. Luckily, audio software and DJ mixers include similar controls. Both include individual gain/trim controls, level meters for each channel, and a master output level control.

meter levels

Follow the golden rule and keep your level meters out of the red. Think of a level meter as a traffic light. Green means you’re OK to proceed, yellow means caution and red means stop. Your goal is to turn the gain controls up so that your level meters are peaking in the high yellow- almost to red but not quite. When level meters hit red, you run the risk of clipping or simply distorting the heck out of the audio. In case you’re wondering, both sound terrible.
When using a software program it’s important to adjust your level controls properly within the program before tweaking the level controls on your mixer. Once the level meters within the software are adjusted properly (i.e., no red), you’re ready to adjust the level controls on your mixer.

using Rane mixer metering

Rane mixers use Quasi-Peak meters with peak hold. What the heck is quasi-peak you ask? Quasi means, having a likeness to or resembling something, so quasi-peak refers to the peak-like meter function of the Rane meter. The fast responding quasi-peak value (lower portion of the meter) shows you what signal is doing real-time, relative to the dynamic range of the mixer. Audio transients can be relatively fast, making it easy to miss brief overload events, so the meters are designed to hold the maximum value for at least half a second (top portion of the meter).



Like other peak hold meters, the ones found on Rane DJ mixers will appear to have gaps between the average level and the peak levels. This can throw DJs off at first, thinking the meters are malfunctioning, but this is not the case. The LED floating above the rest represents the peak level of the audio and the LEDs below the peak represent the quasi-peak audio level.
The basic idea behind using peak hold meters is identical to using peak meters; keep the top meter out of the red. Using the PGM gain controls on your mixer, adjust the level so that your meters barely hit the red and then back the level down until out of the red. Repeat this process for each PGM channel.

 

a quick note about Rane master level controls and master meter levels

The main difference DJs may notice about the master output level meter is that the master level control has no affect on the meter levels (see above picture). This may seem a bit weird when compared to other DJ mixers, but there’s a very good reason behind this design. With Rane professional DJ mixers, the master output level meter is the summed total of all PGM channel levels. In other words, the master output meter is a true representation of your combined output mix level. As long as the output level meters stay out of the red, you won’t be in danger of clipping or distorting audio, not that you can clip or distort a Rane mixer anyway, but that’s beside the point. You can still blow the sound system speakers (and your chances of getting booked to play that venue again).

Calibrating your Rane mixer with a sound system

It was mentioned earlier that the main level control has no affect on the master level meter, and this is by design. The design intent is to use the master level control to calibrate the mixer with a sound system. Ideally, during sound check, the sound tech running the sound system will calibrate the system to the output level of the Rane mixer, so that red meters on the mixer indicate red (or almost red) on the main sound board and/or near clipping of the amplifiers.

1. Start with the master level control knob all the way down.
   
2. Make sure the audio levels meters within the software you’re using are not peaking red.
   
3. Start with the PGM channel 1 fader all the way up and adjust the upper rotary gain/level control so that your meters barely hit the red and then back the level down until out of the red, giving yourself a little room for sudden level peaks. Repeat the same process for PGM channel 2, if using more than two channels, PGM channel 3 and PGM channel 4.
   
4. While playing audio, using each PGM channel, check the master output level meters. If the master output level meters are in the red make small adjustments to each PGM channel gain control until the master level meter is peaking into the yellow. Now that your mixer level controls are properly set, you’re ready to turn up the master level control.
   
5. Here’s where you grab the sound tech running the sound system. The tech may have you do one of the following:
   

• Increase the mixer’s master level control until you’re told to stop. If you stop at 8, this is your maximum level output for the mixer and you do not want to exceed this level setting. Increasing the master level control past 8 may cause the sound tech to give you dirty looks, or worse, damage the sound system.
  
• Turn the mixer’s master level control all the way up. Once your master level control is at max, the sound tech will slowly increase the level on the main sound board until the sound system is at the peak level. When it comes to preventing damage to the sound system this is the sound techs safest way to calibrate a mixer to the system.
  

wrapping up

Optimum sound quality requires correctly setting software level and DJ mixer level controls. The correct procedure begins by properly setting software level controls and then mixer gain level controls. Once your mixer levels are properly set, calibrating the master output level control with the sound system is the last step. Following these simple steps ensures you'll get the best possible audio quality from your Rane DJ mixer.

