Gain staging for DJs: from the trim knob to the red lights

The trim sets each channel’s level before the fader. Set it right for every track and the mix stays out of the red, the faders do the mixing, and the system plays clean all night.

The order, from the track to the speakers

1. Trim: each channel to the same level, so a loud track and a quiet one meet at the same height.
2. Channel fader: the mix itself.
3. Master: left where the system expects it, not used to rescue a hot channel.

Why the red lights come on

• Loud masters stacked: two tracks at full level in a blend add up.
• A quiet track turned up brings its peaks up with it; check them before you add a lot of gain.
• Clipped or overcooked files are already at the top before the mixer touches them.

Auto gain

Many DJ programs can set the gain by themselves as a track loads. It levels well enough on average, but it does not say what it did or why, and it does not tell you that a file is clipped, cut off or made from an MP3. Knowing the trim before the gig lets you decide.

Get the trims for your set

The loudness side: LUFS for DJs. A file’s problems: the clipping checker.