28: Proper Gain Staging to Get the Sound You Want
The guys talk about what gain staging is, how it can make or break your recording, and the practical steps you can take to make sure you get it right.
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You've probably heard the term "gain staging" thrown around but how well do you REALLY understand what it means? Is it actually important for DIY recording or is it one of those esoteric recording concepts debated by nerds (like us) but that you can skip? The answer to the second question is a definite "Yes. It's actually important". The good news, this week we will demystify the concept for you so that you can gain stage like a pro.
In this episode you will learn:
You've probably heard the term "gain staging" thrown around but how well do you REALLY understand what it means? Is it actually important for DIY recording or is it one of those esoteric recording concepts debated by nerds (like us) but that you can skip? The answer to the second question is a definite "Yes. It's actually important". The good news, this week we will demystify the concept for you so that you can gain stage like a pro.
In this episode you will learn:
- What gain staging is through a helpful video game analog
- How to decide where to distort signals when some distortion is your end goal
- The different gain stages (and how to use them) in guitar and bass amps
- The difference between "gain" knobs and "level" knobs on pedals, preamps and amps
- How to troubleshoot excessive noise or distortion
- What "unity gain" means and why it's such a powerful concept in recording
- The role of "metering" in a proper gain staging strategy
- What "oversampling" is and when it can (and can't) help you
- A practical, step by step gain staging process
- And more!
