James Dziezynski

Hey Dusan! The answers here, while right, don't really help with your problem. I'm no expert, but I think I have a solution that could help you. 1) Export your track to a stereo wave after finding mix levels you like. Your volume levels can be nice n' low (-8 to -12 db is what I do). Then close your CWB file. 2) Open a new EMPTY project, add an AUDIO track and FILE > IMPORT your stereo wave file. 3) On the left you'll have your Pro Channel modules. I like to delete them all, except EQ (which you can't delete). Set your EQ to what pleases your ear by double clicking the "screen" on the EQ module (again, this is just an exercise in improving volume). I usually set a sharp slope (48) and freq to 24, but again, that's just me. 4) For ease of use, next add a Compression Module in your Pro Channel after (below) the EQ. (Add it with the plus icon at the top of your channel strip, still on the left of the screen) I like the PC4k Style Bus. To start, you I like to tweak threshold and attack. Turn thresh all the way up (no compression) and gradually lower it about -2 more to cut off possible high clips. You can use the attack as well to tweak the tone. I set the release to 0. 5) Finally - the coup de grace - ADD (plus symbol) a final module > Style Dial Knobs > Max. This is a limiter and should come at the bottom, end of your chain in your channel. It's good for dummies like me because it's just one big knob. Find the loudest part of your wave and turn the knob until you are at 0 or even +3 DB on your channel. Make it loud, as long as it's not clipping. This is where your quieter recording pays off - if you record too loud, a limiter can make a throbbing, pulsing sound. Because you kept your levels open to headspace, that shouldn't be an issue! This will be the volume you're looking for. Export to wav or MP3 and you'll have some color to your song, but also a "real recording" volume. There's a zillion more nuances in these plugins but they are fun to figure out. The Style Dials seem to be made for amateurs like myself and so I put them in from time to time as the audio changes are very apparent. Many other plugins are much more subtle. Hope this helps! PS: Here are two examples I recording this morning to prove the point (not to show off anything in my writing or playing) Before mastering: https://www.mountainouswords.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Facing-Up-1.mp3 After: https://www.mountainouswords.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/final-boost-master.mp3

I've been having fun with the paid version of TH3-Overloud. I know there's a lot of potential here but I am having a hard time getting my guitars to sound as tight as they should. My problem is when I select most sounds in the TH3 library, they sound incredibly dull and flat until I've tacked on a custom EQ. I get the sense the sound library should sound better out of the box. For example, if I select their "Crazy Train" chain, it initially sounds like I'm running a $50 dollar guitar through a $20 amp. I can often get it sounding better with EQ work but it often takes a long time to set up. I usually send my input to a Bus with the FX chains. Any advice on what I might be doing wrong? I'm running my guitar through a steinberg UR22mkII. I have PRS guitars, a passive pickup Custom 24 and active pick up Torrero SE. Thanks!

I'm looking for a little help with the Session Drummer 3 in the Bandlab version of Cakewalk. For the record, I've been using Cakewalk since 2000 or so from Cakewalk 8 > Sonar X3, so I'm familiar with how synths should work. When I Insert > SoftSynth Sessions Drummer 3, the first thing I notice is it comes up as "Session Drummer". No big deal. However, when it opens and I go to select kits, programs, or MIDI, the options are blank. I can manually dig in and manually load all of these, as they live in Program Files > Cakewalk > VstPlungins > Session Drummer 3 > Content. However, this is a tedious way to do it. Is there anyway to get Session Drummer 3 to load the correct file location? As of now if I click on black space for PROGRAM the PROGRAM BROWSER list does not populate. When I've used Session Drummer 3 in X3, this was a full list of programs and kits. Any help is appreciated!