Gain Staging

Gain refers to the increasing or decreasing of the volume level. It is the amount of volume added or subtracted to a 0dB signal. It can be adjusted on anything that has a volume control. This includes instruments, mixing desks, digital workstations etc.

Peaking - Peaking occurs when the signal is too loud, causing the signal to clip. This can cause noise such as distortion and can also be unpleasant for the listener. Gain staging is essential for preventing peaking signals and requires a thorough awareness in order to avoid it.

Noise - The term "noise" refers to any unwanted sound present in a signal. The signal to noise ratio simply refers to the the level of desired sound compared to the level of background noise. Noise can be heard from equipment and can be emphasised by poor mixing. It often sounds like crackling, hissing or humming and can often be heard if the level of gain applied isn't high enough. If it is too quiet, the noise will be heard above the desired sound. In the early stages of adding gain, noise can be exaggerated if the gain is turned up too high. 

Gain staging is important in live performances as well as in the studio. A sound engineer tends to aim for the perfect level of gain. If the gain is too high, the signal will peak, causing it to clip and become distorted. If the gain levels are too low, the noise will be audible above the desired signal. Gain can be controlled directly on guitar amplifiers by boosting or reducing a signal. 

Gain staging refers to the different instances within the recording, mixing and mastering stages that involve altering the level of gain. This can include adjusting the levels on the instrument itself (volume pots/dials on guitars/keyboards etc.) During the mastering stage it is used for combination of all the tracks in order to reach the optimum sound level. This level often being the loudest the signal can possibly reach without peaking.

The most effective use of gain is to achieve the highest possible volume without it peaking. If this is achieved throughout the entire mixing stage then the overall sound will be greatly improved.