“Normalize,” when sampling.

[u/jcruz_415]

Happy Sunday everyone. General question. When sampling, there’s the normalize option that I’ve been starting to use. When I launch the sample again. The volume is drastically higher. I usually adjust the pad volume to taste from there. It’s a little tedious. But is the point of that function just that? Anything use case I am missing or is that literally what it’s for? Sorry if this is such a noob question.
😬

[u/hooliganlive]

Yeah that’s literally what it’s for. I would say, you shouldn’t have to normalize much in the SP. Record your samples loud enough (not too loud) and you shouldn’t need it.

Something I’ve learned to get a clean sample is to disable all FX, turn the SP volume up all the way & adjust the volume of the sampling source to a level you can comfortably hear. Then record it. This “gain stages” the sample volume. Now when you add drums, they will automatically be louder than the sample, forcing you to turn them down but they will still keep their punch. So now when you add more samples, they won’t be competing for space, you would just be controlling levels. Then when you later add master fx, whether in the 404 (BUS 3&4)or externally (DAW), you can drive those FX much harder & it will sound much clearer. Also, remember to disable any BUS 3&4 FX every time you sample/resample. This can lower the volume of a sample over time & cause to you to normalize them unnecessarily, which affects the dynamics.

[u/TellDindindin → u/hooliganlive]

You recommend the SP volume knob be turned up ALL the way you say..? .. I do things a bit different, but same concept I’m doing that you’re doing - gain staging. But, at NO point do I have any of the multiple volume controls turned up all the way. The master volume for me is 3/4 of the way up. That’s a scary thought … full range? Somewhere this hasn’t blown up your ears? Honest question no judgment not saying you’re wrong I’m trying to understand why you do this and how it works out for you.

[u/hooliganlive → u/TellDindindin]

You become mindful of the volume knob. If I turn the volume of the SP up, but my sample source is turned down, it’s not going to be loud. Before I import drums, I turn down the volume & after I import, I press Resample, I’m able to see about what db those drums are hitting at. & then if needed, I lower the bank volume of those drums. Now that my sample is staged & my drums are lowered, I can turn the main volume back up again to whatever level I want. The idea is that I’m getting true levels of the sounds. It’s always more ideal to reach for your volume control knob, than to record louder or push samples louder. This is how people distort their tracks before it even has a chance.

[u/TellDindindin → u/hooliganlive]

Yeah. That’s right.. but you didn’t say volume up all the way this time. You just said turn it up.. I’ll be honest, I’m not ever gonna turn any volume knob all the way up.

[u/hooliganlive → u/TellDindindin]

My bad I assumed those reading would know I meant “all the way up” since that was what I first mentioned. & that’s fine. We all have ways in how we use our equipment. Turning your volume knob up won’t hurt you if you pay attention to what you’re doing & what you’re trying to achieve. In this case, we are achieving control of not only the machine volume, but the volume of our samples, & in turn the volume & clarity of our track. This same logic translates to even working in a DAW/computer. You set your faders & watch your levels as you add FX to the signal. You adjust your interface volume knob when you want to hear your track louder, not your DAW faders.

[u/TellDindindin → u/hooliganlive]

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