View more Rane DJ Blog posts here

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Recording you mix with Scratch Live or Serato DJ

With the rapid growth in popularity of  Serato Scratch Live and Serato DJ we thought that we would share this recent blog post from Serato.com.  It addresses recording your mix within each of their products.  Give it a read and if you need additional information about Scratch Live or Serato DJ products please feel free to visit our page  Serato Products at agiprodj

Before recording a mix, it is important you figure out what you will want to do with the mix once it's finished. While it is often easiest to just press 'record' and have a play, the more familiar you are with the recording process the easier it will be to keep your mixes sounding dynamic and professional. While there are tools in which you can make a recording sound more punchy and vibrant, there is no way to increase the quality of poorly recorded audio.
The most common reasons for recording a mix are:

• Professional Mix CD release
• Web mix / podcast
• Promo / demo CD for promoters
• Friends & family
• To critique your own style: listening and learning helps your DJing to grow.

Each of these may require different levels of quality, and the further up the list you go the more polished the recording should be. Even if you are making the CD for yourself, it is always a good idea to aim to get the highest quality possible, sometimes a poorly recorded set can be ego crushing.

DIGITAL RECORDING

When you record audio into a digital environment you end up converting the 'real' analog audio signal into a series of digital information. The process of conversion has limitations and is worthwhile taking the time to understand the process.
Digital recording takes the analog signal and turns this into digital information using an A/D (analog-to-digital) converter. The process scans the incoming signal and turns the smooth analog signal into a series of digital O's and 1's.
Digital recordings uses both sample rates (Hz) and word size (bits). The higher the numbers of each, the higher the quality.

SOUND RESOLUTION

Sample Rate: Anything with a sample rate below 44.1 kHz can be heard of as having a lower quality, although anything above this is not easily recognized by the human ear unless you are using high quality sound systems.
Bit Rate: The jump from 16bits to 24bits can be dramatic. Professional audio engineers now use 24bits, and it is worth while recording at 24 bits if you wish to edit your recording later.
NOTE: If you are giving out compact discs they are only able to handle 16bits, so you will need to convert (or dither) down to 16bits.

RECORDING GAIN & AUDIO QUALITY

Keep the audio at the highest possible quality throughout the entire recording process. Sound editing is destructive in nature, so each step you take in this process will result in a loss of quality. Some steps can cause a distinct loss of quality (ie. converting from a WAV file to an MP3) and should only be done once in a file's life.
DJ equipment: Make sure all your equipment is in good working order before you start to record, there is nothing worse than getting halfway through a good mix and realizing that your needles are dusty or your mixer is crackling.
Leads and Cables: Make sure you are using good quality leads. This may mean using shielded RCA cables, or using new leads for the mix. We recommend keeping all leads away from power sources, other cables or speakers.
Recording volume / Gain Structure:

• Keep your signal as loud as possible, without at any point going redlining or clipping the signal over zero dB into your recording device or soundcard. Redlining your channels can result in distortion or digital clipping.
• Keep an eye on how loud your transitions are, adding two signals together can push the overall volume over into the red, even if each track's peak is under.
• Ensure that you have done a test recording so you know your setup is working without problems.

RECORDING YOUR MIX

There are various ways to record depending on the hardware and software you are using:

SCRATCH LIVE (SL 1, SL 2)

Because the SL 1 and SL 2 only have Left and Right inputs, you will need to use audio program to record as the audio is mixed and blended outside of the software (inside your DJ mixer).
There are several recording programs you can use such as Audacity (free) or Ableton Live (paid, for more advanced options).
You will need:

• SL 1 or SL2
• RCA cables
• USB cable
• computer with line input (unless you have an external soundcard you wish to use)
• Stereo RCA to 3.5mm mini jack cable 

To record:

1. Setup your SL 1 or SL 2 like you would normally and launch Scratch Live.
2. Connect the Stereo RCA to 3.5mm mini jack cable from an additional output from your DJ mixer (i.e. booth, record, 2nd master) into the line input of your computer (or your external soundcard)
3. Set the record source in your recording program to "line".
4. Check the record settings/preferences are set to stereo 44.1 kHz and 16bits (more if you desire).
5. Test there is audio coming into the recording program and check the levels aren't going above zero dB on the recording channel.
6. When you are ready, press record in your recording software, and start your mix.
7. When you are finished, make sure you stop the recording, and save the mix to a location of your choice.

NOTE: Because of the extra strain on your laptop's RAM and CPU while running Scratch Live and a recording program, we recommend that you use a desktop or a separate laptop to record a mix if you are able to.

