ABSTRACT
Setting Levels The term levels refers to the loudness of a signal as it enters the audio recorder, which in turn determines the strength of the recorded audio signal. As mentioned earlier, all professional recorders offer manual level controls, allowing the sound recordist to control the strength of the signal; this is called setting levels. Getting strong audio levels depends on a combination of microphone placement and manual audio level adjustment. The craft of the sound mixer centers on the ability to fi nd proper levels, which generally means setting the loudest possible record level without overmodulating. This provides for the best sound signal for playback and postproduction. For the sound mixer, the most important tool for monitoring and setting audio levels on a digital recorder or DV camcorder is the peak meter (Figure 17-2).
