MIRx Natural Volume

[gyprock]

Hi,

I need some clarification about how to use natural volume. I'm using Cubase so do I set my mixer levels all at the same level e.g. 0dB while natural volume is on? The balance between all the instruments is handled within VI Pro and I would only tweak the Cubase mixer to raise or lower some instruments.

Alternatively, I could switch natural volume off and then set my mixer levels in accordance with the natural volume table at the end of the user manual. I would set the loudest instrument in my score at 0dB and all other instruments would be manually set by adding or subtracting the offset. This would assume that my VI Pro master volume is set to the same level on all channels e.g. 100 for CC7.

The example in the user manual under the natural volume section implies that you have to adjust you mixer levels with the correct offset while natural volume is on. This I don't understand based on the two scenarios I gave above.

Regards,

Gyprock

[Dietz]

Hi Gyprock,

@Another User said:

The example in the user manual under the natural volume section implies that you have to adjust you mixer levels with the correct offset while natural volume is on. This I don't understand based on the two scenarios I gave above.

I will have to look into that - maybe there's some confusing information presented in the manual.

Kind regards,

[Ege]

I was very intrigued by Natural Volume, as it seemed to solve a problem with instrument placement, front and back.

I have a couple of questions, though:

1.  When using MIRx in VI Pro within VE Pro (i.e., VE Pro acts as my mixer for several VI Pro instances), I assume stereo width is set at full left to right on the mixer AND within voices of a given VI Pro instance, and volume is set to 0.0 db on the mixer.  Correct?

2.  When I turn Natural Volume on, volume on my pieces drops to unusably low levels, way, way too soft.  My set up here is Siblelius 6, with ITS mixer set to 0 db, and VE Pro used with Manual Sound Sets, with VE Pro mixer settings at 0.0 db and Individual instrument volume on VI Pro set to 100 or above.  The "Live Playback" feature of Sibelius, which uses velocity levels of input notes rather than notation entries (e.g., ff) to set dynamics, is turned OFF.  I should be getting some loud music.  Expression varies between 90 and 60 some on the Expression fader within VI Pro as the piece plays.   If you look at the faders on the VE Pro, they are showing a maximum of about -40 to -30 db in a piece with forte dynamics on the score.  That can't be right.  What setting should I check?

Thanks.  Steve

[Dietz]

Hi Steve,

@Another User said:

2.  When I turn Natural Volume on, volume on my pieces drops to unusably low levels, way, way too soft.  My set up here is Siblelius 6, with ITS mixer set to 0 db, and VE Pro used with Manual Sound Sets, with VE Pro mixer settings at 0.0 db and Individual instrument volume on VI Pro set to 100 or above.  The "Live Playback" feature of Sibelius, which uses velocity levels of input notes rather than notation entries (e.g., ff) to set dynamics, is turned OFF.  I should be getting some loud music.  Expression varies between 90 and 60 some on the Expression fader within VI Pro as the piece plays.   If you look at the faders on the VE Pro, they are showing a maximum of about -40 to -30 db in a piece with forte dynamics on the score.  That can't be right.  What setting should I check?

Natural Volume has to supply the headroom necessary for the few extremely loud instruments, like most of the percussions or some brass ensembles. Just raise the global mix volume to any meaningful value (... this will depend a lot on your arrangement!) and you're done.

BTW ... there's a list at the end of MIRx' manual which will give you an idea what to expect when engaging the Natural Volume feature.

HTH,