SCRATCH LIVE (SL 3, SL 4)

With the SL 3 or SL 4 you can use the AUX input to record your set and record using Scratch Live. Set up Scratch Live normally with your DJ setup and laptop.
NOTE: Make sure to set the AUX channels dip switch on the hardware to line level when recording.
What you will need:

• SL 3 or SL 4
• RCA cables (plus any other cables you need for your normal DJ setup)
• USB cable
• laptop

To record:

1. Setup your DJ equipment like you would normally and launch Scratch Live.
2. Connect the RCA cable from an additional output from your DJ mixer (i.e. 'booth' or 'record' or '2nd master') into the AUX input of your SL 3 or SL 4.
3. Open the Record tab in Scratch Live. 
4. Set the record input source in Scratch Live to "aux". 
5. Test that your record levels aren't clipping (you can use the Gain knob to adjust this level).
6. When you are ready, press the red Record icon in Scratch Live, and start your mix.
7. When you are finished, type a file name (i.e."mixtape 1") into the Filename box and press the Save icon. Remember to enter a filename, otherwise your recording will be lost if you press 'Record' again before saving.  

Recordings are saved in:

• “MyDocuments\My- Music\_Serato_\Recording”  (on a PC)
• "~/Music/_Serato_/Recording” (on a Mac)
• "In your 'Recorded' crate in Scratch Live crates" 

NOTE: Recording files are automatically split when the recording exceeds 3 hours (16-bit) or 1 hour 50 minutes (24-bit). Recordings are saved as 24-bit by default.

SCRATCH LIVE (TTM 57SL, SIXTY-ONE, SIXTY-TWO, SIXTY-EIGHT)

Recording your mix using the Rane Sixty-Eight & TTM 57SL is easy, as the audio signal form the mixer is returned via the USB cable back into Scratch Live.
To record:

1. Setup your DJ equipment like you would normally and launch Scratch Live.
2. Open the Record tab in Scratch Live.  
3. Set the record source in Scratch Live to "mix". 
4. Test that your record levels aren't clipping (you can use the Gain knob to adjust this level).
5. When you are ready, press the Record icon in Scratch Live, and start your mix.
6. When you are finished, type a file name (i.e."mixtape 1") into the Filename box and press the Save icon. Remember to enter a filename, otherwise your recording will be lost if you press 'Record' again before saving.  
7. Recordings are saved in:

• “MyDocuments\My- Music\_Serato_\Recording”  (on a PC)
• "~/Music/_Serato_/Recording” (on a Mac)
• "In your 'Recorded' crate in Scratch Live crates" 

NOTE: Recording files are automatically split when the recording exceeds 3 hours (16-bit) or 1 hour 50 minutes (24-bit). Recordings are saved as 24-bit by default.

SERATO DJ / ITCH

Recording your mix within Serato DJ or ITCH is easy, as the audio can be taken directly from the software.
To record:

1. Setup your controller like you would normally and launch Serato DJ / ITCH.
2. Open the Record tab in Serato DJ / ITCH.  
3. Set the record source in Serato DJ / ITCH to "mix". 
4. Test that your record levels aren't clipping (you can use the Gain knob to adjust this level).
5. When you are ready, press the Record icon in Serato DJ / ITCH, and start your mix.
6. When you are finished, type a file name (i.e."mixtape 1") into the Filename box and press the Save icon. Remember to enter a filename, otherwise your recording will be lost if you press 'Record' again before saving.  
7. Recordings are saved in:

• “MyDocuments\My- Music\_Serato_\Recording”  (on a PC)
• "~/Music/_Serato_/Recording” (on a Mac)
• "In your 'Recorded' crate in Serato DJ / ITCH crates" 

NOTE: Recording files are automatically split when the recording exceeds 3 hours (16-bit) or 1 hour 50 minutes (24-bit). Recordings are saved as 24-bit by default.
In this day and age your mix can be a good way to help get you gigs, create fans, promote your DJ profile, or increase your skills or just enjoy a blend of your favorite tracks.
Once you are happy with recording the mix you may wish to master your recordings to make it sound professional. You can also check out our guide for sharing your sets.

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DJ Spider live set at the NAMM Show 2013

Kevin from agiprodj (aka DJ Shmoo) stopped by the Rane booth at NAMM 2013 to catch DJ Spider’s performance and to talk about some of the gear Spider uses, plus some cool personal stuff.
In this video we see DJ Spider Wearing Aiaiai TMA-1 headphones, a Rane 62 Serato Scratch Live Mixer, Novation Dicers, and a Crane Stand Pro.

You can catch up with everything going on with DJ Spider here:

http://deejayspider.com/
https://www.facebook.com/djspiderfan
http://www.myspace.com/djspider
https://soundcloud.com/deejayspider
https://twitter.com/deejayspider

agiprodj is a proud & Authorized Rane, AiAiAi & Novation dealer.



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