Question regarding "Gain" in Styles

[AmirInTexas]

Hi there,

It's been a while, I've been busy with life and finally getting some time to learn my A5000.  I got my keyboard attached to Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 along with M Audio 88 key connected to Keyscape.

As you know the Scarlett has gain control and I have them barely not even 3 notches up and everything sounds good.  I have bought some after market styles and only these styles are 3 times louder than factory, even if I turn the Gain control all the way down you can see the lights go from Green to Red and sounds terrible.

My question is where in the setting on these styles, the creator have made them so loud?  I want to bring them down to factory level.

I appreciate any insights.

[BogdanH]

...
My question is where in the setting on these styles, the creator have made them so loud?  I want to bring them down to factory level.

I recommend reading Owner's Manual:
Page 83 -in case complete style is too loud
Page 85 -in case only some tracks (i.e. drums) are too loud
Page 84 -save style when you're happy with loudness.

Bogdan

[AmirInTexas]

Thank you for this suggestion but this only helps with the Volume.  I still want it to be loud, but not tapping out the speakers or the headphone.  It is hard to explain but the creator must have done something to the "punch" that makes it this way.  Following your advice reduces the volume but the extra punch is still there, if this makes any sense.

[BogdanH]

hello Amir,
You said you bough 3rd party styles, with no voices included I guess(?), which means styles are using preset (built-in) voices. I say that, because in this case we can't really blame voices characteristics.
Now you mention that loudness (=volume) isn't really the problem: it's the "punch" that's too loud. In this case we are probably talking about some drum (within DrumKit voice), but can also be a bass guitar -anyway, a voice that has steep/fast attack. That is, if we decrease drum volume, there will be less punch, but actual drum sound (decay) will will also be quieter.
In this case two solutions come to my mind:
1. In style, try to replace drumKit (in Rhy1 or Rhy2 channel) with another one and re-adjust drum volume if necessary. As we know, most DrumKit's (Standard-, Studio-, Analog-, etc.) sound very similar -but the difference is in detail!
2. Open style in Style Creator and by using Step Edit, find the problematic percussion (within DrumKit) and decrease it's velocity to your liking.

The above also works for adjusting any other regular voice within style. The difference is, in this case we can also modify attack time (Reference Manual p. 48).
Btw. if MegaVoice is used for bass guitar, then try with a normal bass voice.

Bogdan

[EileenL]

I find in a lot of styles the kick drum is to loud and drowns out the bass line. I just reduce this in the style creator and resave. We all hear things differently so set these things to our own liking.

[AmirInTexas]

Dear Bogdan,

It's more than a style.  It's a whole set.  All the sounds and drumkits are custom.  I'll try your suggestion.  Thank you

[BogdanH]

It's more than a style.  It's a whole set.  All the sounds and drumkits are custom....

Thank you for clarifying -although that, in general, doesn't change the correction process that I mentioned before.
It happens many times that 3rd party voices are too loud (so they sound more "impressive") and if that's the case, it should be easy to adjust that. First step would be, to replace problematic custom voices (in styles) with similar preset (built-in) voices.

Wish you success,
Bogdan

[AmirInTexas]

Thank you sir.  One silly question, I adjust the volume as you suggested in the mixer/EQ and save the style but when i recall it the volume goes back to the original.  What am I doing wrong?

[BogdanH]

hi Amir,
To change the volume for particular channel in style (i.e. Rhy2, Bass, etc.), it must be done from "inside" of Style Creator. That is, you open the style in Style Creator and then you call mixer by pressing MIXER/EQ button on panel. Mixer page will appear on screen where you can adjust each channel to your liking (while Style Creator is still open in background).
You can also press START/STOP button on panel, so you can hear currently selected style variation playing while you're making adjustment. Just keep in mind that (if style is playing), you're actually in "record mode" -so don't hit any key on keybed!
When you're done with adjustments, close mixer by touching X on upper-right corner and you'll be returned back in Style Creator -now you can save the style.

Bogdan

[AmirInTexas]

Thank you!

[AmirInTexas]

Bogdan, thank you for your instructions.  I realized what a pain this is since I have to adjust the volume for each track for every variation.  It's about 8 or 9 tracks times 4, so it's like 36 adjustment per style and there are at least 200 styles in this package.  I gave up as I just didn't have time.  I think I just need to reduce the overall volume going from internal styles or other packages to this package.

Thank you for replying.  You have been helping a lot of folks on this forum and it's commendable.

[BogdanH]

hello Amir,
Usually we make that kind of fine tuning only on the styles that we are just about to use for some specific song. Making fine tuning in forward for all styles that you have, really makes no sense -because at the time when you will actually decide to use particular style, you will probably need to make adjustments again anyway.
For general volume adjustment, we usually don't adjust each variation separately. For example, if drum (or bass, etc.) is too loud in Main A variation, then it's usually also too loud on other variations. In this case we simply adjust track's volume's in one variation and save the style:
1. select style
2. select Main A, adjust volume of each track in Mixer and finally close Mixer
3. open Style Creator and save the style.
-new settings will be applied to all variations.

Bogdan

[EileenL]

If you just want to reduce all or certain parts across the whole style set up the volumes you want in the mixing console. Try it and if OK go to the style creator and without doing anything else Press Save. You will now have saved your settings,

[AmirInTexas]

Great advice again.  Thank you both.