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Equally/Setting Audio Levels in FCP to match Analog Beta Decks
Is there a way to match FCP’s audio level meter with that of an analog beta deck?
The beta decks levels range from -20dbs to +3dbs. FCPs audio meter starts out at -96dbs to peaking at 0dbs. I realize that 0dbs on FCP equals +3dbs on the beta deck. So does that mean that 0db on the beta deck equals -12db in FCP?
I will set my bars n tone to -12db and match it to 0db on output to my beta deck. We also have a mackie mixer(its levels range from -30db to +28db) that we run through and so I will equal this out as well to match the beta deck at 0db and FCP at -12db. I will then set the levels in my sequence/timeline to bounce up and around -12dbs. However upon output to tape the levels on the beta deck will always move between -5db and -2db never bouncing around 0db even though my bar n tone is perfectly aligned. I always end up having to jack up the audio in my sequence to where it is bouncing around -6dbs to get it level off on my beta deck at around 0dbs. I’m not particularly crazy about this because it ends up being near the dreaded 0dbs in FCP which equals distortion.
Is there some setting that I could have off on FCP or the beta deck that could help correct this issue? I’ve read all the “freakin” manuals and haven’t found any answers there:)
Any help/understanding would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks
Lee
G5 Mac OS X
Dual 2.0 Ghz
FCP 4.5 HD
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Dual 1.25 Ghz
FCP 4.5 HD
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7 Replies
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I see this too… it’s been there a long time as well. Never got a good answer as to why, but this is how I handle it:
I set the record levels on the Betacam during playback of the audio… then I leave them alone. I go back to the sequence, and play the bars and tone, adjusting the tone until it hits 0 on the beta… This requires that the bars and tone are in the sequence… but what I do is certainly working.
Jerry
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Author: “Jerry Hofmann on Final Cut Pro 4” Click here
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Thanks Jerry for the quick advice!! I will try the QT pro trick and let you know.
Thanks
Lee
G5 Mac OS X
Dual 2.0 Ghz
FCP 4.5 HD
XServe Raid 1 TerabyteG4 Mac OS X
Dual 1.25 Ghz
FCP 4.5 HD
Lacie Drives 200 Gbs -
When I open up bars and tone I set my tone level to -20 dB in FCP (I actually adjust the volume on the tone media to -20dB from -12dB) Then with my -20 dB tone playing from FCP, I set my Betacam “0” level. (I also set up my D9 deck to -20 dB). Then when I do a final mix in FCP HD I mix to -12 dB with the little audio meters and make sure I don’t have anything peak over -10dB.
That seems to work really well for my set up. Once I had tone set, I used to watch my levels on the deck rather than FCP, but it always seems to come out right this way.
Now if there was only a way to keep my tone media set at -20 instead of having to adjust it every time……
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Thanks Matt! I will give that a try.
Thanks
Lee
G5 Mac OS X
Dual 2.0 Ghz
FCP 4.5 HD
XServe Raid 1 TerabyteG4 Mac OS X
Dual 1.25 Ghz
FCP 4.5 HD
Lacie Drives 200 Gbs -
[Matt Larson] “Now if there was only a way to keep my tone media set at -20 instead of having to adjust it every time…”
The way I accomplish this to create a project called (are you ready?) “New Project”.
I set up all the windows, presets, and bin headings the way I prefer.
I have a “clean” Timeline with :30 of Bars & Tone, a generic slate (even a version with an animated countdown).
I save the project in this “ready” condition and LOCK the file in the Mac’s “Get Info” window.
This keeps this “master copy” from being accidentally modified.Then, when I want to begin a new project I go to my FCP Documents Folder and double-click this “New Project” and, after FCP opens, I immediately “Save As” the REAL name of my project.
When you do this, you’ll automatically have both your original “New Project” locked file and the Newly-named unlocked (ready to edit) version. -
The key to this process is the Mackie mixer and for arguments purposes when I say mixer I mean a Mackie 1402-VLZ Pro.
This in “Old Fart Broadcast Engineer” parlance is called “Unity”. And now let us discover the Zen of this lost art.
1. With a tone generator produce a tone at 1 Khz and 0dBu through the Mackie mixer from an external source or from a FCP tone and bar sequence. Pot-up (oops old school term) the source–NOT THE MASTER OUTPUT!–so the master output from the Mackie is 0dBu.
As a sidebar the two sliders on the Main Mix should be set to “U”–oops, what’s that? Unity.
2. Now record the 1 Khz tone and bars to tape on the Beta.
3. Now playback the recorded bars and tone. Set the playback output on the Beta deck with the two pots available on the VTR, if it is a BVW or PVW, for 0dBu on the Beta slider assigned on the Mackie either LINE IN 7-8, LINE IN 9-10, LINE IN 11-12 or LINE IN 13-14. If not it may a menu item for UVW Beta’s–I can’t remember. You have now calibrated your Beta source deck to the Mackie.
4. Now your video/audio board will affect the this–adjust a bars/tone coming out of your FCP for “U-Unity” ie. 0dBu in the Mackie. If you board doesn’t have this ability you may well have to adjust your individual clip settings. For layoff to tape I use to have to set the tones for -16 because my old AJA Kona SD (1st generation board) with a Promax DA-MAX+ would never retain its DA adjustments (Distribution Amplifier).
5. When I then mastered to tape, I would nest my finished projects sequence inside my Tone/Bars/Countdown sequence. I would mix my main sequence project using FCP’s audio meters. If I needed to do an overall project tweak for master, it would be in my Tone/Bars/Countdown Master sequence–usually it meant adjusting the nest Main Project Sequence -4 DB to -16 DB from the standard -12 DB like my Tone/Bar/Countdown.
In the old school of engineering the output of your FCP video/audio board, the audio would go through a DA (Distribution Amplifier) and adjusted for “U-Unity” on your Mackie mixer which would be -12 DB in FCP if I remember correctly.
I am doing this from memory–the equipment is not around me–so your mileage may vary.
Bryce
Don’t worry Mr. B. I have a cunning plan…
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If you are using FCP with the Aja IO setup, here is what their manual says:
“Io supports the most common industry standards for analog levels: nominal or
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