Multiple audio tracks

[Dylan Morgan]

If I were to set my levels correctly on one audio track and then added another below it, the added track pushes my overall master level beyond 0db. When I isolate the tracks they're not clipping and without distortion. Just wanted to see how other people work around this and if the master audio level is only a gauge of individual clips. Thanks for any response!

[Seth Bloombaum]

Hello from Portland!

Yes, this is normal and expected behavior. The tracks are summed to the master, which is similar to what all mixers and NLEs do.

You do have a couple of choices here - individual tracks can be lowered, either with the volume slider in the track header, or a volume envelope on the track.

You can display the audio master bus, and draw an envelope there.

Perhaps easiest, and a good simple fix if you have a mix you like, is to lower the master slider.

There really isn't a "correct" track volume. What counts is the mix, and the volume and dynamics of the mix.

[Don Bloom]

If you go to the Track Header (the one with the sliders and icon for adding track level FX) and right click on the lower slder there is a menu of sorts that allows various levels to be set. The top one is 0db - add channels, meaning the levels are all added together. there is 0db (not added) -3db, -6db (not added). then of course you can set each track to go to a seperate bus where you can also add FX AND there is a slider there which has the same adjustments as the Track Header slider. so in effect you can set the Track Header to -6 and the bus to -6 so you have effectively set the track to -12. Add in and envelope to the track and you can get the audio to pretty much any level you want. you COULD also run the Non-Real Time FX "Volume" and set that to adjust as well. I prefer to use the track header and bus with an envelope for most work.
Gotta love all the different ways to accomplish the same thing in Vegas.

[Dylan Morgan]

Thanks guys!