Please help - Volume automation confusion in sequencer

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mark999
Posts: 67
Joined: 13 Jun 2017

19 Oct 2017

Could someone please help me out?

I want to increase the volume of a track by +5dB via automation.
In the rack, the volume is displayed as -35.77dB, but in the sequencer it has a value of "176" - WHHYYYYY????

Here's what confuses me:

1. If the rack shows volume in dB, then why doesn't the sequencer also show it in dB? It's confusing!
2. If I want to adjust +5dB, how do I know what numerical value that translates to in the sequencer?
3. If I'm adjusting the volume, WHY does the volume dB tooltip appear underneath the pan knob instead of the volume meter? Is this a bug?
4. On the left hand side of the screen you will also see a value of "186" with no indication or name to explain what this number actually represents. (I'm guessing this value represents the highlighted dot of the volume I drew in, but boy, does it look unintuitive and confusing and not at all user friendly)

I'm using the latest version of Reason (9.5.2.d21)

Thanks! :)

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Zac
Posts: 1784
Joined: 19 May 2016
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19 Oct 2017

Perfectly good questions but unfortunately audio rather than midi processing has been a bit of an 'add on' to reason and my impression isn't 'don't worry we'll catch up and sort out audio editing', it's more like 'just be glad you have it at all'

I'm being mean here but audio processing in reason is archaic.

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sublunar
Posts: 507
Joined: 27 Apr 2017

19 Oct 2017

I have been confused about this as well. Audio work is my biggest ongoing gripe with Reason. They seriously need to get their shit together here.

I don't care much for recycle but the fact that they're still selling it separately is mind boggling. Put real audio editing into Reason already. I tried the whole "comp edit" or whatever it was called for editing audio in reason but it was just wonky. Having come from a DAW with very good audio editing, something which I loved experimenting with, left me really wanting in this regard. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that Reason 10.x will come out with stuff like this which has been sorely needed for so long and actually make 10 the "biggest update ever" because right now it's so obviosuly not the biggest update ever that they must be teasing us and stringing us along until 10.x comes out and delivers the goods.

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stratatonic
Posts: 1507
Joined: 15 Jan 2015
Location: CANADA

19 Oct 2017

Here's a chart selig put together a while back...
.
seligConversiondB.jpg
seligConversiondB.jpg (189.16 KiB) Viewed 889 times
mark999 wrote:
19 Oct 2017
Here's what confuses me:

4. On the left hand side of the screen you will also see a value of "186" with no indication or name to explain what this number actually represents. (I'm guessing this value represents the highlighted dot of the volume I drew in, but boy, does it look unintuitive and confusing and not at all user friendly)
.
The 186 is where your level is currently (see light grey line just to the right of your clip) and the 176 is the dot highlighted in your clip.

.
AND OF COURSE, I think we have all come to expect that there are SOME workflow enhancements in every upgrade.
.

.
AND OF COURSE, I think we have all come to expect that there are SOME workflow enhancements in every upgrade.

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Loque
Moderator
Posts: 11170
Joined: 28 Dec 2015

19 Oct 2017

I use my ears, not a number. That is my recommendation.
Reason12, Win10

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AttenuationHz
Posts: 2048
Joined: 20 Mar 2015
Location: Back of the Rack-1

19 Oct 2017

stratatonic wrote:
19 Oct 2017
Here's a chart selig put together a while back...
.
seligConversiondB.jpg
mark999 wrote:
19 Oct 2017
Here's what confuses me:

4. On the left hand side of the screen you will also see a value of "186" with no indication or name to explain what this number actually represents. (I'm guessing this value represents the highlighted dot of the volume I drew in, but boy, does it look unintuitive and confusing and not at all user friendly)
.
The 186 is where your level is currently (see light grey line just to the right of your clip) and the 176 is the dot highlighted in your clip.

.
AND OF COURSE, I think we have all come to expect that there are SOME workflow enhancements in every upgrade.
.

.
AND OF COURSE, I think we have all come to expect that there are SOME workflow enhancements in every upgrade.
Ah missed that one nice chart!

The 186 is the default level it was set to before the automation was applied. If no automation is being received it will read the default 186 and the fader will jump to that number number on the sequencer.

OP: 0-1000 it is confusing alright I have hoped it would be fixed in every update since 6 or whatever version introduced the SSL mixer its just one of those things! Each increment on the scale follows a dB pattern of 0.04>0.03>0.04>0.03 same for negitive value in dB -0.04>-0.03 etc
It is not too much of an ask for people or things to be the best version of itself!

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brand
Posts: 131
Joined: 11 May 2017
Location: New Jersey, US

21 Oct 2017

Yes, nice chart - I will hang onto this. Thank you!

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Carly(Poohbear)
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Posts: 2871
Joined: 25 Jan 2015
Location: UK

21 Oct 2017

It is a pain, what I do is make sure the playhead is just right of where I want the automation, after moving the position of the automation you can see the result reflect on the mix fader (or master fader).

but as pointed out, use your ears....

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AttenuationHz
Posts: 2048
Joined: 20 Mar 2015
Location: Back of the Rack-1

21 Oct 2017

If you think about it, it would have been easier if the increments were 0-7000 much easier to work out in hindsight. There would be much smoother fader movement too. The ear is not too sensitive to 0.01dB increase/decreases in volume though unless you're a maestro you can't really sense it.
It is not too much of an ask for people or things to be the best version of itself!

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