more transients down than up? *pic*

[remo]

I just knocked out this mix of my band playing live (10 mics a couple of DI's).. I'm wondering why there are so many more transients down than up (see pic).. I hit it with very soft limiting on the way out and checked all my phase stuff.. any ideas?

[ms70]

it's a bad DC offset. I don't know Sound Forge, but you probably can
repair that under 'process' or somewhere from the menu ...

[eyesore]

That's not DC offset.

I've seen this discussed on other boards before, but I don't think any conclusions were reached as to what really causes that, though I think people seemed to concur that it doesn't affect the sound, but I understand how it can affect you being able to get the most level out of your mix in your case. I have had some things that I have recorded appear that way, but I guess I've encountered it more on individual tracks rather than on a full mix.

[drmmrboy]

I've had that happen a few times, only to a kick track.
When I changed the cable, it looked "normal" again.
I have never seen it on a full mix either...

Andrew

[remo]

Originally Posted by ms70

it's a bad DC offset. I don't know Sound Forge, but you probably can
repair that under 'process' or somewhere from the menu ...

Yeah it's not DC offset as I just zeroed that (as you can see in the bottom right hand corner)..

I'm miffed!

[Berolzheimer]

could be one of several things- for one, some waveforms in nature just aren't symmetrical. Or, could be that some part of the signal path on that spike, which I assume to be your kick or snare, was having a power supply problem resulting in more power to the negative rail than the positive (or the reverse if the polarity was switched somewhere else in the path). Usually this would result in clipping/limiting on whatever side was being deprived. Or, it could be DC offset, but on the one track, not the whole mix.

[NeoVXR]

the magic word is KICK!
I'm quite sure that the explanation ist very straightforward. the impulse of a kick drum many times is very asymmetric because of the obvious mechanical function
the skin gets hit with a higher speed than it moves back to its initial position. the oscillation does not reach the amplitude of the "thump".
the mix has likely a clear and direct sounding kick drum.
many processing devices and algos can even out the asymmetric waveform, from compressors to EQ to multing. this time they didn't.

(for a vinyl record this would be a big disadvantage and the mastering/cutting guys would know what to do.)

[remo]

Originally Posted by NeoVXR

the magic word is KICK!
I'm quite sure that the explanation ist very straightforward. the impulse of a kick drum many times is very asymmetric because of the obvious mechanical function
the skin gets hit with a higher speed than it moves back to its initial position. the oscillation does not reach the amplitude of the "thump".

makes sense to me, thanks for the insight! thumbsup