Gain

Gain is often identified as volume, but this is TOTALLY WRONG. Gain is a gain factor (as the name suggests) and plays an extremely important role in preamplifiers. In fact, Gain serves to adapt the input voltage to the amplifier so that the signal can be handled at maximum power without being distorted. If we take microphones as an example, we could measure the output voltage value of the signal. Obviously, all microphones have a different output value and, with the same Gain, the result is a different sound intensity. We are always talking about values in the order of 1Volt +/- 0.5 Volt. Gain raises the microphone's output level to allow the amplifier to work within its ideal power range; in this way, the amplifier's power stages are utilized optimally and without distortion, but above all, without having to crush them just to listen decently to low-level signals at the source. Clearly, if the gain (which we can therefore see as a multiplier of the original signal) is used to bring a signal well beyond the standard level, it is very likely that the amplifier at the next stage will go into saturation, and this is very dangerous for the system because saturation generates direct current which burns out speaker cones and can also cause other types of damage to the system. Therefore, one must not make the mistake of thinking that turning up the gain a lot produces more power... It could lead to irreparable damage. All this said in a few words. The discussion is actually much broader, especially at a theoretical and circuit level.

I hope I have been clear. For any questions, just ask...

Ciao

Thanks a million for the answer, I think when you say that Gain serves to adapt the input voltage to the amplifier so that it can process the signal at maximum power without distorting, it is very clear!!

volevo chiederti un'altra cosa, io su logic x ho una traccia di basso (si tratta di un apple loop) che in un punto preciso ha una dinamica (credo sia l'ampiezza dell'onda) troppo alta rispetto al resto (della traccia), così per abbassare quel punto e metterlo "in pari" ho prima selezionato il pezzettino e poi con il gain l'ho ridotto, ho fatto bene? Oppure dovevo usare il volume maneggiando l'automazione?

Anyway, gain modifies the amplitude of the track while volume does not

thanks a lot

http://www.pianoconcerto.it/forum/uploads/images/pianoconcerto_1441964253__traccia_basso.png

No, we haven't understood each other... Gain is a boost used to adapt the input signal to the amplifier; in fact, this is part of the PRE-Amplification stage. A microphone amplifier works, by standard, with input voltages in the order of 2 Volts +/- 1 Volt. If I connect a dynamic microphone, for example, and measure an output signal in the order of 0.5 V, this needs to be preamplified to be brought to 1.5/2 Volts. To bring it to this value, I use the Gain factor of the preamplification stage (GAIN). Why is it necessary to bring the signal to these values? Because the amplifier is built to work with input signals of this order of magnitude...

Coming to Logic, since your bass is already well-recorded, it is assumed that the recorded signal has already passed through a microphone preamplifier; therefore, there is no point in treating the signal with the gain factor. Instead, it is more convenient to use automation, with which you can do practically anything in Logic.

To insert attachments, click on the "use full editor" button and inside the full editor at the bottom you will have the possibility to insert attachments.

Thank you so much, it's perfect! In fact, obviously it doesn't apply to a track that is already recorded!