monitoring level

[tenga]

Hello all:

I've read many times that monitoring level is very important for many reasons , and good practice to keep at reasonable and constant level between sessions....

This sounds great and i know there are some great metering plugins i can include in my daw....but....

Whats the best known to work volume level i should use?? how do i measure it ??
do i need an external dbmeter like Hannes Bieger in the picture ???
how can i check the level is constant between sessions , or even songs...

i mean there are plenty of parameters here :
-audio interface volume control knob ( i move this one all the time....muting purposes )
-monitor volume control knob ( my monitors are always at half position , dont know if this good)
-windows volume control (dont know if this one is bypassed when i use asio)

thanks for reading !!!!

[WOLF!]

Get a dB-meter for this. I can do long sessions at 70 to 75 dB (at my sweet spot).

[Lost to the Void]

This has been discussed on then forum.
Invest in a decent spl meter.
You start the process by setting an average level tomproduce to in RMS.
-12 RMS is generally a good level. So all the tunes you make want to sit at roughly -12 RMS on the master meter.
This is important for listening calibration to make sense, and it will make your production more consistent.

So then we have the levels in SPL. Well the standards of 79 and 85 at 0dbvu just don't apply to home studios. You'll end up deaf.

You want to find 2 levels.
Get one of your best tunes and load it in to your daw. Adjust your channel faders so your master level is hitting -12rms (or -14 if you prefer more dynamic). Then set your monitor controller to produce a level from your speakers that is comfortable for long periods of working. Mark this position on your monitor controller with some tape or something (or if yours has it, the ref or memory function). Use your SPL meter and write down the level. This will be your main reference level.
Then set your monitoring level for a loud reference, where you would turn it up to feel bass pressure etc. And do the same as above, mark the novel on your monitor control and take a level on your SPL meter.

Now whenever you listen to reference tracks, adjust your monitors so your SPL meter reads at your main reference level.

Whenever you produce keep your master SPL consistent and periodically check your actual monitoring level with your SPL meter. RMS and SPL levels won't always match up so you use your SPL meter to make sure you listen at your reference level by adjusting your monitor control if needed.

Job done.

3-6 months of producing at consistent and replicable levels and you will find your mixes come together more quickly and become more coherent.

[Resin]

If you are using an Iphone, their SPL meter apps are surprisingly reliable. Used it a couple of times in a pinch and it worked great. Can’t say the same for Android, unfortunately. Obviously, I’d rather trust a proper SPL meter, but for home use I’d say Iphone apps will do the trick.

Usually you would measure using pink noise at -20dbfs* mono (you measure each channel from your listening position, pointing the meter towards your speaker). The level you should use is hard to tell. It really depends on the size of your studio.

*= http://thedubstage.com/pink-noise/

[tenga]

Thanks for the replies !!
i found some inexpensive spl around 30-40 euros ...