Setting Levels, Headroom, & Peaks

What is the optimal way to set levels in a mix?

The optimal balance of a mix can vary based on the genre, artistic preferences, and the intended listening environment. This article will give you some tips, tricks, and definitions to help you set up one of the first and most important steps in mixing. your levels.

Definitions

Headroom in audio is the space between the highest signal peak and the maximum level a system can handle before distortion.

peak signal in audio refers to the highest instantaneous amplitude or level of a waveform. Monitor peak signals to prevent distortion and clipping.

RMS is commonly used to represent the perceived loudness of a continuous audio waveform

i think of it as maybe 2/3 of the peak on average (it depends on the waveform) and can be useful to tell you if your tracks are roughly sitting in the same place.

Setting peak levels

• Set peak levels for individual tracks and the overall mix. no individual track or the master output should 'clip' or exceed the maximum level.
• Maintain headroom to accommodate unexpected peaks and prevent clipping. 
• Keep an eye on individual track levels and the overall mix.
• leave enough space between the peaks and the maximum allowable level

Guidelines for the numbers

Take these numbers with a grain of salt here, remember that in mixing the answer is often 'it depends' the decibel dB reading on your vu-meter may vary depending on how you have adjusted your settings. some have a max 0dB, some have a max of +6. 

Always trust your ears!
the following is only a starting point.
every mix is different.

• Set individual track peak levels to average around -6 dB to -3 dB. This allows sufficient headroom and reduces the risk of clipping in the mix.
• Keep the peak level of the master output bus below 0 dB.
• Aim for a peak level that hovers around -3 dB to -1 dB to provide a safety margin and prevent clipping.
• RMS level for the mix bus approx. -14 dB to -10 dB, but this varies based on the genre and stylistic preferences. (this is where compression and limiting become useful)

• Compare your mix levels with professional reference tracks in similar genres.
• meters and visualizers are useful tools, trust your ears for the final judgment.